For a short time, the “mystery boxes” have flooded AliExpress. What do these boxes contain that can be bought for a few euros?
In this article we are going to analyze if it is a hoax or if there are really possibilities that something interesting touches us.
What is a “mystery box”?
Mystery boxes are boxes that contain surprise products. That is, you cannot choose the content: you pay and the seller will select and send the items that he prefers.
These mystery boxes often attract the attention of users as they include photos of high-value items such as smartphones, smartwatches, cameras, game consoles, headphones, drones, and the like.
They even tell you that there is a 99 or 100% chance that you will get an Apple product. And all this, in a mystery box worth a few euros.
Are these mystery boxes reliable?
To begin with, just for the fact that they promise such valuable items, in exchange for paying for a box at a price that seems like a joke, we have to be suspicious. And unfortunately, everything indicates that mystery boxes are the new scam that has arrived on the platform.
It is true that in AliExpress you will always find incredible things for very little money, but to be honest, nobody is going to sell an iPhone or an iPad for €1 or €5, do you think?
How is it possible that they have positive reviews?
Something that can confuse us and make us doubt is that most of these items have good reviews from buyers. What’s more: they even include photos of the received items such as iPhones, iPads, JBL speakers, Airpods. How can it be?
Also, a good number of these “mystery boxes” have thousands of sales, which makes the product seem even more attractive.
Our recommendation is that you always read the reviews of the articles to guide you before buying something, since they are usually very reliable, especially if they have photos.
Particularly in this case, and after analyzing some of these reviews, it is clear that these are fake reviews. Although they are written from different countries, everything indicates that they are not real: in some, we see that the language does not correspond to the country of origin, others are very poorly written if you translate them directly from Google.
Investigating several of these advertisements, we see that the same photographs of satisfied buyers in different stores are repeated.
These stores opened very recently, so the thousands of sales they have accumulated are purchases made recently, without yet reaching their destination and therefore, they could not be valued in reality.
Some have a negative evaluation and warn of the scam, but when this claim begins to generalize, it is most likely that the seller will delete the product file and create a new one.
Can I claim my money back if the mystery box doesn’t deliver as promised?
If you were tempted to see what they brought and bought one of these surprise boxes, you will wonder if it is possible to open a dispute to claim your money. Wait for the package to arrive and when you have it, record a video or take photos of the entire process. Also record the order label where you can see the tracking number.
If in the description of the box it says that you were going to receive 100% an Apple product, or whatever brand it is, it will be very easy to claim. In the dispute, attach a screenshot and do not forget to add the photos or video of what you have received.
We have found that some sellers try to better cover their backs against a claim by including a series of warnings in the advertisement, such as, for example, that by buying the box you accept the risk of buying surprise products and that disputes are not accepted, but you you can open dispute as long as you consider.
To facilitate the process, collect and include all the evidence you have at your fingertips.
We believe that AliExpress is highly unlikely to rule in favor of these sellers because it has become clear that they are acting in bad faith.
Remember to buy wisely
In AliExpress you will find thousands of sellers and although the vast majority are serious people, and attentive to the customer being satisfied, it can always happen that you come across someone who is dishonest. Therefore, be careful and be wary of ads that sell expensive brand items for a few euros. Not even imitations are that cheap!
But, despite taking all the precautions, it may happen that we fall into the trap. If this happens to you, don’t worry because you have the protection of AliExpress and you can request a refund.