Eking HK sourced iPhones: A caution

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Kiwi1971

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#72267 23-Nov-2010 21:03

I received an email from EKing today [even though I bought a Droid from them not an iPhone] which was another case of them washing their hands of you once you buy a phone.
They are now warning customers who bought iPhones as follows:

Dear customers

Recently Apple has released a new version of iPhone software, we are sending
you this email to remind you please DO NOT update the software of your phone
to this version when you connect to iTunes, otherwise your phone will be
locked.

As stated in our terms and conditions, we will not be responsible for any
issues caused by updating the software. Please be aware.

Please ignore this email if you have not purchased iPhone from us.

Best regards,

Eking Ltd. NZ

I would think twice about using them as their attitude stinks and nobody is sure what they do to the phones they sell before they leave them but something is wrong.
The Android phones they sold to a number of GZone members were unable to update to 2.2 Froyo and EKings response was to tell their customers that the update wasn't any good and they were better off without it rather than do anything about it. They even used the phrase you will regret it.

DLS

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#408535 23-Nov-2010 21:04

That is BS I would not be happy at all

freitasm

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#408538 23-Nov-2010 21:06

Basically they are buying locked iPhones, unlocking them and selling... I still don't understand why people wouldn't buy an unlocked iPhone, brand new, directly from Apple New Zealand.

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Lilly

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#408543 23-Nov-2010 21:11

I had never heard of them so googled and also can't understand why anyone would buy from them. Perhaps if they were sell phones cheaper I could understand but the iPhone 4 is $6 more expensive. It just seems odd to choose them.

johnr

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#408544 23-Nov-2010 21:12

If this company is based in New Zealand then they have to comply with NZ law

If a upgrade bricks the phone then eking is responsible to have this fixed

Kiwi1971

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#408705 24-Nov-2010 08:49

Lilly: I had never heard of them so googled and also can't understand why anyone would buy from them. Perhaps if they were sell phones cheaper I could understand but the iPhone 4 is $6 more expensive. It just seems odd to choose them.

As for why I bought my HTC Desire from them, it wasn't readily available locally and it was a good $30 cheaper than anywhere else and even dropped another $20 due to exchange differences before I ordered. They were OK to deal with, some customs delay but the phone arrived after a week and it worked.

I assumed the phone would just be a factory virgin, not an unlocked phone from a mobile network. The trouble started when I found an update for Android 2.2 and would download but not install. I contacted Eking who basically said, it was a software issue, read our terms and conditions, not our problem.

I would have thought the ability to update to new software releases was a basic expectation of the buyer and should be excluded from the "software issue" clause.

As it is, i was able to successfully root the phone and install a custom ROM so it is not an issue now but for a while I was steaming.

People have noted previously that the prices on Eking were hit and miss, some way better than local prices and some a lot more. For example they were selling iPhone 3GS phones a while back for $100 less than Apple NZ which is why I guess people bought them but for the peace of mind [knowing what I now know] I would have paid the extra $100.

DLS

bazzer

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#408748 24-Nov-2010 09:48

Kiwi1971:
Lilly: I had never heard of them so googled and also can't understand why anyone would buy from them. Perhaps if they were sell phones cheaper I could understand but the iPhone 4 is $6 more expensive. It just seems odd to choose them.

As for why I bought my HTC Desire from them, it wasn't readily available locally and it was a good $30 cheaper than anywhere else and even dropped another $20 due to exchange differences before I ordered. They were OK to deal with, some customs delay but the phone arrived after a week and it worked.

I assumed the phone would just be a factory virgin, not an unlocked phone from a mobile network. The trouble started when I found an update for Android 2.2 and would download but not install. I contacted Eking who basically said, it was a software issue, read our terms and conditions, not our problem.

I would have thought the ability to update to new software releases was a basic expectation of the buyer and should be excluded from the "software issue" clause.

As it is, i was able to successfully root the phone and install a custom ROM so it is not an issue now but for a while I was steaming.

People have noted previously that the prices on Eking were hit and miss, some way better than local prices and some a lot more. For example they were selling iPhone 3GS phones a while back for $100 less than Apple NZ which is why I guess people bought them but for the peace of mind [knowing what I now know] I would have paid the extra $100.

DLS

$30-$50?

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Kiwi1971

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#408760 24-Nov-2010 09:56

bazzer: $30-$50?

I'm not sure what you are asking?

To clarify: I looked on pricespy and the price at Eking was [from memory] $30 cheaper than the next cheapest price, which was also a parallel importer. I think it was $30 cheaper when I looked and then it dropped another $20 the day before I ordered it.

Does that answer your question? The phone was around $800

DLS

Kyanar

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#408772 24-Nov-2010 10:24

johnr: If this company is based in New Zealand then they have to comply with NZ law

If a upgrade bricks the phone then eking is responsible to have this fixed

From memory, the rules are different for parallel importers. It may be that they can in fact wash their hands of issues due to this.

bazzer

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#408777 24-Nov-2010 10:30

Kiwi1971:
bazzer: $30-$50?

I'm not sure what you are asking?

To clarify: I looked on pricespy and the price at Eking was [from memory] $30 cheaper than the next cheapest price, which was also a parallel importer. I think it was $30 cheaper when I looked and then it dropped another $20 the day before I ordered it.

Does that answer your question? The phone was around $800

DLS

I just meant that saving $30 on an $800 phone doesn't seem worth it when you could get the backing of a reputable company. I guess you learnt that now. Still, I have to agree with johnr, they're a NZ company so they have to abide my NZ laws. If you could upgrade the phone if bought from Vodafone NZ you should be able to upgrade it from them (I suppose unless they have a specific condition when you buy it that you understand it's parallel imported and unlocked and that may affect your ability to upgrade in the future). I would have to save a lot more than $30 to buy a parallel imported phone rather than through usual distribution channels.

bazzer

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#408782 24-Nov-2010 10:32

Kyanar: From memory, the rules are different for parallel importers. It may be that they can in fact wash their hands of issues due to this.

Seems like that's what they'd like you to believe. When I last tried to buy a PI phone they usually tried to convince me to buy an extended warranty and I asked what about the CGA and they said that would only apply to the 3 month warranty they offer. As if 3 months for a phone is "reasonable"!

Kyanar

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#408806 24-Nov-2010 11:00

bazzer:
Kyanar: From memory, the rules are different for parallel importers. It may be that they can in fact wash their hands of issues due to this.

Seems like that's what they'd like you to believe. When I last tried to buy a PI phone they usually tried to convince me to buy an extended warranty and I asked what about the CGA and they said that would only apply to the 3 month warranty they offer. As if 3 months for a phone is "reasonable"!

Ok, it looks like the CGA still applies, but you may end up without a phone for quite a while as they will send it back to the supplier (RTB) for repair rather than having it repaired locally.

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Kiwi1971

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#408808 24-Nov-2010 11:02

bazzer:
I just meant that saving $30 on an $800 phone doesn't seem worth it when you could get the backing of a reputable company. I guess you learnt that now. Still, I have to agree with johnr, they're a NZ company so they have to abide my NZ laws. If you could upgrade the phone if bought from Vodafone NZ you should be able to upgrade it from them (I suppose unless they have a specific condition when you buy it that you understand it's parallel imported and unlocked and that may affect your ability to upgrade in the future). I would have to save a lot more than $30 to buy a parallel imported phone rather than through usual distribution channels.

Agreed it's only around a 4% saving but that was only the saving over buying from a different parallel importer which would have had the same issues. The price difference between what I paid and the price to buy it from a certified reseller would be much bigger.
As mentioned, with the benefit of hindsight I would now pay the extra for peace of mind. But at the time I thought the phones were all equal and factory fresh, I didn't know that there were companies selling reflashed phones from operators and this would cause software issues. I certainly didn't envisage there being any issues upgrading. Also as they had a registered office in Auckland I assumed that there would be some comeback if there was a probelm. more fool me.

The Auckland contact for Eking actually wanted to charge $140 to one GZ member to fix their phone after they couldn't upgrade it to 2.2 and all he did was reset it to factory default which was Android 2.1 and sent it back. The GZ member managed to talk the price down but still ended up paying to fix an issue that a decent seller would have fixed for free.

At the end of the day after rooting and installing LeeDroid, I now have the phone I wanted all along.

DLS

Lilly

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#408819 24-Nov-2010 11:13

Kiwi1971:
Lilly: I had never heard of them so googled and also can't understand why anyone would buy from them. Perhaps if they were sell phones cheaper I could understand but the iPhone 4 is $6 more expensive. It just seems odd to choose them.

As for why I bought my?HTC Desire from them, it wasn't readily available locally and it was a good $30 cheaper than anywhere else and even dropped another $20 due to exchange differences?before I ordered. They were OK to deal with, some customs delay but the phone arrived after a week and it worked.?

I assumed the phone?would?just be a factory virgin, not an unlocked phone from a mobile network. The trouble started when?I found an update for Android 2.2 and would download?but?not install. I contacted?Eking who basically said, it was a software issue, read our terms and conditions, not our problem.

I would have thought the ability to update to new software releases was a basic expectation of the buyer and should be excluded from the "software issue" clause.

As it is, i was able to successfully root the phone and install a custom ROM so it is not an issue now but for a while I was steaming.

People have noted previously that the prices on Eking were hit and miss, some way better than local prices and some a lot more. For example they were selling iPhone 3GS phones a while back for $100 less than Apple NZ which is why I guess people bought them but for the peace of mind [knowing what I now know] I would have paid the extra $100.

DLS

Sorry just to clarify, I completely understanding purchasing items not available in NZ. But don't understand sourcing iPhone 4 from them when it's available through Apple $6 cheaper.

bazzer

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#408824 24-Nov-2010 11:20

Kiwi1971:
bazzer:
I just meant that saving $30 on an $800 phone doesn't seem worth it when you could get the backing of a reputable company. I guess you learnt that now. Still, I have to agree with johnr, they're a NZ company so they have to abide my NZ laws. If you could upgrade the phone if bought from Vodafone NZ you should be able to upgrade it from them (I suppose unless they have a specific condition when you buy it that you understand it's parallel imported and unlocked and that may affect your ability to upgrade in the future). I would have to save a lot more than $30 to buy a parallel imported phone rather than through usual distribution channels.

Agreed it's only around a 4% saving but that was only the saving over buying from a different parallel importer which would have had the same issues. The price difference between what I paid and the price to buy it from a certified reseller would be much bigger.
As mentioned, with the benefit of hindsight I would now pay the extra for peace of mind. But at the time I thought the phones were all equal and factory fresh, I didn't know that there were companies selling reflashed phones from operators and this would cause software issues. I certainly didn't envisage there being any issues upgrading. Also as they had a registered office in Auckland I assumed that there would be some comeback if there was a probelm. more fool me.

The Auckland contact for Eking actually wanted to charge $140 to one GZ member to fix their phone after they couldn't upgrade it to 2.2 and all he did was reset it to factory default which was Android 2.1 and sent it back. The GZ member managed to talk the price down but still ended up paying to fix an issue that a decent seller would have fixed for free.

At the end of the day after rooting and installing LeeDroid, I now have the phone I wanted all along.

DLS

I'd pursue the matter with Eking. I don't think I'd let them get away with that, personally. They are trying it on, knowing that most people wouldn't bother taking it further.

Kiwi1971

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#408826 24-Nov-2010 11:22

Lilly:
Sorry just to clarify, I completely understanding purchasing items not available in NZ. But don't understand sourcing iPhone 4 from them when it's available through Apple $6 cheaper.

Their prices fluctuate with the exchange rate so sometimes they are a lot cheaper and sometimes they are not cheaper at all. So at some point they might have been selling iPhone4s cheaper than Apple like they did with the 3GS. Either that or they also sell them to counries where their price is a lot cheaper than local suppliers in that country or you can't get them without a contract.

They sent that email to all of their customers regardless of whether they bought an iPhone, which is another example of their incompetence I guess. That they can't specifically send it to people who actually bought the effected phone.

DLS

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