[kev s148]

i brought a back up phone from car phone warehouse a nokia 2630 it was £35 inc a £10 top up
when i got the phone there was no top up voucher with it so i rang them i was on the phone for about 5 minutes only to be told that it takes 8 days for the top up to go on
which i was not happy about because i had not been told this when i brought the phone but i thought i would wait and see what would happen

well 8 days past and guess what yes no top up so i rang again and i was on hold for more than 5 minutes and gave up as it was costing me to ring them

now 14 days have passed and i have just got of the phone only to be told they will have to submit the request for the top up again this could take up to 10 working days

i was on the phone again for about 5 minutes when i asked if i would get any compansation i was told no but they would get the £10 top up on the phone

so ive spent 20 minutes on the phone to them at about 45p a minute so it has cost me about £9 to phone them

i only brought the phone of them beacause they where the cheepest normaly i wont use then due to every time ive tryed to take a contract out with them ive been refused BUT if i go direct with the operator i get exepted

they are a bunch of jokers that just could not give a s**t when they have got your money

has any body got an email address for some body quite high up in car phone warehouse so i can make a complant

[CaptnSpaulding]

No offence, but if you knew how bad Carphone Warehouse were, why did you go there firstly? I know you said it was the cheapest, but did you look online?
I found the same phone within 25-30 seconds on google for £19.95 or £29.99 with a £10 top up.

I can't believe people still use these mobile companies even though they have such bad rep and people always complaining about them.

Good luck in trying to achieve whatever it is you are looking for by contacting someone from CPW. Like you said, they don't care once they have your money and will take your 'complant' with a pinch of salt.

[DXRulz]

I don't shop at CPW anymore as whenever i buy phones from there, i'm forced to buy credit with them which i don't actually need. They tell me 8 days but like the issues mentioned at the top of this thread, the credit never comes. I complained once and they said it will be sorted but 14 days later and nowhere to be seen so i gave up and dont really buy phones from there now, i just buy accessories.

[skimminstones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXRulz

I complained once and they said it will be sorted but 14 days later and nowhere to be seen so i gave up and dont really buy phones from there now, i just buy accessories.

if you dont like the companys practices why are you supporting them by buying accessories? Its all profit to them.

[Appleseed]

Yes, I walked past a CPW once and the milk in my bag of shopping turned sour.

It didn't really.

Seriously though, i had nothing but trouble with them when I had a Vodafone contract through them. I'd never go back there for anything, but even if i'd never used them but was thinking of doing so, a quick look around these forums would soon put me off!
Even Vodafone gave up with them in the end - a big company like Vodafone.
Enough said.

[-N34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayley's Mystery

Yes, I walked past a CPW once and the milk in my bag of shopping turned sour.

Really? That explains the stink there then, lol.

[DXRulz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skimminstones

if you dont like the companys practices why are you supporting them by buying accessories? Its all profit to them.

Because its the only place to get them from where i live!

[Appleseed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXRulz

Because its the only place to get them from where i live!

Apart from the machine you used to write the above text?

The www is a marvellous place to purchase.

[kyussmondo]

I've had no problems with CPW personally. I thought they handled things very well.

[DXRulz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayley's Mystery

Apart from the machine you used to write the above text?

The www is a marvellous place to purchase.

Yes, only if you have a credit card. (Don't have and cant/wont get one)

[kyussmondo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXRulz

Yes, only if you have a credit card. (Don't have and cant/wont get one)

That is what a "debit" card is for. Plus, credit cards aren't bad if you are sensible with them and are able to pay off the full amount each month. If fraud does happen online then you will be protected by your credit card company.

Having said that, I find myself shopping online less now. Prices online are not as low as they used to be, or high street retailers have cut their prices. Add the inconvenience of having to wait 1-3 days for it to arrive, plus you have to take time off to sign for delivery. High street shopping is far from dead, online shopping would never replace it.

[analogueagent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXRulz

Yes, only if you have a credit card. (Don't have and cant/wont get one)

You can get pre-pay cards, just buy them in the shop and top them up with cash. Can be used just like a regular credit card. No credit checks/overdraft/etc.

[prking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by analogueagent

You can get pre-pay cards, just buy them in the shop and top them up with cash. Can be used just like a regular credit card. No credit checks/overdraft/etc.

These are very good for on-line purchases as if someone gets hold of your details they can't run up a bill. They are also good for a night out. Just load them up with some cash and you can't spend too much, however drunk you get.

[bluechang]

I regularly buy a new handset for use on my contract, but find it baffling that CPW tell you that the forced purchase of top up has to be credited to the new sim supplied, rather than allowing me to decide where I want to put it.

For instance, I am looking at getting an LG KF510 @ £110 inc £10 topup on a network - its available on quite a few networks so will come supplied sim free. The OH is on virgin, so I would get it on virgin and would then give her the credit. But CPW have none of this, they say their hand is forced by the network who say it must be credited to the new sim. However, speaking with the virgin media/mobile shop, they say they have never told CPW they must do this, nor for that matter, have my network, T Mobile.

With their current stance on matters, my £110 for a new handset is staying firmly in my pocket, unless CPW give me, the consumer, the package I want, and not want they want me to have.

[agent_c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluechang

I regularly buy a new handset for use on my contract, but find it baffling that CPW tell you that the forced purchase of top up has to be credited to the new sim supplied, rather than allowing me to decide where I want to put it.

For instance, I am looking at getting an LG KF510 @ £110 inc £10 topup on a network - its available on quite a few networks so will come supplied sim free. The OH is on virgin, so I would get it on virgin and would then give her the credit. But CPW have none of this, they say their hand is forced by the network who say it must be credited to the new sim. However, speaking with the virgin media/mobile shop, they say they have never told CPW they must do this, nor for that matter, have my network, T Mobile.

With their current stance on matters, my £110 for a new handset is staying firmly in my pocket, unless CPW give me, the consumer, the package I want, and not want they want me to have.

The people that you talk to aren't the ones who make the resellers deal with CPW. They don't know whats in those agreements.

[skymangel]

I find these comments funny.

Carphone makes you topup 10 pound because all their phones are unlocked, unlike network stores. It cheaper to buy it with credit then sim free, And their prices are still always cheaper most of the time with the credit then a networh store. Plus you can call networks such as orange who will move the credit between numbers.

People who shop online are great. They buy it online then go into a who for help. Yes you might pay a few pound more but you have a human to talk to.

I've dealt with many companies and found that as long as u talk nicely to staff u get problems sorted straight away. People who come in moaning and booting off will get bad service.

[bluechang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skymangel

I find these comments funny.

Carphone makes you topup 10 pound because all their phones are unlocked, unlike network stores. It cheaper to buy it with credit then sim free, And their prices are still always cheaper most of the time with the credit then a networh store

I don't have a problem with buying £10 topup when buying a new phone, its just the manner in which it is forced upon the new sim card that is the problem, especially with t mobile who will not under any circumstances transfer credit between numbers. My partner has on one occasion, has had to use £10 worth of credit on the same network as she is on (tmob) on sh*t she didnt want because CPW wouldnt put the topup onto her number rather than the new sim.

[Ali Tisk]

I just found this thread, and was amazed to find that CPW have been doing this for years - and I'm suffering it right now! Their website clearly indicates you are buying a £10 voucher" with your phone - yet you still don't get it, and they refuse to issue you with a top-up code - even though every shop can now issue such a code on a till receipt - the same as the one they send you with your phone.

I am thus left with a phone I can't use until they get around to applying the top up !!

Totally unacceptable practice from Carphone Warehouse.

[Anika Hanson]

Never had a problem with CPW, in fact I've always found them to be better than the operator (T mobile). I've taken out 3 lines with them in my time (although one was an error over the net) with 3 and 02 and didnt have any problems with credit checks etc. I dont think you need a credit card because when I took my lines out I didnt have one although I do have one now. But I did have a debit card. I think their customer service is excellent and their insurance company is good too.

I cant really comment on PAYG because I havent used PAYG since 2001 so I would expect things have changed since then.

[Ali Tisk]

I've contacted their customer services team 3 times, and have been assured my topup will be applied shortly - but still nothing, over 48 hours after receiving the phone.

Their customer services team is one of these that has strict scripts to follow, with no scope for deviation - the experience of dealing with them was almost as bad as dealing with 3Mobile customer services (although nothng could be that bad !)

[darkpaw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skymangel

Carphone makes you topup 10 pound because all their phones are unlocked, unlike network stores. .

since when was this?

the last time i bought a phone on vodafone from them (admittedly a couple of years ago), it was locked and branded.

[bluechang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkpaw

since when was this?

the last time i bought a phone on vodafone from them (admittedly a couple of years ago), it was locked and branded.

handsets which are network exclusives are locked and branded, however those available on a number of networks are usually, but not always sim free and unbranded

[TIVO_YORK99]

I'm in the same boat. Bought a phone and finally recieved it yesterday after they cocked up the order.

Its over 24 hours now and they still haven't applied the £10. Not much use without the top-up! surely it should be applied practically immediately.

The handset came unlocked though.

[glastofest]

May I make a suggestion, is it possible you could complain about this practice to oftel, or the network CPW gave you the phone for?

[DXRulz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyussmondo

That is what a "debit" card is for. Plus, credit cards aren't bad if you are sensible with them and are able to pay off the full amount each month. If fraud does happen online then you will be protected by your credit card company.

Having said that, I find myself shopping online less now. Prices online are not as low as they used to be, or high street retailers have cut their prices. Add the inconvenience of having to wait 1-3 days for it to arrive, plus you have to take time off to sign for delivery. High street shopping is far from dead, online shopping would never replace it.

I use my bank card to buy stuff online, usually from Amazon as it's easy and cheaper than most other places