14 Day Return Policy - Define "As New"?

Mr_B_13

How easy is it to return a phone after you have used it, but within 14 days of buying on the internet?

Reading through the terms and conditions for Talkworldonline and others, you have the right to return the phone and cancel within 14 days (some seem to say only if there is a fault, others even if you have changed your mind - I believe that this is covered under Sale of Goods and Distance Selling regs).  

However, what if you have used it?  I note that the T&Cs for Talkworldonline (http://www.talkworldonline.co.uk/tandc.cfm#11)refer to "As new" condition and go on to say that you will be billed for any calls used.  If you have taken the SIM card out (ie pushed it out of the card) and installed it in the phone and have made chargeable calls, by definition how could you meet the "as new" condition?

To put the phone (but not the SIM) "as new", does the reset the phone to factory settings include flushing the memory/address book etc and putting it back to how it was when it arrived (including time, date etc)?

Has anyone any experience of returning a phone after receiving and using it as a new offer has come out that beats it?

Many thanks

Mr B

Mr_B_13

Further to this message, I notice that Orange themselves have a 14 day money back guarantee (logical really as they are the ones that would have to cancel the contract). I would still be interested to hear how this is affected when you have used the SIM (which you have to do to try the phone).

Many thanks

Mr B

kidtechnical

I returned a mobile phone recently after 11 days. I was with O2 & went to the O2 shop to upgrade, they were unhelpful to say the least so I went to Phones4U and got a new phone & new contract with 02. Went home, called O2 who were suddenly very helpful, he told me to take the phone & SIM back within 14 days & they (O2) would send me an identical phone & not only match my contract but give me double bundles for 6 months & 100 free txts per month for 12 months. I took the phone back to Phones4U and told them that my current provider was making me stick with them for 30 days per my contract & I couldn't afford 2 bills for 1 month. The guy said I could return it no problem but would I mind if the manager had a word with me "here we go, send in the heavies" I thought, deciding that I wasn't going to spin any more yarn & just assert my right to return it within the 14 days. The manager just sat down & basically asked if there was anything they could do to keep my custom, pay for my old phone for the 30 days that they were holding me in contract for example. I thanked him graciously & said I would just come back myself after the 30 days. He said okay, shook my hand & took my phone & SIM. I found it bazaar that they were willing to play one another off like that over 2 O2 contracts, but what the hell, I got a better deal & kept my old number! Incidentally I'd recommend Phones4U over O2 to anyone in the market for a new phone (even if it's an O2 contract you're after).
I don't imagine SIMs are expensive in themselves (O2 claim to have posted out 3 to me in the last 3 wks that haven't arrived & don't seem overly concerned at the loss). Handing them back gives them the chance to "deactivate" them & render them worthless anyway and as you said they can just reset the phone & pass it on to someone else.