Right to return contract phone bought online?

Herongull

Under the DSRs, you could certainly use something still return it it. You could even start to assemble self assembly furniture!

It was completely irrelevant that it then could no longer be sold as new. Lots of shops sold returned items separately through a separate outlet much cheaper than new because they were returns.

Customers had to take care of it, but even if they didn't the shop still had to refund them (but then could take action against them for damaging it).

Of course you don't have to check out an expensive item in a shop before ordering online. You just order online and if you don't like it you return it. That is the whole point of shopping online!

This kept a balance between online retailers (who had far overheads than physical shops but had to deal with disposing of returns) and physical shops. It really incentivised online retailers to provide as much information as possible and good photos so minimise the number of customers returning the item.

I hope the replacement for the DSRs provide similar protection.

Herongull

It looks as if the differences between the old and new regs and minor. You get a longer cooling off period and there are few minor tweaks and clarifications.

See: http://www.olswang.com/media/42025334/new_distance_selling_rules_in_force_from_june_2014.pdf

So feel confident to order a mobile phone and check it out thoroughly by using it (with a payg sim) and then just return it if you don't like it. How the retailer disposes of returned items is not your problem!

But I would not expect them to sell a used return as new to someone else.

You may have to pay for the return postage if the seller makes this clear.

mobilejunkie

With a contract via a dealer you'd be faced with problems. They would have set up the contract with the network and their own t&c usually state unused. Even if you did succeed, you would have a fight on your hands since the money is already going out and you would need to (potentially) sue to do anything about it.

grumbler

If the sim/services weren't used the contract can be cancelled because it was bought remotely. The fact that it's bought via a 'dealer' makes no difference for this.

I don't see what relevance phone testing/examination/whatever has to cancelling the contract.