Refurbished phone?

[sarahthuk]

I've just signed up for a contract with Vodafone. My Samsung S5 mini was delivered to the store today. I picked it up, but it seems to be a refurbished phone as it's not in the proper packaging and parts are open???

How should I talk to - there don't seem to be any options when I call.

Thanks,

Sarah

[Michelle]

Hi sarahthuk,

You can either, return to the store, call 191 or contact us here so we can look into this further.

Thanks

Michelle

[hrym · Accepted solution]

When you call, just pick one of the options that's likely to get you talking to someone - not the topping up or setup guides.   If the person who answers can't help you, they should be able to get you transferred.   The best options tend to come near the end of the list.

[sarahthuk]

I went into a store and they confirmed that I had been sent a pre-used phone instead of a new one. I've since cancelled my order.

Very shocked that Vodafone sent me a pre-used phone instead of the new one I ordered

Thanks for your help.

[hrym]

There's been some discussoin of this before.  I don't think it's a regular occurrence and I'd like to think this was a packing error rather than anything else.  Refurbished devices are sometimes explicitly offered on the website and I hope you got one of these by accident rather than deliberately.   The argument will be that it's covered by the warranty whatever happens, but it's hardly the point if you didn't have the choice.

[steveo67]

i hope the store sawped the device and it would clearly breach trading laws trying to pass off a used item as a new one.

[hrym]

It sounds counter-intuitive, btu I'm not sure they would.   The phone is provided free (or sometimes with a small upfront cost) to complement your airtime contract, the t's & c's of which make it clear it's not part of it.   New or refurbished, it comes with all the usual warranties and may simply have been opened and then not used.  All the same, most people expect their new toy to be just that - new, so it would be good practice for it to be actually new.

[steveo67]

hrym,  you could also look at it that Vodafon had commited a criminal act if

They had made false or misleading claims or if they failed to disclose relevent information.

Passing off a refurbished phone as a new one in my opinion is misleading and if the phone has a past history then its its certainly relevent information and if they  do not tell you then they have no disclosed this to you

I think being a reputable company they would not want to fall foul of the law and should "do the right thing"

[hrym]

The question would be whether the phone was sold as new, or merely as a phone.  There's also a difference if it's supplied as an adjunct to an airtime contract.  Because it's not part of the contract, it's effectively a free gift.  I do think it's a PR issue, though, as people expect a new device, even if that's not what they've been actually promised.

[steveo67]

I dont think its a free gift .... its part of a package. You dont just buy an airtime contract you buy a phone on an airtime contract.  to many people the phone you receive is the most important part of the package.  Prime example everyone who dives in first day to get a new iphone 6, its not the contract that is important its the phone.

People do expect the phone to be a new phone yes.  If its not new it should be clearly marked and sold as a 'second' or ex demo phone. and the contract should be priced accordingly.  After all as part of the contract is the price of the phone.