The suppliers I use carry out quality control checks to make sure they're not shipping out junk. Quality control checks cost time, and time costs money, and that cost has to be added onto the price of the items being sold.
I've bought from the 'cheap' suppliers in the past and had over 80% fail rate within the guarantee period. That's OK you say, just send it back for a refund or replacement. That's when it gets interesting.
Here's how it goes:
You buy a great looking iPhone copy from el chinese cheapo dot com for €80 cos you can't afford the real thing - lots can't - pop your sim card in and away you go. Things are great - for a couple of weeks - then you realise how limited it really is, how quickly the battery runs out, how easily marked the case and screen are and, to top it all, the tv function that you thought would be handy doesn't actually work cos it's analogue and all your local tv channels are digital. Phooey!
Of course, the batteries aren't covered under the warranty, nor is the fact it looks like a box of shite after only 2 months use. Then, just 6 months in, it stops working - now this is where it really gets good!
You contact the super-cheap seller (if they're still around) and they tell you to get a quote for the repair and they'll help with the cost if it's not too much. Pardon? Isn't this under guarantee? Aren't you supposed to offer a replacement or a refund? How much are you prepared to give me towards a repair?
Now for the punchline - Send it back to us (in china) by registered post and if it's a manufacturing fault, we'll give you a 5% discount on a new phone over €120. WHAT!?!?!?!?
OK, if you send it back, that €80 phone has just cost you €100 or more and you'll have to spend another €100+ to get another phone that will probably fail whilst still under guarantee. Guarantee???
Oh yes, if you manage to get a refund, you will still be out of pocket because you don't get the return postage back, nor the original delivery charge either! That's at least €30 down the drain and you no longer have a phone.
Then you don't buy budget phones from people like me because you've already been duped with the garbage chinese suppliers and all these chinese phones are total crap, aren't they - wrong! It's only the cheapo suppliers where you get the crap, if indeed, you actually get anything.
Just remember the old adage - you get what you pay for. Buy super cheap, get super crap.
I've been on the Costa Blanca for over six and a half years now and have built a strong reputation for getting things right. If the phone or tablet you bought from me goes wrong and it's covered by the manufacturers warranty, it gets replaced or you get a refund of the purchase price. Simples!
Loss of data, photos, apps, documents, account information, batteries, flashing or rooting, overall appearance and durability of certain items are not covered under the warranty, nor are we responsible for loss of, or anything associated with, such items. They are your responsibility. This list is not exhaustive.