Explaining the red flags to avoid when purchasing a Xiaomi Electric Scooter. How to protect yourself and ensure that you are buying an authentic, real product.
Xiaomi being one of the world's leading electric scooter brands continually provides users with minimalist designs and affordable prices, without sacrificing the quality of their products. In light of this, it is no surprise that due to the high demand of these electric scooters, that there has been a surge in the number of fake Xiaomi electric scooters on the market. Unfortunately it is difficult to tell if the product is real or not until you receive it, as companies selling fake e-scooters tend to use images from legitimate online retailers or from Xiaomi's online marketing.
To prevent yourself from falling into this trap, the first thing to look out for is the cost of the e-scooter. If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is. The market value of Xiaomi Electric Scooters is between £384.99 - £594.99, prices below this may lead to questions about authenticity. Another point to consider is that the stem of the scooter has the orange ‘MI’ logo followed by the ‘Mi.com’ in a grey colour, which you typically would not find on a fake; however companies producing fake scooters could begin adding these.
Xiaomi electric scooters have authentic serial numbers. Although to check this you would need to inspect the e-scooter closely in person. The image attached above displays the location of the serial number / the typical format you should expect to see this in.
To an extent, the box can be a useful indicator of a products authenticity. For example, if it holds extensive details on the front, such as a hazmat warning for the battery; then it is most likely real. The box colour is important to take note of, real Xiaomi electric scooters should arrive in a white box, except the Xiaomi Mi M365 Essential scooter, which is brown as displayed above. Then again, fake electric scooters can often be placed into the real Xiaomi boxes as well.
Another useful tactic to employ before purchasing is to contact the seller directly and ask them what app connects to the electric scooter? (Hopefully they tell you the truth). Should the e-scooter not be compatible with the Xiaomi home app, then you can guarantee that it is a fake. Usually fake companies will utilise apps such as MiniRobot, which is a generic scooter app.
Have you recently bought a Xiaomi product online? To check the authenticity, begin inspecting the look and feel of the scooter. Questions we recommend asking:
Does the bell work?
How does the LED display work?
Do the handle bar covers stay on?
Does the brake have a disk mechanism? If it has a spring mechanism then it is most likely a fake.
To deconstruct the information above, here are the key points to have in mind before purchasing:
- Price
- Deck logo
- Stem logo
- Box print
- Working bell/led display/handlebar covers
- Disc brake mechanism
- App compatibility
Finally, to ensure you purchase a legitimate product you can find our selection of Xiaomi products through our website. Here at Electric Travels we provide full authenticity on all products, along with a 2-year warranty and UK plugs with your Electric Scooter.
Our Xiaomi Products:
Mi M365 Essential Electric Scooter
Mi M365 Pro 2 Electric Scooter
Why buy from ET?
All our electric scooters are UK stocked and come with full manufacturer warranties – no cheap and nasty knockoffs! But don’t take our word for it: Trust Pilot attests to our happy customers.
We’ve partnered with DPD to bring you rapid, reliable delivery. Orders placed before 2pm are eligible for free next day delivery. Or, simply pick a time and place that suits you. Tracking info is provided the moment your electric scooter leaves our warehouse.
We accept all major credit cards and Paypal - with the option to pay over three interest-free instalments. Less hassle, more scooting!
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