Chinese Android Phones

eamonnq

90sBla wrote: »

The seller has sent me the same message 5 times now, telling me to be patient and that customs strictly inspect the battery and that my dhl tracking info will update as soon as it gets through customs.

Why the **** would I buy from them again?

Unfortunately it may not be the seller's fault as if customs have held it for a very long time, due to delays or backlogs, there is nothing the seller can do about it.

I know there were serious delays when this whole 'checking for lithium batteries' in the parcels came into play, so maybe there is a genuine reason for the delay, or it may be 'lost' by customs/DHL.

Thargor

why are they checking batteries? I never heard of that.

Just start the process with your card provider, in the meantime if it comes it comes.

zarquon

90sBla wrote: »

I think i made an even bigger mistake of paying with my credit card man

You can't use paypal on Aliexpress. They have an equivalent called alipay. You can open a dispute with Aliexpress who will refund you if the tracking does not show the item as delivered. Aliexpress basically uses an escrow service so they hold payment until you confirm receipt of item or until the dispute windows closes.

I use them all the time with my own CC and there is no issue. Have refunds a couple of refunds in the last while for non receipt so no hassle there.

Word to the wise though - never use DHL, UPS or Fedex unless you want to be screwed by customs. Better to use the free snail mail options though like china post which usually get through customs without any hassle or charge

eamonnq

Thargor wrote: »

why are they checking batteries? I never heard of that.

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Pages/lithium-batteries.aspx

http://www.iata.org/publications/Pages/lithium-battery-guidelines.aspx


New regulations regarding transporting them.

eamonnq

Received an email from Pandawill offering Newman N2 for 99usd, so might have to try that.

tallaghtmick

eamonnq wrote: »

Received an email from Pandawill offering Newman N2 for 99usd, so might have to try that.

That has Samsung tech yeh?

runawaybishop

Thargor wrote: »

why are they checking batteries? I never heard of that.

Just start the process with your card provider, in the meantime if it comes it comes.

You cant have more than 4 cells or 2 batteries in a package. They are an explosion hazard and cant will even burn under water if they get going.

eamonnq

tallaghtmick wrote: »

That has Samsung tech yeh?

Yes, must be something wrong with them though, price seems a bit too good. Probably flogging them off for some reason. Might still try one though.

tallaghtmick

eamonnq wrote: »

Yes, must be something wrong with them though, price seems a bit too good. Probably flogging them off for some reason. Might still try one though.

Go for it, they have been for sale for well over a year now prob no interest anymore.

brimal

Thargor wrote: »

http://www.merimobiles.com/deals/

A few interesting looking deals there if you're looking for a 5 inch + phone.

All those phones are on Mixeshop for the same price and some cheaper.

eamonnq wrote: »

Received an email from Pandawill offering Newman N2 for 99usd, so might have to try that.

This is also $99 on Mixeshop.

I think Mixeshop are the cheapest around, they are constantly trying to undercut many of the other large stores, and match any deals that are happening.

I'm not affiliated with Mixeshop obviously, just letting you know there is more choice out there, these deals and offers are usually the same price elsewhere.

tallaghtmick

brimal wrote: »

All those phones are on Mixeshop for the same price and some cheaper.



This is also $99 on Mixeshop.

I think Mixeshop are the cheapest around, they are constantly trying to undercut many of the other large stores, and match any deals that are happening.

I'm not affiliated with Mixeshop obviously, just letting you know there is more choice out there, these deals and offers are usually the same price elsewhere.

If they are the same price why use them :pac:

tuborg_man

brimal wrote: »

All those phones are on Mixeshop for the same price and some cheaper.



This is also $99 on Mixeshop.

I think Mixeshop are the cheapest around, they are constantly trying to undercut many of the other large stores, and match any deals that are happening.

I'm not affiliated with Mixeshop obviously, just letting you know there is more choice out there, these deals and offers are usually the same price elsewhere.

any link, can't seem to find it on there website. cheers

eamonnq

http://www.mixeshop.com/newman-n2-exynos-4412-quad-core-47-inch-hd-ips-screen-1gb-ram-8gb-rom-android-41-13mp-camera-smartphone_p3753.html

No free shipping with Mixeshop, but looks half-decent for approx 80euro ?

tuborg_man

Thanks for that, need dual sim though,

brimal

tallaghtmick wrote: »

If they are the same price why use them :pac:

Fair point

I guess Mixeshop have the EUEXP option if people are getting stung with customs all the time with the free shipping in other places.

Just out of curiosity, how often would you get stung for customs when buying China phones? I've only ever done EUEXP option for phones.

tallaghtmick

brimal wrote: »

Fair point

I guess Mixeshop have the EUEXP option if people are getting stung with customs all the time with the free shipping in other places.

Just out of curiosity, how often would you get stung for customs when buying China phones? I've only ever done EUEXP option for phones.

Every time for me.

brimal

tallaghtmick wrote: »

Every time for me.

And what is the amount you have to pay? 20-30% of the product value is it?

tallaghtmick

brimal wrote: »

And what is the amount you have to pay? 20-30% of the product value is it?

Think Eamon knows the exact amount but I always get items marked lower in value and pay less

eamonnq

brimal wrote: »

And what is the amount you have to pay? 20-30% of the product value is it?

What you pay is VAT@ 23% of the total cost (goods + shipping). There is usually a 'handling fee' on top of that of 6 or 7 euro (from anpost). The handling fee is a bit more with DHL.

So if the phone costs 80 euro, shipping is 20 euro you end up paying 23 vat and the handling charge so about 130 all in.

horse7

i have just bought a cubot p9 from amazon,can anyone tell me how to change the menu to english please,i have sent a message to the seller. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-P9-Smartphone-Bluetooth-cellphone/dp/B00G3ZAHB8

Lucas Hood

horse7 wrote: »

i have just bought a cubot p9 from amazon,can anyone tell me how to change the menu to english please,i have sent a message to the seller. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-P9-Smartphone-Bluetooth-cellphone/dp/B00G3ZAHB8

http://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Language-in-Android

michael999999

horse7 wrote: »

i have just bought a cubot p9 from amazon,can anyone tell me how to change the menu to english please,i have sent a message to the seller. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cubot-P9-Smartphone-Bluetooth-cellphone/dp/B00G3ZAHB8

You Tube is the easiest way to do it. I had the same problem myself last month!

horse7

Thanks,got a mail back from the seller with info,all good now.

90sBla

great news! first time in 3 weeks, the dhl page has updated. it says it's in hong kong and its destination is waterford. finally! we've left customs

eamonnq

90sBla wrote: »

great news! first time in 3 weeks, the dhl page has updated. it says it's in hong kong and its destination is waterford. finally! we've left customs

You will probably have it on Monday now, once it gets going.

dermot10

Hi All,
I Placed a order for a INEW V3 on the 4th april. I received this email today!!
Im A bit confused ...is this gona cost me more money??What should I do??
Will i end up paying more at customs?
Thanks

From: "sales" <snip>
Date: Apr 9, 2014 6:01 AM
Subject: re 20143218 order
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

hi friend
thanks for your order


the goods is packed , ready to send out .

but the euexp can not accept the mobile phone order now , we are so sorry about it .
can we refund you the price difference 15USD , and send you by dhl ?
i will send you some gift for the problem, sorry friend.

we will write low custom value for you for dhl shipping .






Best Wishes
mixeshop - Team
Skype:<snip>
Email: <snip>

<snip>

Thanks

tallaghtmick

Lads got onto etotalk in relation to why the Newman N2 hadnt dropped price with them and they said the cheap Newmans are fake.

eamonnq

tallaghtmick wrote: »

Lads got onto etotalk in relation to why the Newman N2 hadnt dropped price with them and they said the cheap Newmans are fake.

Interesting, would you believe them ?

tallaghtmick

eamonnq wrote: »

Interesting, would you believe them ?

Nope but enough to make me wait for you guys to test the water :pac:

Lucas Hood

Handy blog post on buying from China I found on r/android.
http://www.tabletdroid.co.uk/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-buying-mobile-devices-from-china/#.U0WRAqhdWHg

Everybody loves mobile devices, phones, tablets, smart watches – there’s just something about mobile electronics that gets geek’s like us oozing with anticipation the moment newer and better devices are unveiled. There is unfortunately one slight problem with this techno obsession, that is unless your fortunate enough to be a very wealthy individual then the cost of keeping up with the latest in mobile goodness can often be a real barrier which is why inevitable we’ll be fund scouring the deal websites, calculating the cashback incentives and eating dried cardboard just to afford the latest gadget. That’s not the only solution however and since you’ve joined us here we’ll assume you know exactly what were talking about; buying from china.

Now for a novice the thought of buying from anything from overseas is a daunting prospect, no less from a country shares little similarities with the west and is at best, a bit of mystery really. So common concerns? import duty, quality, delivery time, scams to name but a few, but persevere and there are some truly brilliant value devices to be had and with these handy steps I’ll show you to make your first china device purchase go swimmingly!

1. Picking a quality brand

The first thing to note when starting your search from the perfect china mobile or tablet is the sheer range of brands available, most if not all of them you’ll never have heard of before, so right off the bat thing’s are quite daunting. To ensure you pick one of the better brands a simple but often accurate barometer of brand quality is it’s popularity so look and how many sales their products have had, many many ratings and that should give you a decent idea. Another measure is price, generally speaking the higher priced products are from brans who have earned the right to charge more than the lesser known brands.

Here are some quality brands to get you started:

Android phones

HUAWEI
Lenovo
CUBOT
Xiaocai
Zopo
THL
UMI
JIAYU
ZTE
iOcean
Cube
Tablets

Lenovo
PIPO
JXD
Onda
CUBE
Ainol
Ployer
Freelander
CHUWI
AMPE
Ramos
All that being said, new brands are constantly popping up and not all of them will be bad so don’t write them off until you’ve checked out some reviews from their products!

2. What to Look For

Next up you’ll be wanting to pick a device, whether that be phone or tablet there are a few thing’s to look out for to ensure you end up with a product that’s really going to meet your expectations.

Build quality

This is difficult to decipher without having the device in hand but choosing the right brand is a good start, from there on you’ll want to check reviews and in particular, check out hands-on videos on Youtube which should give a better idea of the overall quality of the device. Mostly chinese devices these days are supringly well built, especially those from the bigger brands so this shouldn’t be too big an issue.

Fake features

Unfortunately some products, particularly clone products will be advertised with features that they don’t have or are otherwise mis-advertised. Look at for features which seem too good to be true and be sure to check the specification across many different websites. If in doubt then contact the seller.

Poor quality cameras

If there’s one spec where numbers don’t tell the whole story it’s the camera specs. Often you’ll see phones and tablets advertised with decent sounding camera’s, sometimes with unrealistically high mega pixel counts – if this looks to be the case then walk away, mostly likely the device in question will use some poor quality software trickery to interpolate a lower quality image to a higher resolution giving nothing like the quality stated. In this area there really is no substitute for impartial, third party hands-on write-ups and camera samples so you can see for yourself the actual quality on offer.

Under performing chipset’s

One of the first thing’s you’ll notice when comparing china phones is that they are most often powered by Mediatek in phones and Allwinner or Rockchip for tablets, rather than the usual Qualcomm or Exynos chipsets often found in western phones. This is primarily due to cost as these other chipsets are cheaper and don’t quite offer the same levels of performance you get from a top of the range Qualcomm or Exynos processor, in most cases though they are more than enough for 90% of people.

The best chipset’s to look out for other than the establish Qualcomm and Exynos ones are currently:

Phones

Mediatek MTK6582
Mediatek MTK6592
Tablets

Rockchip Rk3188
Rockchip Rk3066
Allwinner A31
If in doubt, check out some benchmark scores to get an idea of performance, bearing in mind that multi-core processors may appear more potent than their true, real world performance – this is especially true of new octa-core proccesors so bear this in mind.

Also be aware that each chipest has its limits so for example the Rockchip Rk3066 is a great chipest for up to 720p resolution but any more than that and you’ll see it struggle, so for want of a better phrase – “courses for courses”.

3. Where to Buy From

Broadly there are two types of place you can purchase your device, marketplace type websites or traditional online retailers.

Marketplace sites

These are websites that essentially act as a platform allowing you direct access to wholesalers and maybe even direct to manufacturers in some cases.

The two best known of these types of websites are:

http://uk.alibaba.com/
http://www.aliexpress.com/
Now these marketplaces have a wide range of products with some very appealing prices but the trade-off is the question marks over the dependability of the individual sellers listed and whilst these platforms do their best to ensure quality and security there will be scammers on these types of sites so look out for prices that look too good to be true, check seller ratings and use Paypal where possible for your protection. If your willing to take a risk however, these sites can offer up some real bargains!

Traditional Retailers

The second type of place to buy from is the traditional online retailer, of which there are many! Most offering free delivery which will usually result in your goods arriving in 2-3 weeks. Picking a store to purchase from is a case of trail and error or asking around for opinions but here are the ones that I’ve found to be amongst the better ones:

Banggood - http://www.banggood.com/

Pandawill – http://www.pandawill.com/

Dealextreme – http://www.dx.com/

BuySKU – http://www.buysku.com/

I personally use ‘Banggood‘ as I’ve found their prices to be very competitive, the site is pleasant enough and their service has been decent in terms of replacing any faulty products or cancelling orders.

4. Making Payment

Now you’ve picked yourself that perfect tablet, phone or whatever it is that takes your fancy you’ll be wanting to actually buy the thing! Now naturally you might be concerned about where your money is actually going, especially when using a new site from overseas.

My one piece of advise here is to use Paypal where possible, this gives you protection if anything does go wrong. Failing that use good old fashioned card payment as you may be covered by your bank if you do come in to any trouble.

If the only payment methods offered are western union and escrow services then walk away, whilst they can and are often legitimate payment methods they can also be used by scammers and when they only other this means of payment its probably not worth taking the risk!

5. Avoiding Import Duty

Your nearly there! If your just about to click that final payment confirmation button but start having palpitations thinking about the import duty then don’t worry, too much.

Most retailers will mark down the value of goods and/or declare them as ‘gifts’ to avoid you paying any import duty at all! In my experience importing over 20 products of value over £100 I have not be asked to buy any import duty, perhaps I’m lucky but generally speaking it seems that people are seldom charged any duty for personal products.

It has to be said though that my experience comes from having products shipped via the free economy services offered which to my knowledge are less likely to be checked and duty charged, so bear this in mind if you opt for one of the express services as you may find an additional charge levied.

Check out this great import duty calculator if your nervous and incorporate any charges in to the purchase price so you know what the worse case scenario is.

Wrap-up

And that’s it! easy peasy. Buying from china doesn’t have to be a worrying experience, embrace it and its really quite exciting to enter a new mysterious land of magical new devices you’ve never heard of before, just have this handy guide to hand and you’ll be just fine – enjoy your new China phone, tablet or whatever!