cok9, below are some tips that'll help you with your buying decision.
Should you buy directly from DJI?
When you
buy directly from DJI, you won't pay tax and shipping is free. If you're in the US, DJI ships many Phantoms directly from California. Phantoms that are shipped from China still arrive fairly quickly too. I've received many shipments that came from China in as little as 4 business days after ordering.
When shopping in DJI's store, you can see the estimated date when your Phantom will be shipped. Those dates are usually pretty accurate during times when DJI is not having big sales. If you're thinking of buying from DJI, head over to the
DJI Store to check out the estimated ship dates.
Who else can you buy from?
There are many companies reselling DJI products. If you choose to buy from a company other than DJI, make sure the seller is reputable. If you have any trouble with the delivery of your Phantom, you want to make sure it's easy to return it. Here are a few good places to purchase a Phantom:
- Amazon (make sure it's an Amazon Prime deal or shipped by Amazon)
- Apple or Best Buy (you can pick it up in person, but you'll pay tax)
- An authorized DJI dealer (many are selling on Amazon)
Note: If you plan on purchasing from Amazon, you can find a list of the best deals that are shipped by Amazon here:
Buy A DJI Phantom (Deals Updated Daily)
Why buy from Amazon?
Here's why many people are buying Phantoms
on Amazon:
- Get free shipping and pay no tax. Most sellers offer free shipping and do not charge tax (unless you live in the same state).
- Amazon has a 30-day no hassle return policy. If you buy a Phantom from Amazon and Amazon ships it (they ship all Phantoms marked as "Fulfilled by Amazon" or "Prime"), you'll have 30-days to return your Phantom if it does not arrive as expected, it does not power up, etc. And, it's a no hassle return policy. Just ship everything back to Amazon via their paid shipping label, and they will refund your full purchase.
- Amazon ships fast. If you buy a Phantom via Amazon Prime, you can get it delivered in as little as 2 business days. Amazon delivers packages on Sunday too (via USPS).
As noted above, make sure the item shows "Fulfilled by Amazon" or "Prime" -- like this:
Who should you NOT buy a Phantom from?
Be careful when buying from unknown sellers on eBay, Craiglist, or unfamiliar websites that are listing deals that sound too good to be true. Amazon usually has the best prices available, so double the prices
on Amazon so you can get an idea of the current price for Phantoms.
Phantom 3 Cases
It's a great idea to buy a hard case to store your Phantom. It'll be protected and easily transportable when you're ready to head out to your favorite flying site. If you're looking for a high quality case that has plenty of room for accessories, then check out the
Go Professional hard case (my favorite) and the
Microraptor Pro hard case. To see what else is available, you can find a complete list of commonly used Phantom cases
here.