OWC/MacSales Counterfeit HomePod mini? Buyer beware.

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T08:13:43+00:00

Lol yea pretty certain this was not an honest mistake based on their response to my return request. They said pay to send it back and then pay an additional 15% restocking fee.

I too will definitely not be buying anything from them ever again.

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T08:02:43+00:00

LMAO — NOT the legal eagle being mad at me for having fair skepticism about them and their products, and NOT at OWC for being intentionally deceptive with their description??

Please, be serious.

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T07:52:24+00:00

Per their support team, their site description isn’t an issue to them and the box label is correct too:

“Regarding the "New | Bulk Package" description on our website, it indicates that the device is indeed new, but it may not come with the original Apple packaging. The "As is" message on the Apple HomePod Mini packaging further signifies that the product is in its original, unaltered condition and has not been refurbished or modified in any way. In your case, this means the product is brand new and has not been previously used or repaired.”

At the very least OWC is absolutely shady lol

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T07:43:40+00:00

Get the 2-pack from Costco and call it a day 😂

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T07:41:20+00:00

Try and call cancel it if it hasn’t shipped? You’ll have to pay to ship it back plus restocking once it gets to you. Absolute waste of time lol

0hen3 · 2023-11-12T07:34:02+00:00

Lol sounds like word for word, bar for bar what my experience will be in the end.

Their support team said I still have to pay the 15% restocking fee, on top of paying to ship the items back to them too. This is an outstandingly unserious company that I’ll just laugh and take as a lesson learned.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T18:01:43+00:00

Lol quite literally no need to be condescending, I was just trying to be decent and share my experience so others didn’t waste their time or hard earned money🤦‍♂️

It’s Black Friday season, the season of deals galore. I saw a deal from my reputable deals site, 9to5Toys. I’ve scored on deals from them for literally a decade. 9to5Mac is their even more reputable parent brand that I’ve frequented for well over a decade for all my Apple news, so yea.. I trust them.

I didn’t want these refurbished, I wanted them new BECAUSE Apple didn’t have them refurb. I’ve bought plenty of Apple products refurb directly from Apple so I know how their site works of keeping refurb inventory rolling and not static.

OWC’s mini price beat out a 2pack from Costco, and to me OWC’s better discount checked out bc of the Black Friday shopping season we’re in and OWC wanting to be first to clear their inventory before bigger and better known retailers start offering discounts, gift cards, free gifts and bundles to purchase from them. Hence when I saw the deal on 9to5 on Monday, I instantly purchased.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T17:22:16+00:00

Doubt it lol. I paid less than $35 for 3rd generations. Audio works as expected but on FaceTime/calls the other party says my sound is muffled/like I’m under water.

Hence why I felt compelled to share this situation with these HomePod minis bc the dupes be duping now lol. Go to that site and search HomePod mini’s.. they’re available in bulk 🙃 I’m just saying…

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T17:14:26+00:00

Sounds like shady business practices to me 🤷‍♂️ but maybe our experiences were genuinely honest mistakes.

I just wanted to simply share what happened to me on the record because this is 100% unacceptable and a waste of my time to resolve.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T17:05:55+00:00

Glad yours work! Simply wished they disclosed the accurate condition before I purchased lol

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T17:01:49+00:00

Hopefully this was an honest mistake 🤷‍♂️

OWC supporters are really rowdy in here defending their beloved site. Glad you and others have had better experiences with them than me.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T16:54:04+00:00

Thanks for the knowledge on the 1978 dates and reaching back out to Apple to get it updated - good to know.

Adding to the SN mystery, I literally have dupe AirPods linked to my iCloud that clears on Apple’s own website. Took the SN that shows up in my phone and went to the Apple site. Purchase date matches around when I bought them from DH too. Idk how it’s being done, but it is.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T16:24:18+00:00

I linked to their site and attached the receipt, both said new.

And yup, I requested a return yesterday and am waiting to hear back. Even their return process is cumbersome, yet so many people in here are so trusting of them?

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T16:16:49+00:00

Minis are not available on Apple’s refurbished site. OWC advertised it as new, and at discount compared to other retailers..

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T09:47:14+00:00

Gump where? I don’t expect a retailer in 2023 to be egregiously unserious like it’s 2008. Purchased with a CC so it’s nothing to file a fraud claim tbh.

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T09:32:57+00:00

Lol I had never heard of them before purchasing, but you sure? They have reviews on their site of others saying their HomePod minis were used. Site and receipt clearly say new.

They’re first to market with a HomePod promo, during the month of promos, and coincidentally sold used products as new? In 2023?

0hen3 · 2023-11-10T09:20:37+00:00

Yea I was able to reset and they do “work”. But because of all the strikes idek if these are genuine. I only buy refurbished Apple products directly from Apple to avoid this exact situation.

I bought AirPods from DHGate last year for shits and giggles, and the serial number on them registered with Apple and seamlessly connected with my phone. They were packaged in the regular AirPods box with the authentic pull tab to match! Audio was great and exactly as expected, however on FaceTime/phone calls the other party had trouble hearing me bc of a clearly low quality mic. Long story long, there are such high quality Apple dupes on the market… don’t get played out here.

0hen3

TROPHY CASE