ShopDutyFree is one of our country’s most recognized stores of Apple products and general technology. The store is characterized precisely by the prices of its products, significantly lower than those we can find in Apple and Amazon, and other electronics stores. We see it. The question that many users ask themselves before buying an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook is the following: is ShopDutyFree reliable? Why is ShopDutyFree so cheap? Is it safe to shop at ShopDutyFree?
REASONS WHY SHOPDUTYFREE WAS RELIABLE
Although its name may lead one to think otherwise, the truth is that the store was founded in Barcelona back in 2012. Since then, it has been building a reputation on the Internet around the services it offers to consumers. Users: from shipping times and warranty execution to payment methods.
IT OFFERS A TWO-YEAR GUARANTEE, LIKE ANY SPANISH STORE
That’s how it is. ShopDutyFree offers up to two years of the legal guarantee, like any store in our country. The first year is fully covered by Apple or any of the services authorized by the company, while the second year is covered by the store itself, as per current brand legislation.
On the other hand, the store offers a return guarantee period of 30 days from the date of receipt of the product in question. The information can be consulted through the store’s FAQ at this link.
THERE IS A TRIAL PERIOD OF 10 DAYS
As the law currently marks in Spain, the Catalan store offers a free trial period for users to try the product in question for ten days. Said period is free of any commitment, and the expenses will be refunded in full if the client so requests. However, the law estimates that the minimum order must be 14 days.
IT DOES NOT HAVE A PHYSICAL STORE, BUT ORDERS CAN BE PICKED UP AT THE OFFICE
One of the keys to why ShopDutyFree products are so cheap lies in the absence of physical stores. And it is that although the fiscal domicile is in Barcelona, the store lacks a presence as a commercial premise to use. Despite this, the website allows us to organize the collection at the physical offices.
SHIPPING TIMES: FROM 24 HOURS TO 5 WORKING DAYS
Regarding shipping times, the standard shipping method includes 4 to 5 business days. The page also offers an express shipping method, which goes from 48 to 72 working hours and includes Saturdays as a possible delivery date. The website undertakes to offer a shipment tracking code within a maximum period of 24 hours, after which we can consult the information through the page of the contracted transport company.
THE PRODUCTS ARE ORIGINAL DESPITE THEIR LOW PRICE
The price of Apple products on ShopDutyFree has historically created controversy around the authenticity of the store’s items. From the website, they ensure that all the products are 100% genuine and that their price is due to the price that their distributors manage for the purchase volume that the store manages. Besides the absence of physical stores and the little advertising they do on the Internet, costs can be significantly reduced compared to similar stores.
REASONS WHY SHOPDUTYFREE WAS UNRELIABLE IN 2021
All that glitters is not gold, especially in a store with only the Internet sales channel. Given the number of variations the sale can undergo, the shopping experience can differ from moment to moment. We must add several disadvantages that the store presents concerning an Apple Authorized Service or an Apple Store use.
IT DOES NOT ACCEPT PAYMENTS THROUGH PAYPAL
It’s not for nothing that PayPal is the most secure online payment method. When there is a dispute between the customer and the store, the intermediation system is usually one of the main reasons users choose this payment method. Unfortunately, ShopDutyFree is incompatible with PayPal, probably because of the fees it imposes on checkouts. As of the publication date, the only supported payment methods are based on VISA and Mastercard cards and Bitcoin.
IT IS NOT AN APPLE AUTHORIZED SERVICE, WITH ALL THAT THIS ENTAILS
Despite offering a one-year warranty from Apple’s service, the truth is that ShopDutyFree does not meet the requirements of an Authorized Service by the company. This affects the use of genuine components when carrying out repairs on products that require the application of a legal guarantee. In other words, Apple does not provide components to third-party stores, so the repair could be carried out with compatible components – not original ones.
SEUR IS THE TRANSPORT AGENCY WITH WHICH SHOPDUTYFREE OPERATES
That’s how it is. A large volume of criticism and bad opinions found on the Internet about the store has to do with the SEUR transport service, the experience of which may vary depending on where you live. Waiting times that are too long, deliveries that are not made, or damage caused in transporting the merchandise are just some of the problems that users report in forums and specialized pages.
WHAT OPINIONS OF SHOPDUTYFREE DO USERS HAVE ON THE INTERNET?
A simple search on the net helps us get an idea of the opinion of ShopDutyFree users about the store. Taking advantage of the previous points, the shopping experience can make the difference between opting for the Catalan store or another electronic commerce.
I am a writer with eight years of experience writing in business and technology. I always carry a passion for learning and discovering new knowledge.