What are the dis-adavantages of buying a Samsung Galaxy S2 parallel import?

Forums › Mobile handsets › What are the dis-adavantages of buying a Samsung Galaxy S2 parallel import?

daveydw

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#91257 9-Oct-2011 22:22

Hi, I am looking at purchasing a Samsung Galaxy S2, don't what to be tied in to a plan so looking at buying one outright. The issue I have is I can get one from NZ providers eg vodafone for $1099 or go with a parallel import for around $750. So whats the deal, the advantage is saying around $300, but there must be some dis-advantages, but I am sure what they are?

Cheers for you help in advance.

Oblivian

7284 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#531294 9-Oct-2011 22:27

The most considerable, is warranty cover.

No 2(?)yr original manufacturer as Samsung do not recognise units that are not from that countries allocated stock.

Also the slim chance of non authroised parts/components.

Importers are still obliged to cover it by CGA however, but the period they give varies.

nakedmolerat

4625 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#531330 10-Oct-2011 00:51

return/warranty. my advise: buy from known importer or one with physical shop in nz. easier to deal with them and they have to provide warranty under nz consumer guarantee act. save your $300!

bought mine from vodafone as I want to be on their smart plan anyway

tukapa1

725 posts

Ultimate Geek

#532551 12-Oct-2011 21:54

I have just purchased the Galaxy S II through FairBuy.co.nz.

I was looking for a device that I could buy that would amalgamate all the other devices I carry around. Was a bit nervous about splashing that much cash out but the purchase was a great experience.

I ordered it at about 10.30pm on Thursday 6th October and it arrived today (Wednesday 12th) at about 11.00am. Good thing was the box was sealed and it came with a NZ plug charger.

Never dealt with parallel import phones before so this was a good experience and the best price I could find in NZ ($745 landed). I would recommend fairbuy to anybody.

I guess I weighed up the warranty issue but the CGA should cover the phone long enough for it to be obsolete the way technology is moving. I figure by then there will be bigger and better purchases to make.

Now just got to personalise it and get some apps on there!

rb85

115 posts

Master Geek

#533338 14-Oct-2011 13:19

Parallel imported devices dont have the carrier settings that carriers (Voda, Telecom, 2D etc) load on to their devices so they perform better on that network.

This could result in (but not always) poor coverage, services such as text, voice, data not working (at times), no access to carrier home pages. As well as the things mentioned above.

Hope that helps

J4ynie

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#542082 7-Nov-2011 16:24

Having recently purchased a Parallel Import myself, Samsung Galaxy S I9000 I would staunchly recommend you spend the extra dollars and by a genuine NZ new phone. When compared with a NZ version, it’s obvious before even turning the phone on that the Parallel Import phone is far more inferior...We have had to make numerous trips back to the store we bought it from to reset the firmware and even have the motherboard replaced and each time have had to fight really hard about the repairs being covered by warranty. We are at the point of wanting to just write off the 600 we paid for the phone and buy another :(

old3eyes

9112 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#542366 8-Nov-2011 08:55

rb85: Parallel imported devices dont have the carrier settings that carriers (Voda, Telecom, 2D etc) load on to their devices so they perform better on that network.

This could result in (but not always) poor coverage, services such as text, voice, data not working (at times), no access to carrier home pages. As well as the things mentioned above.

Hope that helps

An SGS2 shouldn't be a problem as when the SIM is put in they auto populate the APN settings unless Samsung NZ has preprogrammed them all before hand to do that....

Regards,

Old3eyes

daveydw

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#542451 8-Nov-2011 11:33

Hi

Thanks for all your replies. In the end I did buy a Samsung Galaxy S2 from Fair Buys, a paralleled import. I thought the price difference of $400 was worth the risk of having to send away the phone if I had a warranty problem. Fair buys service was great, the phone is made in Vietnam, which made me a little nervous as there had been some suppose issues with color of screen, but this does not seem to be the case. The phone is great, no issues with coverage, I live in a typical dodgey area where cell coverage has been poor, but this phone works great. I think a lot of the statements about advantages buying through either vodafone or telecom is scare mongering. Stoked with phone, plus I saved myself a heap of money!!

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Zippity

683 posts

Ultimate Geek

#542472 8-Nov-2011 11:54

Good on you.

Glad it worked out well.

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#542476 8-Nov-2011 11:56

daveydw: So whats the deal, the advantage is saying around $300, but there must be some dis-advantages, but I am sure what they are?

This type of thing
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=11&topicid=92870

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#542699 8-Nov-2011 16:51

Skolink:
daveydw: So whats the deal, the advantage is saying around $300, but there must be some dis-advantages, but I am sure what they are?

This type of thing
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=11&topicid=92870

That's nothing to do with the phone being a parallel import, it's all about the retailer and their behaviour.