EE warning - consumer rights in shops

SW19consumer

Hello,

I have had a rather unpleasant experience with EE. Some of it is my fault for not being alert in signing up to a product that was pushed on me when I went in to the EE store in Wimbledon Centre Court to pick up a power bar. However, some of it revealed a legal loophole that others might find useful.

I signed up for a tablet and two hours later went back to the shop as I'd realised the paperwork committed me to a 24 month contract rather than a 12 month. For the way I would be using the product this wasn't a good deal for me as I didn't really need a SIM. However, the store managers took great pleasure in telling me that all of the cool off periods stipulated for electronic goods only applied to online/phone retail. Speaking to EE's customer services centre, although they really were apologetic about the behaviour of the store manager and I have someone who is really trying to help me, there does seem to formally be a limit to what can be done.

The moral of the story is not to buy things in store. Go and look and get advice, but then buy it online. That way if you change your mind your consumer rights are automatically protected.

Anoneemoose

SW19consumer wrote: »

Hello,

I have had a rather unpleasant experience with EE. Some of it is my fault for not being alert in signing up to a product that was pushed on me when I went in to the EE store in Wimbledon Centre Court to pick up a power bar. However, some of it revealed a legal loophole that others might find useful.

I signed up for a tablet and two hours later went back to the shop as I'd realised the paperwork committed me to a 24 month contract rather than a 12 month. For the way I would be using the product this wasn't a good deal for me as I didn't really need a SIM. However, the store managers took great pleasure in telling me that all of the cool off periods stipulated for electronic goods only applied to online/phone retail. Speaking to EE's customer services centre, although they really were apologetic about the behaviour of the store manager and I have someone who is really trying to help me, there does seem to formally be a limit to what can be done.

The moral of the story is not to buy things in store. Go and look and get advice, but then buy it online. That way if you change your mind your consumer rights are automatically protected.

This is the same with ANYTHING you buy in a store. You have no legal right to return for a refund. Obviously a lot of stores offer refunds for store bought things however this is in addition to your statutory rights not part of them.

Also, the paperwork you sign usually tells you the minimum term (and not in the small print) before you sign on the dotted line so to speak.

gjchester

SW19consumer wrote: »

The moral of the story is not to buy things in store. Go and look and get advice, but then buy it online. That way if you change your mind your consumer rights are automatically protected.

The Distance Selling Rights are NOT a trial, its a way to examine goods in your home as you would in a shop to check the size, shape, fit (as they were originally though of to cover clothes). You have the same rights as a in a shop, but once you use the product then the return rights are lost.


Most places offer the ability to try goods under the DSR, but that's over and above your legal rights, just like any non faulty return in store.

DCFC79

Nothing new

Read what your signing up to and if your being rushed to sign it because your reading it then I'd not bother signing it and walk out.

macman

The moral of the story is not to never buy in-store, it's to check what you are signing up for before you sign it...

Tony5101

just a small addition to this - remember that the DSR's are there for you to inspect goods in your home etc., with the option to return. If the company can prove that you've already inspected goods in-store, but then decided to buy online, then the DSR's can be deemed as n/a leaving you with no right of return.
Whether this would happen in terms of a mobile is questionable - just be sure not to mention anything about viewing in-store when completing any returns paperwork.

Browntoa

not particularly aware of any mobile network that does not use 24. Months as a standard contract length now , there's a few at 18 months

Only the sim only packages are 12 months these days if you opt not to do the 30 day rolling contract

MataNui

A few years back i went to an EE store in Rhyl for a sim only contract. I specifically asked for a 12 month one and all we dicussed were 12 month deals. Good job i read the contract before signing it. The t**t had signed me up to a 24 month sim only contract. Made them do the whole thing again. Dont trust anyone in a phone shop and make sure you read before signing.