Cell Phones

Buying unlocked phones from small shops and not big box retailers

  • Last Updated:
  • Jul 19th, 2018 7:47 pm
Member
Jan 24, 2009
285 posts
4 upvotes
Markham
wearysky wrote: Koodo's Tab is setup such that if you get an activation credit, they don't just add it back onto your device balance. Your device balance is just the remainder of your tab (so on tab large, $480, tab medium, $360, or tab small, $240). That's it. So your total cost is just (tab balance) + (upfront cost) + (a day or so of the monthly bill cost). It only makes sense to do it when they actually are offering an activation credit, of course, otherwise your total cost just ends up being the regular cost of the phone. You can see the current deals available here: https://www.koodomobile.com/phones?INTC ... hop_Phones
Ahhh....so then there is no actual contract to sign for the plans. You're just basically financing the phone on a plan and if you decide to leave, say in a couple of days, you just pay off the remainder of the phone.
Sr. Member
May 18, 2008
777 posts
116 upvotes
Toronto
Most of these phones at small shops are refurbished
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
titaniumtux wrote:
  1. follow hot deals threads on flagship phones on Koodo
  2. all carrier phones are unlocked now
  3. Sammy phones are a special case. Upon initial boot, it'll bake the phone with carrier bloat, based on the sim you boot it with. Buy the Sammy phone from a mom and pop shop, assuming it's indeed a Canadian variant, it'll still flash your carrier's bloat assuming you're booting that phone or the first time with a sim card in it
I got my flame resistant suit on, so I am ready to be grilled for saying friends should not suggest friends to get Samsung. That's one step short of friends don't let friends get LG phones. Even with generous assistance from carriers and retail incentives, they are still over priced. After a year, they are worth about the same as any android phone that retail for much less. I am not one to shill white colored phones, at the upper price range, I would go for an iPhone over a shamsung any day. At least for your money, Apple will look after you every step of the way, including preventing carrier intrusion into the OS.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Deal Expert
User avatar
May 8, 2009
15560 posts
14184 upvotes
Going to the Moon
will888 wrote: I got my flame resistant suit on, so I am ready to be grilled for saying friends should not suggest friends to get Samsung. That's one step short of friends don't let friends get LG phones. Even with generous assistance from carriers and retail incentives, they are still over priced. After a year, they are worth about the same as any android phone that retail for much less. I am not one to shill white colored phones, at the upper price range, I would go for an iPhone over a shamsung any day. At least for your money, Apple will look after you every step of the way, including preventing carrier intrusion into the OS.
@Will88 I never would have expected this post from you.

Among Androids, Sammy's probably retain resale value the most, but I don't believe in selling used phones. With amortization, I wouldn't "invest" in a phone hoping to retain some resale value...would prefer a phone that's more likely to work, even on old firmware down the road as a backup or put it to good use for multimedia or even a hand-me-down.
Premium Life: CDC [Icey Private Status]/SwissBorg Genesis/InLock/Netflix UHD [100% off]/Amazon [Prime 100% off]/Instacart [Express]
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
Tom0822 wrote: Hmmm? I came across https://swiftronics.ca/. They have presence on Amazon and Best Buy. Prices on devices are not bad when walking into the store.
This place is not cheap. I see they have the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. This is the cheaper edition for the Asian market. The edition being discussed in the hot deals section costs $100 less buying from the Xiaomi online store on Aliexpress. The open box stuff, you are better off doing a Koodo phone churn deal.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
titaniumtux wrote: @Will88 I never would have expected this post from you.

Among Androids, Sammy's probably retain resale value the most, but I don't believe in selling used phones. With amortization, I wouldn't "invest" in a phone hoping to retain some resale value...would prefer a phone that's more likely to work, even on old firmware down the road as a backup or put it to good use for multimedia or even a hand-me-down.
When you say Samsung holds resale value, are you comparing against full MSRP which many people will pay? You know that after a year into the purchase, Shamsung will abandon support and with that comes the price spiral. Regardless of brand, you buy with heavy discounts and incentives which distort the purchase price when new. The only brand that holds value reasonably for tech gear is Apple.

I don't sell used phones either. It is not worth the hassle. They sit in shoe boxes along with other deprecated electronics.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
cooltech73 wrote: I like the store front as well for that piece of mind..
This is the 21st century my friend, embrace the new paradigm of online shopping. Please don't tell all those people who love shopping on Amazon that they have given up a lot of peace of mind. These retail shops selling refurbished and grey market stuff should give cause for concern rather than peace of mind.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Deal Expert
User avatar
May 8, 2009
15560 posts
14184 upvotes
Going to the Moon
will888 wrote: When you say Samsung holds resale value, are you comparing against full MSRP which many people will pay? You know that after a year into the purchase, Shamsung will abandon support and with that comes the price spiral. Regardless of brand, you buy with heavy discounts and incentives which distort the purchase price when new. The only brand that holds value reasonably for tech gear is Apple.

I don't sell used phones either. It is not worth the hassle. They sit in shoe boxes along with other deprecated electronics.
Fair enough. But among the Droids, I find Sammy's hold the better resale values. Somehow ppl still buy into the brand thinking it yields quality.
Premium Life: CDC [Icey Private Status]/SwissBorg Genesis/InLock/Netflix UHD [100% off]/Amazon [Prime 100% off]/Instacart [Express]
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 28, 2013
21330 posts
10938 upvotes
Oakville
will888 wrote: I got my flame resistant suit on, so I am ready to be grilled for saying friends should not suggest friends to get Samsung. That's one step short of friends don't let friends get LG phones. Even with generous assistance from carriers and retail incentives, they are still over priced. After a year, they are worth about the same as any android phone that retail for much less. I am not one to shill white colored phones, at the upper price range, I would go for an iPhone over a shamsung any day. At least for your money, Apple will look after you every step of the way, including preventing carrier intrusion into the OS.
If all you care about is resale value, then absolutely - Apple is without a doubt the best way to go. But resale value should, frankly, be the *last* thing you consider when getting a phone (since it really only matters when you're getting rid of it). The day-to-day experience of the phone should be your primary deciding factor.
Member
Jan 24, 2009
285 posts
4 upvotes
Markham
wearysky wrote: If all you care about is resale value, then absolutely - Apple is without a doubt the best way to go. But resale value should, frankly, be the *last* thing you consider when getting a phone (since it really only matters when you're getting rid of it). The day-to-day experience of the phone should be your primary deciding factor.
+1
I could care less for resale value. That never entered my mind for any phones I've bought.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
wearysky wrote: If all you care about is resale value, then absolutely - Apple is without a doubt the best way to go. But resale value should, frankly, be the *last* thing you consider when getting a phone (since it really only matters when you're getting rid of it). The day-to-day experience of the phone should be your primary deciding factor.
As much as I don't like iOS, I guess it would still top Samsung. At least they won't errantly send my photos to everyone.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Deal Addict
May 5, 2008
1947 posts
649 upvotes
will888 wrote:
I don't sell used phones either. It is not worth the hassle. They sit in shoe boxes along with other deprecated electronics.
:) Heh. I thought it is only me who has this weird habit of putting old electronics/gadgets in the shoeboxes.
I have a stack of probably 20+ boxes already :) Luckily they ar useful sometimes as trade-ins ...
Deal Expert
User avatar
Dec 12, 2009
29540 posts
20458 upvotes
Tichi wrote: :) Heh. I thought it is only me who has this weird habit of putting old electronics/gadgets in the shoeboxes.
I have a stack of probably 20+ boxes already :) Luckily they ar useful sometimes as trade-ins ...
You never know! I had an RFDer asking about my Sony W810i. I have a set of his and hers that are in really good shape. The battery still holds a good charge and has more endurance than any new smart phone. I thought I might have a good home for these phones. Alas, they are still a shoe box collection.
Public Mobile customer, $34/50GB CAN-US, $29/30GB, $24/4GB
Tangerine, EQ, Simplii, HSBC customer
Newbie
Jun 12, 2017
77 posts
146 upvotes
Belleville, ON
FYI, I purchased a phone from Canada Computers and it was lost, I attempted to blacklist it but there appears to be no way to blacklist a phone that wasn't sold through a carrier. If I'm wrong please correct me but I tried to and was unable.
Koodo $60/12gb
3gb w/ freeFido LG Gpad III ($50 BB Giftcard)
Sierra Aircard 763s
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 28, 2013
21330 posts
10938 upvotes
Oakville
Jacob28 wrote: FYI, I purchased a phone from Canada Computers and it was lost, I attempted to blacklist it but there appears to be no way to blacklist a phone that wasn't sold through a carrier. If I'm wrong please correct me but I tried to and was unable.
If you used it on your account and the IMEI is registered against your account, you *should* still be able to blacklist it if I'm not mistaken.
Newbie
Jun 12, 2017
77 posts
146 upvotes
Belleville, ON
wearysky wrote: If you used it on your account and the IMEI is registered against your account, you *should* still be able to blacklist it if I'm not mistaken.
I used it on the account, but never registered the phone with the carrier, just used it unlocked with a SIM and I called repeatedly and they told me there would be no way since it wasn't registered with them.
Koodo $60/12gb
3gb w/ freeFido LG Gpad III ($50 BB Giftcard)
Sierra Aircard 763s
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 10, 2005
5701 posts
3662 upvotes
GTA
Jacob28 wrote: I used it on the account, but never registered the phone with the carrier, just used it unlocked with a SIM and I called repeatedly and they told me there would be no way since it wasn't registered with them.
I mean, there's very little benefit to you blacklisting the phone anyway. I honestly wouldn't put in the effort. If the phone is gone, it's gone.

Plus, assuming it's a fairly recent model, it probably has Android's built-in Factory Reset Protection. It's not the most reliable or secure anti-theft measure but it attempts to stop someone from resetting the phone and using it for themselves without the previous owners Google account credentials.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)