Issue Buying New Handset with Vodafone

Gorg

I'm in desperate need of a new phone (my poor thing is now 5 years old and takes 20 seconds to open a text message). I'm on a SIM-only contract with Vodafone, which I like - I've got a decent deal on minutes, texts, and data, so I only need a new handset. I picked out the one I want (Sony Xperia E3, £80 at Vodafone), but I'm seemingly unable to buy it.

I went into the store, but I can't purchase the handset without buying a £10 top up, which I don't need because of the SIM-only contract.

Then I went onto the website, where I'm able to purchase the handset without a top-up. Except when I went through the check out, I continually got the following error:

Sorry, there's been a problem
Sorry, we were unable to get your account details. Please try again.

I used the online chat to troubleshoot, and was talked through a number of possible solutions (different browser, different payment card, ordering on different machines, clearing cookies), which all produced the same result. I've tried to order online so many times that I'm worried 30 handsets are all going to show up at some point next week.

Then I called them up, but was told that I couldn't order just a handset over the phone.

What do I have to do to get Vodafone to take my money?!

augustusgloop

buy it from amazon? (same price)

Gorg

augustusgloop wrote: »

buy it from amazon? (same price)

Did consider it but apparently it "usually dispatches within 2-4 weeks". Would rather not potentially wait a month for it if possible.

forgotmyname

Worked for me right upto the checkout. Choose the phone and then select keep exisiting sim at the bottom and then it allows me to goto the checkout and register or login to pay.

Gorg

forgotmyname wrote: »

Worked for me right upto the checkout. Choose the phone and then select keep exisiting sim at the bottom and then it allows me to goto the checkout and register or login to pay.

Yeah, I got that far too - it was actually checking out that was throwing the error back (after entering all my contact/card details and agreeing to terms and conditions etc.)

Silk

Get one from Argos and collect from a store that has a payment machine to avoid the £10 top up

Gorg

Silk wrote: »

Get one from Argos and collect from a store that has a payment machine to avoid the £10 top up

This seems to have worked - got one on reserve, no mention of a reserved top up, so hopefully there's no problem when I go get it tomorrow.

Silk

It does provided you can pay via the machine and go straight to collections

Gorg

Silk wrote: »

It does provided you can pay via the machine and go straight to collections

It didn't work - when you put a reservation number for a phone into the machine it sends you to the till, where they tell you that you have to buy the top up apparently argos have wised up to that solution.

So I am still phoneless, and it's been three days since I started trying to buy it.

enfield_freddy

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vodafone-Sony-Xperia-Pay-Handset-White/dp/B00P7V375C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1426933054&sr=8-4&keywords=Sony+Xperia+E3


want it tomorrow , white tho

Gorg

I finally managed to order it through vodafone's website - although I had to create an entirely new account to do so for some reason. Thanks for the suggestions everyone