Hey everyone,
Do you think buying the samsung galaxy s3 4g on gumtree is a good idea. There are a lot of ads selling it for $650 or so while the cheapest I could find in a store is nearly $750. Of course there is a possibility that some of them maybe scammers. What should I be looking out for and any practices I should be following while buying from gumtree?
Many thanks in advance
Regards,
Dinesh
Ask for the receipt. Otherwise it might be hard to claim warranty, also reduces the chance it is stolen :P
There are a lot of ads selling it for $650 or so while the cheapest I could find in a store is nearly $750.
Unless you absolutely HAVE to have it yesterday, bide your time and it will turn up on special somewhere at your target price, allowing you to choose how you pay for it, and providing you with full warranty protection. As an example, the S3 (not 4g) also sells on Gumtree for around the $650 to $850 yet was posted here as a deal yesterday for less than $500. Just over a week ago when I was looking I couldn't even find an S2 for that price.
Picked up my S3 4G for $530 from gumtree. Sealed Telstra unit with receipt. Warranty registered on Samsung Australia website.
All going good so far touchwood.
Btw another step you can take to protect yourself is to ask for the IMEI number before hand and check it online to see if it has been reported stolen.
If you want to test the phone remember it takes a micro SIM card and not a normal SIM card.
I know of someone who bought a phone on Gumtree and they checked it out and it was all working and legit. By the time they got home the phone was locked, most likely reported stolen.
I wouldn't risk it for this amount of coin but each to their own, my friend bought an iPhone 4S 64GB when they were brand new and saved $400, bargained the hell out of the desperate seller, all smooth sailing for him. But for a sizable investment such as this I prefer to wait for a deal on OzBargain to come along, safety in numbers.
EDIT: Just realised this was a resurrected thread :/
Basically if you are to do a in-person check.
1) Check that the device works; check for imperfections(if the seller didn't state any)
2) I would do an cash transfer(as in real cash, not bank transfers)
3) Check that it is actually the 4G; by going to About Devices—>Model Number
4G Should be GT-i9305
But personally for me, would I buy a phone(especially at this cost) off gumtree, no; but don't let me stop you