Li recieves four apples and one old watch after paying 2,200 yuan for an Apple watch. Photo: screenshot of video posted by the Beijign News

A man who thought he was getting a bargain second-hand Apple watch from an online vendor harvested nothing more than some apples and an old Mickey Mouse watch. 

The bargain-hunter, surnamed Li from Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, thought he'd spotted a steal when a vendor offered an Apple smartwatch for 2,200 yuan ($310) on Xianyu, an online marketplace for used goods run by Alibaba, The Paper reported. 

But Li believed the vendor when he was told if he purchased the watch through Xianyu, where buyers have some protections, he would have to fork out an extra 300 yuan. Instead, he was persuaded to deal direct on WeChat, and agreed to transfer the cash through the Tencent platform instead. 

Two days later, Li was excited to receive his purchase, but, he told police, the package contained nothing more than four apples, one old Mickey Mouse watch and two old watchbands. 

Li tried to contact the seller on WeChat and on Xianyu, but the seller had deleted him.  

Police are investigating, but so far have been unable to trace the fraudulent vendor.

Netizens commented that online shopping is risky.