Gizmotrader: Their phones are not new

I’ve just learned that eBay is the worst place to buy a new phone, emphasis on the word “new”. Even if you choose the “new items” filter, there are so many phone (re)sellers that list their items as new, but add tiny tiny print in their descriptions that the items might not come in their original packaging but, “trust us”, have only been taken out for inspection and unlocking.

This was the claim of one seller, Gizmotrader. I bought a $350 Galaxy Nexus phone after specifically filtering on new items only. The phone arrived in a shiny “Samsung” branded box. But it wasn’t the original box. (I know that now because when I returned the phone and ordered a new one from NewEgg.com, I saw what a real original box looks like.)

Inside was a phone that had been wiped down at best. It had a screen protector and all the accessories had been rebagged. But it wasn’t a new phone. Look at the pictures. There’s obviously wear and tear from regular use on this phone: paint chips, gunk in cracks, scratches on the backplate, chips around the headphone jack.

When I contacted them about this, they initially replied, “Keep the phone and we’ll give you $20!” What? There are tons of small-time sellers (a.k.a. individuals) selling similar phones for much less, AND they take the time to photograph and document all the dings on their phone. Why would I pay a new-phone price for a used phone?

I said no and returned the item. They were courteous enough to refund quickly, and after I insisted, they refunded me for the return shipping. But it all sounds like a nice little scheme: sell a used phone at a new-phone price. If someone notices, chip off $20. They’ll still be making out like bandits! As they say in Boston, wicked smaht!

8 thoughts on “Gizmotrader: Their phones are not new”

  1. Hello and thank you for posting about your experience with our company. I assure you we are not running a “nice little scheme.” The specific problem you’re describing was an isolated incident and has long since been corrected.

    We certainly understand your frustration and deeply regret causing you any inconvenience. We are all human and sometimes honest mistake are made. It is our sincere hope that you will give us the opportunity to remedy this situation to your complete satisfaction.

    Please feel free to contact me directly using the information below.

    Randy
    GizmoTrader.com
    407-737-4487
    sales@gizmotrader.com

  2. They are selling crap! Just a few months after purchasing an iphone the mother board went and the phone is now a very expensive paper weight. Of course, they’re not the least bit interested in offering ANY solution to me, just a kirt “phone is past the 30 day warranty” bs. A reputable business would do something regardless of this yet they are not interested in doing the right thing in this case. STAY AWAY, YOU ARE TAKING A HUGE CHANCE WHEN YOU BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS BUSINESS based on my experience and the other reviews I’ve been reading . . . . .

  3. DO NOT BUY FROM GIZMOTRADER! I bought an iPhone 6 five months ago after mine was stolen. It was new without a box. I received the phone and thought all was well and put it in a new case. Months later I decided to take it out of the case and clean it and noticed it was bent. I did some research and heard the first ones had a bending problem. I went to apple and they said they would replace it but when they looked up the serial number they informed me that this phone was bought by a lady from BestBuy and activated in 2014. She had also had issues with the phone. In conclusion, my advice is to just buy it from Apple and leave these idiots alone.

  4. I purchased a phone on April 20th, (a Google pixel 2xl), and both the front a rear facing camera do not work anymore. I took it to a phone repair shop, and they charged me $100 to replace the camera, and it still didn’t work. I think there is something up with their phones because the phone shop told me that the phone is not repairable.?

  5. I have purchased several phones from them and never have any issues. They write detail regarding the condition of their phones. I usually write any reviews on random websites like these, but I wanted to make sure that people who are running an honest business don’t get hurt by isolated incidents. Thank you!

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