Add your feedback on gadget recycler Cex

mobilejunkie

usually payment is much sooner. Royal Mail will write to them asking for confirmation that they didn't receive it but I'd try emailing again. If they confirm they haven't received it at least Royal Mail are more likely to cough up - though I'd simply ask for your payment rather than confirmation of non-receipt. If they reply with a "not received" it will help with the Royal Mail claim. Check the email address you used - without having time to look it up I believe it's "wecare" something or other?

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I haven't contacted Royal Mail yet, however, still no reply from CeX.

I use the form on their website to contact them. I will try the email address they provide, then if no response I'll contact Royal Mail.

Shocky

I have always used CeX to sell old mobile phones. They have always given me a better price than online mobile phone recycling websites. However, Ive always used my local store rather than the CeX website itself.

lukebunger

My experience with CEX hasn't been good, especially in store.

Each branch is a franchise, and apparently, it's better in some stores than others. Walsall, however... not so good.

In general, if you're part of their clique, and spend half you life there, trading in games and DVDs every other day etc, you can get a good deal, according to my friends who use it regularly.

If you have something they want, and don't take too much nonsense from them, you can get a good deal.

If you are willing to accept store credit, rather than cash, you can often get a good deal.

If, however, you have a real life, only visit occasionally when, for example, you upgrade your phone and want some cash for your old one don't count on much.

And whoever you are, never expect to get any item you're selling graded A (though they will always have numerous A-Grade items for sale)

I have an iPhone 3G, which I want to upgrade to an iPhone 4.

When they looked at it, and thought it was a 3GS (a phone they clearly wanted) they were happy to offer a B-grade price for it. The phone had recently (as in, days previously) been refurbished after dropping it in water, and was in practically new condition, and I felt that a B-Grade was low, but I accepted. When I handed them the box, and they scanned it and realised it was only a 3G, however, the fun began.

Suddenly, they were not sure about their B-Grade rating for it, and needed to do another inspection of it (why... because they didn't want another iPhone 3g, they had lots) and suddenly found that, in spite of their previous clean inspection, it was actually an F-Grade phone (F-Graded phones are Non-Working). The discovered a maybe 1/2 mm gap between the bezel and plastic case (which i suspect they created by jamming their thumb nail in between to show me it) which meant that they would not be able to provide a warranty for it, and could only grade it as "Non Working" as they would need to recondition it before sale. They offered me £14 for it (not the £96 the website had suggested)

Smelling a rat, I informed them that I had only just had it refurbished, and that I would take it back and have it repaired again, if they were sure that was the only issue with it, and doing so would result in a (Grrrr) B-Grade. They agreed.

I came back about a week later, the screen tightened, and the phone back in perfect condition (the refurbishment came with a 12 month guarantee on the work done, and so everything was taken apart, tightened and put back together for me). A new "customer service" (and I use that term loosely) team were on the tills, so I didn't mention the previous encounter, hoping that maybe I'd get lucky and they'd give it the A-Grade it deserves, knowing I had the previous guarantee in my back pocket.

This time, a female employee looked at it. She spent an unusually long time (the guy next to her served two customers, who he appeared to know quite well in the same time, and was onto his third) clearly having been told to find anything wrong with anything but the most popular phones.

About 6 minutes into the initial inspection, perhaps unable to find what she was looking for, she told me "I'm not sure about this, but let me go check with the tester. She took the phone out of my sight, into the back to the tester, she handed him the phone, they discussed some things, and two or so minutes later returned showing me a scratch, near the headphone port, which "I can't confirm isn't a crack, because of the position" and told me that, once again, the phone was graded F. This time it was worth £2 less.

I can't say for sure that the tester put the scratch their (in spite of my feeling that they did), the scratch may have been a byproduct of having to open the phone up to tighten the scree, though I inspected it really thoroughly and didn't notice anything myself.

However, one thing is for sure... If they don't want what you're selling, they'll sure as heck find a way not to buy it. Unfortunately, rather than just saying that, their policy, worryingly, may be to be to create faults, which must surely be a concern for anyone hoping to walk away with their items if they don't like the offer.

If using CEX, be sure to document the condition of your item thoroughly (photos from every conceivable angle) before handing it over to be tested, especially if you notice that there are a lot of the same items already available. Make sure you let them know that you've got photo's of it's condition before leaving it in their care, and be prepared for them to find the tiniest reason to downgrade your phone.

As I say, I've got friends and family who use it regularly who think it's pretty good, but for high-value, low-sellthrough items, i'd be very cautious.

CatsMum_4

CEX are completely useless, I would advise anyone not to bother using them.

I used this comparison site recently, as I have 2 old mobile phones that I wanted to sell. CEX came out with the best offer, almost double of what the next in line was offering - so naturally I opted to sell to them.

I went via the CEX website and created an "order" for my two mobile phones together, during which it stated that they could send you a pre-paid envelope for each of your phones. The way this is worded made me think that as I had 2 phones to sell, they would send me 2 envelopes! WRONG! They only sent the one, and ignored 3 emails I sent asking for another envelope to be sent.

I sent off one phone in the envelope provided, and emailed again asking for a 2nd envelope to be sent for the other phone. I eventually got an email from CEX, saying that my second phone was missing from the package I sent (DER!!). I replied to them saying I was waiting for another envelope, and they got quite shirty in their reply and told me that I was only entitled to receive one!

They suggested that I create a new order online for the second phone, and this would generate another envelope to be sent. They said that they would cancel this phone off the original order.

Today, I received my new pre-paid envelope - and a separate parcel where they had returned my first phone!!! Instead of creating two orders, they have cancelled all of my orders.

Bloody useless!! I will not bother using them again :mad::mad:

redmandarin

Hi CatsMum

Welcome to MSE! :j

Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience with CEX - looks as though you're not alone though!

Thanks for your contribution, we're all here to help one another! You'll find lots of tips, hints and advice on MSE, so best of luck with your future money saving!

rm x

kavernchan

It has been over 2 weeks since they received my phone and I am still yet to receive my payment. :mad:

They are ignoring my emails, and there are no phoneline numbers to call ...
Really do not have an idea what I can do ...

mobilejunkie

Sent mine the Monday before last. Got an email today saying I will receive payment in the next few days. The usual timescale - I have used them many times and never had any major problems. Over 2 weeks is longer than usual. Send the email to the dsame address they use to send you the order confirmation.

KINSEY_2

I decided to sell my Blackberry Curve on Cex as it offered the best price of £77 for an A grade, this was on 1st June 2011. Finally, on 13th June 2011 they have come back to say that it has been downgraded and they can now only offer £55 (phone was in pretty good condition with box and all accessories). This, I thought was better than nothing so accepted the offer, but still have received no payment as of today. Having read the forum updates, i wish I had just decided to have the phone back and sell it on ebay! Very slow process and wouldn't entirely recommend to anyone either! Its alright going for the site that offers you the highest price but this is of course only good if you receive the highest price!

kavernchan

kavernchan wrote: »

It has been over 2 weeks since they received my phone and I am still yet to receive my payment. :mad:

They are ignoring my emails, and there are no phoneline numbers to call ...
Really do not have an idea what I can do ...

Money received via Paypal (3.4% fee) today.

Trying to withdraw, will tell in a few days.

Phone is brand new and they didn't have an excuse to downgrade the grading.