Hello!
In the minds of the Russian consumer, the stereotype is firmly entrenched that “in the west” everything is cheaper, which, oddly enough, is confirmed by our realities. However, trips abroad rarely coincide with the desire and opportunity to buy a new gadget. And someone has never been on these very trips and is not going to. In such cases, online commerce can come to the rescue. The volume of distance selling is growing every year, and more and more people prefer not to go shopping, but to place an order without leaving their home.
The more expensive the purchase, the more we doubt – is it worth trusting your money to the Internet and mail? The size of the savings is often the deciding factor here.
Not so long ago, I bought myself a carrier-grade Galaxy S7 on my favorite eBay . I managed to save an impressive amount for me. With the purchased device, there were some nuances in terms of Russification and unlocking, but I was pleased with the result.
It's time to update the gadget. And the next object of the hunt for eBay is, as expected, the current flagship from Samsung – Galaxy S8.
Where can I buy?
In fact, you can buy the S8 not only on eBay. Let's try to understand this issue in more detail.
Computeruniverse.ru
One of the hassle-free and reliable options in terms of external condition and compatibility with Russian cellular networks is the option of buying an S8 in the German online store computeruniverse.ru. For fans of distance selling, the store has long established itself as reliable and proven. In this case, the savings are not so tangible, but you are guaranteed to get a new device that will work correctly with the networks of Russian operators.
You can use PayPal as payment, which means. That in case of any force majeure with the mail, you can easily get your money back.
The only thing you have to sacrifice in this case is a guarantee. But here everyone chooses for himself what is more important to him. Savings or peace of mind. Although, considering that the most common type of malfunction is a broken display, which is not a warranty case, the availability of a warranty does not seem to be such an important option anymore. But, I repeat once again, here everyone decides for himself.
Image via techbeasts.com
The only nuance that may arise is the need to remove the regional lock on the first launch. This is done quite simply – a tourist SIM-card is purchased and a call is made to an international number for 5 minutes.
As a result, we get a completely unlocked, new phone with a full-fledged Russian language and without any restrictions, for about 40 thousand rubles.
Compared to Russian retail, the price gain is not so clear. But again, everything is very relative.
eBay
There are many more nuances and pitfalls in buying such a phone on eBay that can alienate most would-be life hackers with its complexity and risks. But we are not from a timid dozen, and more than seven years of successful shopping experience on this Internet site tells me – go for it.
So, the nuances that you should know before deciding to buy.
You can really save money when you buy the so-called operator versions of the smartphone with the delivery option 'US only'. With this delivery option, you will have at your disposal many times more lots with interesting prices.
The main differences between this phone and the European version are as follows:
- The American Galaxy S8 is based on a Qualcomm processor and not on Exynos, which means that firmware from the European version will not work. Такие телефоны имеют маркировки с последней буквой выдающей оператора: SM-G950P — Sprint,SM-G950A — AT&T,SM-G950V- Verizon,SM-G950T — T-Mobile,SM-G950U — разблокированный, может быть кем угодно. In the case of the 'U' version, the exact model should be checked with the seller.
- The American Galaxy S8 has a locked bootloader, which means you won't be able to install custom firmware on it. Your destiny is stock.
- It will not have a full-fledged Russian language. The phone will have to be configured so that after that partial Russification appears. All programs and keyboard will be in Russian, but the menu will remain in English.
- The phone can be locked to work in the networks of only an American operator, and then you will have to pay about $ 15-30 for remote unlocking to some master from the same eBay.
- The phone will contain the so-called 'operator junk' in the form of pre-installed applications and services that cannot be easily removed. To remove them, you will have to reflash the phone to a clean firmware with the 'U' index.
- The operator's logo may be present on the body.
- Phones are often sold without accessories and without a box. This is due to the fact that in the United States they often sell phones on eBay, and then declare them missing in order to get insurance and buy a new phone. To do this, at the operator's office, you must present a complete set without a phone, confirming that you owned this phone. These phones are subsequently labeled 'BAD ESN' and cannot be used in the United States. For Russia, this does not matter and does not in any way affect the ability to use such a phone in the networks of Russian operators. By the way, such phones can be sold under the status label 'For parts or not working', which may have nothing to do with the physical state, but only mean the very same 'BAD ESN' lock.
Now a few words about which phones shouldn't be ordered.
- Due to the problem of the availability of servers of the American operator T-Mobile, I strongly advise against buying phones from this operator. At the moment (and maybe in the future) it is unlikely to be able to untie from the T-Mobile network, which means that you will be left with an expensive wi-fi tablet that will not see the SIM card. However, the prices for such devices are quite tasty. Amazing, huh? ?
- Также, для душевного спокойствия и минимизации рисков рекомендуется заказывать только телефоны операторов AT&T, Sprint и Verizon. AT&T и Sprint можно разблокировать, а Verizon вообще не блокирует GSM-модуль.
- You should not order phones from sellers with a small number of sales, or with a bad rating. Personally, I find it a bad rating below 98.5% with a lot of sales.
- You should not order a device that does not have real photos of the device in its description, but instead images from the website or any other sources are loaded.
- It is not advisable to order phones located in California and nearby. The risk of buying from a Mexican is high. I have nothing against the Mexicans, but among them there are much more often not clean businessmen. Alas.
- Do not order devices labeled 'Live demo unit'. This is not a full-fledged phone, but just an exhibition sample devoid of a modem part and the ability to use a cellular network. It makes sense to order this option only as a display donor for your broken device, since among the 'live demo unit' options are periodically fired at a very, very good price.
When looking for a suitable option on eBay, I recommend using fairly convenient filters that will filter out initially inappropriate options.
First, we drive in the name of the model we are looking for, as well as the category in which the search will take place. Choose 'cell phones and smartphones', otherwise you risk drowning in lots of accessories and spare parts.
After that, you can select the type of sale. These are either auctions (on which you can spend a lot of time, but not the fact that you will win something), while this is the most reliable way to catch something inexpensive. Or, if you don't want to waste a lot of time, the here and now option is 'buy it now'.
Well, sorting the results. I choose either for the novelty of the addition or for the increasing price.
After that, I recommend that you clarify in the results which model and amount of memory you are looking for, because eBay, like any marketplace, likes to recommend related products. I recommend not to neglect the choice of memory size, this will filter out most of the accessories from the results, since the accessories are usually not equipped with memory.
In the settings, you can select the versions of which operators to show in the results. Remember ATT, Verizon and Sprint?
Next, you can choose the most controversial parameter – state. New, or new with nuances, or used. Personally, I trust used devices from eBay much more than new devices from Aliexpress, if we are not talking about Chinese brands. My experience of shopping on eBay tells me that an American seller is much less likely to cheat when talking about the condition of his item, as reputation on eBay matters a lot.
I mark several status options and then read the description carefully. With this choice, it is possible to stumble upon a phone that seems to be used, but in fact it is simply unpacked and put up for sale, since it was bought for a pittance under a contract solely for resale purposes.
Note that among the results there are strange offers with a wide range of prices. I hate these lots very much, as they are confusing with their low starting price, which turns out to be the price of the wrong model you were looking for. And the desired model turns out to be more expensive than the average for the site.
When you have found your lot, which seems suitable for you, you can start assessing its adequacy and compliance with the stated requirements. Nobody forbids asking the seller questions or asking him to send you additional photos of the device. The more photos, the more accurate the selection. Many sellers are happy to meet halfway and send or upload additional photos. Americans, by the way, are much more friendly and open guys than their compatriots. It's a pity.
For example, the lot was found. Complete set, perfect condition. Everything has been evaluated and reviewed. All pros and cons are weighed. You can take.
It's time to start calculating the benefits. In this case, it will be a tangible 20 thousand rubles. For such savings, I am ready to forgive the phone for the fact that it is not new and without a guarantee.
From the amount saved, you will have to deduct the services of an intermediary (about 1200 rubles), of which a huge number have been divorced at the moment, as well as, possibly, the cost of unlocking (1000 – 1500 rubles). Despite this, the savings still remain such that Russian retail offers are not competitive.
In the comments to previous articles, I was often asked about the account of intermediaries. I use the services of a private person who sends me packages from the United States as part of group purchases in my city. This is not some kind of organization, but a private person, and the package is received by a prefabricated hodgepodge from individuals. persons from the USA to the Russian Federation. That is why the risk of being checked for notification is practically minimal. The difference with different forwarding companies is that, unlike legal entities, the attention of customs to private traders is minimal. At least for the moment it is.
Similar services for group purchases are most likely to be found in every city. You can use the search on social networks – you will definitely find something. We are looking for an intermediary, we order a smartphone to his address. which you will need to register in your profile on eBay and wait.
Conclusion
The device has been ordered and is coming to me. It usually takes about 18-25 days for delivery.
At the moment, nothing portends a change in the pricing situation in Russian retail, and therefore purchases abroad are still quite a profitable event. For my part, I can say that I am not going to give up such purchases until it becomes either too difficult and unprofitable, or illegal.
Everyone evaluates the expediency of this method of acquisition for himself. The main thing is to carefully weigh the pros and cons and understand what is more important to you – a guarantee and peace of mind or tangible savings.