Buying a smartphone isn’t easy these days. After months of careful consideration, I overcame my analysis paralysis and went with the OnePlus...
Buying a smartphone isn’t easy these days. After months of careful consideration, I overcame my analysis paralysis and went with the OnePlus 3. But as soon as I purchased it, I realized that I need to not only protect the phone from an accidental drop but also enhance it. Using accessories. While buying accessories might not be as stressful as buying a smartphone (mostly because most of them don’t cost that much), it’s still a decision that requires some forethought.
Naturally, we’d suggest you look at the online shopping arena rather than go hunting at the local hardware store. There are plenty of options to look at, from cool phone cases, to funky battery packs, to a whole lot more.
Rather than picking accessories that might be great today but useless tomorrow, why not give you pointers that you need to keep in mind while buying these? So, here’s our list of things to note while investing your hard earned money in smartphone accessories.
1. Features Can be Exaggerated
Smartphone accessories can be generally categorized as active and passive. Passive accessories are those that don’t really have functionality – like a phone cover or a skin. You just put those on and that’s it. Active accessories like Bluetooth earphones, camera lenses etc., are the ones that need more scrutiny.
Like a Bluetooth speaker is usually used to amplify the sound of anything you’re listening too. Some of these speakers also double-up as docks, which can charge your phone when it’s plugged into the dock. But, is that feature really that important to you? Read the features carefully, compare it to the competition’s and then decide if those features really stand out for you to make an informed decision.
If not, then it’s best to go with your gut feeling. A known brand with a good track record is what you should ideally aim for anyway, the features are good to have, but not necessary.
2. Quality Lies in the Details
There are some accessories that will cost you very little but the features usually attract customers to purchase these accessories even when the accessories are not branded or trusted. You need to make sure that the accessory is branded or semi-branded and durable.
Features will not be of any use if the accessory does not have the advantage of quality and durability.
This is another important aspect while choosing mobile accessories.
3. Warranty & Product Return
Warranty will give you an assurance of product durability. The suitability of the product purchase is usually determined by its cost and quality but another most important thing is return policy of the product. Every product has a different return policy as per company’s terms.
Therefore, you need to check the return policy of company before you make your decision.
4. Price Drop Websites Can Help Save Money
The online shopping arcade is vast, convenient and can also help you save some money. There are several tools and add-ons for browsers that help you alert when prices of a particular product has dropped. This is important to remember because the accessories market is run on confusing margins, so price changes are frequent.
We’ve covered some of these tools in the past and it would make more sense to go through them rather than we writing about these again.
5. User Friendly
Along with price and quality, checking for user-friendly features of a product has its significant impact on making a decision to buy. For instance, a smart watch cannot be called smart if it does not have user-friendly product design and features. A USB pen drive with an additional feature of key chain holder, adds convenience to carry.
Whether it is basic or additional feature, a user-friendly product saves time and adds value to money.
Ready to Buy?
We hope this quick and easy guide was helpful for you to make a more informed decision. Whether you want to buy a selfie stick or a tempered glass protection, that’s your call. But with the help of this guide you can choose the right accessory, at the right price and from the right brand.
If you still have any questions, then do post them in our comments section. We’d love to hear from ya!
ALSO READ: How to Get Bluetooth Calls and Music in an Older Car
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