What To Look Out For When Buying Mobile Phone

hw888

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lets compile a list of [What To Look Out For When Buying Mobile Phone] shall we? add on as many as you can.

[ What To Look Out For ]
- Do a background study of what you are buying
- Buy from authorised shops
- Check if advertised price is nett or if there are other terms & conditions
- Make sure there is a distributor security seal, and not from the shop to minimise risk of items being swapped or removed
- Make sure contents in the package are in tact and original (you can goto SingTel estore or ms website eg. Hua Wei U626)
- IMEI ( *#06# ) of the phone must match that on the warranty card and receipt
- Phone must be in working conditions (go thru the menus / sms inbox etc)
- Make sure warranty card is stamped with the shop name
- Receipt must bear the shop name
- Check for warranty sticker and IDA Approved sticker on the phone
- Remember to check for scratches and cracks
- Test all equipment (eg. earpiece)
- Check screen for dead or still pixels (eg. remove wallpaper or if camera phone, use the camera to take a black picture by covering the len)
- Don't rush to make payment or sign anything, do so only when you are satisfied
- Try not to pay in cash (using nets or cc, leave a trail of transactions would aid in future disputes)
- Always read what you are signing
- When advertised free gifts are not available on the day of purchase, ask if they could be claimed at a later date. Do get the staff to indicate on the receipt.

[ Life Timer - might not work on some models]
- Nokia: *#92702689# or *#92772689#
- SE: ->,*,<-,<-,*<-, * ->
- Samsung:
- LG:
- Siemens: *#05#
- Motorola:

[ Gimmicks Deployed ]
- Incomplete package (need to pay more for other packaged items like earpiece, extra batt, etc. Or compulsory to buy extra OEM batt and desktop charger, etc.)
- Prices quoted are before GST
- Need to pay additional 3-5% if using cc
- Need to pay extra for original warranty
- Good price but always no stock available

[ Related Links ]
http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=979199
http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=988744
 
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addict951

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Try (as much as possible) to avoid buying from the row of shops located at Chinatown, Toa Payoh, Clementi, shops below Woodlands Central market and elsewhere, ie. beng shops.


Types of gimmicks these shops 'offer'
*quote drop-dead gorgeous price for no-contract handsets, but package is incomplete, ie. need to pay more for other packaged items like earpiece, extra batt, etc. Or compulsory to buy extra OEM batt and desktop charger, etc.
*they often quote price b4 GST. (esp. those at Toa Payoh and Woodlands Central)
*Need to pay additional if using cc (except Telestation), varying between 3-5% on top of nett price.
*quote below market prices for new and no-contract handsets but with warranty offered by shop (not manufacturer), need to pay more for original warranty - shops below Woodlands Central market


Come! Share all the gimmicks you encountered b4.
 

csschong

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hw888 said:
lets compile a list of [What To Look Out For When Buying Mobile Phone] shall we? add on as many as you can.

- do a background study of what you are buying
- buy from authorised shops
- check if advertised price is nett or if there are other terms & conditions
- seal of box must not be tampered before opening
- imei of the phone must match that on the warranty card
- phone must be in working conditions (go thru the menus / sms inbox etc)
- make sure warranty card is stamped with the shop name
- receipt must bear the shop name
- try not to pay in cash (using nets or cc, leave a trail of transactions would aid in future disputes)

point #4 may not be feasible as the seal may be broken, especially when distributor is having some incentive program for thier wholesalers/retailers. During such campaign, the wholesalers will need to make a copy of the warranty cards to submit to the distributor. Therefore the seal for such sets will be broken when they delivered to the retailers.

You may want to replace #4 as :-

- make sure the seal is from the distributor, and not from the shop. If the shop uses its own seal, its as good as telling customers tat thier set is being 'reconditioned'...
 

zum

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how about checking for scratches on housing?
how about checking for cracks on LCD display?
test that the earpiece is working properly if it is provided?
 

zum

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gimmicks encountered.

1) fantasitically good price but no stock available
2) telling you the hp u interested in is not good. get another brand and/or model where the price is marginally higher saying how good that set is where actually it is stocks they cannot get rid of.
 

UnforgivenVengeance

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Ya agree on damn good price but no stocks avaliable. Those FU3KING CCB, play me a few times liao. Na bei kan ni na ccb!! Really feel like burning down their shops. FU3KING CCB!! :mad:
 
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UnforgivenVengeance said:
Ya agree on damn good price but no stocks avaliable. Those FU3KING CCB, play me a few times liao. Na bei kan ni na ccb!! Really feel like burning down their shops. FU3KING CCB!! :mad:
Yeah soem of those so-called exclusive shops have these trick in mind when they hold a certain roadshow for super deals,when U reach there they tell U sign contract first and later say phone U wan no more,then U can't back out after signing~**~ :s8:
 

haruko_yoshiko

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Lesbian_Behkan said:
Yeah soem of those so-called exclusive shops have these trick in mind when they hold a certain roadshow for super deals,when U reach there they tell U sign contract first and later say phone U wan no more,then U can't back out after signing~**~ :s8:

wah..... never sign the line first den to find out no phone leh.. if yes make sure u tear the contract and go away manz... dun let them bully u... but for me is confirm will haf if i got promise.. :s13:
 

Matthew Fam

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This is one of the interesting and useful thread. Will make it a sticky :)

haruko_yoshiko said:
wah..... never sign the line first den to find out no phone leh.. if yes make sure u tear the contract and go away manz... dun let them bully u... but for me is confirm will haf if i got promise.. :s13:
 

donald_duck_8989

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kz la mi be serious.

when dealing wit exclusive distro, MOST IMPORTANTLY:

- NEVER EVER PAY OR SIGN ANY CONTRACT BEFORE YOU SEE AND INSPECT THE ACTUAL PHONE AND ALL ACCESSORIES

mi tink tis ish the most impotant riaoz unless the cute meimei show u her longkang different story riaoz
 
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donald_duck_8989 said:
kz la mi be serious.

when dealing wit exclusive distro, MOST IMPORTANTLY:

- NEVER EVER PAY OR SIGN ANY CONTRACT BEFORE YOU SEE AND INSPECT THE ACTUAL PHONE AND ALL ACCESSORIES

mi tink tis ish the most impotant riaoz unless the cute meimei show u her longkang different story riaoz
Unless she show me her canal THEN maybe I blur sign,if longkang only forget it~~~ :)
 

UnforgivenVengeance

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donald_duck_8989 said:
kz la mi be serious.

when dealing wit exclusive distro, MOST IMPORTANTLY:

- NEVER EVER PAY OR SIGN ANY CONTRACT BEFORE YOU SEE AND INSPECT THE ACTUAL PHONE AND ALL ACCESSORIES

mi tink tis ish the most impotant riaoz unless the cute meimei show u her longkang different story riaoz

Wow!! If she show her longkang, really different liao. Then i will ok lah, ok lah.. :s13:
 

tohchr

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Nowadays, screens are getting better resolutions.. So, it might be wise to check for dead or still pixels.. Easier way : If the phone is equip with a camera, use the camera to take a black pic.. (Cover the len with your finger).. Then try to zoom to full screen if the phone had that capability..
 

hw888

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tohchr said:
Nowadays, screens are getting better resolutions.. So, it might be wise to check for dead or still pixels.. Easier way : If the phone is equip with a camera, use the camera to take a black pic.. (Cover the len with your finger).. Then try to zoom to full screen if the phone had that capability..

thanks. noted. added.
 
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