Advice - buying 1st smartphone on contract

catzooo · 13-08-2011, 19:43

I am looking to upgrade from an old PAYG to my 1st smartphone,
either a Samsung galaxy 2 or a HTS sensation.
I have been out today, visited the local phone shops to compare prices.
But, it seems there are much better deals to be had by buying online, Looking at t-mobile on the £25 per month to get the un limited internet usage, In store I would have to pay at least £100 for the phone, whereas on line I can get the phone for free with the same £25 per month package.
How does this work?
What are the benefits/drawbacks of buying in a real store vs online?
Confused...

i9100 · 13-08-2011, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by catzooo

I am looking to upgrade from an old PAYG to my 1st smartphone,
either a Samsung galaxy 2 or a HTS sensation.
I have been out today, visited the local phone shops to compare prices.
But, it seems there are much better deals to be had by buying online, Looking at t-mobile on the £25 per month to get the un limited internet usage, In store I would have to pay at least £100 for the phone, whereas on line I can get the phone for free with the same £25 per month package.
How does this work?
What are the benefits/drawbacks of buying in a real store vs online?
Confused...

Rent, electricity, staffing which includes pay and commision and so on in a retail store.

Online you have to post the phone back if you're returning it, retail you walk in but here's the thing most operator retail stores will deal with you even if you ordered online, esp. for repairs or tariff queries.

Not sure about carphone warehouse (I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole) and phones4u wouldn't help me instore when I bought a phone off their website.

I tend to recommend using using the networks themselves to get phones, why use a middle man.

catzooo · 13-08-2011, 20:43

Thanks. The phones4u shop staff were rather sniffy with me when I said better deals were available online. In carphone warehouse I stood around poking the display phones for 5 minutes and nobody came to ask if I needed help. Was a good opportunity to see the phones working - they were't powered up in the other stores I went in.

Deals from online retailers such as buymobilephones.net and mobiles.co.uk are much cheaper (free phone) - would I still be able to get help in a T-mobile shop if there was a problem with an on-line t-mobile deal?

i9100 · 13-08-2011, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by catzooo

Thanks. The phones4u shop staff were rather sniffy with me when I said better deals were available online. In carphone warehouse I stood around poking the display phones for 5 minutes and nobody came to ask if I needed help. Was a good opportunity to see the phones working - they were't powered up in the other stores I went in.

Deals from online retailers such as buymobilephones.net and mobiles.co.uk are much cheaper (free phone) - would I still be able to get help in a T-mobile shop if there was a problem with an on-line t-mobile deal?

Only if you get the deal from T-Mobile themselves, otherwise your obliged to go back to the seller.

Harry Boat · 13-08-2011, 21:03

I normally deal with the networks direct as well, but through a Cashback site. You can get over £100 cash back on new contracts, and you're getting the same deals as if you were to visit the network's site direct.

catzooo · 13-08-2011, 21:09

oooh yes. thank you. I have found..
T-Mobile, £121.20 cash back! www.topcashback.co.uk/tmobile/
need to investigate this further...

stephen122333 · 13-08-2011, 21:19

it is the same to buying anything onlive V high street, on the high street it is easier to get help, replaced and no delivery time/dates/locations to worry about but online it will be cheaper.
I have also brought from the network online and never had any trouble (fingers crossed and touch wood)

i9100 · 13-08-2011, 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by catzooo

oooh yes. thank you. I have found..
T-Mobile, £121.20 cash back! www.topcashback.co.uk/tmobile/
need to investigate this further...

tinstaafl

catzooo · 13-08-2011, 21:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by i9100

tinstaafl

Had to go google that!
I guess you're right.

grumpyoldbat · 13-08-2011, 22:14

Yeah, if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

davethorp · 14-08-2011, 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by i9100

phones4u wouldn't help me instore when I bought a phone off their website

Course they wouldn't. Most phones4u drones are programmed to leap on you to try and sell you something within 2 seconds of you entering the store. Any other queries are not understood

call100 · 14-08-2011, 10:58

If you have a phone on O2 you can use the O2 Guru in store for help wherever you got the phone from....Only useful if you want a phone on O2 of course....

That Bloke · 14-08-2011, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by catzooo

Had to go google that!
I guess you're right.

Topcashback are perfectly reputable although I tend to use quidco.

A lot of people are sceptical because they don't realise how much money there can be in referral links and think that (using this example) that t-mobile are paying out £120 that they don't have to. That isn't the case though. If you'd gone through a price comparison website to t-mobile to make the purchase then that comparison site would take the £120 because they referred you.

This is why there are so many phone comparison sites and phone review sites on the internet - there's real money to be made out of them (same for insurance and energy comparison sites).

However, you DO need to understand that the cashback isn't guaranteed and can take several months to come through. Make sure you look at the tracking rate (how often a purchase made through the cashback site tracks) and the payment rate (how often the payment is actually made) along with how long it takes to track and to pay.

Having said that, I've been using quidco for 6 years now and have quite a lot of money back from them (I think it's around £2000 now) and, in effect, it's "free money" as I only use them to make purchases I would have made anyway. Don't get drawn into going for one deal instead of another just because of the cashback (unless the risk / reward balance makes it worth it. For instance I'd never take an insurance policy costing £100 more than another on the basis it pays £150 cashback, but I probably would go for one costing a fiver or a tenner more if the cashback was at that level.

catzooo · 14-08-2011, 13:03

Thanks for explaining how the cashback isites work

13-08-2011, 19:43	#1
catzooo Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 324	Advice - buying 1st smartphone on contract I am looking to upgrade from an old PAYG to my 1st smartphone, either a Samsung galaxy 2 or a HTS sensation. I have been out today, visited the local phone shops to compare prices. But, it seems there are much better deals to be had by buying online, Looking at t-mobile on the £25 per month to get the un limited internet usage, In store I would have to pay at least £100 for the phone, whereas on line I can get the phone for free with the same £25 per month package. How does this work? What are the benefits/drawbacks of buying in a real store vs online? Confused...

13-08-2011, 20:19	#2
i9100 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12	Quote: Originally Posted by catzooo I am looking to upgrade from an old PAYG to my 1st smartphone, either a Samsung galaxy 2 or a HTS sensation. I have been out today, visited the local phone shops to compare prices. But, it seems there are much better deals to be had by buying online, Looking at t-mobile on the £25 per month to get the un limited internet usage, In store I would have to pay at least £100 for the phone, whereas on line I can get the phone for free with the same £25 per month package. How does this work? What are the benefits/drawbacks of buying in a real store vs online? Confused... Rent, electricity, staffing which includes pay and commision and so on in a retail store. Online you have to post the phone back if you're returning it, retail you walk in but here's the thing most operator retail stores will deal with you even if you ordered online, esp. for repairs or tariff queries. Not sure about carphone warehouse (I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole) and phones4u wouldn't help me instore when I bought a phone off their website. I tend to recommend using using the networks themselves to get phones, why use a middle man.

13-08-2011, 20:43	#3
catzooo Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 324	Thanks. The phones4u shop staff were rather sniffy with me when I said better deals were available online. In carphone warehouse I stood around poking the display phones for 5 minutes and nobody came to ask if I needed help. Was a good opportunity to see the phones working - they were't powered up in the other stores I went in. Deals from online retailers such as buymobilephones.net and mobiles.co.uk are much cheaper (free phone) - would I still be able to get help in a T-mobile shop if there was a problem with an on-line t-mobile deal?

13-08-2011, 20:48	#4
i9100 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12	Quote: Originally Posted by catzooo Thanks. The phones4u shop staff were rather sniffy with me when I said better deals were available online. In carphone warehouse I stood around poking the display phones for 5 minutes and nobody came to ask if I needed help. Was a good opportunity to see the phones working - they were't powered up in the other stores I went in. Deals from online retailers such as buymobilephones.net and mobiles.co.uk are much cheaper (free phone) - would I still be able to get help in a T-mobile shop if there was a problem with an on-line t-mobile deal? Only if you get the deal from T-Mobile themselves, otherwise your obliged to go back to the seller.

13-08-2011, 21:03	#5
Harry Boat Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 351	I normally deal with the networks direct as well, but through a Cashback site. You can get over £100 cash back on new contracts, and you're getting the same deals as if you were to visit the network's site direct.

13-08-2011, 21:09	#6
catzooo Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 324	oooh yes. thank you. I have found.. T-Mobile, £121.20 cash back! www.topcashback.co.uk/tmobile/ need to investigate this further...

13-08-2011, 21:19	#7
stephen122333 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London Posts: 835	it is the same to buying anything onlive V high street, on the high street it is easier to get help, replaced and no delivery time/dates/locations to worry about but online it will be cheaper. I have also brought from the network online and never had any trouble (fingers crossed and touch wood)

13-08-2011, 21:33	#8
i9100 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12	Quote: Originally Posted by catzooo oooh yes. thank you. I have found.. T-Mobile, £121.20 cash back! www.topcashback.co.uk/tmobile/ need to investigate this further... tinstaafl

13-08-2011, 21:44	#9
catzooo Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 324	Quote: Originally Posted by i9100 tinstaafl Had to go google that! I guess you're right.

13-08-2011, 22:14	#10
grumpyoldbat Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3,636	Yeah, if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

14-08-2011, 00:58	#11
davethorp Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Preston, Lancashire Posts: 7,255	Quote: Originally Posted by i9100 phones4u wouldn't help me instore when I bought a phone off their website Course they wouldn't. Most phones4u drones are programmed to leap on you to try and sell you something within 2 seconds of you entering the store. Any other queries are not understood

14-08-2011, 10:58	#12
call100 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 6,572	If you have a phone on O2 you can use the O2 Guru in store for help wherever you got the phone from....Only useful if you want a phone on O2 of course....

14-08-2011, 12:41	#13
That Bloke Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Manchester Posts: 5,840	Quote: Originally Posted by catzooo Had to go google that! I guess you're right. Topcashback are perfectly reputable although I tend to use quidco. A lot of people are sceptical because they don't realise how much money there can be in referral links and think that (using this example) that t-mobile are paying out £120 that they don't have to. That isn't the case though. If you'd gone through a price comparison website to t-mobile to make the purchase then that comparison site would take the £120 because they referred you. This is why there are so many phone comparison sites and phone review sites on the internet - there's real money to be made out of them (same for insurance and energy comparison sites). However, you DO need to understand that the cashback isn't guaranteed and can take several months to come through. Make sure you look at the tracking rate (how often a purchase made through the cashback site tracks) and the payment rate (how often the payment is actually made) along with how long it takes to track and to pay. Having said that, I've been using quidco for 6 years now and have quite a lot of money back from them (I think it's around £2000 now) and, in effect, it's "free money" as I only use them to make purchases I would have made anyway. Don't get drawn into going for one deal instead of another just because of the cashback (unless the risk / reward balance makes it worth it. For instance I'd never take an insurance policy costing £100 more than another on the basis it pays £150 cashback, but I probably would go for one costing a fiver or a tenner more if the cashback was at that level.

14-08-2011, 13:03	#14
catzooo Forum Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 324	Thanks for explaining how the cashback isites work

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Advice - buying 1st smartphone on contract