Many users aren't aware of it, but Apple Airpods can be bought much cheaper on AliExpress. And no, we are not talking about replicas, but the authentic wireless earphones of the American company.
Below, we will explain how to buy original and cheaper Airpods on AliExpress.
Recommendations to buy original Airpods
The first tip to differentiate original Airpods is the price: if you see excessively cheap Airpods that are advertised as original, you should be suspicious because their price can be, at most, 20% or 25% lower than in official Apple stores.
Once you have them in your hands, it's easy to check if they are original, as on the inside of the AirPods you will find a serial number that can be entered on the checkcoverage.apple.com page to see if they are authentic. You can also find this serial number on the box.
But obviously, it's best to make sure they are authentic before purchasing them so you don't have to go through the refund process. That's why it's so important to buy them from trusted AliExpress stores.
Let's take a look at some tips to find reliable stores.
How to find original Airpods on AliExpress
To find cheap original Airpods on AliExpress it's best to access from this search filtered by sellers.
By clicking here you can find other sellers offering Apple Airpods from other stores. There are European sellers that also offer good prices on their products.
Remember to check the product description, check that the seller indicates that it is an original Apple product and that they are new. If in doubt, we recommend you contact the seller for confirmation.
Recommended stores
It's very important to look at the reputation of the store before buying Apple Airpods, it is best that the product has reviews from other buyers where they confirm that they are original or that the store has a lot of seniority and good reviews on other products.
In any case, these are some recommended sellers to find original Apple Airpods:
Checking that they are original
Many people think that if we manage to pair the earphones the first time, they are already original Airpods. But it is not true, there are many fakes that achieve this.
However, the sound quality gives them away.
In addition to checking the serial number on the Apple website as mentioned above, we recommend entering the serial number in the iCloud account, as well as entering the date of purchase to activate the warranty.
If you go into the Bluetooth options of the earphones when they are connected, you can also see the legal information and the serial number, which should match the serial number on the charging case and packaging of the headphones.
What if they're not original Airpods?
Main article: How to open and win a dispute on AliExpress
With the tips we mentioned above, you should have no problem buying original Airpods. But if you have been cheated and you have bought some that are not original, we recommend you to talk to the seller and proceed to open a dispute.
Replicas aren't allowed on AliExpress right now, so if the seller has advertised their headphones as original and they are not, your money will be protected because it violates the rules of the platform itself.
You will have to upload pictures of the evidence that proves that they are not original so AliExpress can check your case. In case the order has a free return, they can ask you to return them to the seller to refund all the money.
What is the warranty?
Even if you buy Apple Airpods on AliExpress, keep in mind that during the first year, you can go to the manufacturer's official service (i.e. official Apple stores) to manage their warranty.
According to current regulations, the first year of warranty is the responsibility of the manufacturer, regardless of the country in which they were purchased. Subsequent years are the responsibility of the distributor.
If you go to an Apple store, they will ask for the retailer's invoice. It is therefore highly recommended to request the invoice at the time of purchase and keep it for possible claims. At the official Apple store they will check if the product is original through the serial number.
Refurbished Airpods: Are they worth it?
Main article: What is a refurbished or reconditioned product?
There are also many sellers offering very cheap original Airpods, indicating that they are 95% new, as you can see from this link. These earphones are original, but they have had to be repaired to make them work.
In addition, they do not have the Apple warranty because they have been manipulated outside the authorized centers, so if they give you any problem, the warranty will be difficult to process since most of them come from China.
Oh, and they only come with the charging cable and the box with the earphones, they don't include a packing box or other accessories.
Why are they cheaper on AliExpress?
It's a matter of profit: Apple products can be purchased from their official store, but they are also available from other online stores, which buy them in bulk at a discount. If the store settles for a lower profit margin, we can buy them cheaper.
And since AliExpress has pretty good commissions for sellers, sellers can offer better prices to buyers.
Our opinion
It is definitely worth it buying original Airpods.
It's true that there are aesthetically almost perfect replicas, but the sound quality of the original Apple Airpods is impressive: their autonomy, sound quality, noise cancellation system, the methods and speed of charging… It's a product that does not disappoint and is worth paying for.
And AliExpress is a good place to buy them at a slightly lower price than in Apple stores. Of course, following the tips we have given you today.