Hi all

 

I need to buy a birthday present for someone in thailand, was planning on bringing it with me from the UK, but it looks like that trip will have to be put on hold.

 

So I am looking to buy an iphone 8 plus or x, depending on price, has anyone got any experience buying online from www.powerbuy.co.th ?

 

I will he sending to pai, mae hong son but buying using UK bank card.

 

If this site isnt the best, anyone got any recommendations? 

 

I am tempted to buy somethibg cheap and send it, see if it works and then got for the phone. But if anyone has any experience with the shop/site it would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

 

There's a PowerBuy in just about every major mall in Bangkok.  They're reputable.

 

May want to try Lazada.co.th to check for the lowest price.

 

2 hours ago, crayonmuncher982 said:

I will he sending to pai, mae hong son but buying using UK bank card.

You biggest issue could be getting the online payment to work using a UK card for delivery in Thailand, the only real way to find out is to try it.

 

I have used a UK credit card to pay for goods purchased on Lazada.

 

 

A similar attempt using a link to Powerbuy resulted in a fraud attempt on the card.

2 hours ago, crayonmuncher982 said:

has anyone got any experience buying online from www.powerbuy.co.th ?

Just bought a TV with them early December. No problem.

 

Even if there are many PowerBuy shops in Pattaya, including the big one on Central Road, I bought online as they have regularly good promotions. I got a 15% reduction on their "normal" online price.

Also paying with a Thai bank card give you another 5% reduction, and you can also use your 1-Card points to reduce the price even more.

I ordered online a Saturday and got the delivery on Tuesday. Fast.

 

I bought this TCL Smart TV 50" UHD 4K for 11'074 B. Very happy of this purchase. 

You are talking about a phone costing more than many people here make in a year.  This will be painting a very large target on user.  I understand those without here often want such pieces of gold but do not believe such excess is good for anyone and can be a real danger.  Phones at 1/10th the cost are very close in ability and would be much safer to carry and use.

4 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

You are talking about a phone costing more than many people here make in a year.  This will be painting a very large target on user.  I understand those without here often want such pieces of gold but do not believe such excess is good for anyone and can be a real danger.  Phones at 1/10th the cost are very close in ability and would be much safer to carry and use.

About which phone we talk, that you say, it is worth more than many people make a year?

Actually let's say 10K a month (120'000 Baht a year) would already be considered a low salary (7-Eleven or similar) and I not think, that an IPhone will cost more than 120'000 Baht.

 

And a big number also earn more than this 10'000 Baht per month...

We are talking Pai border area of Thailand where most would be farmers making much less than wage earners.  But OP is talking about one of the most expensive phones and in that area it would be placing holder in a real position of danger IMHO.  Flaunting wealth is not a good idea anywhere, much less so in a mountain province.   

11 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

You are talking about a phone costing more than many people here make in a year.  This will be painting a very large target on user.  I understand those without here often want such pieces of gold but do not believe such excess is good for anyone and can be a real danger.  Phones at 1/10th the cost are very close in ability and would be much safer to carry and use.

Thanks all for your responses.

 

Re the quote, i am.not quite sure what you mean re gold, i have no care for such items, nor am concerned woth the decrease in financial value of a phone compared to gold.

It is a present for my step daughter, who has waited through a load postal issues to get her present (which is why I want to buy in thailand and send it or bring it with me.) It is a special treat and she wants an iphone, so sending gold would be a bit pointless. I just wanted to check that the site was reputable.

 

Thanks again, i will see what i can sort out this end, work is preventing me getting back thailand any sooner!

 

 

3 minutes ago, crayonmuncher982 said:

Thanks all for your responses.

 

Re the quote, i am.not quite sure what you mean re gold, i have no care for such items, nor am concerned woth the decrease in financial value of a phone compared to gold.

It is a present for my step daughter, who has waited through a load postal issues to get her present (which is why I want to buy in thailand and send it or bring it with me.) It is a special treat and she wants an iphone, so sending gold would be a bit pointless. I just wanted to check that the site was reputable.

 

Thanks again, i will see what i can sort out this end, work is preventing me getting back thailand any sooner!

 

 

The gold reference was that Thai will often desire something of supposed value rather than usefulness.  At any rate have provided my view and understand yours.  Lazada is probably the best buying platform in Thailand for sites outside of major cities.

55 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

You are talking about a phone costing more than many people here make in a year.  This will be painting a very large target on user.  I understand those without here often want such pieces of gold but do not believe such excess is good for anyone and can be a real danger.  Phones at 1/10th the cost are very close in ability and would be much safer to carry and use.

But in the OP's eyes, she's obviously worth it no?

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

I have used a UK credit card to pay for goods purchased on Lazada.

 

 

A similar attempt using a link to Powerbuy resulted in a fraud attempt on the card.

lazada also processed my foreign cc payment for a multi-item order for Thai delivery without any issues either.

18 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

The gold reference was that Thai will often desire something of supposed value rather than usefulness.  At any rate have provided my view and understand yours.  Lazada is probably the best buying platform in Thailand for sites outside of major cities.

Ahh i get you. I have tried the android phone option, as it is much cheaper and more useful imo. She tried android phones and still wants an iphone. I am not a fan of iPhones myself, but i wull rarely buy presents like this (dont want to spoil her) but eqaully dont mind getting them once in a while. 

 

Thanks for you help, i will look at both options

 

 

Also, she may well be in pai but that does not dicate her, or my late wife, to be farmers.  You should not assume to know more information than I have given you, nor should you assume someone's status based on where they live. 

 

 I asked a question about the reputation of oniine retailers, not what i should buy, whom i should buy it for, nor the distinction between their income and the purchase.

Considering i feel unsafe in the UK if i were outside with a recent iphone, do you not think that I would have thought this to be a more problematic situation in a much poorer nation?

 

She is from mid income family who will have no insinuation of fluctuating wealth. She has had top end to mid range phones, tablet etc for some time now. She just now has wanted to move an iphone, i am more wondering what reputable online dealerships are more than i am concerned about what I am buying from them.

And I did not mean to infer she was a farmer - just that it is a rural setting and that a 30k phone would not be normal for most there and could put user in danger.  

 

As for dealer Lazada is a very large system (owned by Alibaba) and most people have good results using them (but as on any selling platform there are occasional bad apples).  

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

A similar attempt using a link to Powerbuy resulted in a fraud attempt on the card.

 

So what?  Call your credit card company and tell them it is you making the transaction.  

8 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

And I did not mean to infer she was a farmer - just that it is a rural setting and that a 30k phone would not be normal for most there and could put user in danger.  

 

As for dealer Lazada is a very large system (owned by Alibaba) and most people have good results using them (but as on any selling platform there are occasional bad apples).  

Thats cool dont worry. Where she is she wont be in any danger, but I apprecaite the concern

I tried to purchase via Powerbuy and they wouldn't accept my CC.

 

I would try Lazada.

22 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

So what?  Call your credit card company and tell them it is you making the transaction.  

 

 

I think you misunderstand.

 

The same thing happened to me - the fraud attempt occurred a day or so later i.e. someone had scammed the card details. 

 

Also happened to me once on Khon Kaen after using the card to pay a hotel bill. Next day someone tried to book flights somewhere.

4 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

I think you misunderstand.

 

The same thing happened to me - the fraud attempt occurred a day or so later i.e. someone had scammed the card details. 

 

Also happened to me once on Khon Kaen after using the card to pay a hotel bill. Next day someone tried to book flights somewhere.

I think you misunderstand. 

 

I read what was written.  Unless it was improperly written, I understood the poster trying to make a purchase and his credit card being denied based on his card's loss prevention department.  A phone call and sometimes an email response is all that is necessary.  

 

 

Just now, TonyClifton said:

I think you misunderstand. 

 

I read what was written.  Unless it was improperly written, I understood the poster trying to make a purchase and his credit card being denied based on his card's loss prevention department.  A phone call and sometimes an email response is all that is necessary.  

 

 

 

You didn't understand at all.

 

The transaction wasn't blocked by the card company's fraud prevention unit - it was not processed.

 

The perpetrator of the fraud later attempted a transaction - which was blocked by the fraud unit.

26 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

You didn't understand at all.

 

The transaction wasn't blocked by the card company's fraud prevention unit - it was not processed.

 

The perpetrator of the fraud later attempted a transaction - which was blocked by the fraud unit.

The op wants to buy something in Thailand for delivery in Thailand, paying with his UK visa.  How is what you wrote even the least bit relevant to the discussion?

5 minutes ago, TonyClifton said:

The op wants to buy something in Thailand for delivery in Thailand, paying with his UK visa.  How is what you wrote even the least bit relevant to the discussion?

 

You really are slow.......

 

That is exactly what I did.

5 hours ago, crayonmuncher982 said:

Hi all

 

I need to buy a birthday present for someone in thailand, was planning on bringing it with me from the UK, but it looks like that trip will have to be put on hold.

 

So I am looking to buy an iphone 8 plus or x, depending on price, has anyone got any experience buying online from www.powerbuy.co.th ?

 

I will he sending to pai, mae hong son but buying using UK bank card.

 

If this site isnt the best, anyone got any recommendations? 

 

I am tempted to buy somethibg cheap and send it, see if it works and then got for the phone. But if anyone has any experience with the shop/site it would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks

 

To Lucysdad:

 

This is the start of the thread.  I don't see fraud mentioned.  So I have no idea what or why you are discussing this.  In the old days, we would walk up to the television when the lines would flash on the screen and give it a good wack on the side of the box. 

 

Just a suggestion.

The iPhone XS is 39,000 baht at either Powerbuy or Lazada.  I have had no trouble using my USA Credit Card on Lazada ( I check the box "shipping address is the same as billing address" even though it is not) but I have never bought from Powerbuy. 

 

Nice phone.

I am really surprised no one stated the obvious. Buy from Apple.co.th and your payment will likely go through and you'll have a piece of mind buying from Apple directly. They will be absolutely, 100% responsible if anything at all happens to the shipment.

The price on the Apple site is not all that much higher but it is 42,510 baht or 3,510 baht higher than Lazada.  For me, I am not sure that Apple would be more responsible for the shipment than Lazada would be, so I wouldn't want to waste 3,510 baht.

14 minutes ago, daocat555 said:

The price on the Apple site is not all that much higher but it is 42,510 baht or 3,510 baht higher than Lazada.  For me, I am not sure that Apple would be more responsible for the shipment than Lazada would be, so I wouldn't want to waste 3,510 baht.

 

It would be like night and day dealing with customer service.

 

Up you op

2 hours ago, LucysDad said:

// the fraud attempt occurred a day or so later i.e. someone had scammed the card details. 

I really doubt it comes from PowerBuy website . It's a big online shop and everything is automatic/computerized. I would not be surprised at all that no human saw your Card Number and other details during your purchase online on PowerBuy.

Also True for many (most?) big online shops.

1 hour ago, Pattaya46 said:

I really doubt it comes from PowerBuy website . It's a big online shop and everything is automatic/computerized. I would not be surprised at all that no human saw your Card Number and other details during your purchase online on PowerBuy.

Also True for many (most?) big online shops.

 

 

I agree. I think I was dumb enough to follow an insecure link.