Nexus Devices: Ordering Process via Flubit

Introduction

Hello folks,

I am writing this post to give you a detailed step-by-step guide into the best process of ordering Nexus devices and accessories from Google Play. The process being described offers you the best chance (so far a known 100% success rate) of obtaining any Nexus device from Google Play until Google begin officially selling them in Ireland. Then it will be a matter of whether obtaining them from the UK is cheaper or not, as even Google's prices vary, depending on the region.

I encourage you all to fully read through this post as it will avoid the need to ask questions that have already been answered or explained. As a result, you should be able to come to an informed decision quicker. I'd also appreciate if you would not make replies in this thread as there's already an active thread for discussing the ordering process, where any questions can be answered in addition to people posting feedback of their experiences throughout and after the process, which helps to leave this thread clean so the information in this post will be easily accessible. Please also remember that when you have a question that's not covered in this post, it may already be answered in the active discussion thread, so it's a good idea to read back a few pages from the end to see if the information you want is there. Or, use the in-thread search box!

Following the instructions in this post will enable you to get a brand-new Nexus device or accessory directly from Google Play without you placing the order directly with them. An intermediary (a company called Flubit) is used to place the order on your behalf. However, your product will ship directly to you from Google as though you ordered it yourself and Flubit will never need to touch it along the way. The added benefit is that Flubit place the order using their account and there is no scrutiny into your credentials and location, so your order will not be canceled as a result and you will not have to wait for Google's authorization or hold for the funds on your bank or credit card account to become available to you again upon a calcellation. There are other benefits to using Flubit, which I will outline below. But, in the meantime, don't worry, Flubit are aware of the demand for Google Play products in Ireland and are happy to take any orders for the same that come their way. Their customer service also rates much higher than Google's. Trust me on that one, or ask around, as this method should be crowed "Boardies Method of Choice 2013" or another similar coveted title!


Before you order, you will need:
- A Flubit account
- A Parcel Motel account
- A PayPal account

What you will not need:
- TunnelBear or any type of VPN
- To be deceptive to Google about your location
- To change your bank account or credit card's billing address to a UK one


Companies Background Info

Flubit:
Flubit is a company that allows you to place demands on items you wish to purchase. Their business, based in the UK, was founded so that you could "demand" a better "offer" on items you want to buy (currently only for UK-based retailers). The Irish Times has given them and Parcel Motel a mention here. But for us in Ireland who are ordering from a UK-restricted seller, it serves this purpose in addition to the one mentioned in the paragraph above. For example, this is how it worked for me: a Nexus 4 8GB costs £239 on Google Play + £9.99 for shipping, totaling £248.99. My demand with Flubit reciprocated an offer of £226.30 + £9.99 for shipping, totaling £236.29. That's a 6% saving of £12.70. The offers are bespoke so everybody will get a different figure, but they will be within the same ballpark. Once the order is purchased, Fireworks Merchant (Flubit's order fulfillment/supplier subsidiary) handle matters from that point. Any queries about your order are best directed at them.

Parcel Motel:
As mentioned above, Flubit will happily serve customers in Ireland but they are only currently able to deliver within the UK. This is where Parcel Motel comes in, and Flubit are officially marketing it as a method for us Irish customers to get stuff cheaper from the UK through them. They are a company with the great idea to take your deliveries in and store them in a [url=https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/151047/251953.jpg[/url] for you at a very low cost, available for 24-hour collection. When you sign up, you will get a unique PMID (Parcel Motel ID) and be given two addresses, one in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland (Newtownabbey). You will be needing the latter. The address should be prefixed with your name, followed by your unique PMID. You should take the time now to designate your preferred motel for delivery. They have several locations around Ireland and are constantly adding new ones, so wherever you are, you shouldn't be ages away from your closest location. At the time of writing, your first two "stays" are free, as they give you €7.00 account credit when you sign up. Each stay costs only €3.50 and gives you 48 hours to collect your parcel before an additional €3.50 is required for up further 48 hours or part thereof. Use of the telephone and minibar will cost extra!

PayPal:
PayPal is the most popular online payment solution, accepted by many online retailers all around the world. Using it has the big advantage of the retailer never getting hold of your credit/debit card details, but instead, PayPal will simply transfer the money from your account to their PayPal account. If you don't have a PayPal account yet, you will be needing one, as Flubit uses it as their checkout and they will require immediate payment upon ordering. You should set one up and add your debit and/or credit card to it. It's as safe as it gets, so don't hold back! It is not necessary and ill-advised to add your Parcel Motel shipping address at this point. In the ordering instructions below, I have mentioned when it is best to do that.



Google Play Product Links

Below is a list of links to all the Google Nexus products and accessories currently available on Google Play. Please note that the products' respective prices and links are current at the time of posting. Each price also has a link to its current conversion from GBP to Euro on XE.com.

Nexus 4:
8GB - £239.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb
16GB - £279.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_16gb
Wired Headset with Microphone - £15.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Wired_Headset_with_Microphone?id=nexus_4_headset&feature=accessories
Bumper (Black) - £15.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Bumper_Black?id=nexus_4_bumper_black&feature=accessories
Power Adapter - £12.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Power_Adapter?id=nexus_4_charger&feature=accessories
Micro USB Cable - £9.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_Micro_USB_Cable?id=nexus_4_usb_cable&feature=accessories

Nexus 7:
16GB - £159.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb
32GB - £199.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb
32GB HSPA - £239.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb_hspa
Dock - £24.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_7_Dock?id=nexus_7_dock&feature=accessories
Cover (Dark Gray) - £15.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_7_Cover_Dark_Gray?id=nexus_7_cover_hspa_darkgrey&feature=accessories
Cover (Pink) - £15.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_7_Cover_Pink?id=nexus_7_cover_hspa_pink&feature=accessories
Cover (Light Blue) - £15.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_7_Cover_Light_Blue?id=nexus_7_cover_hspa_blue&feature=accessories

Nexus 10:
16GB - £319.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_10_16gb
32GB - £389.00: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_10_32gb
Cover (Dark Gray) - £24.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_10_Cover_Dark_Grey?id=nexus_10_cover_gray&feature=accessories
Cover (Scarlet) - £24.99: https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_10_Cover_Scarlet?id=nexus_10_cover_scarlet&feature=accessories

The prices quoted above are Google Play's prices and do not include the £9.99 shipping for devices and £5.99 shipping for accessories. If you make the purchase with Flubit, you can expect a saving on the above prices.



Ordering Instructions

1. You've registed on Parcel Motel, so you should have your PMID and two addresses to where you ship your deliveries to. You will be needing the Northern Ireland address.

2. Pick one of the products above and head over to Flubit. Paste it into the textbox that's front and center on their site to enter a demand for it. If you're ordering multiple products, you will need to repeat the same process, as Flubit deals with demands by the individual product only.

3. You will be shown a window where it will ask you a few questions about your demand. At this point, if you're buying a Nexus device, it might be a good idea to add a "Size" option with the capacity in GB (Gigabytes). This will clear up any doubt into the exact model that you're interested in.

4. Once the demand process is complete, you will be told that they will get back to you within 48 hours. This is the limit of how long you should wait, but more often than not, they should have an offer back to you much sooner.

5. Once your offer comes in and you're happy to proceed, a PayPal window will appear. From here you should add the Parcel Motel shipping address in Northern Ireland (remember to prefix it with your name and PMID, as mentioned above, or Parcel Motel will not know who it's for once it arrives). You will not have enough text fields to fit the whole address, therefore, it's recommended to combine your PMID line with the "Parcel Motel" line (see screen shot below). You can then proceed to confirm your payment.


Optimal PayPal Address Format




Order Complete

You're all done, all you can do now is wait. Unfortunately, Google is terrible when it comes to order fulfillment and whether you order with them directly or you use Flubit, you could be waiting anywhere in the region of 1-3 weeks for your device to ship (especially true of the Nexus 4, where the demand is the greatest). If you contact Fireworks Merchant about your order, if it hasn't shipped by the first week, they will keep you posted. Flubit's/Fireworks' customer service is top-notch and I can personally say that they have been a pleasure to deal with. You will find others around here with similar opinions.



Further Reading

PayPal and Exchange Rates

It's a good idea if you don't use PayPal's exchange rates, as they are a complete rip-off. Let them bill you in GBP and your bank will determine the rate. It will work out better for you that way. Unfortunately, PayPal's default setting is to use their exchange rates, so you will have to change it if you want to save a little bit of money.

To do this, you need to purchase something on else PayPal, as due to the unique way in which Flubit utilizes the PayPal API, the option I'm about to mention doesn't show up on Flubit's shopping cart. You will need to make a dummy purchase elsewhere. I used this product just so I could make the change. When it brings you to the next screen after you login, you will see an option (see screen shot below) to change your conversion options. This is a global change affecting all of your purchases going forward. Once done, just close out of the window and forget the dummy purchase. When making your purchase on Flubit, you will only see the GBP price on PayPal and you will not know the exact charge in Euro until the purchase makes it onto your bank statement.


(this isn't mine - I found it on Google Images)


Shipping

Once your order ships and you've received confirmation of this along with a UTi tracking number, it should then take 3-4 days to get to your designated motel. Sometimes it's possible to receive a shipping notification without a tracking number. The best thing to do is either wait for Flubit/Fireworks to send you a tracking number when it becomes available to them or to contact Fireworks Merchant and ask for it (citing your order number).

Day 1:
It leaves Google, but nothing much else happens. Your UTi tracking number or information may not be live yet, either.

Day 2:
It will take a flight from Birmingham to Dublin (that's right, I said Dublin!). Your UTi tracking information should be live now.

Day 3:
It will be driven up to Northern Ireland by GLS and arrive at the Parcel Motel depot by that afternoon.

Once your parcel it hits Dublin, UTi will not track it any further. You will need to take the DIR number from your tracking page and put it into Parcel Force to track it to Northern Ireland. However, that tracking might not become active until the night of the second day. On the third day, when it reaches Parcel Motel in Northern Ireland, you will not receive a notification from Parcel Motel about its arrival but you can log into your Parcel Motel web panel to keep tabs on it once it gets logged into the system, which usually occurs within a few hours after midday. They'll even take a photograph of the parcel and post a link to it on your web panel, so you can stare at it while you anxiously wait!

Then, within a few hours, usually before 3pm, it will be put into a van and depending on where you live in Ireland, it could arrive at your designated motel by that night or very early the next morning. You will then be notified by Parcel Motel via text* and email that your item is ready for collection and additionally, they will send you a PIN number that will be required to open your motel's locker.

* Normally you will not receive texts at night time, should your parcel arrive during the small hours. However, I'm not sure if the text will come in after the small hours are out. You can change the "Mobile Availability" in your Parcel Motel settings so it will text around the clock or you can specify a different set of hours for your willingness to receive texts. The email notification is not affected.


Returns and Collections

There's one more huge advantage of ordering with Flubit. It's if something goes wrong with your device, what do you do? Normally, if you ordered it directly from Google Play Store, you dig through the support area for contradicting information about how to get the RMA process going. Once you've done that, Google will e-mail you a link to a shopping cart with your replacement device. You will need to purchase the replacement, like normal, and they will put an authorization/hold on your card while the replacement order processes and ships. However, if you're familiar with ordering from Google, you know they can cancel your order without giving you a solid reason for doing so. It is likely that when they perform routine checks on the real billing address on your card, it does not match the shipping address, even if you have made arrangements with your bank to add Parcel Motel Northern Ireland as an authorized address. It's hit and miss and if you were lucky when you got your device order through successfully, they can still cancel your replacement order. There are people here whose RMAs are in limbo as a result and it can take weeks of emails and calls for Google to eventually give in.

If your replacement order is successful, once it arrives, you will have 21 days to return the defective device. They provide you with a bag and a pre-paid delivery docket with TNT, so you can arrange collection from your home or drop it into your nearest depot. In the case of the Nexus 4, the device ships to LG in Poland. Difficulties can arise from this as TNT will not collect from Ireland if they are aware of that, as when you do the math, the UK, Ireland, and Poland, there is one variable too many in the mix. They will refuse to ship a consignment from Ireland using Google's UK TNT account to Poland. If it was just being shipped back to the UK, sure, but when there's three countries involved, things get difficult. When arranging a collection with TNT, you could just omit any knowledge of the device going to a country besides the UK and they should pick it up. However, if that doesn't work, good luck explaining that to Google's American-based customer care call center that need to assign every issue to a "specialist" that will get back to you in "24 hours." I heard a rumor once that they even need a specialist to wipe their own asses! However, all going well and they receive the defective device within the 21 days allowed, they should remove the authorization/hold on your account (but it can still take a week or two from there before the bank makes the funds available to you again).

If you bought your device with Flubit, Fireworks Merchant will deal with Google (as it was purchased with their account, even if it was on your behalf) to get your replacement out to you as quickly as possible with their account being liable for the authorization/hold. There is no worries about cancellations and if anything crops up on their end between them and Google, they will sort it for you by doing all of the hard work. You will still have 21 days to return the defective device. If getting TNT to collect the device fails due to the same reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph, no problem, call Flubit and they'll happily allow you to mail it to them so they can call TNT and have them collect it from their offices. No specialists. No crap. They'll even reimburse the postage cost.



Finally

I have been through three orders with Flubit for Google Play products. My first was a Nexus 4 that I ordered on March 26th and arrived on April 11th. It broke down after the first hour. My second was the replacement Nexus 4 and arrived on April 17th. I have it beside me now in full working order. My third was the official Nexus 4 bumper case that I ordered on April 9th and arrived on April 23rd. I've been through the ordering and RMA process so I can testify to the quality of service and the ease of using them over Google Play directly. The delays between ordering and shipping are the fault of Google. It would be just as bad if you ordered from them directly.

If you have any questions, please check out the active thread that I mentioned already and keep this thread clean of any replies.


Best of luck!
(not that you will need it!)