BlackBerry Bold 9700 OEM Unlocked
I've been searching over the internet to buy a brand-new, unlocked BlackBerry Bold 9700 for days now. But seems like the term 'brand-new' and 'unlocked' is a very complicated one in the world of BlackBerry.
My first was an 8310 (OEM version as I shall now explain), second was a used Bold 9000(Vodafone) and both times I knew what I was getting into because I bought both from stores where I could see the phones, packaging etc in front of my eyes.
Now however, there a trend of selling 'unlocked' phones over eBay and Amazon, which don't clearly mention whether the phone is carrier-aligned, or came 'unbranded'. Sellers(online stores) do not mention the accessories or include originals in box.
Note that in the first picture how the packaging has BlackBerry bar-codes on it. Everything is packed in zip-lock bags. This is a true, OEM, unbranded, factory unlocked handset, with the original packaging.
The second pictuer is of a 99.5% Top-rated seller on eBay calling the phone brand-new and with all accessories. Notice how the holster is different than the OEM version? Packaging is poor quality. Manuals are not even packed. This is the closest I could find to brand-new OEM being sold on eBay.
Most sellers are scammers. Not including the original accessories, not providing straight answers to questions (sometimes even becoming downright rude), not providing enough pictures and information for users (for return-basis) and some even selling highly-refurbished phones, calling them brand-new.
Buyers beware. We are spending a few bucks, not buying these phones on contract, so inquire about what you're getting. If it is what you want and if that is what the seller is giving.
Note: As of yet I still haven't found an OEM version online. (Amazon is not reliable since third-party stores are not reputable, even if that wasn't the case, the description is not clear, there are no pictures). So if anyone is selling, please let me know.
Thank you for your time.