Don't buy from Carphone Warehouse

TopCatz

I've had a couple of experiences of buying from Carphone Warehouse and I should have known better, but just this week, they have driven me mad :mad:

On an impulse, I bought a cable to connect my daughter's phone whilst out shopping. The guy serving me said I could return it if it didn't work, as he wasn't sure it would be right for the phone (despite having the phone in my hand!)

The cable didn't work and wasn't suitable for the phone, it turns out, having tried several ways to connect. On trying to return the phone to my local store, they (after making me wait 25 minutes whilst annoying two other customers with their lack of ability to resolve some contract issues), I was finally told by the manager (because the first person didn't know how to deal with returns) that I couldn't get a refund and I had to go back to the store I bought from (30 miles away) to try and deal with the manager there.

I thought there was some form of consumer protection for goods that weren't fit for purpose? Having just spoken to Carphone Warehouse customer service (try finding a phone number that doesn't cost a gazillion £ per minute), they now tell me I can go back and get a refund.... can I face the irritating manager in my local store?:eek:
This is on top of the last time I bought a spare battery for my phone, which wasn't the right one and that took weeks to resolve. Oh, and you can't get through to any stores on the phone. They never answer.

Oh, and their contracts are not as competitive as going direct to O2, Virgin, Orange....

thegoodman

That's why amazon make a lot of money. Good customer service and you can return within 30 days no question asked. I will never buy anything from CPW. Another thing store manages make their own rules. You should be able to return an item in any CPW shop but manages will make their own rule not to take it.
I agree with you.

sdduk

I had a problem with them not long ago

I brought a contract phone from them on talk mobile which is part of cpw

Anyway first they had to check me out that was fine i then took the phone home and couldn't get a signal on it...that bit was my thought i should have checked the signal before buying

So i took it back to the shop for a refund they said i was not entitle to one because there was No 7 day return but they didn't know i sat down and read the contract and in it it said there was...they still said No refund i said but its in black and white that there is a refund policy anyway while i was having a go at the person someone else came up and said call talk mobile which he did and guess what....I was right and got my refund but if i didn't keep on they would have got away with it and i would have been stuck for 12mt contract with no signal.

pingu

CPW customer service is crap last week i went in to buy SE arc S advertised at £269.99 they didnt have it in stock andf said could order but its £419.99 i shown him the price advertised he said no its for arc not arc s but they were advertising arc s
manager said they dont have to honour it they can just replace the label!!!

he was arrogant how some of these people get jobs is beyond me i was going to make a complaint but decided not to walk out from there as a last resort asked PH4u if they had any stock yet(out of stock for few days) girl said they just got some and it was cheaper there anyway £199.95

never going in CPW again it was Oldham town store

Hezzawithkids

TopCatz wrote: »

I thought there was some form of consumer protection for goods that weren't fit for purpose? ...

It probably WAS fit for purpose it just wasn't right for your phone. However that doesn't excuse the shoddy service you've got from them.

And it looks like you're not alone....:cool:

thegoodman

Never Never use CPW. Service is crap, the storage mangers dont know what is going on and keep making theire T&C. I have purchased one charger from them and never use them again. The charger was faulty withing 14 days and want even replace it. Keep saying I must have done this and that. The manager even said that the car electric might be faulty. I went to Harrow store.

dlorde

They're terrible. I bought a headphone adapter cable for my phone from the Bishopsgate branch in London, and in less than two weeks the connector pins had broken - just rubbish quality - the previous one from the phone manufacturer lasted almost a year until I lost it. I took it back for replacement, and was told that since it was an 'external' breakage, it must be due to improper use and so they wouldn't replace it. I told them the last one had lasted a year with exactly the same use, but they refused even to look at it. It was only a few quid, so not worth making a scene about - I just resolved never to buy from them again, and to warn anyone thinking of using them to find an alternative source. They're cheap rip-off merchants.

mattyprice4004

sdduk wrote: »

I brought a contract phone from them on talk mobile which is part of cpw

Talkmobile isn't part of CPW.

sdduk

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

Talkmobile isn't part of CPW.

Err Yes it is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talkmobile

SallyAnne

I agree CarPhone Warehouse service is crap and their employees are ill informed. I asked them if they had a mobile phone into which I could insert an overseas PAYG simcard and register it there as it was inherently cheaper and I was going abroad for 3 months. This idiot's answer was that it was impossible when I see advertisements galore for just such unlocked phones that can even take 2 separate simcards.

wheezy87

Don't get me started, im currently in a bit of a dire situation with CPW. Foolishly upgraded my phone on a whim after Christmas and a couple of days later changed my mind. After trying to give me the hard sell, they eventually agreed for me to return it. I dealt with a girl who had no clue what she was doing, said she was taking so long as she wanted to do everything correctly, but ended up disconnecting my contract entirely and then giving me four receipts for one transaction(!!).

I'm now 20 days after my supposed upgrade reversal. Luckily my phone hasn't been disconnected, but O2 have no record of this return and CPW are promising that it is O2's problem, not theirs.

The whole place is a joke, their staff don't even know their own company's returns policy. Even the manager at the store I visited had to check the company website and then phone head office. Surely he should know something as simple as that!!!