Really? I don't know anything about shipping, but how are sellers able to offer free shipping?
To be honest though, I just want an excuse to get the red one because the black one was the only one on sale a couple of days ago so I could only go for that. I like the red color and not the black that much. Now that the red one is available and cheaper I want to get that.
The way I understand it, shipping OUT of China is subsidized heavily by the Chinese govt (and possibly even export shipping is somehow completely paid for by the Chinese govt). Likewise, it's my understanding that there's some sort of hefty tariff imposed on products coming INTO China.
Where in the chain that "tariff" is imposed, and how it is done so is unknown to me. It may be in the form of taxes built into fixed shipping costs (ie shipping goods FROM the US TO China for example). When you buy fuel in the US (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc), all of the govt taxes and fees are already "built into" the cost. So if you go to your local US post office and want to ship something TO China, it's likely there's other stuff "built into" the shipping price than just transportation/fuel/handling costs.
This "cheap OUT, expensive IN" reality is demonstrated in the ridiculous shipping costs TO China if you've ever checked. For example, if I buy a computer mouse for $3usd, that price INCLUDES shipping from China to the US. Sure, manufacturing costs in China are ridiculously cheap, so let's say the COST of the mouse is $0.50usd, there's $0.50usd profit, and $2usd packaging and shipping costs. If that $3 mouse turns out to be defective, it will cost me approximately
$25-$30 dollars to ship it BACK to China using the cheapest method offered by the US Post Office (despite being ridiculously lightweight and small).
Basically the Chinese govt wants to keep products flowing OUT of China, because it benefits the Chinese GDP (in other words, to keep the wheels of industry in motion). But in general they want to discourage products importing INTO China.
This is generally known as a "protectionism" policy. Just about every country with a large economy does it. The US does it this with the import of pick-up trucks. It's called the "Chicken Tax" (yes I know you're thinking "what on earth do chickens have to do with pick-up trucks haha), but it's very interesting reading if you Google "Chicken Tax" sometime.
Anyways, I'm not exactly sure all of the nitty gritty behind-the-scene nuts and bolts of the Chinese import shipping stuff, but it's very much politically-driven. I am also 100% unsure if there is some sort of tax or import/customs "duty" that is also beared by the Chinese recipient of packages (ie the Chinese seller in the case of returning defective goods). I think there must be some sort of (let's call it) "discouragement" on the part of the Chinese govt (again, to discourage products flowing into China), because very often Chinese sellers REFUSE product returns when delivery is attempted (even if they agreed with you to have you "send the defective item back")
That's why more often that not sellers just refund your money and/or just ship you a replacement when there's defective products involved.
Be aware this is just what I've read coupled with what I've personally experienced/gathered in 20 years in dealings with Chinese and Taiwanese products (including some limited import/export business years ago). I could be mistaken on some of the "behind the scenes" reasons and goings on because I don't live in China nor run a business in China. Also be aware that I'm talking about "Chinese sellers"
generically, NOT about Gearbest in particular. Gearbest has excellent return policies and customer service in general (that does't mean you don't have to pay shipping back to them for defective or returned products).
If someone who is more informed than me (such as a Chinese business owner, an expert in Chinese economics, importer/exporter, or someone living in China that understand how all of this works), I'd love to hear a more accurate explanation.
