[Tablet] Importing to Australia: Lessons Learned - Shield General

For those in the US, getting your hands on one of these devices appears to be relatively straightforward (providing you can get stock).
For those of us anywhere outside the land of the free, it is rather onerous. I have one winging it's way down to me in Brisbane, Australia.
Following it sometime in September (so Amazon suggests) will be the wireless controller and case. I hope it's sooner. I don't know if a solution for superuser exists for the Shield at this time. I need to do some more reading here and see if I can get SixAxis working to tide me over in the short-term. Otherwise I'll have to go back to my Moga Pocket until the controller ships to me.
For those who covet the tablet in Australia, I wrote a blog post with my experiences with Freight Forwarders over at http://jaredleonmorgan.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/from-usa-to-colony-shipito-vs-hop-shop.html
The usual local importers such as MobiCity haven't committed to importing the device yet, so take your chances.
I'm really, really hopeful that I get a device without the random issues some folks have reported. It will be a costly exercise to get it back to the US for warranty if I am unlucky.

Got mine via Shipito, used them for years now. Very fast and reliable service.

NZtechfreak said:
Got mine via Shipito, used them for years now. Very fast and reliable service.
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Yeah, definitely. There is no disputing their reliability. Very good customer service as well, which is important when entrusting a company to ship your valuable electronic items to you.
I just found the account verification process a bit onerous (I do understand why it's so important though). And the Website is showing it's age from a usability perspective.
The Hop Shop Go option will be interesting to experience when the Controller and Case ship later in September. I just like the convenience of it all plugging into PayPal, and the Business Process Management approach to how they structure the customer workflow. They are little things, but they make a big difference to how the customer interacts with the service.
It's worth noting that Hop Shop Go is purely for parcels. If you need to forward letters from the US onto other countries, then Shipito is set up really well for that particular service.

jaredmorgs said:
Yeah, definitely. There is no disputing their reliability. Very good customer service as well, which is important when entrusting a company to ship your valuable electronic items to you.
I just found the account verification process a bit onerous (I do understand why it's so important though). And the Website is showing it's age from a usability perspective.
The Hop Shop Go option will be interesting to experience when the Controller and Case ship later in September. I just like the convenience of it all plugging into PayPal, and the Business Process Management approach to how they structure the customer workflow. They are little things, but they make a big difference to how the customer interacts with the service.
It's worth noting that Hop Shop Go is purely for parcels. If you need to forward letters from the US onto other countries, then Shipito is set up really well for that particular service.
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Click to collapse
NZ Post has a freight forwarding service called YouShop now, which is an interesting sign of the times as a response to dropping postal revenues around the world. Used them and they were fine, but no expedited shipping options like Fedex Priority via Shipito. Another good thing about Shipito is being able to do your own customs declarations.

NZtechfreak said:
NZ Post has a freight forwarding service called YouShop now, which is an interesting sign of the times as a response to dropping postal revenues around the world. Used them and they were fine, but no expedited shipping options like Fedex Priority via Shipito. Another good thing about Shipito is being able to do your own customs declarations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to say NZ is generally ahead of Australia in offering services and trying new things (PINs on Credit Cards being something my wife continues to cite when the subject comes up).
I had a good poke around Hop Shop Go and they use either DHL or FedEx as their carriers. What I liked is that the shipping is a fixed price based on KG weight (unless the item is really bulky).
I got a bit frustrated with Shipito and how what I thought was the full amount for the transaction turned out to not be after I paid the balance. I ended up having to do two transactions which costs me more in fees.
It was also my fault, but I didn't realise that I couldn't store more than one parcel at a time with the Free Service, and the Oregon address was extra as well. Contrast that with Hop Shop Go which offer consolidation and Oregon tax free status by default. I could have saved about $45 in tax and shipping.
Putting a positive spin on it though, Shipito did force my hand in getting the Shield Tablet shipped much earlier than I probably would have been inclined to with Hop Shop Go, purely because I had to clear my mailbox before the other order arrived (or pay $10).

Related

Order Status -- Back Ordered!!

So I go to check my order status at BB to see if it shipped late yesterday or last night and it says "Status - Back Ordered".
WTF!!!
Maybe I should just tell Sammy to go pound sand! I already have some concerns about them and their promises.
My order now says "Being fulfilled. Usually ships in 1-2 days."
Dang it - I was hoping to cancel and run down to BB store and look for stock.
Oh well.
markp99 said:
My order now says "Being fulfilled. Usually ships in 1-2 days."
Dang it - I was hoping to cancel and run down to BB store and look for stock.
Oh well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess that's the good news, I can run down to the store and check. Or at least call first thing this am.
lucky i have one close to my job that has them available. taking an early lunch to pick it up.
I pre-ordered mine earlier this past weekend. BestBuy claimed they weren't going to ship them until today. So I canceled my order. Went online last night & purchased it for in store pickup. Got an Email about 30 minutes ago saying that my order is ready for pickup. Can't wait to the store opens so I can go grab it!
cdf3 said:
I pre-ordered mine earlier this past weekend. BestBuy claimed they weren't going to ship them until today. So I canceled my order. Went online last night & purchased it for in store pickup. Got an Email about 30 minutes ago saying that my order is ready for pickup. Can't wait to the store opens so I can go grab it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just looked and tried to do that and all stores within 50 miles of me here in SE FL say unavailable. I already cancelled my order also, oh well.
cdf3 said:
I pre-ordered mine earlier this past weekend. BestBuy claimed they weren't going to ship them until today. So I canceled my order. Went online last night & purchased it for in store pickup. Got an Email about 30 minutes ago saying that my order is ready for pickup. Can't wait to the store opens so I can go grab it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out, if you just call up Customer support and ask nicely, they'll transfer your order to an in-store pickup location, and get priority over people who just ordered it last night/this morning.
Now thats customer service.
markp99 said:
My order now says "Being fulfilled. Usually ships in 1-2 days."
Dang it - I was hoping to cancel and run down to BB store and look for stock.
Oh well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best Buy email just arrived = Shipped! Yay!
UPS does not list a delivery date at their tracking site yet - Boo!
Looks like our store in Madison only received 16gb models.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium App
OneStepAhead said:
Looks like our store in Madison only received 16gb models.
Sent from my GT-P7510 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting enough, when I call the local stores they have the 16G White version. Guess Samsung made lots of those.
Once the status says "Processing" customer service can't do anything. I tried this morning to have them transfer my order to a local store.
Good news is that I just got a confirmation e-mail that it just shipped, but now I have to wait for it to arrive instead of grabbing it from the store.
Thanks to substandard customer service, BB has lost my business. I called another store who also did not have the 32G version in stock but did notify me that they are showing the warehouse has units available if I wanted to do a store pickup. So I asked how could they have it in the warehouse and I get a back ordered status? The store customer service rep stated I should call the 888 number to find out. I did that and was abruptly told that the .com warehouse was different and they are obviously out of stock. So I tried to rationalize with her that why would BB take preorders and then not allocate units that they obviously have available. She states that "Sir I just told you that the .com uses a different warehouse". So I (with some sarcasm at this point) ask her if it is the same company. Well at no time did she offer to find one locally or go ahead and have one shipped to my local store and when I finally asked her if she could do that for me, I said never mind if I have to ask you to do that for me then I will just purchase from another business who values customer service. I assure you that at no time was I rude and only got sarcastic at the end of the conversation.
c'est la vie
For me....Only Best Buy stores that have them are way too far away. Local ones don't have them and unknown when either, so its the luck of the draw as to where Samsung ships to and how many to even bother driving for one just to be disappointed in selling out.
I would just a rather order online instead
SR45 said:
For me....Only Best Buy stores that have them are way too far away. Local ones don't have them and unknown when either, so its the luck of the draw as to where Samsung ships to and how many to even bother driving for one just to be disappointed in selling out.
I would just a rather order online instead
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't find any BB stores in the state of Massachusetts that had the 32gb version, so I went online.
Circuit City claims to have an order today/ship today policy on the 32gb version. I went ahead a tried it - we'll see. I did it from their website, not from Amazon, and had to call them to ask them to process the order now.
I didn't know circuit city even existed anymore.
Bummer about the horror stories. Not to make you feel bad, but I strolled into my local Best Buy about 15 minutes after opening today. No pre-order, no deposit, no nothing. Walked out with the 32GB Grey ... and they didn't charge me sales tax! That's a 9.75% (~$60) bonus!
Berner said:
Bummer about the horror stories. Not to make you feel bad, but I strolled into my local Best Buy about 15 minutes after opening today. No pre-order, no deposit, no nothing. Walked out with the 32GB Grey ... and they didn't charge me sales tax! That's a 9.75% (~$60) bonus!
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Good to hear someone had a good experience. I don't feel bad just a little jealous I guess. I'm actually thinking about just getting the Iconia instead. I have had the xoom and transformer but returned them both. The xoom for a charging issue and I just never liked the feel of the transformer, maybe just a little to wide and I have larger than avg hands.
I suffered from the same back-order issue. I pre-ordered one for my wife when I first got the e-mail from Samsung on 6/6/2011. Now you would think with my last name being at the beginning of the alphabet and my order being placed so early that I would be a shoe-in to receive one.
WRONG! I didn't receive an e-mail or anything. I'm a Silver Rewards member because of my continued customer loyalty...yet you can't even let me know what's going on before hand so I can order elsewhere.
I called 3 stores, checked online, did a online chat with Best Buy employee Brenda, and then talked to 4 different people through customer support. I heard different answers each time but the same result. "It shows as back-ordered but that it will ship in 1-2 business days." From the stores I heard "We haven't received our shipments yet but the ones we're getting are for pre-orders." The last statement was obviously a lie because ship-to-store has not been an option for any of the local 10 Best Buy stores.
How does any of this make sense? Yes I could come up with some patchwork logic to calm myself but at the end of the day, it's horrible customer service. I was respectful to each person I talked to. I didn't even complain. I went online to cancel my order and then called back to make sure it was done.
I'll keep it real simple. Worked for Best Buy for roughly 2 1/2 years during my younger days. During high school and then when I was in college in Tucson.
I hate Best Buy. From their "non-commission" approach they have the sales associates present shoppers with to their TERRIBLE phone customer service, the place is nothing but horrible experiences. I have a Rewards Silver account with them as well. I've spent way too much money to care to calculate with them and they continue to suck. I've shifted my purchasing from Best Buy to Amazon and am now a Prime Member with them (have been for over a year).
To stay on point with the OP, I went to Best Buy on Camelback in Phoenix this morning to see if they had any in stock. The PCHO (PC / Home Office) and Mobile Phone in store reps both told me they didn't get any in nor did the rest of the state of AZ. The only way I could get a Galaxy Tab was through Best Buy.com. This was after roaming around both departments for 10-15 minutes waiting for a sales rep to approach me (or even see one that I could approach for help). All immediately after the store had opened. Non-knowledgable, unwilling to help anyone sales reps and terrible supervisor / management that could give two craps less about your experience and care about nothing other than you buying a Geek Squad extended service plans and taking advantage of their financing offers.
I'm not buying a Galaxy Tab at all now nor am I, for any reason, shopping at Best Buy any longer (not like it's a huge deal... their stores have been dwindling in the number of shoppers for the past two years).
At first thought it's nice to see that I am not alone, but it really is kinda of sad. I do hear lots of great things about Amazon and have purchased a couple of times through them, but i am still a little weary about online purchases. Not really rational since Amazon does in all regards appear to be very safe and easy even with respect to returns. So who knows maybe it is Amazon here I come!
Prime Membership is totally worth it if you shop on Amazon frequently. I do ALL of my Christmas shopping each year with them, never any hiccups. As a Prime member, you get FREE Two Day shipping on almost everything you buy along with no tax. It destroys whatever Best Buy offers these days. On new videogame releases, they are not only typically $5-10 cheaper, there is no tax and it arrives on the same day of release at my front door.
**end of gushing**

How to place an order with Expansys??

Yeah okay, it sounds crazy but hear me out. I've never used Expansys, but guys on here seem to like them. I've always used Handtec (love them) and Negri (not crazy about them, but never a major problem)
So last night I place an order for 3 SGS4's (i9500) with expansys, using a credit card. This is the same credit card I've had for many years, I've used it to order *countless* phones from Handtec, Negri, etc. I prefer Google Checkout. Never an issue.
I get this email today:
Thank you for your order, however I'm afraid that we are unable to
accept it as a credit card order.
If you would still like us to ship your order you can pay for it by
bank transfer or Amazon checkout. .
Amazon Checkout can only be utilized if the item ordered is in stock and you will
need to create an account with Amazon (if you do not have one already) and be
subject to their security checks.
Please send a response email if you are willing to pay for your products via wire
transfer or wish to pay with Amazon checkout.
You must contact us via email so we can make sure the shipping charges are correct
before you send the wire payment.
We will send you wire instructions and the amount due. Your order will be
processed immediately upon receipt of funds in our account.
If you wish to pay with Amazon checkout, we will cancel this order and you will
need to place a new order and select that payment option.
Your credit card has not and will not be charged.
Thank you for placing your order with eXpansys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so I called them up to find out the problem. All he could tell me was due to security they can't accept *a* credit card. (not just *my* credit card) So I asked about going through Amazon. (I'm a prime member) He tells me they can't do that either, until the phones are actually in stock. So my ONLY choice is to pay a fee, and do a bank transfer. (which boggles my mind... the phones won't be shipping for at least 1.5 weeks)
So now what? Negri is the only other place with the I9500s, and they want $75 more per phone. I wish Handtec had them, but they only have the I9505s.
Is there something else I can do, or someone else I can talk to? I told they guy the only option I have is to use Negri, he didn't care. What am I missing?
(yes this is half rant, half question...)
Is your shipping or billing address different to the address attached to the card? sometimes they don't like that :s
Brendo said:
Is your shipping or billing address different to the address attached to the card? sometimes they don't like that :s
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Click to collapse
No, everything is the same. Like I said, it wasn't an issue with my credit card, but any credit card. My ONLY option was a bank transfer.
Its looking like I'm going to have to use Negri.
Are you talking USA or the Brits? I have used a credit card at the USA website several times.
krabman said:
Are you talking USA or the Brits? I have used a credit card at the USA website several times.
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USA. The order was for 3, totaling $2300 ish.
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2
Hmmmm, wonder if it's the amount either in dollars or number of phones? Might try and see if the website will accept an order for one. If they don't there is something up with your card. I can only go back to last years order but I made that one with a different card that was subsequently cancled do to a mass security leak. At any rate I have used two different cards there for sure. If they do accept the order you could order them one at a time I suppose. Guess if there was no time cruntch that would be the cheaper route.
Wire transfers bank to bank should not be that expensive, I have done a number of them for watches and never paid more than 40 dollars so that would still be quite a bit cheaper than Negri. IMO another route would be to call up and ask to be escalated up to someone who has the authority to make a call. I would guess if buying 3 that person might be willing to deduct it from the total price.
They made it VERY clear that it wasn't anything to do with my particular card. He just said no card could be used at all.
I'm going to try and get ahold of someone else tomorrow.
Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk 2
I have ordered from them before, but only once and no issues. The dollar amount and qty of phones could be the issue and perhaps they are concerned about fraud given the popularity of the phones, risk of not getting paid if it were a case of fraud, etc.
I would say its a tough call, doing a $2300 transfer is something I wouldn't do no matter how much I liked a reseller, you could wait until they are in stock, but you risk them selling out quickly.
What kind of guarantee are they giving you if you needed to cancel the order, how long to get the funds back, are there any fee's etc. Would they do something to offset the fee's, say a credit towards accessories, etc? Never hurts to ask and that is a nice order.
RaptorMD said:
I have ordered from them before, but only once and no issues. The dollar amount and qty of phones could be the issue and perhaps they are concerned about fraud given the popularity of the phones, risk of not getting paid if it were a case of fraud, etc.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, I can understand that. Heck when I saw the email I thought "okay, gotta call em up" But they didn't even ask. And I called less than 10 minutes after getting the email. The guy didn't even wanna deal with me.
The person who sent me the email had already gone home, so I dealt with him. I emailed her back, perhaps I'll hear something tomorrow.
I bought my gt-i9100 and motorola xoom off of expansys. First time cc worked no problem second time they asked for money transfer which I did. Everything went fine they shipped right away. Just make sure you ask the to fill out the international warranty papers in the box.
If you'd like to PM me I can get to the bottom of this for you. Is your CC by chance issued outside of the USA? That is what initially comes to mind.
Regards,
Corey
Corey L said:
If you'd like to PM me I can get to the bottom of this for you. Is your CC by chance issued outside of the USA? That is what initially comes to mind.
Regards,
Corey
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, its a normal US CC. Ive used it for some pretty large phone purchases with Handtec and Negri in the past. (some of my friends don't have their crap together, so they pay me to order them phones)
PM me order Ref and I can look at it.
Hopefully the OP wont mind since I reckon he is interested as well... When do you anticipate stock and subsequent shipment Corey?
In my case, contacted UK Expansys for a quote, as US chat support told me to contact their UK division for a quote, with European tax and warranty. Two days and no reply yet :/ Support it's not serious at all and this could be a problem in case warranty support it's needed.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
krabman said:
Hopefully the OP wont mind since I reckon he is interested as well... When do you anticipate stock and subsequent shipment Corey?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
limited amount of white landing today, but our annual inventory starts at noon. If fedex gets to us by 10:30am, all white backorders go out today.
Bummer, I'm in early but for the black. Thanks for the update regardless.
Just an FYI for the thread, Corey was able to take care of the problem for me, but I had already placed an order w/Negri. (it shipped the very next day, no time to cancel)

[Q] NegriElectronics updated their warranty...worth it to purchase?

So I was about to hit the button on a pre-order from NegriElectronics for my Unlocked T-Mobile Note 3. I'm gonna buy it from them anyway cause it is about $100 cheaper than getting it from T-Mobile. But as I was browsing their twitter feed for any discounts, I saw that they had updated their warranty (Negricare) plans. I wasn't going to get on originally because I thought $100 down plus a $75 deductible was kinda high, but now that they are cheaper ($59 plus $50 deductible), I wonder if it's worth it now. It still covers accidental damage plus water, manufacturer's defects, etc. I have never broke my phone (though I have dropped it once or twice), but it's always when you think you are safe that crap happens. If anything happened to my delicious Note 3, I would be so depressed.
They just announced these changes today, so I don't know if anyone has had a chance to discuss this yet. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
http://www.negrielectronics.com/blo...rgo-major-redesign-in-favor-of-affordability/
https://negrielectronics.com/negricare-protection-plan-more-info
Upfront costs mean nothing if you have claim issues down the road. It's not "Negri" insurance it's offered by a third party under Negri's name. Read the T&C to find out who's behind it and see what their AM Best rating is. Also do a Google search to see what people's claims experience have been with the third party. I've had two devices totaled and received $1, 500 in compensation in a week for both claims from SquareTrade no questions asked. Personally, I'd stick to what I know. Good luck.
BarryH_GEG said:
Upfront costs mean nothing if you have claim issues down the road. It's not "Negri" insurance it's offered by a third party under Negri's name. Read the T&C to find out who's behind it and see what their AM Best rating is. Also do a Google search to see what people's claims experience have been with the third party. I've had two devices totaled and received $1, 500 in compensation in a week for both claims from SquareTrade no questions asked. Personally, I'd stick to what I know. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I will consider Squaretrade as well.
Techngro said:
So I was about to hit the button on a pre-order from NegriElectronics for my Unlocked T-Mobile Note 3. I'm gonna buy it from them anyway cause it is about $100 cheaper than getting it from T-Mobile. But as I was browsing their twitter feed for any discounts, I saw that they had updated their warranty (Negricare) plans. I wasn't going to get on originally because I thought $100 down plus a $75 deductible was kinda high, but now that they are cheaper ($59 plus $50 deductible), I wonder if it's worth it now. It still covers accidental damage plus water, manufacturer's defects, etc. I have never broke my phone (though I have dropped it once or twice), but it's always when you think you are safe that crap happens. If anything happened to my delicious Note 3, I would be so depressed.
They just announced these changes today, so I don't know if anyone has had a chance to discuss this yet. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
http://www.negrielectronics.com/blo...rgo-major-redesign-in-favor-of-affordability/
https://negrielectronics.com/negricare-protection-plan-more-info
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your interest. We simply offer the plans to provide the means to protect your purchase. We have recently partnered with Mack Warranty to back our NegriCare plans. Mack provides exceptional service throughout the claim, which is the #1 reason we chose them. We were able to negotiate costs with them to keep prices down for our customers. The plans are worth it, even if you don't need to file a claim - it's the 'peace of mind that' is worth the money down.
You're likely to find positive and negative reviews for all warranty/protection plan providers out there. It's best to purchase your plan from a trusted company, and what better company than the one that will sell you your device.
We hope to you enjoyed your shopping experience, and if you have any questions please visit our site. below are some useful links.
FAQ: http://negricare.negrielectronics.com/
About Us: http://negrielectronics.com/about-us
Live Support: http://negrielectronics.com/ (bottom left)
Techngro said:
So I was about to hit the button on a pre-order from NegriElectronics for my Unlocked T-Mobile Note 3. I'm gonna buy it from them anyway cause it is about $100 cheaper than getting it from T-Mobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is it $100 cheaper from Negri than it is from T-Mobile? Did you see something I'm missing?
Sent from my Incognegro Jedi-Powered Note 2
After reading reports of how poorly Negri has treated customers who have ordered the T-Mobile version thus far, I would think twice about ordering from them.
Att.Fan1982 said:
How is it $100 cheaper from Negri than it is from T-Mobile? Did you see something I'm missing?
Sent from my Incognegro Jedi-Powered Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was wondering this too. Based on your image, NE is only $18.50 less than TMo. However, if the OP is also including the tax, then yes - NE is a lot cheaper. According to NE's FAQ about taxes collected, they only collect tax for orders that are shipped to the state of Nevada. I am in CA, so this will be a LOT cheaper for me through NE, since CA's tax is so high.
However, I am not jumping on the Note 3 just yet, until the actual true specs of the Nexus 5 are announced.
Yeah tax is the big killer in buying from the carrier. The savings from NE are worth it as long as they ship tomorrow as on their site. If they push the date later (like the AT&T version was to the 10th), I'll probably cancel and just pick it up locally.
Att.Fan1982 said:
How is it $100 cheaper from Negri than it is from T-Mobile? Did you see something I'm missing?
Sent from my Incognegro Jedi-Powered Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's not just the tax, it's also the fact that I used a coupon code (NE20OFFCART) and got another $20 off as well as free shipping. So my total came to $668. T-Mobile with tax would probably be about $762. So that's why I said $100 cheaper, give or take.
Techngro said:
Yeah, it's not just the tax, it's also the fact that I used a coupon code (NE20OFFCART) and got another $20 off as well as free shipping. So my total came to $668. T-Mobile with tax would probably be about $762. So that's why I said $100 cheaper, give or take.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx for the coupon code, as I had missed this! =)
Bmerz said:
Thx for the coupon code, as I had missed this! =)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NP. You can hit the thanks button under my post.
bigmout said:
After reading reports of how poorly Negri has treated customers who have ordered the T-Mobile version thus far, I would think twice about ordering from them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What have you heard? All I want is my device to arrive in one peace undamaged. As long as that happens I will give then a good rating.
Techngro said:
What have you heard? All I want is my device to arrive in one peace undamaged. As long as that happens I will give then a good rating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out the last two pages of the pre-order thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2437978&page=39
I was toying with ordering the T-Mobile model from them but don't think I will now.
bigmout said:
Check out the last two pages of the pre-order thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2437978&page=39
I was toying with ordering the T-Mobile model from them but don't think I will now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, to be honest with you, i'm kinda on Negri's side with this one. The main post (the one with the chat and email logs) that criticize Negri show that the guy was complaining about them not shipping as early as the 19th of September. Correct me if i'm wrong, but all of the carriers were saying October 1st-4th for availability. Negri had the expected ship date as 10-3, so i'm not sure what the guy was complaining about.
Now, they have changed the ship date to 10-10, but again, i'm not gonna go crazy because of this. I am saving almost $100 dollars after all. And with all the cancelled pre-orders, I might just get it earlier. lol/jk
Is it odd that official news said that Samsung wasn't going to release 16Gb versions, but Negri has them listed?
Also, from the Q&A:
Thank you for contacting Negri Electronics. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to browse our site and take interest in our units. This unit will not support 4G on T-Mobiles network. This unit will only support 2G speeds on T-Mobile. This unit has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. Thank you and have a nice day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I'm glad I spent the other $90 just to cozy up with Tmo. I like that they have iPhone users (and others) entirely dependent on them for support, hardware included, because I get that, too, not because I need it, but because USB ports, power buttons and other main board & plastic parts just don't last that long.
do we have confirmation that the tmob unit from negri has an unlocked bootloader and will work on att lte?
Techngro said:
Yeah, to be honest with you, i'm kinda on Negri's side with this one. The main post (the one with the chat and email logs) that criticize Negri show that the guy was complaining about them not shipping as early as the 19th of September. Correct me if i'm wrong, but all of the carriers were saying October 1st-4th for availability. Negri had the expected ship date as 10-3, so i'm not sure what the guy was complaining about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm... good point lol. I think he was more pissed off at the perceived threat to delay his shipment because he complained to Google. But you make a fair point -- good catch.
Regardless, you can see several people canceled their pre-orders because of unreliable estimated ship dates and lack of customer service. I've given up dealing with online outlets because of similar hitches with another seller (not Negri) when buying my OG Note. It's left me gun shy lol.
Janis said:
Is it odd that official news said that Samsung wasn't going to release 16Gb versions, but Negri has them listed?
Also, from the Q&A:
I think I'm glad I spent the other $90 just to cozy up with Tmo. I like that they have iPhone users (and others) entirely dependent on them for support, hardware included, because I get that, too, not because I need it, but because USB ports, power buttons and other main board & plastic parts just don't last that long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait What?!?!?!
There's no way that that is correct. It's a branded T-Mobile device (you can see it in the pic of the back cover). In addition, the heading of the listing says "Samsung Galaxy Note 3 32GB LTE (T-Mobile) (Unlocked)". Since it has LTE (T-Mobile) in the heading, I'm pretty sure it is LTE capable.
Also, the version that PCMag reviewed here (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2424853,00.asp) was a T-Mobile version, and it was the Snapdragon 800 version of the Note 3. They said that it was using T-Mobile LTE. Negri CSR probably just didn't know what they were talking about or made a simple mistake. There are two versions of this phone after all.
bigmout said:
Hmmm... good point lol. I think he was more pissed off at the perceived threat to delay his shipment because he complained to Google. But you make a fair point -- good catch.
Regardless, you can see several people canceled their pre-orders because of unreliable estimated ship dates and lack of customer service. I've given up dealing with online outlets because of similar hitches with another seller (not Negri) when buying my OG Note. It's left me gun shy lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your note. We post "estimated" shipping date for this reason. They are estimated and we are not 100% exact on when they will arrive. If you called around to 40 different T-Mobile stores they would have less info than we provide. Our customer service isn't really "lacking" per-say, it's there, and we are doing our best to handle every request. The fact that some customers are angry with us isn't because of our customer service, it's because of the delay of their product. Customers reach out to us in the worst way, demanding a refund, threatening - however, we do all we can to keep the customer calm, respect their reasoning behind the aggression and try to settle them the best we can. Some have even threatened us if we didn't cancel their order - when they were never charged to begin with. It's a tough job, and no one is perfect, but don't give up on Online stores because of that. Give Negri a chance. The T-Mobile Note 3 is delayed, it happens. We don't do this intentionally - there is absolutely no benefit to it. Zero.
Everything we do is above board, honest and transparent. That's the way this company will always operate while it's under my command.
Ryan J. Negri - CEO
Negri Electronics, Inc.
bigmout said:
Hmmm... good point lol. I think he was more pissed off at the perceived threat to delay his shipment because he complained to Google. But you make a fair point -- good catch.
Regardless, you can see several people canceled their pre-orders because of unreliable estimated ship dates and lack of customer service. I've given up dealing with online outlets because of similar hitches with another seller (not Negri) when buying my OG Note. It's left me gun shy lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The intention was not to delay his shipment, it was about the resolution. If we could not reach a resolution it would affect his order of course, but the issue at hand is that since a claim was filed with Google, it is handled by an escalated department and not regular NegriCare.
We just hope that all customers understand that it's 100% better to come to us first, than file a claim. The claim form even says to contact us first - but this customer didn't feel that applied to him. Oh well. We deal with things as they come, and with the best possible mindset. We can't please everyone, but we can do our best to try. Sometimes that matters most.
Ryan J. Negri - CEO
Negri Electronics, Inc.

Clove special offer

Clove sent me an email stating that if they get to 600 orders for the Z3 Compact before launch, they'll include a Roxfit case and Sony AN401 car charger free with every order.
If you're still in the market for this and haven't pulled the trigger yet, keep this in mind. Sounds like they have over 400 orders already, but there's only 10 days left!
Edit: Here's a link with more details http://blog.clove.co.uk/2014/09/16/a...ia-z3-compact/
Do we need some kind of code to "order" is it "automatic" as you say? There's no mention on their site or blog.
According to the email it's automatic, and they will add it to my order if the condition is met.
You can email [email protected] for more info if you'd like.
Edit: Here's a link that was created when I clicked view email in browser. Perhaps you'll be able to see that as well:
**Removed**
Edit 2: As quickly as I did that, they updated their site. You'll see a general statement if you click on the Z3C, but here's a link to their blog with more details:
http://blog.clove.co.uk/2014/09/16/another-special-offer-sony-xperia-z3-compact/
Wow - talk about making a good deal even better. I've put up a Reddit submission for it: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2gkf75/clove_offering_case_and_car_charger_if_they_hit/
Hopefully that'll get a bit of interest.
tilal6991 said:
Wow - talk about making a good deal even better. I've put up a Reddit submission for it: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2gkf75/clove_offering_case_and_car_charger_if_they_hit/
Hopefully that'll get a bit of interest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes indeed! I'm pretty excited to get the phone alone, but would certainly welcome some free accessories!
Thanks for all your information.
I pre-ordered. I recommend that North Americans use PayPal as a payment option - I tried a direct card payment and it failed. I seem to recall having issues with Clove and direct card payments in the past.
Now Handtec are saying that they're going to offer a guaranteed pre-order bundle. This is the start of a price/extras war I hope http://www.handtec.co.uk/sony-xperia-z3-compact-16gb-black-1288-5849.html
mickliq said:
... I tried a direct card payment and it failed. I seem to recall having issues with Clove and direct card payments in the past.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More likely it's your card issuer; they will decline an international charge to prevent fraud if you don't regularly make such purchases. After calling the bank and verifying that you did attempt the charge they will release the hold and payment will go through.
Edit: BTW, Handtec is matching the free accessories offer for all pre-orders, no minimum order limit.
Edit2: What @tilal6991 said...
Is there any way to get the green variant though? Seems Carphonewarehouse is the only one that sells it but they don't ship to the U.S. :/
cschmitt said:
More likely it's your card issuer; they will decline an international charge to prevent fraud if you don't regularly make such purchases. After calling the bank and verifying that you did attempt the charge they will release the hold and payment will go through.
Edit: BTW, Handtec is matching the free accessories offer for all pre-orders, no minimum order limit.
Edit2: What @tilal6991 said...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never get issuer referrals other than with Clove. It's consistent. I spend A LOT online including big-ticket travel etc. Anyway, it worked fine with PayPal, so again, that's what I recommend.
mickliq said:
Thanks for all your information.
I pre-ordered. I recommend that North Americans use PayPal as a payment option - I tried a direct card payment and it failed. I seem to recall having issues with Clove and direct card payments in the past.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, my AMEX was declined, so I used it through PayPal as well. Good tip!
Just posted at RFD: http://forums.redflagdeals.com/clove-uk-z3-compact-d5803-500-usd-550-cdn-free-stuff-1556567/
My guess is that now that Handtec is offering an unspecified accessories bundle with "no strings attached" (e.g. no minimum pre-order qty), Clove is going to have to make good on that even if don't hit the 600 target. We'd never know if they really hit it or not, so it's easy for them to just say they've hit the mark.
Very true, it is very bold of them to throw that out there. Could put a bad taste in the mouth of everyone if they don't make good on this offer. This is my first ever international phone order, so I'm very hopeful of a smooth process in it.
JHadley said:
Very true, it is very bold of them to throw that out there. Could put a bad taste in the mouth of everyone if they don't make good on this offer. This is my first ever international phone order, so I'm very hopeful of a smooth process in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, Clove will definitely hit their mark, either in reality or make believe.
Seriously, does anyone honestly believe that they've sold 'exactly' 400 units as stated in the blog post (not 407, or maybe 386?), or that they will notify us immediately when they hit 600 units?
Their goal is to use the enticement of some free accessories to get the pre-order buyers to do a little advertising leg work for them. Nothing wrong with that so long as we call it what it is, and the accessories would be nice!
Handtec obviously had to ante up, just as they did by beating Clove's price drop by a small margin, and they took the option of making them available to all pre-orders, probably betting that they will receive some orders from people that want the sure thing.
In the Netherlands you get a Sony MDR-ZX750 headset (worth €150) 00 when pre-ordered, not mather where you buy.
Spoke to handtek other day regarding potential delivery date... Although he couldn't divulge.. He did accidently let off that they've sold 300 red z3c already... They must have clocked way over 600 on total.
There website now says expected 22nd September... Yes :thumbup:
Pre-ordered mine now from Clove. (I hope they don't shaft me on the offer)
I've ordered my Z3C through Clove, and would have done regardless of the accessories bundle. They are a customer focused company and deserve as much business as they can get in my opinion.
Rest assured they'll go above and beyond to make sure all pre-orders receive the accessories, even if they don't reach the target (unlikely).
Handtec Vs Clove
So is everyone buying through Clove or Handtec?
I've never purchased a phone online like this before, so please excuse my trepidation. What are the Pros and Cons of purchasing with each company?
Does anyone have any experience with either of these companies? Who would have better customer support for an International (South African) customer like me? Especially if something goes wrong.
Lastly, I imagine both companies are offering similar accessory bundles together with the purchase. Are there any known differences yet?
Thanks guys! Any input is greatly appreciated!

Ebay scammers: watch out

It goes without saying buying on ebay can be risky but I wanted to post a warning about a particular individual who keeps posting and or hacking the ebay acts posting pixel xl 128gb for sale with the same picture. It seems ebay doesnt gas and allows this person to consistantly repost via different accounts that are probably hacked. The main mo is a pixel xl 128gb for cheap bewtween 500-600$. Obviously the price raises eyebrows because the going rate on ebay is 900-1200$ from a typical scalper, but the perp keeps using acts that appear to have 99-100% fb that are long time users/older acts. Thing is... these sellers, are usually sellers of small items like coins and other knick knacks and or have not been active for a while. Im sure most of you are aware but thought id put out this psa. The other issue is this idiot keeps using the same image fir every hacked act they use. W/E i see this i report it, it comes down and is back up in a few days, with a dif act, but same mo: 100%fb, long time user and usually inactive or sells small items with no history of high end phones or anything. If its too good to be true... With that said hopefully Google restocks by march or so i really like this phone. The pic below is from the ebay scam. If you buy from ebay be very carefull because this ahole is not the only one. Please if you see any listings on ebay with this image report it.
Paying by paypal and with ebays 30 day guarantee your guaranteed to get your money back but yes it can hold your money up for days. Years past the buyer would be left holding the bag but now a days paypal holds the money on new sellers until they provide tracking and the buyer has to post that they received the item and all is well so I have no idea how they could get away with this type of fraud anymore because paypal will pull the funds back from their paypal account so they are basically wasting their time and they get nothing.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html
What's covered
Most transactions on eBay.com are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee.
Covered
Purchases are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee when all of the following are true:
An item isn't received or it isn't as described in the listing.
A buyer reports that they didn't receive an item or requests a return within the eBay Money Back Guarantee timelines.
The buyer made the purchase on eBay.com via checkout or an eBay invoice with one of the following payment methods:
PayPal
PayPal Credit
Credit card or debit card
The item was paid for in a single payment (including payments with PayPal Credit).
If the listing was a live auction by an auction house seller, the buyer made the purchase on eBay.com and paid by any payment method, the purchase is covered as long as the buyer provides a copy of the seller invoice and proof of payment. Items sold through Sotheby's are excluded.
Not covered
Buyer remorse or any reason other than not receiving an item or receiving an item that isn’t as described in the listing (see the seller’s return policy for return options).
Items damaged during pick-up or shipping or not delivered when the buyer arranges pick-up or shipping of the item (for instance, the buyer arranges freight).
Duplicate claims through other resolution methods.
Items shipped to another address after original delivery.
Vehicles (see eBay Vehicle Protection), Real Estate, Websites & Business for Sale, Classified Ads, services, and some Business Equipment categories (see eBay Business Equipment Purchase Protection).
Items sold through Sotheby's.
Items purchased on half.com, eBay Wholesale Deals, or eBay Classifieds.
M9guy said:
Paying by paypal and with ebays 30 day guarantee your guaranteed to get your money back but yes it can hold your money up for days. Years past the buyer would be left holding the bag but now a days paypal holds the money on new sellers until they provide tracking and the buyer has to post that they received the item and all is well so I have no idea how they could get away with this type of fraud anymore because paypal will pull the funds back from their paypal account so they are basically wasting their time and they get nothing.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/money-back-guarantee.html
What's covered
Most transactions on eBay.com are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee.
Covered
Purchases are covered by the eBay Money Back Guarantee when all of the following are true:
An item isn't received or it isn't as described in the listing.
A buyer reports that they didn't receive an item or requests a return within the eBay Money Back Guarantee timelines.
The buyer made the purchase on eBay.com via checkout or an eBay invoice with one of the following payment methods:
PayPal
PayPal Credit
Credit card or debit card
The item was paid for in a single payment (including payments with PayPal Credit).
If the listing was a live auction by an auction house seller, the buyer made the purchase on eBay.com and paid by any payment method, the purchase is covered as long as the buyer provides a copy of the seller invoice and proof of payment. Items sold through Sotheby's are excluded.
Not covered
Buyer remorse or any reason other than not receiving an item or receiving an item that isn’t as described in the listing (see the seller’s return policy for return options).
Items damaged during pick-up or shipping or not delivered when the buyer arranges pick-up or shipping of the item (for instance, the buyer arranges freight).
Duplicate claims through other resolution methods.
Items shipped to another address after original delivery.
Vehicles (see eBay Vehicle Protection), Real Estate, Websites & Business for Sale, Classified Ads, services, and some Business Equipment categories (see eBay Business Equipment Purchase Protection).
Items sold through Sotheby's.
Items purchased on half.com, eBay Wholesale Deals, or eBay Classifieds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's another sign its a scam. He doesn't accept paypal only CC :laugh:
aholeinthewor1d said:
That's another sign its a scam. He doesn't accept paypal only CC :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many accept credit cards but I would not unless they have high positive feedback as a seller and not just positive as a buyer and I would never give them CC info over the phone or email only through secure ebay checkout. People can still file a chargeback with their credit card company but getting the money back can take months.
My thinking is many deals can be legit I know by personal experience, but yes fraudulent sellers can be weeded out if you investigate before hitting confirm bid or buy it now.
High positive fb isnt always a sure thing; this particular scam targets older acts WITH high positive fb. The thing is you have to make sure that what the seller is selling makes sense. If you see a 1oz gold bar for 300$ (going rate is about 1200) and the seller has 3600 sales @ 100% fb but all hes ever sold was buttons for 1$ run away, run away fast. And thats exactly what this slimeball does, he hacks high sales 100% fb acts and posts the pixel xl for a killer price, chesper even than the Google store.
freakboy13 said:
It goes without saying buying on ebay can be risky but I wanted to post a warning about a particular individual who keeps posting and or hacking the ebay acts posting pixel xl 128gb for sale with the same picture. It seems ebay doesnt gas and allows this person to consistantly repost via different accounts that are probably hacked. The main mo is a pixel xl 128gb for cheap bewtween 500-600$. Obviously the price raises eyebrows because the going rate on ebay is 900-1200$ from a typical scalper, but the perp keeps using acts that appear to have 99-100% fb that are long time users/older acts. Thing is... these sellers, are usually sellers of small items like coins and other knick knacks and or have not been active for a while. Im sure most of you are aware but thought id put out this psa. The other issue is this idiot keeps using the same image fir every hacked act they use. W/E i see this i report it, it comes down and is back up in a few days, with a dif act, but same mo: 100%fb, long time user and usually inactive or sells small items with no history of high end phones or anything. If its too good to be true... With that said hopefully Google restocks by march or so i really like this phone. The pic below is from the ebay scam. If you buy from ebay be very carefull because this ahole is not the only one. Please if you see any listings on ebay with this image report it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually messaged that guy at [email protected] and agreed to a deal for two pixel xl 128gb for JUST $1200
He then proceeds in sending me an invoice which I have to pay via bank transfer. Everything looks like it's perfectly covered by Ebay and is sent by Ebay ([email protected], looks pretty fake to me, but don't know, attached a screenshot)
I then asked him why they don't accept paypal, so I'm covered.
"For the moment we can't accept payment trough PayPal. The payment must be made through Bank Transfer. eBay will be third party in this transaction and will guarantee for both of us. The money will be secured by eBay until you will receive the package. 14 days of inspection - the inspection period starts once you have the items in your hands. This means you have 14 days to decide whether I get the money or not. In case the items are not as I described them, the transaction is canceled and eBay will refund full amount. If the items are as described, the transaction is completed and I will receive the money from eBay. Let me know if I should keep this items reserved for you."
I really don't know if all lies or not, but I obviously canceled the deal.
Wire transfer? No WAY. This is without a doubt a scam and good luck getting eBay to stand behind this despite what they claim. This guy is a scam and anyone who buys from him gets what they deserve. How many more red flags do people need? If you do a wire transfer does the recipient know your account number? I wonder is that is the scam, to get your bank account number.
So the seller is in NY yet the bank is in Spain and the owner of that account is listed as Florina Adriana Barbu. Not suspicious at all
Best guess, if you order and get anything at all they will have blocked IMEI. Likely stolen. My feeling is you won't get anything but a lot of trouble.
Bad English is another sign that this is likely a scam.
Mike02z said:
Wire transfer? No WAY. This is without a doubt a scam and good luck getting eBay to stand behind this despite what they claim. This guy is a scam and anyone who buys from him gets what they deserve. How many more red flags do people need? If you do a wire transfer does the recipient know your account number? I wonder is that is the scam, to get your bank account number.
So the seller is in NY yet the bank is in Spain and the owner of that account is listed as Florina Adriana Barbu. Not suspicious at all
Best guess, if you order and get anything at all they will have blocked IMEI. Likely stolen. My feeling is you won't get anything but a lot of trouble.
Bad English is another sign that this is likely a scam.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. It looks pretty legit, though, if you don't have much experience and are hyped for the device. So I believe they really do have success sometimes.
Cards-ebay.com is not eBay. It is a fake address to simulate real ones. Only . should pretext the website name as cards.eBay.com would be valid. Here is the whois for cards-ebay.com https://whois.icann.org/en/lookup?name=Cards-ebay.com looks very shady.
jjayzx said:
Cards-ebay.com is not eBay. It is a fake address to simulate real ones. Only . should pretext the website name as cards.eBay.com would be valid. Here is the whois for cards-ebay.com https://whois.icann.org/en/lookup?name=Cards-ebay.com looks very shady.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good catch! That domain is being hidden and in the name of a proxy service. This would be a sure fire way to lose 600 bucks and maybe more if they get your account number which is what I suspect they are really phising for.
Use Swappa. Been using using to both buy and sell phones for years. No issues for me.
Mike02z said:
Good catch! That domain is being hidden and in the name of a proxy service. This would be a sure fire way to lose 600 bucks and maybe more if they get your account number which is what I suspect they are really phising for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They actually want you to buy two devices minimum, so you lose at least $1200
chazall1 said:
Use Swappa. Been using using to both buy and sell phones for years. No issues for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But Swappa never has the phones I'm looking for..
D4rkSoRRoW said:
They actually want you to buy two devices minimum, so you lose at least $1200
But Swappa never has the phones I'm looking for..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And neither does eBay it appears.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As long as you always pay with Paypal on ebay you will alway get your money back as with paypal new sellers will get their money held by paypal until the buyer leaves positive feedback or confirms to paypal that they received the item and its as described but you still have a 30 day money back guarantee with ebay.
daryllh said:
And neither does eBay it appears.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, Ebay definitely has them. Not the first time I'm searching for devices there
D4rkSoRRoW said:
Nah, Ebay definitely has them. Not the first time I'm searching for devices there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah ebay has the biggest variety and you can find them cheap many times. I have found the latest models just out for as low as $200 one a woman used her upgrade then I think it was too advanced for her so she went back to her iphone lol, she just wanted her $199.99 she paid back so I got a heck of a deal. Some times you have to search a bit but it pays off.
M9guy said:
Yeah ebay has the biggest variety and you can find them cheap many times. I have found the latest models just out for as low as $200 one a woman used her upgrade then I think it was too advanced for her so she went back to her iphone lol, she just wanted her $199.99 she paid back so I got a heck of a deal. Some times you have to search a bit but it pays off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woah!! That's damn nice. I bought a XL 128gb for 800 euros. That's already 300 euros cheaper than new
D4rkSoRRoW said:
Woah!! That's damn nice. I bought a XL 128gb for 800 euros. That's already 300 euros cheaper than new
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh sorry I did not mean this phone, I meant phones in the past. Plus the deals are best a couple months after the device is out. The little old ladies dont buy at first release usually lol. The techies only buy early or the ones trying to profit, so it takes a good month or two after release to see good deals, or if the competition has a new phone come out right after the phone you want that helps get good deals too.
M9guy said:
Oh sorry I did not mean this phone, I meant phones in the past. Plus the deals are best a couple months after the device is out. The little old ladies dont buy at first release usually lol. The techies only buy early or the ones trying to profit, so it takes a good month or two after release to see good deals, or if the competition has a new phone come out right after the phone you want that helps get good deals too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, the Pixel got released in october, so that's good three months now.
D4rkSoRRoW said:
Well, the Pixel got released in october, so that's good three months now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but they have been on back order keeping prices very high. The black 128gb pixel xl's were selling on ebay for over $1000.00

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