Determining if the product will beeligible for official warranty BEFORE I buy it?

[fruitninja]

In certain parts of the world if you want a good deal you go to the local mom and pap cellphone shop, where they sell used and new, 'like new' and everything imaginable in between. (Whether it is wise to buy anything from these kinds of shops is another issue: that is not the question here.)

I understand I can check my warranty status AFTER I bought the device here:
https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do
Simple as that.

My question here is if I want to look like a smart inspector in these shops is there a way I can check if a particular device will be eligible for official warranty BEFORE I actually buy it? For pre-owned devices it's easy: say, someone sells a 2 months old phone you check if it still caries 10 months of Apple warranty. But what about the phones they sell as 'brand new' or 'like new'? What is the trick, why are they cheaper than other, more reputable looking sources?

 

[carjakester]

You could ask for the serial number and run it by apple.

 

[fruitninja]

You could ask for the serial number and run it by apple.

If I understand you correctly... doesn't the serial show up on the link above after I made the purchase and the (authorized) reseller puts it in Apple's systems?

Or could you elaborate more? Your answer is quite vague, at least for my level of understanding. Thanks.

 

[carjakester]

If I understand you correctly... doesn't the serial show up on the link above after I made the purchase and the (authorized) reseller puts it in Apple's systems?

Or could you elaborate more? Your answer is quite vague, at least for my level of understanding. Thanks.

if you ask the seller for the serial number you can enter it here and check the warranty. https://selfsolve.apple.com/agreementWarrantyDynamic.do

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

You can access the serial number from the settings app. Once you have it enter it in the link that was posted above.

 

[fruitninja]

Thanks.

That's certainly a good way to check warranty status for preowned phones but I cannot open 'like new' sealed boxes (coming from who knows what sources).

 

[magilla]

Thanks.

That's certainly a good way to check warranty status for preowned phones but I cannot open 'like new' sealed boxes (coming from who knows what sources).

The "like new" "sealed" boxes (if they're from Apple and not just run-of-the-mill brown boxes) have the S/N & IMEI on a sticker on the outside of the box - leastwise MINE did (as did all the other ones that were being offered legitimately as "new" equipment.

 

[T5BRICK]

Thanks.

That's certainly a good way to check warranty status for preowned phones but I cannot open 'like new' sealed boxes (coming from who knows what sources).

If you buy from an Apple authorized re-seller, and the product is legitimately "new," the warranty should start when it is sold to you. If you aren't sure, check the SN with Apple and see how much warranty is left.

 

[fruitninja]

The "like new" "sealed" boxes (if they're from Apple and not just run-of-the-mill brown boxes) have the S/N & IMEI on a sticker on the outside of the box - leastwise MINE did (as did all the other ones that were being offered legitimately as "new" equipment.

I just checked with other non-Apple phone boxes I have found around the house: true, the IMEI, S/N are on the outside of the house.

So, I may conclude - If I want to be sure I buy a legitimate product I check:

- Sealed box (at least if I am buying an item which is sold as new, not used)
- IMEI, S/N on the outside of the box - which I enter into the form on Apple's site and the warranty did not start before I bought the item, so it does not show up in the system? Good question.
- Legitimate proof of purchase or invoice from the shop. (Well, how to differentiate between the legitimate proof of purchase and the not so legitimate? That's a good question, too.)