Misled by One Stop Phone Shop

dfarry

Maybe I am just stupid... but if I know understand this correctly... I have been deceived by the sales ad on One Shop Phone Shops website.....

I decided to go for this deal... linked from Rpoints

(I knoe you don't like referral links here... but I have added this ONLY so that you can see what deal I went for.... I get nothing it... in fact much to the contrary it seems)

Basically on the One Stop if you go into Motorola phones and then V545 and then slect the phone and change the tariff to OVP Relax 100.... it comes up with "FREE GIFT 12 months line rental at £2.99"

I went ahead with this thinking what a great deal..... checked the contract... yes 12 months... all looked OK... but now it seems that I have to pay a 1/2 price rental of £11.50 for 3 months and then £23 for at least another 3 months before then trying to change to a cheap tariff.... at the end of the 12 months... and if the company is still in business I can get a cash back or something (according to the person who origianlly posted the ad on Rpoints)...

If this is the case then I feel really misled by the ad... they should have said this but at no point did.... maybe it was buried in the small print somewhere but for such a crucial point it should have been more prominent...

I just wanted a simple and cheap mobile phone with no strings attached... I should have gone for a PAYG!

I'm not happy....god knows how I'm gonna pay for the thing!

kai666

Not looked closely, as late for work, but by the looks of it, it is a cash back deal. 3 months half price is through orange, then you pay all the monthly rental and claim the money back at some point(s) during the year by sending a bill and a claim form in, which then makes it the equivalent of £2.99 a month.

You might have to hunt around a bit, but it will be there some where

The deadlines for reclaiming are very strict, so make sure you know exactly when they are and which bill you need to send or you will miss out

riker71

Carphone Warehouse owns OSPS and E2Save, if you have any major issues I would contact CPW. Some people have mentioned OSPS probs getting cashback in the past but as CPW now own them this brings an added measure of security

All their deals are cashback (as are 99% of the deals you now see offered), the network will sometimes (as in this case) give a discount direct through the bill, then you pay full line rental and claim it back by sending in your bill at certain months, always send recorded delivery and make copies.

Taken from OSPS website:

Line Rental Discounts and Cashback Explained

All cashback offers are claimed via redemption. Any line rental discount offered over and above the discount offered directly from the network is also claimed via redemption.

Redemption periods vary dependant upon the specific deal, but as a guide if the total amount of cashback available exceeds £100, the claim periods are months 4, 8 and 12. If the cashback is under £100 the redemption periods are months 4 and 8. Exact details of amounts and redemption periods will be included with your package.

---

Example 1 - Cashback Offer (Under £100)

An offer with '£80 cashback' as a gift would be broken down like so:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/2 of 80.00) = £40.00
Claim at Month 8 = (1/2 of 80.00) = £40.00
Total Cashback claim: £80.00
Example 2 - Cashback Offer (£100+)

An offer with '£120 cashback' as a gift would be broken down like so:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/3 of 120.00) = £40.00
Claim at Month 8 = (1/3 of 120.00) = £40.00
Claim at Month 12 = (1/3 of 120.00) = £40.00
Total Cashback claim: £120.00
Example 3 - Discounted Line Rental (Excluding Network Offer)

An offer with '10 months line rental at £4.99 per month' as a gift which normally costs £30 per month (12 month contract) would be broken down like so:

The customer pays £30 per month for 12 months to the network provider.

(10 x £30 per month) less (10 x £4.99 per month) =
300 - 49.90 =
total redemption value of £250.10

The cashback claims would therefore be:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/3 of 250.10) = £83.36
Claim at Month 8 = (1/3 of 250.10) = £83.36
Claim at Month 12 = (1/3 of 250.10) = £83.36
Total Cashback claim: £250.10
Example 4 - Discounted Line Rental (Including Network Offer)

An offer with '10 months line rental at £4.99 per month' as a gift which normally costs £30 per month (12 month contract), that also has 3 months half price line rental from the network would be broken down like so:

The customer pays £15 per month for the first 3 months, then £30 for the remaining 9 months to the network provider.

(3 x £15 per month AND 7 x £30 per month) less (10 x £4.99 per month) =
(45 + 210) - 49.90 =
total redemption value of £205.10

The cashback claims would therefore be:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £68.36
Claim at Month 8 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £68.36
Claim at Month 12 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £68.36
Total Cashback claim: £205.10
Example 5 - Discounted Line Rental (Including Network Offer) PLUS Cashback

An offer with '10 months line rental at £4.99 per month' as a gift which normally costs £30 per month (12 month contract), that also has 3 months half price line rental from the network AND an additional £10 would be broken down like so:

The customer pays £15 per month for the first 3 months, then £30 for the remaining 9 months to the network provider.

(3 x £15 per month AND 7 x £30 per month) less (10 x £4.99 per month) PLUS additional £10 cashback=
( (45 + 210) - 49.90 ) + 10 =
total redemption value of £215.10

The cashback claims would therefore be:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £71.70
Claim at Month 8 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £71.70
Claim at Month 12 = (1/3 of 205.10) = £71.70
Total Cashback claim: £215.10

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To redeem your cashback, please submit a copy of the relevant paid network bill, along with the correct redemption certificate, to the address supplied with your mobile package. Each cashback will be made by cheque, within 45 days of submission, subject to the procedures and timescales being followed.

Please note the details given are for illustration only and are subject to change without notice. If you have any questions, please call 0845 456 7878

grumbler

dfarry wrote:

If this is the case then I feel really misled by the ad... they should have said this but at no point did.... maybe it was buried in the small print somewhere but for such a crucial point it should have been more prominent...

I just wanted a simple and cheap mobile phone with no strings attached... I should have gone for a PAYG!

I'm not happy....god knows how I'm gonna pay for the thing!

If you are not happy just send the phone back - by recorded mail preferably. I doubt that you will manage to have postal expences refunded, but it is not a big loss.

'Returns Policy

All equipment is sold with a fourteen-day cooling off period from the date of delivery. A cooling off period means that you may return the equipment and cancel the contract provided that you have not used the equipment. If you use the equipment you will be deemed to have accepted the contract unless the equipment is subject to a trial period. There are some exceptions to this fourteen-day period described below.
It is your responsibility to inspect the equipment immediately upon delivery.

When the equipment is delivered to you, the courier will ask you to sign a delivery note stating that the package was delivered to you in a good condition. If the packaging is in any way damaged, you should:

§ describe the actual condition of the equipment on the courier’s delivery note;

§ follow the returns procedure set out below; and

§ under no circumstances break the seal.

If the packaging appears to be in a good condition, you may accept the delivery and break the seal. Please check the equipment. If it is not what you ordered or is damaged please notify us within as soon as possible. Please return all the equipment that was delivered to you in its original packaging in an unused condition within 14 days of delivery. (See returns procedure below).

If the equipment is faulty, we will replace it (subject to availability), arrange for it to be repaired or offer you a refund as appropriate, provided you have notified us promptly after discovery of the problem.

If we have failed to deliver something that you ordered, we will (subject to availability) use our best endeavours to deliver the item. If no such item is available we will offer you a similar item or a refund.

If you have any questions, or would like to return your equipment, please call customer services on 0845 456 7878.

Upgrades and T-mobile are sold with a seven-day cooling off period from the date of delivery.

Occasionally we offer equipment on a trial period. This means that you can return the equipment to us within a specified period and not be liable for the remainder of the term of the contract even if you have used the equipment. You will, however, have to pay the network provider for any calls made or messages sent. We may charge an admin charge of £9.99 to cover the price of postage in this instance.

Returns Procedure

If you wish to return any equipment to us, please contact our customer services in the first instance on 0845 456 7878. You will then be given a returns number. Please quote this number on all correspondence. All returns should be sent to our head office marked for the attention of the “Returns Department” and marked clearly “Returns”.

We highly recommend that you use an insured delivery service. We exclude any liability for loss or damage that arises whilst the equipment is being returned to us.

Where you are returning equipment within a trial period you must return it within the specified time. The relevant date for determining this will be the date the equipment is received by us.

Where you cancelling the contract under a cooling off period (as opposed to deciding not to go ahead after a trial period) your notice is deemed to be delivered the date you post it. In this case all equipment must be returned unused, undamaged, and in the original packaging.

Where you are returning faulty equipment we will refund your reasonable and properly incurred postage costs on proof of payment. It is important that you keep any receipts for such costs and provided us with copies of the same.

The equipment must also contain all of the items supplied to you, including all accessories and free gifts. '

dfarry

Thanks for all the info folks... last time I had a phone on a contract there was none of this refund stuff going on...

I don't mind paying so much if I can get a refund at specific points throughout the year... but I do not want to pay up front and then have to claim it all back as a single lump sum.

I sent them a email asking them not to proceed with the order until I speak to them in the morning and I should be able to cancel the phone before it even gets sent.....

I'm still not happy with the way this was advertised though.... possible case for trading standards?

dfarry

OK looking at the examples above then... this one seems to be what I would have...

An offer with 12 months line rental at £2.99 per month' as a gift which normally costs £23 per month (12 month contract), that also has 3 months half price line rental from the network AND an additional £10 would be broken down like so:

The customer pays £11.50 per month for the first 3 months, then £23 for the remaining 9 months to the network provider.

(3 x £11.50 per month AND 7 x £23 per month) less (12 x £2.99 per month) PLUS additional £10 cashback=
( (£34.50 + £161) - £35.88 ) + 10 =
total redemption value of £159.62

The cashback claims would therefore be:

Claim at Month 4 = (1/3 of 159.62) = £53.21
Claim at Month 8 = (1/3 of 159.62) = £53.21
Claim at Month 12 = (1/3 of 159.62) = £53.20
Total Cashback claim: £159.62

Hmmm I think I could live with that... I will still check the dates with them tomorrow... would any contract they send clearly state the specific dates in my case?

PinkPig

To be honest, just about every cashback deal there is is slightly misleading - people don't expect "6 months free line rental", or "3 months at £2.99" to mean "pay £35 a month now and get cashback later" - but that's the way just about all of the best offers are.

I wouldn't worry unduely about the company going bust, though, since they are now owned by the Carphone Warehouse.

dfarry

Yup indeed... now I know what I am dealing with it's not so bad and I will just be careful... overall £26 for a new decent phone and 100 minutes per month for 12 months is worth a little inconvenience and initial financial outlay...

Shame it wasn't a slightly cheaper deal...month on month as I would have liked one for my partner too.

FF99

OSPS currently have a K750i on Orange Relax 100, which includes 100 mins pm, all at a total net cost after cashback of £96.

I have just ebayed the phone for £200 (net after fees). Therefore they are paying me £100 for the line and calls for a year !!

Mindboggling really, but what a*holes to deal with in terms of custoemr serive (or lack thereof).