O2 dishonest selling tactics

Marshmallow_Man

I have been looking to change my mobile phone & have used several comparison sites to find a good deal. Having found phones with what looked like amazing offers on O2 I rang on two different occasions only to be told that either they no longer had the phone in stock or the offer had ended.

I complained to the manager who claimed their sales teams gave the sites the deals but were not responsible if the deals were not updated as they were "third party" sites.

I don't agree with this as it seems to me they are posting deals on those sites which don't really exist just to lure potential customers in so they can sell them a different more expensive option.

Anybody have any opinions or advice on the matter?

Annie._2

O2 or any other mobile network provider cannot be held responsible for third party offers. Third party online offers constantly change to take account of market conditions and you have been given the correct information from the advisor.

If you take out a contract from a third party, any handset problems will have to go back to the point of purchase.

mije1983

There are so many different deals with the networks now, and changing so often, that comparison sites are never 100% reliable.

O2 won't post the deals on comparison sites and often have limited/no control on what is on there, as the manager you spoke to has said.

Think of insurance comparison sites. When you have got a price, you often go straight to the insurers site and have to enter more details, or find the price has changed.

just to lure potential customers in so they can sell them a different more expensive option.

Why would that happen? Surely it would just encourage you to go elsewhere?

grumbler

Just to clarify: most third parties sell their own handsets with O2 (or other) contracts.

Marshmallow_Man

The third party sites were comparison sites that are recommended by this very site (Omio & Moneysupermarket). The deals were availible directly from O2 and gave a direct dial number to call.
The manager who I spoke to confirmed that their sales team post the deals on the site but then deny responsibility for them not being up to date.
Surely as O2 are using these sites as advertising they should make sure they are up to date?!

Techhead_2

Marshmallow_Man wrote: »

The third party sites were comparison sites that are recommended by this very site (Omio & Moneysupermarket). The deals were availible directly from O2 and gave a direct dial number to call.
The manager who I spoke to confirmed that their sales team post the deals on the site but then deny responsibility for them not being up to date.
Surely as O2 are using these sites as advertising they should make sure they are up to date?!

I think you've misunderstood. O2 (and the other service providers) give the sites details of their latest deals. The problem is that these comparison sites don't always update to the latest offers/stock position.

Honestly, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Silk

I thought comparison sites worked through online orders only ...what happened when you clicked onl the deal online ?