Lots of people don’t know, but AliExpress isn’t all about cases and jewelry. You can also buy very cheap original iPhones, ideal for both personal use and to resell and make some cash. But why are they so cheap? What is the catch? Today we’re telling you everything you need to know about AliExpress iPhones.
iPhone replica sellers on AliExpress
Years ago there were a few iPhone replica sellers on AliExpress, but most of them have disappeared. Most of the iPhones you can find today are 100% original.
The secret of their low price is that they are not brand new but reconditioned. And “obsolete” means:
- Phones bought and returned to the factory because the buyer changed their mind
- Devices with a problem that has already been resolved
- Phones that were used as an example
- Used and factory tuned and restored
It is important not to confuse a refurbished cell phone with a used one: while used cell phones are worn out through use, the quality of the refurbished cell phones is the same as when buying a new iPhone.
Advantages of Buying a Refurbished iPhone
From the moment you buy an iPhone, the phone starts to lose value due to the speed at which Apple is bringing new models to market. Is it really worth spending so much money on a phone just to be content to be new? In our opinion, it is a better idea to buy them on AliExpress where they are discounted up to 40% and work just as well.
Best AliExpress Stores
We are now going to analyze the best Chinese stores on AliExpress to buy iPhones. These stores are completely trustworthy, we selected them based on age, buyer feedback and number of sales.
1. Comwingo
Comwingo is one of the best stores to buy iPhones on AliExpress for over 6 years. All phones come with a six month warranty (if you have any problems, please contact the seller first). Remember that the accessories on these iPhones are not original, but the prices are very good and you can even find iPhones of older models for very little money.
This shop has thousands of sales and lots of followers and you can also search directly for the offers of his shop here (you have several seller vouchers available).
2. CINGO
This store is also very old, with high sales and good reviews. Prices are similar to Comwingo, with many different models and the phones are guaranteed for four months. If you click here, you will immediately see the store’s offers (you can also find other brands such as Samsung, LG or Sony).
3. TOP CPE
Check out this trustworthy AliExpress store with lots of iphone models.
4. SUMMER technologies
SUMMER Technologies also has extensive experience selling iPhones. You can find several models and while not as diverse as the Comwingo and Cingo, all phones come with a 12 month warranty and are very affordable.
5. Real cell phone
You can find both new and refurbished iPhones at Genuine Mobile, although the new prices aren’t very competitive.
6. Sunshine
Sunshine also has many highly rated reconditioned models. The phones come with a six month warranty.
7. Mobile city
Mobile City offers a six month warranty.
8. Hsenivo
With a 12-month guarantee, you also have the option to return it up to 7 days after receipt.
9. Trendy fun
10. Authentic mobile phone
Are there any customs issues if it is sent from China?
As you already know, VAT has changed on items imported from outside the EU and this has also had an impact (albeit less than expected) on our purchases on AliExpress.
If you live in Italy, Spain, France (or any other EU country) and buy an iPhone for less than € 150, you pay VAT when you confirm the purchase and no longer have to worry about customs. In addition, AliExpress is distributing more coupons and discount codes than ever.
Items over 150 $
On the other hand, items over 150 $ will go through the customs process as before, so with the large number of packages that arrive every day, you will certainly not have any problems and customs will not stop you.
You can ask the seller what would happen if your order was stopped at customs as some offer to cover all or part of the customs costs. If the seller makes it clear that they do not want to pay any customs surcharges, make it clear that you cannot open a dispute for them.
Are iPhones guaranteed to ship from China?
The warranty of an iPhone shipped from China is entirely dependent on the seller, but is usually a maximum of one year, so we recommend that you ask the seller about the terms and conditions before buying. Stores like Conwingo offer a 6 month warranty on all of their devices (same as refurbished iPhones sold in UK).
You will rarely have problems
Be aware that these phones come completely redesigned and come with a new battery (which usually creates more problems). The above stores are completely reliable and the most normal thing is that you do not need to avail of this guarantee. Anyway, if you have a problem, you can also take it to an Apple official technical service.
How do you distinguish an original iPhone from a replica?
You may have found an iPhone at a very good price, but you are not sure whether it is original or not. When in doubt, the first thing to do is to ask the seller directly, although we already tell you that if the price is below normal (compared to other iPhones on AliExpress) the most likely you are a replica.
If you’re still thinking about buying, or you bought an iPhone as an original and you think it hasn’t, let’s see what differences you can find between a replica iPhone and an original:
- They mimick the IOS interface. The operating system of all iPphone replicas is Android, although when using it the appearance is the same as that of IOS, you cannot update it to the new versions that are displayed.
- Poor phone performance and fluidity. They are slow, medium to low quality phones.
- Mobile chassis with inferior materials. Although the smartphone’s appearance is the best they can mimic, the materials they are assembled with are of poor quality (mostly plastic) and that affects their durability.
- Lower screen brightness
- Low quality photo camera
- Less internal storage. The memory capacity is much less than that of the original phone.
- They carry pesos inside to mimic the weight of the original.
In any case, if the seller said the cell phone was an original and a replica was sent to you, there is no doubt that if you have a dispute, you will receive a full refund.
Don’t waste your money on replicas
In short, although the external appearance can be very successful, the replicas of iPhones are adapted to medium to low quality phones, so we do not recommend spending your money on such a phone. For a little more, you can buy a refurbished iPhone like the ones shown above. In addition, if you have any problem with your phone, you can always contact Apple Official Service to repair it.
Use coupons
Lastly, remember that AliExpress is launching campaigns with lots of discounts more and more often, so you can find very good promotional codes almost every week. Also, the codes with the best discounts tend not to sell out as quickly as they are valid for orders of higher value.
Most sellers also have coupons on the pages of their stores that make your purchase even cheaper. We have a very interesting post about the types of coupons and promotional codes and how to get them.