Cant return faulty phone to CeX

Lenrod

Hi, i bought a 2nd hand iPhone 3gs for my daughter as a christmas present last sat and discovered it was faulty during the week (keeps restarting and wont charge fully, sounds like a duff battery).

Anyway i went to return it this morning with the receipt, the guy behind the counter checks it and tells me its not the same phone i bought a week ago, he said the imei number on the phone and on the receipt don't match, and basically made me out to be a con man in front of the entire shop. I asked for the manager who was a little more tactful and polite but basically told me the same thing, "Theres nothing i can do" etc. Somewhere they have messed up and got the phones details wrong, but their balls up is making me out to be a small time hustler.
He asked me to contact their head office's email as they don't have a phone no so you cant speak to somebody about it which is convenient on there part, anyway ive sent the email and waiting for a reply, judging by what ive read on the web about CeX and on here i may be p!!!!!g in the wind. (should of known better, well i do now)
And now my daughter isn't getting her iPhone for christmas, just a very expensive paper weight.
Has anything like this happened to anyone before and does anybody have any advice incase they are not very forthcoming (which is more than likely).

Thanks in advance :beer:

dalesrider

If you think its a duff battery. Have you tried to get a replacement?

Might solve the problem and get your daughter that xmas pressie.

Slowhand

Replacement batteries on ebay for 3-6 quid. Not too difficult to do...just a bit fiddly. There's an online video which shows you how. Did mine 18 months ago with no problems.

Buzby

A 3GS would be prone to requiring a new battery - a local shop will do it f for £25 - might be a better option - and avoid CEX in future.

Lenrod

yes i was thinking of doing that, there is a company near me that specialises in iPhone repairs, however i have a right to return faulty goods, and this situation means my guarantee is worthless.
Luckily my daughter is quite mature for a 12 year old and understands she might not get her phone on time for christmas, and she's ok with that. (i am not however)
Its principle more than anything (and personal) i felt really embarrassed in the shop, i was made out to be a criminal in front of about 5 other customers and even more of their staff and ive done nothing wrong.

wealdroam

Lenrod wrote: »

...ive done nothing wrong.

I guess you didn't check the IMEI number on the phone against that on the receipt at the time of purchase.

Clearly your predicament all hinges on the important fact that the phone you returned has a different number to that allegedly supplied.

Not sure how you will ever be able to convince CEX, or a small claims court, that you have done nothing wrong. Sorry.

Lenrod

no i didnt check, the thought never crossed my mind to be honest.

unholyangel

You could always ask the shop/head office to do a check on the IMEI to see whether they have ever held that handset.

If the answers yes, I'd say that'd be enough to convince a judge that the shop has given the wrong handset.

I dont think its fair to place a requirement on the customer to check the IMEI before leaving the store as most people have no idea what an IMEI is.

Is the IMEI totally different or only different by a number or two? If its the latter, would make it more probable that one of their staff typo'd when entering it into their system. If its the former, somehow at some point, phones have been switched.

Did you get a box with it? Does the IMEI on the handset match the box? Does the box match the receipt?

Lenrod

The number is completely different although the first 4 digits are the same.
Thats not a bad idea though, regarding the imei no, but get this ive had another look and realised the no is also printed on the sim card tray, this is also different from the receipt and the phone??
I don't have the original box, they did give me one with their own sticker and bar code etc and this matches the receipt.