Buying a smartphone at MBK

[TSF]

Last week in MBK I noticed a couple small counter type stores that seemed to be wholesale mobile phones. There were paper signs hanging up with the model numbers & prices, and behind the counter phones in boxes on shelves. Prices were cheaper than the regular phone stores around there. Seems you cant see phones or test them but just know what you want and buy it at a cheaper price. And there were signs saying manufacturer's warranty only.

 

Anyway, how good are these shops? My Thai wife was with me and said it would be risky buying from such shops as I could get copies and not the real item. But seems to me they have pretty well zero overheads and can offer lowest prices.

 

Are they risky at all?

[BritManToo]

Lazada or Shopee are usually cheaper.

[HampiK]

At MBK are a few very good shops, which are even cheaper than most lazada. Shopee I can't compare as I not like this site.

 

But yes, at MBK are also fakes available. But mostly easy so see when you play arround with the phone.

I bought last year my Huawei P20 Pro from a small Huawei shop which was almost 1'500 Baht cheaper than all the other shops. And I still very happy with it.

[CharlieH]

Buyer beware, if it seems a great deal you need to be asking why !  If it sounds too good etc 

[Henryford]

If you go to one of the bigger shops there NASA or TreeMobile it should be OK. I bought a new OnePlus 6 there last year, saved a fair amount. You can quickly test the phone as you buy it. I think they are cheaper than Lazada but upto you whether the hassle of going to Bangkok is worth 1-2000 baht saved.

[TSF]

21 hours ago, Henryford said:

If you go to one of the bigger shops there NASA or TreeMobile it should be OK. I bought a new OnePlus 6 there last year, saved a fair amount. You can quickly test the phone as you buy it. I think they are cheaper than Lazada but upto you whether the hassle of going to Bangkok is worth 1-2000 baht saved.

Thanks for the tip mate. I'm actually going to BKK this weekend as I have a flight out of Swampy Monday night, so I want buy a new phone Sat or Sun to take back with me. I'll certainly check out NASA & TreeMobile....they are phone stores inside MBK, right?

[RoadWarrior371]

You will notice that a high % of phones sold on Amazon or Ebay are fakes.  Not total fakes, but if most of the cost is in a few key chips, there-in lies the knock-off opportunity.  Try to go with a reputable chain shop, and avoid bargain basements.  Sometimes if it sounds too good to be true.........

[eero]

Buy from Lazada Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2ZB631KL 8699 Bath 6GB RAM , 64GB ROM, Prosessor 4x 2,2 and accu 5000 mA

It really fast and good phone

Best Regards Eero from Chaiyaphum

[eero]

When you want look details from mopile phone go website gsmarena.com

[NCC1701A]

On 3/29/2019 at 5:07 PM, TSF said:

Are they risky at all? 

yes. just buy a Samsung phone in a Samsung shop. wait for a promotion around the time new phones models are announced. 

[Henryford]

3 hours ago, TSF said:

Thanks for the tip mate. I'm actually going to BKK this weekend as I have a flight out of Swampy Monday night, so I want buy a new phone Sat or Sun to take back with me. I'll certainly check out NASA & TreeMobile....they are phone stores inside MBK, right?

Yes inside MBK, i forget exactly what floor, the main phone shop floor, 3rd?

[NoshowJones]

On 3/29/2019 at 7:12 PM, CharlieH said:

Buyer beware, if it seems a great deal you need to be asking why !  If it sounds too good etc 

I think MBK is fine for buying second hand smartphones, tablets, I bought a second hand Ipad for 5000 Baht that lasted me for years, and traded it in for something else, but bought a new Huawei smartphone about two years ago that just refuses to download from YouTube although every single smartphone or tablet I have had downloads music and movies from Youtube no problem.

[natway09]

Listen to wifey

[TSF]

4 hours ago, Henryford said:

Yes inside MBK, i forget exactly what floor, the main phone shop floor, 3rd?

Yes, I've been looking online, 4th floor, thanks for the prices you sent, I'll be looking through those stores this weekend.

[TSF]

5 hours ago, eero said:

When you want look details from mopile phone go website gsmarena.com

Yes good site, I've been looking a lot at it these past couple weeks comparing various models.

[TSF]

After much online research I've narrowed down to two: Samsung Galaxy M30...which doesn't seem to be in Thailand yet. Everyone has the A30, but that model is not as good as the M30. And the Redmi Note 7. I'd really prefer the Note 7 Pro but that isn't available here and won't be. However, the Note 7 seems very good. So if I can get the M30 that'll be good, otherwise the Note 7, if I can find it. If neither of these are available I'll give it a miss for now as I'll be back in Bkk in another month or two.

[observer90210]

I'm going to spoil the hyper mood here, but I would only go for an iPhone bought from Apple. Much lower risk of virus or being hacked (useful if you do your bank stuff by phone) but unfortulately, yes a overrated, inflated price to pay and apparently not (yet) 5G compatible, I think.

[dapperdan]

There’s a complaint desk on G that mediates problems. Very helpful 

[SteveK]

If you're going for a high-end phone, don't risk buying from MBK - get the genuine article. If you just need a 2000 baht phone for general use, so that you aren't worried about breaking or losing it, then MBK is great - I bought one there for a friend for 1500 baht, just a basic non-smart phone, it was fine.

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, SteveK said:

If you're going for a high-end phone, don't risk buying from MBK - get the genuine article. If you just need a 2000 baht phone for general use, so that you aren't worried about breaking or losing it, then MBK is great - I bought one there for a friend for 1500 baht, just a basic non-smart phone, it was fine.

My Wife and I have bought our last 3 iPhones from MBK..... (New iPhone 6, then second hand iP7 and last year a second hand iPx)

 

Shops in MBK commonly rely on repeat business...  When my Wife bought the iP7 it had a fault we discovered a few days later.... the shop on the 4th floor of MBK was happy to refund or swap. 

 

If you are buying a phone know what you are looking at - there are fakes at MBK but its easy to recognise them.

 

Never any issues with buying stuff from MBK in decades of living here.

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, observer90210 said:

I'm going to spoil the hyper mood here, but I would only go for an iPhone bought from Apple. Much lower risk of virus or being hacked (useful if you do your bank stuff by phone) but unfortulately, yes a overrated, inflated price to pay and apparently not (yet) 5G compatible, I think.

 

I thought a factory re-set would take care of any of those concerns?

[TSF]

3 hours ago, observer90210 said:

I'm going to spoil the hyper mood here, but I would only go for an iPhone bought from Apple. Much lower risk of virus or being hacked (useful if you do your bank stuff by phone) but unfortulately, yes a overrated, inflated price to pay and apparently not (yet) 5G compatible, I think.

Thanks but I'm a Windows/Android man...detest everything Apple.

[observer90210]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I thought a factory re-set would take care of any of those concerns?

Good question, but unfortunately I am not that a techie to be sure....... But I assume that once a phone is hacked, a re-set may solve yes as you say, but the harm could have already occured if the hacker is a digital thief and has gained access to one's data ?

[TSF]

17 hours ago, observer90210 said:

I'm going to spoil the hyper mood here, but I would only go for an iPhone bought from Apple. Much lower risk of virus or being hacked (useful if you do your bank stuff by phone) but unfortulately, yes a overrated, inflated price to pay and apparently not (yet) 5G compatible, I think.

Not a problem for me, I'm very much an old fashioned pay cash person and hardly ever do any online banking/buying. When I do I use my laptop. My new phone will be mainly for general internet surfing, watching vids, and photography. All the reviews and tests I've watched on YT say that the Redmi Note 7 has very good cameras for its price range. 

[TSF]

Well I got sorted out OK. This morning went to MBK and at the official Redmi store there I got the Note 7. Last one they had actually. Price 6600 Bt, and I've got the paperwork to get 300Bt VAT refund at Swampy tomorrow, which brings the price to 6300 Bt, or $277 aud. This is the 4 - 64 model, and it has the same 48mp camera as the Note 7 Pro (which isn't getting released in Thailand).

 

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions and offered advice/opinions.