How to Be Safest When Buying Online Items That Seem Dodgy?

0burntrice0 on 27/09/2016 - 10:44
Last edited 27/09/2016 - 10:49 by 1 other user

So its a long story but pretty much I was told via a friend that if I was to buy something (lets say… the iPhone7) from the site Alibaba, (not sure on price but I think its roughly $200 each).

I feel like when I got the product it would be either a fake, or broken item.

In this case I would be able to get a refund back, and if not I would be able to call paypal and say I want my money back as the product is not what I purchased.

What could go wrong? Is there much of a risk for me to buy this? Items that are $1000each are being sold for $200 (sometimes buy 2 get 1 free).

Can I just buy this and then when it gets to me in a months time I request my money back if its not what I was expecting to receive?

Cheers

General Discussion

Comments

  • supnigs super skids on 27/09/2016 - 10:48
    +5

    Fake, everything is gonna end up in tears

    • 0burntrice0 on 27/09/2016 - 10:50

      Would I not be able to just get a refund if I pay with paypal though?

      • supnigs super skids on 27/09/2016 - 10:50
        +4

        You can't even pay using paypal

        • 0burntrice0 on 27/09/2016 - 10:53

          I see, did not know that as I haven't bought anything from there before, I just assumed paypal would be accepted by most places. thanks for the info

  • Reverse Snorkel on 27/09/2016 - 10:51
    +1

    If you can't use paypal, forget it. Paypal you at least have insurance up to about $100 or so so at worst you can lodge a claim and get a refund if things go pear shape. Usually if something is too good to be true, it usually is.

    • 0burntrice0 on 27/09/2016 - 10:52
      +1

      I heard that banks will also be able to help in cases like this if you pay with your bank card?

      • iDroid on 27/09/2016 - 10:59
        +8

        They are fake. Just don't do it unless you want a fake one.

        There really is nothing more to it. All the hoping in the world will not change anything. There is no question, iPhone 7 for $200 is 100% fake.

      • supnigs super skids on 27/09/2016 - 11:01
        +5

        You just can't buy real iPhone 7 for that price in bulk. It's fake. Don't bother

  • hell0 on 27/09/2016 - 10:57
    +2

    OK, so if it costs Apple $400 at the bare minimum to make one iPhone how do you think you are buying it at $200… so the seller is paying someone $150… That's crazy but the problem is that such low prices make people lose any ability to think rationally. Save yourself the headache and don't even think about it any longer.

    This story reminds me of a work colleague who got a deal on 10 iphones so he collected up everyones $200 (except mine as I told him it was a scam) and he got delivery of 10 fake iphones and he had to pay everyone back and was stuck with 10 fake phones…

  • [Deactivated] on 27/09/2016 - 11:00
    +2

    AliExpress does not have iPhones for $200, DHGate does have them, however they are fakes.

    No one will sell you a $200 iPhone, not even off the back of a truck.

  • BigTed on 27/09/2016 - 11:01
    +1

    There is plenty of good stuff on Alibaba (or Aliexpress) and the Alipay system is generally quite good.
    Don't automatically rule it out - just be careful.

  • altomic on 27/09/2016 - 11:05
    +2

    alibaba, if it like aliexpress (same megacompany) may have a buyer dispute centre.

    I've used the aliexpress buyer alipay dispute service for about 8 items (out of 500+) and always received my money back.

    however, $200 iphone 7S??!??? c'mon dude. they are fake.

    you might get a partial refund. but you may very well be stuck with dual core 512mg ram iClones.

    unless the seller has at least 50+ feedback for the same item saying stuff like "checked IMEI and it's legit", "genuine iPhone7 - confirmed at apple store", etc etc

  • Euphemistic on 27/09/2016 - 11:05
    +1

    Just. Don't.

    The more suckers that buy this stuff, the more lucrative it will be, and the more often it will happen making it harder to buy legit stuff.

  • blitz on 27/09/2016 - 11:06
    +4

    OP, understand this. The "iPhone" you buy on Alibaba will be fake. It will be easily identifiable as fake. It may look similar in the photo, but in the flesh you will immediately notice all the small defects, colour differences, differently shaped parts, slight mis-spellings, font variations that are inherent to items like this. Once you seat it next to the real thing, the differences will become even more obvious. And that doesn't include the differences in power, battery life, screen clarity, screen colours, etc.

    You won't be able to use Paypal, so you'll still have to negotiate any possible refund with the seller, which will likely turn into a 50/50 split or something like that.

    I like Aliexpress. But I would never buy a fake iPhone from there.

    • djones145 on 27/09/2016 - 12:05
      +1

      don't worry about the photo's just look at the price

  • garffi on 27/09/2016 - 13:23
    +1

    Why would pay for something if you know it's fake?

    • Diji1 on 27/09/2016 - 15:04
      +2

      For the same reasons people buy lotto tickets: they're buying a dream.

  • BobbyJ on 27/09/2016 - 18:08

    Forget about it. It costs between $200 and $300 to make an iPhone. Apple sells them for ~$1000. If someone is selling it for $200 it's fake.

  • Clear on 27/09/2016 - 20:41
    +1

    I know of someone that once bought a cheap iPhone from Taobao. Turns out it was a replica model of the iPhone for shop displays.

    If it's too good to be true…..

    • 0burntrice0 on 28/09/2016 - 07:54

      What happened to their money and whatnot?

      Did the seller post anywhere saying that it was a display phone?

  • lainey13 on 29/09/2016 - 00:58

    In answer to your post title the answer would be: don't buy it. That is safest.

  • kasumi on 29/09/2016 - 08:38

    I don't know why you are still so keen after everyone is telling you that it will be fake. Obviously, you think it's the bargain of the century and think it's a risk that can be taken.

    A lot of the chinese scams that are reported (on Hong Kong TV) is that they send you non working display models (and no where in the ads they say they are displays).

    I'm just gonna sit here and wait for you to come back and say you got ripped off, since it looks like you can't be swayed out of buying this "clear as day" scam

    • supnigs super skids on 29/09/2016 - 12:45

      On a brighter note, OP may get lucky and score two phones. an iPhone 3g + iPhone 4

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