Warranty and After-Sales When Importing From China

What does a manufacturer warranty actually cover?

A manufacturer warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship under normal use, for a set period. It does not cover damage you cause. Both of the warranties we read for this guide make the same split.

Xiaomi's Pakistan warranty gives one year on phones for labour and parts, and six months on the original battery, adapter and accessories in the box. It excludes cracks, dents and scratches, damage from fire, flood or lightning, alterations, damage from using the wrong voltage or power supply, and damage from service by anyone who is not a Xiaomi representative. It also excludes products whose serial number, IMEI or warranty seal has been removed or tampered with.

Apple's warranty for iPhone and iPad excludes damage from accident, misuse, liquid contact or other external causes, products modified without Apple's permission, and damage caused by service from anyone other than Apple or an authorised provider. It notes that opening the product may cause damage that is not covered.

So even when a warranty applies, a cracked screen or water damage is your cost.

Warranty and consumer law are also different things. A warranty is a promise from the brand or seller. Consumer protection laws in the country of sale may give buyers extra rights, but those laws generally protect buyers in that country, which makes them hard to use from Pakistan for an item bought in China. In practice, the written promise from your seller, and the platform's dispute process, are what you can actually use.

Will the brand warranty work in Pakistan for an item bought in China?

Usually not. Warranties are generally tied to the country or region where the product was sold.

Some brands run international warranty programmes for selected flagship models, which honour the warranty across a list of countries. They are the exception and usually require the product to be bought from an official channel in a listed country. If warranty matters to you, check the brand's international warranty page for your exact model, and whether China and Pakistan are on the list, before buying.

What protection do I actually have?

For most single imports, protection comes from three places:

• The seller's own warranty. Many Chinese sellers offer a repair or replacement period. It is only as good as the seller, and it usually means sending the item back to China.
• Platform buyer protection. Programmes such as Alibaba Trade Assurance typically cover order problems like non-delivery or an item that does not match the listing, within set time limits. They are not long-term warranties. Our guide to refunds and returns explains the windows and how disputes work.
• Repair in Pakistan. Independent repair shops and, for some brands, authorised service centres that do paid out-of-warranty repairs. Xiaomi's Pakistan notice, for example, says out-of-warranty repairs are quoted separately by its authorised service centres.

What should I agree with the seller before buying?

Since the seller is usually your only real warranty, agree the terms before you pay, in the platform chat, so there is a written record. Useful points to settle:

• Warranty length. How many months, starting from dispatch or from delivery?
• What counts as a fault. Dead on arrival, stops working, does not match the listing.
• The remedy. Repair, replacement, partial refund or full refund.
• Return shipping. Who pays the international shipping each way, and whether the seller accepts a partial refund instead of a return for low-value items.
• Evidence. What the seller needs from you to accept a claim, such as an unboxing video, a description of the fault or the serial number.

Brand terms are a useful model. Xiaomi's Pakistan warranty, for example, says that for a valid hardware defect it will repair, replace or refund the product, excluding potential shipping costs, and that a repaired product stays under warranty for the remaining period or 30 days after repair, whichever is longer. It also tells customers to back up data and remove personal information before handing a device in. Asking a seller for similar commitments in writing is reasonable.

How much does it cost to send an item back to China?

More than most people expect. A return is an international shipment from Pakistan, paid at courier rates for a single parcel, and the seller rarely covers it for a warranty claim. For a low-cost gadget, the return shipping can be more than the item is worth. Then there is the return trip from China to Pakistan after repair, which can involve customs again.

Batteries make it harder. Air rules restrict damaged and defective lithium batteries. DHL Express, for example, says defective, damaged and recalled batteries are not permitted, and that a damaged battery inside a device must be removed before the shipment is accepted. A phone or laptop with a faulty or swollen battery may simply not be returnable by air. Our guide to lithium battery shipping rules covers this.

In practice, for most items under a few thousand rupees, local repair or a partial refund agreed with the seller is more realistic than a return.

Can I get an imported item repaired in Pakistan?

Often, yes, depending on the brand and parts. Common categories such as phones, laptops, earbuds and small appliances can usually be repaired by independent shops in larger cities. Authorised service centres for brands present in Pakistan may accept paid repairs on imported units, though they are not obliged to, and parts for China-only models can be hard to find.

A few practical points make local repair easier. Keep the original charger, because some faults are really charger faults. Note the exact model code, since repair shops and parts suppliers search by code, not by marketing name. And for phones, remember that a device must be registered with PTA to work on Pakistani networks, so an unregistered phone is harder to test after a repair.

Before buying a niche product, ask yourself who would repair it. For a specialist item, such as an audiometric headset like the TDH39/DD45-type one we recently sourced from a verified Alibaba supplier, local repair options may be limited to specialist technicians, and parts often have to come from the original maker. That is worth knowing before a fault, not after.

How do I keep proof of purchase for an import?

Both warranties we read ask for purchase details. Apple says it may require proof of purchase details before service. Xiaomi's notice asks for the model, serial or IMEI number, your contact details, and a purchase order number with a copy of the original invoice or receipt. For an imported item, keep:

1. The listing. Save the product page as a PDF or screenshots, including the model, version, specifications and any warranty promise.
2. The chat. Export or screenshot the conversation where the seller confirmed the model and version.
3. The order and payment record. The order number, invoice and payment receipt.
4. The serial or IMEI. Photograph the label on the device and the box.
5. The delivery date. Warranty periods usually start from purchase or receipt, so note when it arrived.
6. Customs paperwork if any. It shows the item was legally imported, which can matter for PTA and for resale.

Store copies somewhere other than your phone, so a broken phone does not take its own proof of purchase with it.

What should I check when the item arrives?

Most platform protection windows are short, so check everything as soon as the parcel arrives, while you can still open a dispute:

• Power it on and use every main function, buttons, ports, screen, speakers and camera.
• Check the model, version and serial match the listing.
• Check the battery is not swollen or hot, and that it charges.
• Check all listed accessories are in the box.
• Record a short video of you unboxing and switching it on. It helps in any dispute with the seller.

If something is wrong, message the seller the same day with a clear description, the order number and your video, and ask for the remedy you agreed. Keep the conversation on the platform rather than moving to WhatsApp or WeChat, so the platform can see it if you need to open a dispute. Do not try to repair the item yourself while a claim is open, because opening it can void any remaining warranty.

Is buying locally better if warranty matters?

Sometimes. For an expensive item you plan to keep for years, a locally sold unit with an official Pakistan warranty can be worth paying more for. Daraz and authorised retailers sell many mainstream brands with local warranty and returns. Our comparison of Daraz vs importing from China goes through where each makes sense. Importing makes the most sense for products not sold in Pakistan at all, or where the price gap is large enough to absorb the risk of paying for a repair.

A simple way to decide: estimate what a likely repair would cost in Pakistan, such as a new battery or screen, and compare it with the saving from importing. If the saving comfortably covers one repair, importing is a reasonable bet. If the saving is small and the item is fragile, battery heavy or expensive to fix, buying locally with a warranty is often the better choice. Items with no moving parts and simple electronics, such as cables, adapters, tools and many audio products, tend to be lower risk than phones, laptops and anything with a large battery.

What are the common warranty mistakes?

• Assuming "1 year warranty" on a listing means service in Pakistan. It usually means the seller or brand in China.
• Not testing straight away. Dispute windows close, and then the only option is a costly return.
• Throwing away the box. The serial label and accessories may be needed for any claim.
• Opening the device. Both warranties we read exclude damage from unauthorised repair or modification.
• Using the wrong power supply. Xiaomi's warranty excludes damage from improper voltage or power supply.

What do we provide after delivery?

We are an import service, not a brand or a repair centre, so we do not offer a warranty on the products we bring in. Any warranty is the one the seller or brand offers. What we do is buy the exact listing you choose and deliver it to your address in Pakistan in 7 to 15 days after the seller dispatches, for one price in rupees that you pay once before it ships. We handle one item per order only. If you are unsure whether an item is worth importing without local warranty, our guide on whether it is safe to order from China can help you decide.

Sources

• Xiaomi Pakistan warranty notice
• Apple One Year Limited Warranty (iOS devices)
• DHL Express: Lithium Batteries