Gearbest Review : Is Legit or Scam? 2024

Gearbest is an operating brand of Shenzen Globalegrow E-commerce Co. Ltd, which is a renowned Chinese cross-border enterprise. It is the same company that operates apparel sites like sammydress.com and dreslily.com. Given the cross-border business of Globalegrow, Gearbest is one of the many Chinese retailers that specialize in selling products made in Chinese factories directly to consumers around the world.

Looking for a place to buy a new electronic gadget or any other lifestyle product? Buying from China is becoming very popular nowadays. With from-China products reputable for low prices, they are particularly appealing to shoppers who are concerned about stumping up serious cash for purchases.

Gearbest is one of such online China-based department stores where you can buy a range of lifestyle products. Its name even announces it as the best place to buy cool gear. However, in the online spheres, you’ll find that the quality of many of the China-based stores is questioned. Thus, the big question is whether Gearbest has quality products to make it worthwhile to buy from. To this, Gearbest says it offers “affordable quality and fun shopping”.

We like to think of Gearbest, as the “best store for your gear”. Gearbest is primarily an electronic online store and it holds a wide range of consumer electronics, but you’ll also find virtually every other product including apparel and toys.

Yes, Gearbest is legit. It is not a scam company because they will never steal your money or credit card details. And you will receive any product you purchased from the store without a problem.

Is this simply a marketing blurb, or does Gearbest actually affordable quality to make it a worthwhile place to shop? What about the quality services that we’ll expect of the ideal online store (such as fast delivery, easy returns, effective customer service and more); does Gearbest offer these? In the first place is Gearbest genuine quality?

This Gearbest review will examine Gearbest in other to provide the information that will help you answer these questions and more.

Gearbest review at a glance

• A China-based online department store
• Offers a vast selection of lifestyle products that range from fashion to personal products, from home items to outdoor products, and more
• Offers affordable quality (very low prices for good quality products)
• Ships merchandise to virtually every country of the world
• Offers free shipping to many locations
• Return window is up to 45 days (from date of delivery) for most items
• Has 46 warehouses worldwide, allowing relatively fast delivery
• 24/ 7 customer support is available via email (support@gearbest.com)

Is Gearbest legit?

Gearbest is a legitimate company. Customers do receive their products so it is not a scam. Except you’ll want to be ripped off, you’ll want to determine that online stories legit before using it for your online purchases.

In this regard, there is much to suggest that Gearbest is legit. Our first check of a legit store is usually legality. Gearbest ticks this box; it is operated by a 100% legal company Globalegrow e-Commerce, which is one of the biggest e-Commerce groups in China. Suffice it to say that scam stores are not backed by legit companies with legal certificates.

Another check of legality is visibility and industry-wide recognition. Gearbest ticks this box. It is internationally known as a store for affordable gadgets and other products. Suffice it to say that the scam stores operate in the shadows, and cannot have the international recognition that Gearbest has.

Another check of a legit store is the test of time. Gearbest ticks this box. It has existed since 2013, which gives it 6 years in e-commerce. Suffice it to say that a scam store ripping people off cannot survive that long especially in the current information climate.

However, the ultimate check of a legit online store is “fitness for purpose”. That is, the store must offer functional products. You are not likely to rate an online store legit if you place an order on it and do not receive delivery of your order; or worst still, the item that is delivered to you does not meet satisfactory quality standards.

Thus, while being backed by an incorporated company, is internationally recognized, and having a rich operating record are important pointers to legitimacy, even more, important is being able to deliver functional products. Thankfully, Gearbest ticks this box. As touched earlier in this review, the customer reviews show that Gearbest largely delivers products with satisfactory quality. That said; there’s no doubt that Gearbest is a legit online store.

Is Gearbest safe?

Gearbest is safe. A legit online store will not rip you off, but that is not enough in online purchases. The store also has to be safe in ensuring that the sensitive information that customers share with it is well protected and not allowed to leak out to unauthorized third parties.

Gearbest does well in this regards. The store implements a variety of security measures including offering the use of a secure server. Customers’ data (personal data and credit card details) is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology with high-level encryption; and after a transaction, private information (credit cards, social security numbers, financials, etc.) is not stored on any server.

Lastly, the website and servers of Gearbest are verified externally by McAfee Secure from Symantec on a daily basis, ensuring that customers are always protected online. With the use of these security measures and more, it is safe to say that Gearbest is safe.

Products

Products Range

When shopping online, you’ll want a one-stop-shop which allows customers to get many of their items in one place instead of shopping from different online stores. A one-stop shop is convenient as it saves you the time and effort of checking out other stores. There could also be cost savings from large order discounts; and where flat shipping is offered, there’ll be cost-saving from shipping one order from the one store instead of shipping multiple orders from different stores.

Gearbest does excellently well in this regards. It offers a wide range of lifestyle products, ranging from fashion to personal items, from home items to outdoor items, and more. The product categories and the items you’ll find in each category are as follows:

• Cell Phones – different types and brands of cell phones, phone accessories (chargers and power banks, screen protector, cases and leather, stands and holders etc), pagers, VoIP, and more
• Computers – Laptops and Tablets (Ultrabook, Tablet PCs, Laptop accessories, etc), TV Box and Mini PC (TV Box, Mini PC, TV stick and dongle, media player, Televisions, TV accessories, etc), Computer peripherals (Memory cards, mouse, Air mouse, Keyboards, graphics tablets, USB flash drives, etc), Office Supplies (Projectors, Projector accessories, Scanners, Printers, Pen & Pencils, Office Standing, etc), Computer components (motherboard, HDD & SSD, CPU, Monitors etc), Network devices (wireless routers, network cards, digital antenna, modem, networking cables, etc)
• Consumer Electronics – Smart Electronics (Smartwatches, Smart Translator, Weather Station, Virtual Reality, etc), Camera & Photos (Action cameras, Tripods, Gimbal, Flash Diffuser, Photo Studio, etc), Portable Audio and Video (Earbud headphones, Bluetooth headphones, On-ear headphones, MP3 and MP4 players, etc), Security and Protection (IP Cameras, Surveillance systems, Baby Monitor, Access Control, Alarm System, Protective Equipments, etc), Video Games (Game Controller, Handheld games, Game accessories, Gaming headphones, Gaming mouse, Gaming keyboard, etc), Smart Home (Smart CCTV, Smart Socket, Smart Light bulb, etc)
• Drones and Toys – RC Drones and Robots (RC robots, RC airplanes, RC helicopter, etc), Puzzle and Educational (Block Toys,, Science and Discovery, Model and Building, Dollhouses, Logic and puzzle, etc), Novelty and Gag Toys (Novelty Toys, Classic Toys, Movies and TV Action figures, Key chains, Stuffed Cartoon, etc), Musical Instruments (Guitars, Guitar parts, Keyboard instrument, Drums and Percussions, Kids’ musical instrument, etc), RC Vehicle (RC Monster cars, RC Crawler cars, RC Off-Road car, RC stunt car, RC boats, etc), RC Parts ( FPV System, RC car parts, etc)
• Home Improvement – Smart Lighting (Smart bulbs, Smart ceiling lamps, Smart bedside lamps, etc), Hand Tools (Screwdrivers, Pliers, Soldering Supplies, Tool Kits, Power tools, etc), Measurement and Analysis (Microscope, Multimeter, Testers and Detectors, Temperature Gauges, Digital Scales, etc), Arduino & SCM Supplies (Raspberry Pi, Boards and Shields, LCD and LED displays, DIY parts, etc), Outdoor Lights (LED Gardening, LED floodlights, underwater lights, LED street lights, LED solar lights, etc), Indoor Lights (ceiling lights, novelty lighting, Table and Floor Lights, etc).
• Health and Personal – Health Care (Oral care, Massage, Thermometers, Body Scales, Braces and Support, etc), Make-Ups ( Makeup brushes, Skin Care, Tattoo and Body Arts, Eye Makeup, Face Makeup, Lip Makeup, etc), Hair Care (Hair Dryers, Hair Curlers, Hair Straighteners, Hair Color, Hair Accessories, Hair Clippers, etc), Shaving and Hair Removal (Electric Shavers, Epilators, Nose Trimmers, Razors, Razor Blades, Razor Brushes, etc), Vapor Gauges ( Vapor Mods, Vapor Atomizer, Vapor Kits, Vapor Tools, Vapor Accessories, Vapor Pods, etc), Nails and Manicure (Nail Tools, Nail Dryers, Nail Gel and Polish, Nail Sticker, Nail Art Accessories, etc)
• Home & Garden – Kitchen and Dining (Cookware, Drinkware, Knives and Accessories, Barware, Bakeware, Etc), Home Keeping and Organizing (Laundry Products, Pest Control, Home Storage, Storage Holders, Storage Boxes, etc), Home Décor (Wall Art, Decorative Lights, Crafts, Clocks, Artificial Flowers, Tapestries, etc), Garden Supplies (Garden Decking, Pots and Planters, Watering Instruments, Garden Tools, etc), Bathroom (Shower Head, Sponges, Faucets, Shower Curtains, Toothbrushes, etc), Baby and Kids (Baby Strollers, Baby Feeding products, etc)
• Industrial and Scientific – 3D Printer and Supplies (3D Printers, 3D Scanners, 3D Printer parts, 3D Printer Kits, etc), Power Tools (Electric Screwdriver, Power Drills, Glue Gun, Saw Blade, etc), Laser, Engraver and CNC (Laser Module, Laser Accessories, CNC Machine, etc), Binoculars ad Telescopes (Telescopes, Binoculars, Monoculars, Microscopes, Night Vision, Magnifiers, etc), Testers and Detectors (Soldering Suppliers, Ultrasonic cleaner, Multimeter, etc)
• Motor & Car – Car Electronics (Car DVR, Car DVD players, Car GPS and Accessories, Car Charges, Car GPS tracker, etc), Safety Car (Jump Starter, Reversing Radar, Car Inflatable tire pump, etc), Car Repair and Maintenance (Car Tools, Car Wash Tools, Rear View Mirror, Waxing Machines, etc), Car Lights (Light Bars, Car Fog Lights, Car Tail Lights, Car Headlights, etc), Car Decorations (Car phone holder, Car sunshades, Car Stickers, Car Neck Headrest, Rain Eyebrow, etc), Motor Cycle Accessories (Motorcycle gloves, Motorcycle helmets, Motorcycle clothing, etc)
• Outdoor Fitness – Scooter and Wheels (Electric Scooter, Kick Scooter, Skate Boards, Roller Skating, Balancing Scooter, etc), Cycling (Electric Bikes, Bike Computers, Bike lights, Bike Accessories, Bike Bags, Bikes, etc), LED Flashlights and Accessories (LED Flashlights, Charges, Headlights, Batteries, LED key chains, etc), Exercise (Yoga Accessories, Boxing items, Sport Protection Gear, etc), Camping and Hiking (Walkie Talkie, Camp Kitchen, Hammock, Tents, etc), Knives and Tools (Multi-Tool, EDC Tools, Key Buckle, Folding Knives, etc)
• Shoes and Bags – Men’s Shoes (Sandals, Slippers, Oxfords, Casual Shoes, Athletic Shoes, Boots, etc), Women’s Shoes (Flats and Loafers, Sandals, Athletic Shoes, Slippers, Pumps, Boots, etc), Outdoor Shoes (Running Shoes, Hiking Shoes, Soccer Shoes, Dance Shoes, Skateboarding Shoes, Cycling Shoes, etc), Men’s Luggage and Bags (Backpacks, Crossbody bags, Beltpacks, Briefcases, Luggage and Travelling bags, wallets, etc), Women’s Bags (Crossbody bags, Shoulder bags, Fashion backpacks, Wallets, Clutches, etc)
• Watches and Jewelry – Men Watches (Mechanical Watches, Sports watches, Coupe Watches, Pocket watches, unisex Watches, Quartz Watches, etc), Women’s watches (Bracelet watches, Dress watches, Sports watches, lover’s watches, children watches, etc), Fashion Jewelry (Hot rings, Necklaces and Pendants, Trendy Earrings, Bracelets and Bangles, Anklets, Brooches, etc), Fine Jewelry (Silver Jewelry, Diamond Jewelry, K-Gold, Fine Earrings, Fine Jewelry, etc), Wedding and Engagement (Bridal Jewelry, Engagement Rings, Wedding Hair Clips, Wedding Bands, Diamond Bracelets, etc)
• Apparel and Accessories – Men’s Clothing (T-shirts, Shirts, Pants, Hoodies, Jackets, Blazers, etc), Swimwear (Men’s Swimwear, Swimming Goggles, Bikinis, Cover-ups, Swim Trunks, etc), Bottoms and Underwear (Casual Pants, Men’s jeans, Boxers, Briefs, Long Johns and Shorts, etc), Accessories (Hats and Caps, Scarves, Gloves, Belts, Socks and Tights, Ties and Cuff Links, etc), Women’s Clothing (Dresses, Tank Tops, Blouses, Shirts, Pants, Cotton Linen, etc)

With its vast product lines, Gearbest comes out as the ideal one-stop-shop. You’ll find joy in the store when shopping electronic gadget, and a host of other items including fashion products. Importantly, Gearbest does not only offer a wide product range, but it also has a large inventory of each product type. Thus, no matter the product category that you are buying from, you’ll find a large selection which ensures that you are very likely to find something that appeals to you.

Gearbest is able to offer a large inventory in each of its many product lines because it works closely with over 5,000 famous Chinese brands and top suppliers, including top brands like Xiaomi, Lenovo, Huawei, and more.

Product Quality

It is not enough that a store has a wide range of product and a large inventory of each product type; it is also important that the products of the store be of high-quality standards. In this regard, the tagline of Gearbest is “Quality. Affordable. Fun”. The first of the three pillars which Gearbest says it is built on is quality, which suggests that items in the store will have satisfactory quality.

Gearbest also says on its website that it passes its products through comprehensive quality control to ensure that products meet consistent quality standards. The five-step of its quality control process includes: Checking suppliers, Inspecting production, Testing sample quality, Spot-checking products, and Tracking after-sales. You’ll notice that the quality control of Gearbest extends beyond sales. Thus, the whole process incorporates user requirements.

The best indicator of the quality served by a store is to look at what its customers are saying. In this regards, you’ll find a lot of glowing reviews on the testimonial page of the Gearbest website. However, we do not trust self-published reviews; so we jumped into the independent review platforms to find out what the customers of Gearbest are saying.

Thankfully, we found that on the whole, Gearbest is given the thumbs up. For example; it had a rating of 7 out of 10 in Trustpilot.com (from 25,191 reviewers); it had a rating of 4.6 out of 5 in Sitejabbber.com (from ‎9,819 reviewers), and it had a rating of 4 out of 5 (from 1,473 reviewers) in Productreview.com.au.

For specific reviews, you’ll easily find customers in these platforms with comments like “very satisfied with the products”; “the quality is excellent, the original product corresponds to the description”; “really good and reliable! Best price for the best products”; and more.

However, we also found some customers who were not at all pleased with the quality of their order. One reviewer in Sitejabber.com captioned the comment with “you get what you pay for… buyers’ beware”; and went on to call Gearbest “a high volume, a low-quality company from China”, adding that “buying from Gearbest is akin to going to the casino”.

It should be noted that no matter how much a company tries, there’ll be some quality in compliance that’ll leave customers unsatisfied. Thus, the presence of the unsavoury comments on quality should not in itself be too disconcerting. Rather, it is the number of negative comments in relation to the number of positive comments that should be the measure of the quality status of a company. In this case, Gearbest comes out relatively fine.

While many affordable China-based stores are plagued with quality problems (evident from the numerous negative customer reviews that almost overshadow any positive reviews), that is not the case with Gearbest. As shown by the overall ratings of Gearbest found in the independent review platforms (Trust Pilot – 7/10; Sitejabber – 4.6/ 5, etc), many customers highly rate the quality of Gearbest’s products.

Using Gearbest

You’ll have to register to use Gearbest. It is unlike some stores where you can place “guest orders” and make purchases without registering. However, the registration process is easy. You simply have to submit your email and nominate a password. To place an order, you’ll also have to fill a short form and submit your shipping address.

The website of Gearbest is pretty standard if you’re into online shopping. Even if you are new, you’ll not have a problem moving around as it is pretty intuitive. You’ll easily find the product categories where you can open up to find what you are interested in. Alternatively, you may use a search bar on the website; simply type in something into the bar, and products related to your search query will be displayed.

Another thing we love about Gearbest is that it offers the opportunity to earn points which can then be used to get discounts. You’ll earn points from activities like submitting order feedback, posting text reviews for purchased items, posting reviews with photos or videos, recommending videos in the Gearbest video community, subscribing to the newsletter, and more.

When redeeming the points, 50 points equal to $1.00; and you can use accumulated points to discount up to 30% of an item. That is, despite the number of points you have accumulated, you’ll still have to pay at least 70% of the item cost with your own money. However, it’s good to be able to get up to 30% of an item cost off via the Gearbest points system.

Pricing and Related Policies

Pricing

Whatever it is you are buying you’ll not want to pay what you perceive as unreasonable. Thus, the ideal online store should have prices that are as low as possible.

Gearbest does very well in this regards. According to the tagline of Gearbest, one of the pillars that the online store is built on is “Affordability”. It says that it is able to give the best price because it offers direct procurement; that is directly connecting the manufacturers and the final consumer, and cutting off the charges that build on a product from the markups of middlemen.

Going through the listed products in the store, there is no doubt that Gearbest offers some of the best prices you’ll find.

Promotions

Another important consideration is promotions. You’ll want stores which give customers the opportunity to get products for free or for less than the full price. Gearbest ticks this box. At the time of writing this review, on getting to the landing page of the Gearbest website, we were welcomed by a host of promotional coupons. There was also a pop-up promising 15% off our purchase as a new member of Gearbest. If you drop your email in registration for its newsletter, you’ll also get some discount.

Payment Methods

You’ll want a range of convenient payment methods so that no matter where you are resident, you’ll be able to pay for your Gearbest orders without having a headache. Gearbest ticks this box.

It supports a wide range of payment method. Primarily, Gearbest process secure payments using PayPal. Through PayPal, a range of cards are accepted including MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Discover, as well as debit cards. It also supports the use of PayPal Credit. But that applies to only US customers and for orders up to $99; allowing them to pay overtime (interest-free if paid in full in 6 months)

Secure Credit Card payment is also supported where you can pay directly with credit cards. You can also pay with Diners Club, JCB, Yandex Money, iDeal, Qiwi, Oxxo, Web Money, Boleto, Postepay, Giropay, Sofort, Przelewy, Pago Efectivo, and more.

However, know that not all the supported methods will be available to you in your location. However, no matter where you are shopping from, you’ll find a good number of methods for making convenient payment.

One Year Repair Warranty

For many of its items, Gearbest offers a one-year repair warranty, starting from the date the item is delivered. Under this period, you’ll be able to get free repairs for items that are eligible.

You’ll need to contact customer service, which will communicate the manufacturer. Where free repairs is approved, the customer will be responsible for paying the shipping cost to get the item to Gearbest, while the store will bear the cost of shipping the repaired item to the customer.

However, you should note that the warranty will be voided in certain situations that include: Flashing the firmware of a device; Opening the body in an attempt to fix the device; Modifying, removing, customizing, or swapping parts of the product; Using the device in a way that it is not originally intended for, and more.

However, where an item is not eligible for free repairs, the customer can still contact Gearbest about arranging its repair with the manufacturer. In that case, a repair fee will be charged, while the customer will be responsible for shipping the item both ways.

Shipping

Shipping is an important element in online transactions. It’s important to consider: the destinations that Gearbest ships to, how long it takes after placing an order to receive it, and how much shipping cost.

Shipping Destinations:

It’ll be difficult to get an order if the retailer does not ship to your location. Thus, one of the first considerations should be the locations that an online store serves. You’ll want a store that ships to many worldwide locations so that your location is more likely to be served.

Gearbest does excellently well in this regards, as it ships to virtually every country of the world. Except you are resident in South Sudan and Palestine, you should be able to use Gearbest for your online purchases.

Delivery Times

You’ll want an online store that offers fast delivery so that you won’t have to wait for too long after placing an order to receive delivery of the package.

Gearbest has four shipping options. These are the Unregistered Air Mail which takes 15 – 30 business days; the Registered Air Mail which takes 15 – 30 business days; the Priority Line Shipping which takes 7 – 12 business days; and the Expedited Shipping which takes 3 – 7 business days.

It should be said that Gearbest is able to offer relatively faster delivery than many other China-based companies. This is because unlike many of the other companies that primarily ships from China, Gearbest have 46 warehouses worldwide. Gearbest warehouses are located in USA, Spain, England, Poland, the Czech Republic, and many other countries. Thus, many times, it is able to ship from locations closer to the customers, ensuring faster delivery, more efficient and convenient after-sales services.

Shipping Cost

Shipping cost adds up to the items purchase cost in determining the total expenditure on an online purchase. Thus, high shipping cost can easily make an item too expensive to purchase even if the item itself is reasonably priced. That said; the ideal online store will have shipping costs that are as low as possible.

In this regards, Gearbest does not offer flat shipping rates. Shipping cost in Gearbest depends on many factors such that include: the weight of the product, the origin (the Gearbest warehouse that it will ship from), the destination (the country it is shipping to), and the shipping method selected.

Thus, detail shipping costs will be visible when placing an order; you’ll find the accurate shipping costs after making the appropriate selections such as the items, warehouse, your shipping destination, and shipping method.

However, it is found that Gearbest shipping costs are relatively affordable to meet the needs and budget of every customer. However, Gearbest also offers free shipping for budget-conscious buyers. Free shipping is available only for the “Unregistered Air Mail” shipping option; and it is available only to a few countries that include USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Romania, Greece, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Israel, Australia, and Japan. Gearbest reviews this list regularly; at checkout, you’ll find if free shipping applies to your location. However, for the package to be eligible for free shipping, it must also meet size and weight conditions set by the respective shipping company.

Returns

Online purchases are blind purchases because you’ll not have the opportunity to physically inspect the item before purchasing it. Thus, there’s the real chance that you may not be satisfied with what is delivered. Thus, the ideal online store should allow customers to return an item that is unsatisfactory.

Gearbest allows returns. However, return policies of stores are known to have bobby traps. Thus, what follows here is a review of the return policy of Gearbest.

Return Process

You’ll want a relatively easy return process so that a cumbersome return process will not dissuade you from returning an unwanted item to its retailer. Thus, the ideal online store should have an easy-breezy return process.

Gearbest does somewhat okay in this regards. If you are not satisfied with any item in your order, you’ll have to contact the Support Center to get RMA authorization. In your submission you’ll state your reason for wanting the return, and you’ll upload pictures of the fault/ issue (where applicable). Gearbest will respond to you with the approval, only then can you proceed to package the item and mail to the return shipping address.

Return Window

Typically, stores accept returns of unwanted items that get back to them within a specified time period from the time of purchase or delivery. Thus, so that an item that you are returning will not get back late and be rejected, you’ll want an extended return window.

Gearbest does relatively well in this regards. It has varied times that depend on the condition of the product when you received delivery of it.

First, is the DOA (Dead On Arrival) situation. If a Gearbest item does not work right out of the box, you have 7 days from receipt of the item to contact the Support Center of Gearbest for RMA authorization. For DOA items, Gearbest will send a replacement or you’ll get a full refund, but in either case, the company will reimburse the return shipping costs.

Secondly, there are a 45 days Money Back Guarantee. This applies to items that are faulty when delivered. That is, they are not dead per se; they work well but not very well. The 45 days guarantee differs from the DOA situations in that your return shipping costs will not be reimbursed.

Thirdly, there are a 30 days Unconditional Refund Guarantee. This applies to items that, are not necessarily “Dead On Arrival” or faulty; but for whatever reason, you do not want. This will include items that you simply do not like, items that do not fit because of wrong sizing, and more. Also, return shipping costs are not reimbursable.

That said; Gearbest’s least return window is 30 days from the delivery date. This is relatively okay and on par with what many other stores offer.

Eligible Return

It should be said that every retailer has restrictions that make certain items ineligible for returns. You’ll want fewer restrictions so that many more items will be eligible for returns.

In this regard, Gearbest does not allow the returns of spare parts and accessories. Also, items like RC toys, scooters and wheels can only be returned in “Dead On Arrival” instances. This means that except these items do not work at all when delivered, you cannot return them.

In the fashion department; all Sales items, swimwear, lingerie, and earrings cannot be returned. Stores generally restrict the returns of Sales items, while the other restricted fashion items are restricted for hygiene reasons. However, there are stores that allow returns of sales items (albeit with a reduced return window); and there are also stores that allow returns of swimwear, lingerie and earring (albeit only when their hygiene strip is unbroken).

Generally, items that are eligible for returns must be returned to Gearbest in the same condition they were when delivered. If an item upon receipt is damaged or faulty, or in the wrong size or colour, and is eligible for return, it should get back to Gearbest in its unused state.

Return Processing and Refunds

After returning an unwanted item to its retailer, customers generally want to be refunded as fast as possible. Thus, the ideal online store should process returns and issue refunds fast.

Gearbest advertises fast return processing. It says after the return package is received, it takes between 3 – 6 business days to process it, after which it immediately issue refunds. 3 – 6 business days to process returns is relatively fast, in comparison to the many other stores in the market. However, it will take some while for the refunded amount to reflect in your account. This will depend on your payment method, as follows:

• Wallet refunds will take up to 24 hours to process, and will appear in your Gearbest account
• PayPal refunds may take up to 48 hours to process and will appear in your account
• Credit card refunds will take between 7-14 business days to process, and will appear in your account

When returning items for repairs it will take between 7 – 14 business days depending on the item and the manufacturers stock of spare parts.

Another important consideration is the form in which you’ll get back your payment. Stores normally offer refunds as cash transfer to the original payment method or as store credits. Generally, many customers prefer refunds to the original payment method because that allows the freedom of using the refunds in other stores for future purchases.

However, for many of their products, Gearbest does not issue refunds to the original payment method. For such items as clothing, shoes, watches & jewellery, flashlights, phone and tablet accessories, drinkware, home gadgets, home decors, party supplies and home textiles, Gearbest will only issue store credits. With store credits, the customer will be tied to Gearbest; the customer cannot visit another store to use the funds, and so is forced to use the credits Gearbest. Needless to say, store credits are not popular.

Customer Service

People will definitely have questions, so the ideal online store will provide for answering the questions that persons will have. Also, there will be customers that will have issues with their orders; so the ideal online store should have an effective support service for resolving any issue that may arise.

The first step to having answers in any online e-commerce platform is an FAQ page. Thankfully, Gearbest make this provision. You’ll also find its FAQ page to be very detailed. It holds many self-help articles; and to aid navigation, these are arranged in different topics like, Shipping & Delivery, Payment, Warranty & Return, GB Wallet, About Us, Order Status, Returns & After Sales.

For direct contact with the Support Service, you may use email (support@gearbest.com). However, Gearbest preferred contact method is the in-site channel via “My Order” page. But for that, you’ll have to be a registered member of Gearbest.

Complaints

Late Delivery

One of the complaints you’ll find in the online spaces about Gearbest is that of late delivery. In the independent reviews, you’ll find some comments of customers having to wait for longer than expected for a Gearbest delivery.

There is no doubt that many Gearbest orders ship from warehouses in China; and as a result there’s the longer than usual delivery. However, as mentioned earlier, Gearbest have many warehouses in Europe; and when buying an item, you can choose to ship it from a closer warehouse (if possible) to make for relatively lower delivery times.

Also, it must also be said that Gearbest does relatively well in terms of shipping when compared to many China-based stores.

Uneasy Returns

We’ve seen a few unhappy Gearbest customers labelling Gearbest a scam. It starts when the customer gets a product that does not meet some expectations, and everything boils over when the customer finds the process of returning the item anything but smooth.

One complaint about returns is that return authorization does not come easy from Gearbest. Most customers feel that Gearbest gives them the run around so as not to approve returns. Especially, there is the issue of return shipping cost.

Gearbest will only assume cost if the item does not work (or Dead On Arrival). The catch is, Gearbest may not agree with the customer. Thus, even when the return of the item is approved the customer will have to bear the return shipping costs.

Return Shipping Cost

Customers are for many returns in Gearbest. The 45 Day Money Back Guarantee policy has it that “in the unlikely situation that your product is faulty, you can send it back for a refund or item exchange within 45 days of receiving it. Return shipping reimbursement is not available for this”.

In our opinion, this is unacceptable for items that are delivered faulty. The store should take responsibility for faulty items and reimburse return shipping costs, while only returns from buyers’ remorse should be borne by the customer.

That said, return shipping costs can easily be prohibitive; as many times, the items are shipping to China. Inward shipping is usually relatively cheap because shipping is subsidized for the Chinese manufacturers; but when you have to pay return shipping, you’ll be faced with the unsubsidized rates.

Store credits instead of refunds

Another complaint that is pronounced enough to warrant mention is that, most of the time, Gearbest issues store credits instead of refunds. As mentioned earlier, store credits do not allow the customer to visit another store to use the funds, so they are less desirable than refunds to the original payment method.

Our take is that Gearbest in its return policy expressly mentions the items that it gives store credits for. Though, we’ll like refunds instead of store credits for many of the items; when buying you’ll know upfront that you can only get store credits if the undesirable situation of having to return the item occurs.

Sites Similar to Gearbest:

• Wayfair
• NewChic
• Gamiss
• Lightinthebox

Pros:

• Offers a very extensive range of lifestyle products (consumer electronics, fashion products, and more)
• Offers very good quality
• Prices of items are very low and affordable
• Support a wide range of convenient payment methods
• Offers many promotions that further push down prices
• There is a point-earning system that can be used to get up to 30% off items
• Ships merchandise to virtually every country of the world
• Free shipping is offered to many locations (and there are no minimum order requirements)
• Delivery is relatively fast
• Shipping costs are relatively low
• Return window is up to 45 days from the delivery date for many items

Cons:

• Customers are responsible for return shipping even for some faulty items
• The cost of return shipping can be prohibitive
• For returns of many items, store credits are issued instead of cash transferred to the original payment method

Conclusion

Gearbest is a legitimate Chinese based lifestyle brand. True to its branding as the “best store for gear”, Gearbest offers a wide range of cool gear. You’ll find consumer electronics, toys, apparel, and many other lifestyle products. With its vast selection, you’re very likely to find what you want in Gearbest.

However, its main attraction is its prices. Gearbest offers direct procurement from manufacturers, and so it is able to offer very competitive prices. You’ll find some of the best prices when shopping in Gearbest. Do you want an amazing range of cool stuff under $1.00? You’ll fall in love with Gearbest.

However, one of the best parts of Gearbest is that it is not plagued with quality issues as many other affordable product stores out there. Gearbest is about affordable quality, which means that for its rock-bottom prices, you’ll largely find good quality products.

Gearbest ships to virtually every country of the world, so you can order Gearbest no matter where you are resident. Also, with warehouses in many parts of the world where it can ship product from, it’s delivery times are relatively faster (and shipping cost relatively lower) than many other “Chinese” stores. It also has friendly return policies; offering up to 45 days to return many items, and up to one year repair warranty.

However, Gearbest is not all smooth-sailing. When it comes to making returns; just too many items are ineligible for returns, customers bear return shipping cost which can be quite high (and this even on certain faulty items which we think the retailer should be responsible for). Lastly, on most returned items, you’ll be getting store credits.