I was looking around the prices on Lazada and DirectD and was wondering what is the preference of folks these days when it comes to buying new phones. Do you guys usually buy online or visit a physical shop such as DirectD or any phone shop located at ground floor shophouses? Which option is supposed to offer a lower price for the phone, buying online or driving to the shop to purchase?

I was looking at the prices for Xiaomi Max 2 for the past few weeks and the price seems to be fluctuating on Lazada. About 2 weeks ago the price was below RM1000, about RM900+ which is the lowest I have seen up to date. Lately the price was hovering around RM1064 to RM1069 at their lowest, on Lazada. On the other hand, DirectD's price is RM1099 when I checked today. As the prices on Lazada are fluctuating and doesn't seem to be fixed, the lowest price cannot be determined as it changes throughout the weeks.

Back to the question of buying pattern of smartphones these days, is online purchase or driving to a physical shop the preference these days? Which option is supposed to give a lower price?

Thanks for the responses guys. Similarly I am a physical shop guy and rarely do online purchasing. I am aware about this warranty stuff though it's confusing as those who bought from Lazada mentioned the items are still covered under warranty and stuff and all the talk about AP and original set.

Brycen Man - your point is well noted. I don't even have an account with Lazada but was curious about all those who bought from the website claiming the lower price when compared to buying from shops and stuff. Think I'll just drop the idea as I am, after all, a physical shop guy.

Slick69 - I may have couple of hundred ringgit to spare for peace of mind with legitimate warranty though I wouldn't want to buy something that's overpriced if everything remains similar. For example Shop A and Shop B (or perhaps Shop C) are offering the same item with the same warranty cover but Shop A is selling at RM1000, Shop B RM950 and Shop C RM900. Although the difference may be RM50, it is still a quite a bit of money there. Worth slightly more than a full tank of petrol when people are speculating about the prices of petrol going up or down throughout the weeks to maximise the gains!

In summary, I am looking at a physical shop now but one which sells at the lowest price. Is Direct D the one?

I meant to say *half tank of petrol.