Add your feedback on gadget recycler Cex

mike765

Have to say my experience of CeX online was poor.

I sent in a few DVD's and an old mp3 player as my local store never seems to pay cash (they only ever offer the trade in vouchers which I'm usually happy with but there's nothing I really want at the moment).

Anyway I had an email the following day to say I had received payment (very quick, was impressed with the speed) but it was around half what I was expecting. Sent an email and they claimed the MP3 player had failed testing as the case could easily be pulled apart. It was in very good condition when sent and very well wrapped so I was somewhat surprised.

The MP3 player arrived back with me today and it's in exactly the same condition as it was when sent it. I cannot open the case full stop let alone easily! Looks like someone was either unable or unwilling to test it and sent it back without even trying to test it.

It wasn't worth a lot so not too fussed but I wouldn't have spent £8 on postage had I known it wouldn't be looked at!

kittielashes

I checked out first online what I could be offered for my phone. I had been to other places and was told it was in mint condition. The plug and earphones are still cellophane wrapped and the phone had always had a cover protecter on it.

On line it said £130 for iPhone 4s 16gb in mint condition, but you my be offered a little less when you go in.

I took the phone in and was told their online valuation price was £75 big difference to the online valuation price I saw 30 mins before arriving in store!!! I was told the difference was they update their online prices daily, yet I have come back and looked and it still says £130. This is a rip off as they are selling these phones for £300 + !!! Service appalling. Luckily I didn't accept their offer as I knew I was being ripped off.

My advice DO NOT USE go somewhere else.

mobilejunkie

Their definition of "mint" is generally new. Prices also depend on whether it is locked to a given network or unlocked (Iphones generally lock to the first network used as I understand it - in which case yours would almost certainly be locked). Thirdly, selling to the on-line site seems to get a much higher price than their shops.

My experience with their internet site (albeit some time ago now) was that I generally got what I was quoted and expected and it was a LOT more and with greater reliability than most other sites. The reason I haven't used them for a while is that they effectively started making me pay the postage to send it to them; I therefore started using Ebay and haven't looked back. I always get more than CEX or any other website including allowing for the costs of selling etc. and ignoring their costs for sending. Now I wouldn't sell the phones I get any other way (will be putting the latest one on Ebay later today).

Johnd

I used the Moneysavingexpert tool to get a price for my HTC Desire HD phone. CEX offered up to £69 for mint condition. Next best offer was Fonebank at £30 down to £7.11 from Tesco. I would have accepted £30.

After reading previous reviews about CEX and noting that Moneyexpert.com had only recently readmitted it to the list for recycling phones I still decided to visit CEX branch in Cardiff (29th May). I do not trust the process of sending your phone away to be quoted a price.

Visited CEX and after a preliminary inspection was quoted £60 and told to return 45 minutes later after a full inspection. I told them that the phone was originally locked to Orange but I had it unlocked with a code supplied by Orange after my contract had finished. A long drawn affair that took several months, the details of which would need another posting. I had checked this by inserting another SIM card and it appeared unlocked.

Returned later and was told that the phone was still locked to Orange and they would offer me £49.00 because of this. The SIM card I had tried belonged to my wife's Virgin mobile phone and I forgot that Virgin use the T Mobile network, which has merged with Orange same (now EE) and that was why it appeared to be unlocked. I blame Orange for this.
I accepted the offer from CEX. The service and the price was good compared to the £7.11 I would have received from Tesco.
Johnd

thrapstongeezer

I'd like to post a very positive review of CeX in Kettering.

I took my iPhone 5 in last Sunday and they priced it as 'mint'. I was offered £211 which would be paid by BACS once it had been tested. This was £36 more than the next highest offer from Fonebank. I accepted the offer and 3 days later the money was credited to my bank account.

All in all this was a pleasant, easy transaction with no messing about with having to post my phone. I'll definitely be looking to use them again in the future.

Snorkypants

I sold my HTC1X in the Maidstone branch today and was happy with the service and the price.


The website had up to £105 - I got £81 cash, a lot higher than the next highest price of £50 with Simply Drop. I didn't ask how the chap arrived at this price and he didn't offer any explanation.


There was no queue and the whole transaction took approx 5 mins from start to finish. (I'd already sold with them so didn't have to have an account set up, that probably saved some time).


Having read the posts on this thread I had:

• Removed the case and screen cover that I had on and wiped the phone thoroughly to remove smears etc
• Packed it nicely in the original box with earphones, charger etc
• Charged it so they could turn it on to check it worked

Overall, I'm really pleased, I got more money than I would have anywhere else and I got the cash quicker than if I had used a postal service. The guy that served me was nice enough and they had Teeage Ninga Mutant Turtles playing on the screen above the tills so I didn't get bored :rotfl:

Cloudane

Happy with the Barrow store - sold them my original iPad 1 (32GB) which they B-graded as it only had one very small mark on the side and got £68 cash. Doubtful I would've done any better on eBay, and mobilevaluer was showing a max of £45 anywhere else!
They do require the charger, but those are only a fiver second hand so it's worth it.
Only took half an hour for them to test it, as I'd already applied the updates and fully charged it.

Only gave me 40p for the case haha.. still, it's 40p more than I had before. They only sell them for £3.

Picked up an immaculate official cover for my new iPad Mini from the same place for £15. Pity they won't combine cash and store credit But understandable.

Dennis_Alexander

I sold my Sony Xperia T to their York branch yesterday. I'd already checked their website and was expecting £46 (good condition, locked to O2), which is exactly the figure I was offered. It was all done very quickly, I was in and out in about 10 minutes. I left the phone with them to be checked and gave them my bank details (I think York is one of the branches trialling this). The money landed in my account the next day (today), which meant I didn't have to go back to the branch after they had tested the phone. All very quick, easy and efficient, I was very pleased.

Acewilts

Just want to warn people DO NOT USE CEX. Went into their store in Swindon today after my iphone 4s 16GB was valued at £98 online with them for mint condition - it was still in the original box and there are no scratches anywhere on it.
They offered £82 because it was locked to Vodafone, which I accepted. Then they said it would take an hour to "test". They said there would be no problems as two of them examined it and said they could see it was in excellent condition, it was just to check the phone worked. I told them I didn't live nearby and had an appointment so couldn't stay, but if there were any problems to let me know after the "one hour test" as I would come back and get the phone.This was at 10am. Their store closes at 5.30pm and they called me at 5.45pm so it would have been impossible for me to get the phone back there and then. They said the phone was in working order but had "a few small scratches on the screen" I told them I had photographed it before I left and it had not. I also asked to speak to the girl who examined it originally, they eventually got her to the phone and she confirmed their were no scratches on the screen, saying to her colleague, "Where are the scratches? There are no scratches?" he replied there were and then said "on the corners". She just said sorry there was nothing she could do. I reiterated that the phone was not damaged and I would come back and pick it up before the 14 day time period they stipulate. I am now really concerned that I won't get my original phone back. Their whole process at this store seems designed to ensure you leave the phone with them then call and tell you there are problems after the store closes in the hope you will accept the lower price rather than bother to make a return journey. It is sharp practice and I would not want anyone else to go through the same experience. I feel like an idiot for leaving the phone with them now, but you live and learn, Hopefully I will get the phone back in the condition I left it.

BlueberryGeezer

Didn't pay enough attention to the Sony Experia I sent in and thought I would be getting a great deal. However, fair enough, they picked out the flaw in the cover and so offered a reduced value. On the one hand I can't fault them for the reduced price. I do think the reduction they applied was excessive but of course I'm prejudiced in this judgement. In the end, I have to accept that they did an ok job.