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is it safe to buy iphone from Ebay?
- Thread starter umbrokhan
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IPHONE 6S. NEW IN SEALED BOX.
Selling as this is a unwanted upgrade. for about £400
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Selling as this is a unwanted upgrade. for about £400
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swappa.com is in US. am from UK
Depends on the seller...certainly safer for buyers than sellers.
I'm going to say NO, probably not safe, unless the eBay seller is a reputable established seller that sells offline in actual stores.
The reason is that some iPhones described as "new" and "sealed" with "warranties" on eBay can often actually be "refurbished" and "resealed, not the original seal from an Apple factory" and "have a non Apple warranty".
I've read many experiences where users have purchase a "new" apple iPhone from eBay only to find, for example, that the battery doesn't last and that aspects of the product do not work properly. This is because they are refurbished.
If it sounds too good to be true regarding the price, it's more likely to be not a genuine brand new iPhone.
what are the signs to look out for if the person thinks of blocking it?
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ok thanks...
I have purchased a new unlocked iPhone from Amazon.com. I would not purchase one from eBay for reasons already mentioned. There are good honest sellers on eBay and then there are those who are not. Sometimes, you can't tell because seller ratings can be faked.
Established sellers (100% + feedback is not always best barometer to measure a seller)
Use PayPal for payment - very important!
Avoid listings where price is too low (in relation to what they're selling)
Ask questions (if no response or reply not in time before auction close, don't be pressured to bid or buy)
Walk away if bid exceeds what you're willing to spend (don't get wrapped up in winning the auction at all costs)
Look at other options (Craigslist, f2f meetings, Swappa, etc)
(Probably a few other rules that I'm forgetting atm...)
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eBay is a big gamble. I'd look into alternatives like Swappa, craigslist, and similar options in your area.
Swappa is not just US. There are sellers all over. Unfortunately it doesn't look active though in the UK side. Some US sellers will ship to the UK though.
https://swappa.com/market/uk
I've purchased phones on ebay and had mostly good luck (purchased for myself and family members). If the following are not clearly listed in the auction, I send a message to the buyer for answers: Is the IMEI blacklisted? Is it currently on a payment plan (e.g., Verizon DPP)? Any mechanical problems/features not working? Water damage? Has it ever been opened and/or have any parts been replaced? Has it been reported lost/stolen under a warranty claim? Icloud locked? Etc.
I pull the trigger only if I get the right answers (or if these questions are already included in the auction). On two occasions, the actual phone did not match the responses to the answers (both times the phones had been opened and repairs attempted, despite the sellers' claims they had not been). Very easy Ebay/Paypal claim. Getting answers up front was the key.
Well, in my opinion eBay can be a good place to buy.....just needs to be a good seller with a no-questions asked return policy. I sell all my old phones on eBay.....i've been eBay member since 1999, have 100% feedback as a buyer and a seller, and I offer a 30-day return policy rather than the 7-day that eBay has. I've never had a single complaint about anything I've ever sold, as my stuff is always meticulously cared for, comes with box and all original accessories, etc.
Lol this thread right after the other dude trying to sell his iPhone on eBay.
Good that there are good sellers, but so many bad ones are ruining it for the rest, and for use buyers. I'll stear clear of Ebay because of those bad ones.
Exactly. As a seller, I can guarantee you that if there is a disputed, and the buyer used PayPal, there is no way they lose money.
eBay/PayPal will make it right for the buyer, even at the expense of the seller.
It's safer to buy a phone on swappa.
You might be lucky on eBay, you might not. Swappa guarantees you'll get the phone as advertised.
You might be lucky on eBay, you might not. Swappa guarantees you'll get the phone as advertised.
That isn't necessarily true. SWAPPA can't "guarantee" anything as they are only middlemen. IMO you get better "protection" as a BUYER from eBay/PayPal. Read some seller reviews on Swappaand you'll some horror stories the same as on eBay (but fewer because there are fewer sellers). People who have sold phones that got shut down after a couple months for non-payment and according to the buyer review "the seller or Swappa did nothing." Frankly I'd prefer eBay because of the almost certain buyer protection but with Swappa you still have PayPal to fall back on. I have bought AND sold on both. It's ALL a gamble. Personally I have had no problems ever with eBay/PayPal and have been on there since 1999. Also my couple experiences on Swappa have been fine. As a BUYER I'd never BUY from Craigslist, only sell as there is ZERO buyer protection there.
