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is it safe to buy a 'brand new' phone in an unsealed box?


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Old 12-11-2008, 20:50
darkpaw
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You know how mobile phones and other expensive gadgets come in boxes that are officially sealed, so if it's broken that means someone has had their paws on it already.

So, if you order a mobile phone from an online retailer, and the box arrives with a broken and void seal, does that mean it may not be factory brand new, and should you accept or reject it ?
(even if the phone looked okay on first glance... how do you know maybe it had been returned as faulty by someone else and refurbished, and that's why it's in a box with a void seal?)



Also, you know how when you buy a new mobile phone from a network store, often you are given the option to return it within a week if you decide you don't like it after all (as long as complete with all packaging and paperwork and in a resellable condition blah blah)...

what do they do with the rejected phones? Are they resold (misleadingly) as "brand new" in voided boxes? or are they sold as "refurbished"?

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Old 12-11-2008, 20:53
Alt-F4
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It could quite easily be a return, I would get a replacement
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Old 12-11-2008, 21:01
amt27
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what do they do with the rejected phones? Are they resold (misleadingly) as "brand new" in voided boxes? or are they sold as "refurbished"?

yes and use them as replacements for faulty or lost/stolen claims,
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Old 12-11-2008, 21:04
darkpaw
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i don't know... i am awaiting delivery from an online retailer that trades via Amazon marketplace, as well as on eBay and its own site.

it seems to have overwhelmingly positive feedback (95% positive from 3000+ sales on Amazon marketplace; 99.1% from 40,000+ on eBay)... which was why i am taking a chance on them.

But there has been negative feedback from some people complaining that the box seal had been voided. The excuses from the retailer seems to be that they need to open the box for a security check or to insert the SIM card ready to go for you.

I am just a bit worried now.... fingers crossed.
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Old 12-11-2008, 21:06
darkpaw
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yes and use them as replacements for faulty or lost/stolen claims,
oh i see... and people receiving such replacements can't complain?
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Old 13-11-2008, 15:34
darkpaw
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Hm... just been reading some more feedback from previous customers.

In response to complaints from some about an opened box, the reason they give for why the seal is broken is because they open the box in order to register the phone with the network before dispatching.

Is this a reasonable thing for a retailer to do - use your details to register the phone for you, without your authorisation? Can they do that - how can they assume you are not getting it as a pressie for someone else? Am I being too fussy about wanting an intact sealed box?

I haven't received my new (well, hopefully new) phone yet but I am a bit worried now and unsure whether or not I should reject it if it comes in an opened box.
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Old 13-11-2008, 15:54
amt27
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Is this a reasonable thing for a retailer to do - use your details to register the phone for you, without your authorisation? Can they do that - how can they assume you are not getting it as a pressie for someone else? Am I being too fussy about wanting an intact sealed box?
is it a Pay As You Go phone?
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Old 13-11-2008, 16:06
darkpaw
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is it a Pay As You Go phone?
Yes it is. (Vodafone)

I want a sealed box for peace of mind and I don't want them registering it for me, since I can do that myself, and as I am already on Vodafone I should be entitled to a loyalty bonus for staying with them when I come to register the new phone and transfer my SIM to it.
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Old 13-11-2008, 16:13
amt27
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ok, the reason they register the phone is to get their commission,

usually retailers pay more for the phone than what they sell it for, and make commission when the phone is connected and registered to a network, which is their profit, they are basically covering their backs, because if you do not register for some reason they lose money,

this is also the reason some shops only allow you to buy one PAYG phone at a time, as some companies have been hit by bulk buying of PAYG, which are then taken out of the UK and not registered, some companies have gone bankrupt because of it,

on the other hand it does seem a bit messy and lazy of the retailer to do this, they should just use another sticker,
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Old 13-11-2008, 16:25
darkpaw
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thanks for your reply amt27... i've never heard of this commission thing.... but your explanation sounds reasonable So would you advise that it's okay to accept a phone in a broken seal box if the contents look brand new?

well anyway I just phoned up Vodafone to ask... and they tell me that they would NOT accept registration of a phone from anyone other than the person to whom it is to be registered to.

i mean, the whole point of a security seal is to give confidence to the buyer that it is factory new and has not been tampered with. What's the point if it can be broken with impunity by a retailer and just use another sticker?
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Old 13-11-2008, 17:19
amt27
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thanks for your reply amt27... i've never heard of this commission thing.... but your explanation sounds reasonable So would you advise that it's okay to accept a phone in a broken seal box if the contents look brand new?

well anyway I just phoned up Vodafone to ask... and they tell me that they would NOT accept registration of a phone from anyone other than the person to whom it is to be registered to.

i mean, the whole point of a security seal is to give confidence to the buyer that it is factory new and has not been tampered with. What's the point if it can be broken with impunity by a retailer and just use another sticker?

its a bit naughty a) to open the box and register the phone to make sure they get their commission and b) to use your details to do it

but if the phone was a lot cheaper than elsewhere, then that is their business model and why it is cheaper, they don't have any losses of commission,

you could moan about it i suppose, its up to you
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Old 13-11-2008, 17:24
darkpaw
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thanks amt27... your explanation about commission makes sense as i was suspicious why a retailer would want to register it before dispatching.

come to think of it now... when i bought my last phone from a branch of Vodafone on the high street, the guy opened the box in the shop as part of the purchase transaction process - but it was in front of my eyes so i knew it was brand new lol

So if it comes in a broken seal box, then should I just inspect the contents to make sure they appear obviously brand new?
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Old 13-11-2008, 17:37
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Yes it is. (Vodafone)

I want a sealed box for peace of mind and I don't want them registering it for me, since I can do that myself, and as I am already on Vodafone I should be entitled to a loyalty bonus for staying with them when I come to register the new phone and transfer my SIM to it.
One doesn't register a phone, one registers sim cards. It is just that usually you buy a sim card with the phone.

Given that you are on Pay As you Go and are just buying a new phone to put your sim card in, why do you expect Vodafone to give you a loyalty bonus?

If you were renewing a contract I could understand, but you are not...
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Old 13-11-2008, 17:55
darkpaw
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One doesn't register a phone, one registers sim cards. It is just that usually you buy a sim card with the phone.

Given that you are on Pay As you Go and are just buying a new phone to put your sim card in, why do you expect Vodafone to give you a loyalty bonus?

If you were renewing a contract I could understand, but you are not...
I've been with them for years now. The last time I got a new Vodafone-PAYG phone, a few years ago, they gave me a loyalty bonus free credit for staying with them. When I phoned them up a couple of days ago, they told me I should get £5-10 free credit as a loyalty bonus It has to be a VF-PAYG phone though, not an unlocked sim-free one. They said that when I come to register my new phone and transfer my sim to it, their system should recognise the fact and automatically apply my loyalty bonus.

I think you register ownership of the phone with them so that if it gets lost or stolen, you can report it and they can disable it so it becomes useless to thieves. I remember registering my current old phone when i bought it and giving them the IMEI number etc
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Old 13-11-2008, 18:30
prking
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One doesn't register a phone, one registers sim cards. It is just that usually you buy a sim card with the phone.

Given that you are on Pay As you Go and are just buying a new phone to put your sim card in, why do you expect Vodafone to give you a loyalty bonus?

If you were renewing a contract I could understand, but you are not...
As well as Vodafone, O2 will give you a loyalty bonus when you register a new handset as an upgrade. They give you 10% of your top-ups since your last upgrade (to a max of £200).
Orange will give you a discount as a loyalty bonus.

So I'm afraid you are mistaken.
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Old 13-11-2008, 18:33
darkpaw
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ps. if you are already registered with Vodafone PAYG, you can phone the registration line on 17298 and select option 4 to find out how much loyalty bonus you would be entitled to.
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