Are Carphone Warehouse mobiles refurbished?

littlewren

Silk wrote: »

I wouldn't on principle myself but that's only from my personal experience with one of their companies.
That said lots of people use them without any problems and see no reason not to use them if it's cheaper and can be done online to give you better protection.

Do you mind me asking what problems you had with Carphone Warehouse Silk?


Looking on Quidco's website, there are mixed reviews about them so I'm in two minds whether to go with them. The price is better but I don't need any hassle.

Silk

littlewren wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what problems you had with Carphone Warehouse Silk

Far too long and complex to repeat but it involved mobiles.co.uk and a faulty phone turning into a major drama :rotfl:
I

gjchester

grumbler wrote: »

Also, all phones from CPW (except iPhones), unlike from EE, are not locked and are free from EE's bloatware.

Most phones, but not all. Anything that is a network exclusive is more likely to be locked and have network branding regardless of where it comes from. It amy also be that CPW got a good deal and DO have network stock, although this is more likely when ordering mail order as they can keep stock to one side and dispatch as required in the warehouse easier

So as an example the Gold M9 is EE exclusive, as is the Cyan Lumia 6400as are the Kestrel Phones or the EE Mobile broadband dongles.

Often CPW may not stock all the exclusive variants, but sometimes they DO have them and they may then be locked and have EE branding. I (and many other will have had locked and branded phones from CPW in the past)

Anyone looking for stock phones should check if they are on all networks as a way to avoid the bloatware and locking but that's not always a guarantee.

littlewren

gjchester wrote: »

Most phones, but not all. Anything that is a network exclusive is more likely to be locked and have network branding regardless of where it comes from. It amy also be that CPW got a good deal and DO have network stock, although this is more likely when ordering mail order as they can keep stock to one side and dispatch as required in the warehouse easier

So as an example the Gold M9 is EE exclusive, as is the Cyan Lumia 6400as are the Kestrel Phones or the EE Mobile broadband dongles.

Often CPW may not stock all the exclusive variants, but sometimes they DO have them and they may then be locked and have EE branding. I (and many other will have had locked and branded phones from CPW in the past)

Anyone looking for stock phones should check if they are on all networks as a way to avoid the bloatware and locking but that's not always a guarantee.

Sorry to sound thick but when you say stock phones, you mean phones 'in stock' at Carphone Warehouse? And also, what is bloatware?

Ahh, have just googled bloatware, you mean the stuff that's already on the phone when you receive it that you don't necessarily need or want. And do you mean 'in stock on the website?'

I have decided on the Samsung S5 but still not sure about whether to get it from Carphone Warehouse, where it's a bit cheaper. So if I see that the phone is on all networks, not just EE, it should be ok going for that one?

I find this all very confusing lol

grumbler

littlewren wrote: »

Sorry to sound thick but when you say stock phones, you mean phones 'in stock' at Carphone Warehouse?

That's why I prefer not to mention this.
I think 'stock phones' means phones without network branding being sold with various networks' sims/contracts or sim-free.

And also, what is bloatware?

Network-branded software, normally aiming to sell you various services that you don't need and very hard or impossible to uninstall or get rid of.

So if I see that the phone is on all networks, not just EE, it should be ok going for that one?

Yes. 'Exclusive' phones are rare and normally are easy to spot.

littlewren

Thanks grumbler So how do I tell if the Samsung S5 that I see on Carphone Warehouse/EE for £23.49 per month and £59.99 for the phone is ok? sorry for yet another question lol

grumbler

As you see various networks it's surely just normal S5, not locked.
If you buy online and (extremely unlikely) receive a EE 'branded' box you have 2 weeks to return it (preferably unopened).

However, I don't see £23.99. Do you mean £21.99 or £24.99?

littlewren wrote: »

Looking on Quidco's website, there are mixed reviews about them so I'm in two minds whether to go with them. The price is better but I don't need any hassle.

What reviews/hussle?
If you decided to buy from CPW, you have nothing to lose and the cashback to gain. That said, I prefer TCB unless they offer smaller cashback.

gjchester

littlewren wrote: »

Sorry to sound thick but when you say stock phones, you mean phones 'in stock' at Carphone Warehouse?

It's about stock (as in the physical box) levels. if CPW (or any non network shop) was to hold say 3 units of each phone in each colour, in each memory size, locked to each network that's a lot of stock to hold in store. And stock costs money, and the shops want to minimise what they hold at all times.


So they hold generic unlocked unbranded versions in store so they can give that device to anyone who takes out a contract on any network.


However in some cases the shops get network branded stock at a better rate than the could else where, so they buy that and use it where they can, or if its a model/colour/size that's unique to a network they have to hold network stock as that the only source.


Probably 999 times out of 1000 a phone from CPW store will be generic unlocked stock, BUT its not guaranteed, and you can only tell really tell when you get the box and see if its got the network branding on it, or sometimes not until you try turning it on.


Grumblers right, most of the time you will get unbranded stock, and if you don't you can return it. Ironically you have a higher chance of getting branded stock buying online as they can hold much more in a warehouse and dispatch it to you, than having stock sat in store.


Is the phone OK?
Depends what you mean., physically its going to be a new phone, not a refurbished one, but is it OK depends on what you want from a phone, how much you want to pay and so on rather than anything else.


Remember CPW is part of the Dixons chain so as safe a bet as anyone.

robbies_gal

cpw is just a normal phone supplier like the networks are

ee will try and scare you off buying off them or anyone else or they lose the commision-youre still on ee you still have a contract with them

quidco reviews are suually about the cashback and how long it takes not about the phones themselves

littlewren

grumbler wrote: »

As you see various networks it's surely just normal S5, not locked.
If you buy online and (extremely unlikely) receive a EE 'branded' box you have 2 weeks to return it (preferably unopened).

However, I don't see £23.99. Do you mean £21.99 or £24.99?
What reviews/hussle?
If you decided to buy from CPW, you have nothing to lose and the cashback to gain. That said, I prefer TCB unless they offer smaller cashback.

Sorry grumbler, yes it's £24.99 with £59.99 for the phone.

I'm still a bit confused though. So if I ordered a Samsung S5 through Carphone Warehouse on EE's tariff and when it arrived it had EE on the box, that would be bad? I don't understand why.

P.S. I'm learning a lot here, thank you for your patience.