Is this brand new, sealed iPhone from unauthorized 3rd party reseller genuine?

XP Mai

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Shopee's "Preferred" labelled listing claims the iPhone 12 Pro to be brand new and sealed
Screenshot-2021-05-11-at-5-11-12-PM.png

Photos from a reviewer suggests the iPhone 12 Pro purchased is not brand new and sealed as advertised as seen by the presence of bubble wrap.
Window-Apple-iphone-12-Pro-and-pro-max-Brand-New-Sealed-Shopee-Singapore.png
 

ragnarok95

Senior Moderator
Senior Moderator
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Messages
121,545
Reaction score
3,749
They bubble wrap the phone so that it will not be damage during the delivery. That cannot justify that the phone is not brand new.
 

XP Mai

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
They bubble wrap the phone so that it will not be damage during the delivery. That cannot justify that the phone is not brand new.

Are you sure Apple iPhone boxing involves bubble wraps? The listing claims the box is sealed, although it's sealed but it's misleading because it gives an impression that the box is sealed and unopened. The presence of bubble wraps show that it was opened and bubble wrapped by 3rd party before it's being sealed again.

If I'm not wrong, Apple is known for not using bubble wraps in its packaging.
 

szeli

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2003
Messages
19,628
Reaction score
2,274
Are you sure Apple iPhone boxing involves bubble wraps? The listing claims the box is sealed, although it's sealed but it's misleading because it gives an impression that the box is sealed and unopened. The presence of bubble wraps show that it was opened and bubble wrapped by 3rd party before it's being sealed again.

If I'm not wrong, Apple is known for not using bubble wraps in its packaging.
??? e reviewer ownself said sealed n unactivated, parcel is packed in bubble wrap. did u even read e review? šŸ˜µā€
 

ragnarok95

Senior Moderator
Senior Moderator
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Messages
121,545
Reaction score
3,749
The presence of bubble wraps show that it was opened and bubble wrapped by 3rd party before it's being sealed again.
Bubble wrapped the phone? If you bubble wrap the phone, there is no way you can close the box firmly. No way.

They bubble wrap the whole box to prevent damaging the box.
 

anthonygreenisreal

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
11,165
Reaction score
5,784
wah lau, they bubble wrapped the box la so when delivering the box won't Kenna dent. I don't know what's the point of this thread Sia.
 

XP Mai

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Bubble wrapped the phone? If you bubble wrap the phone, there is no way you can close the box firmly. No way.

They bubble wrap the whole box to prevent damaging the box.
Ahh, I see. šŸ‘

Want it cheap but worried kena con. Lol
I'm not buying from unauthorized 3rd party resellers so I'm personally not worried. But yes, I'm worried sellers to potentially con ignorant buyers. Just because it's cheaper doesn't mean buyers are deserved to be conned.
 
Last edited:

Glariel

Banned
Joined
Feb 21, 2018
Messages
26,737
Reaction score
2,040
Want brand new buy directly from Apple. Even ah Beng shops also donā€™t have sealed set sometimes
 
Joined
Oct 3, 2002
Messages
130,391
Reaction score
7,252
Ahh, I see. šŸ‘


I'm not buying from unauthorized 3rd party resellers so I'm personally not worried. But yes, I'm worried sellers to potentially con ignorant buyers. Just because it's cheaper doesn't mean buyers are deserved to be conned.

y need to worry? unless u are the competitor?
 

XP Mai

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Want brand new buy directly from Apple. Even ah Beng shops also donā€™t have sealed set sometimes
Yeah.
y need to worry? unless u are the competitor?
In general, I'm against dishonest sellers who want to exploit consumers' ignorance for profit, even if I don't know the consumer personally.

I guess this thread is clarified and can be locked because it's getting off-topic.
 

ragnarok95

Senior Moderator
Senior Moderator
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Messages
121,545
Reaction score
3,749
Buying iphones outside of Apple always come with some risk involve. My advice is to purchase from reputable shops to minimize that risk.
 

XP Mai

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Buying iphones outside of Apple always come with some risk involve. My advice is to purchase from reputable shops to minimize that risk.
It got my attention when the price is retailed lower price than at Apple store, giving me a suspicion that there would be something sneaky about it. I normally don't visit Ah Beng shops physically, but if they are online, it's easier for me to scrutinize them.

In this case, they claimed the handset to be local teleco set. It just doesn't make sense to me that it's a sealed box if it's a local teleco set, because our local telecos all have policy to inspect phone with customer before letting them take the phone home. Since I don't get a chance to personally inspect this Shopee seller's product, I guess in this case, for this listing (the one discussed in this thread), I shall give a benefit of doubt.

Every customer who purchases an iPhone deserves the best. While it's always easy to say they should've bought from official Apple store to not get cheated, but I'd still side the victim of scam over the seller any time. Maybe I'll less sympathize educated/tech savvy people, but there are many people in the world who are less tech savvy or less educated, and just because their field of expertise isn't tech nor have high level education, I'd not demonize the victims or look down on them for their tech savviness or education level, even though i'm tech savvy and higher education level than them.

In this recent period, I've encountered friends who intend to purchase phones online. When they show me listing (not specifically Shopee), it just got me that the listings are often deviously claim the phone to be "brand new" and "sealed" but a fine print written in T&C they define brand new as "as good as brand new" even though they affirmatively used the word sealed on product page.

This is increasingly common online. It comes to the extent that I'm highly suspicious of every phone listing online. Not everyone can differentiate what is a reputable vendor, source, reference and not. Not everyone has the ability to read T&C.
 

ragnarok95

Senior Moderator
Senior Moderator
Joined
Mar 9, 2004
Messages
121,545
Reaction score
3,749
They do have sealed telco sets. Telco need you to inspect the phone on the spot. But if you opt for delivery, you will receive a sealed iphone. This is how shops outside got their hands on sealed iphone cause people buy the phone online and sell it off completely sealed. My Starhub set was deliver to me completely sealed. Delivery guy check my IC and go off and in my hand i have a sealed Starhub set. Or those where you collect in Pop station yourself, those are sealed too.

So not all telco sets are opened set.

People buy outside cos it is cheaper and the pricing adjust accordingly to the market rates.

I do not trust buying online. I prefer to go down to the shop and see the phone myself.
 

reddevil0728

Great Supremacy Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Messages
59,062
Reaction score
3,744
They do have sealed telco sets. Telco need you to inspect the phone on the spot. But if you opt for delivery, you will receive a sealed iphone. This is how shops outside got their hands on sealed iphone cause people buy the phone online and sell it off completely sealed. My Starhub set was deliver to me completely sealed. Delivery guy check my IC and go off and in my hand i have a sealed Starhub set. Or those where you collect in Pop station yourself, those are sealed too.

So not all telco sets are opened set.

People buy outside cos it is cheaper and the pricing adjust accordingly to the market rates.

I do not trust buying online. I prefer to go down to the shop and see the phone myself.
At the physical shop, can request to not unseal it. but have to sign some waiver.
 

kmkimlo

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
13,273
Reaction score
1,261
just go redwhite or mobilesquare or reputable ones if u wanna buy from ah beng shops.

i usually get from redwhite
 

LIN_JOEL

Supremacy Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2001
Messages
5,907
Reaction score
598
just go redwhite or mobilesquare or reputable ones if u wanna buy from ah beng shops.

i usually get from redwhite
I sold my sealed telco set to one of them before.
They also opened out to check.
If you skillful enuff, you can open den "resealed" back.
As long as no damage to phone, unsealed set is ok and Most importantly is phone must not be activated.
 

manofsorrows

Master Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2015
Messages
3,534
Reaction score
476
I sold my sealed telco set to one of them before.
They also opened out to check.
If you skillful enuff, you can open den "resealed" back.
As long as no damage to phone, unsealed set is ok and Most importantly is phone must not be activated.
I second Redwhite too.... yes the beng shops know how to "skill-fully" open the seal and reseal it back. As if brand new...but redwhite people are legit....
 
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top