Today’s mobile phone buyers are divided into two distinct groups. One puts authenticity over budget, ensuring that their handsets are purchased directly from manufacturers. The other seems to be careless about such sentiment and prefers buying from the grey market, as long as it saves a few bucks.
Over time, this group of grey market goers is expanding. And obviously, there are many factors playing behind the scenes. One in particular, and of most importance, is their lack of knowledge of the high stakes and disadvantages of buying unofficial phones.
Yes. The phone you have bought at half the original price can lead you to legal problems, let alone severe situations, including security breaches. This article will give you solid reasons for making all your buys official, and also for staying away from grey products.
It may sound odd, but the term official phone is more related to the logistics, rather than its manufacturing process. If you buy a phone from a vendor certified or approved by the original manufacturer, you can call it an official purchase.
But why should there be a term like this? I mean, as long as the phone is original, it should be an original purchase, right?
Well, not always. Thousands of phones, which are in fact released by real makers, are entering the market through third-party, unapproved vendors.
There are other terms like grey market or dark market, indicating such questionable places and transactions. Products sold here are mostly pirated. They come at a lower price, but you can never completely rely on them.
To mark and classify purchases made on official contracts, to tend to the buyers who spend a few more dimes to make valid purchases with rewards, has emerged a term like “Official Phone” or “Official Purchase”
If you look, getting an official mobile phone comes with more perks than hassles. And trust me, if you can overlook what seems like an extra expense, with a trusted vendor, the return is even greater.
Let’s check a few:
Made by Original
You can believe me when I say, there is a cheap, counterfeit copy of every popular flagship. The nuances between them and the originals are so subtle that they can easily slip under even expert eyes.
From the grey market, you can never know which one you are getting for sure. On the contrary, the vendor you feel annoyed at for charging extra will sell you a device made by the original brand.
No Missing Features
Grey consumers may seem to boast about their wit, managing a bona fide at a quarter of its price, and using it for months without any trouble. Don’t fall into those words.
A close comparison will reveal missing features and support, compatibility issues, and no software upgrades in these devices. The extra applications on them are mostly bloatware, draining battery, and showing advertisements.
With originals, you get designs in place and the right number of features you expected.
Aftersale Services
A little damage after a fall, a minor trouble after the last update, or anything unusual with your phone! Where will you go?
If you are holding a grey device and thinking of official service providers, it’s time you get rid of that thought.
To get an official and trained expert to fix your phone, you must confirm the authenticity of its purchase.
It may sound less important at the time you are making an all-glorified invalid transaction, but sooner than you know, it will burst on your face into regret.
Full Warranty Coverage
Imagine it has only been a couple of months since you bought your smartphone, and now it’s showing green lines on the display, the ports are failing, and responses are lagging.
And when you rush to service points, they decline to endorse warranty coverage, asking for money for repairs and replacements. Why?
Because pirated transactions don’t deal in formal documents. And manufacturers, failing to trace such purchases, don’t take responsibility for failures.
You can only get a valid warranty from a licensed vendor. With it, for any issues within the coverage period, as long as the conditions are met, you can back necessary fixing.
Promised Experience
Regardless of how satisfied you are with a counterfeit phone, the blunt pain you feel every time you don’t find a crucial feature or see it behaving unusually will never go away.
Interestingly, you won’t feel so negative with an official phone, even if it exhibits similar issues. Your worries are covered by the assurance of your phone’s authenticity.
You know that, however grave the case, it doesn’t involve your decision of choosing a vendor, and it can be addressed through the same channel.
Maximum Resale Value
What if the next biggest launch from your most favourite brand is on the horizon and you need to prepare quick to pre-book one. Reselling your current phone will be the first big idea to hit your head.
But how much do you think you can cope by selling an unoriginal phone that you yourself bought at a far lower price? Not much.
And right on that note, it may help you to know that original phones have an almost 30% more resale value than the other types.
When roaming across the market, remember that old saying not everything that glitters is gold. And there is no shortage of traps to make a fool out of you, selling an unauthentic, low-grade product, robbing you money, and leaving you to suffer in the long run. And against all these stakes, by taking the proven track of best practices, like putting your trust in official vendors, you can safeguard your money and peace of mind.
