Phone credit surcharge.

ScouseMouse

I see that as of midnight, 3rd of February, Vodafone and O2 are increasing the cost price of their phone top-ups to the shops again. So if the shop accepts them, you wont notice, if the shop doesn't accept them, they may add or increase a surcharge. More information can be got from Vodaphone 1907 or O2 on 1909

Gillo

Is there really more information available from the customer care?
I seriously doubt that someone in a call centre would discuss commerical pricing with a member of the public?

Where did you see that the networks are increasing the price? please post a link.

ScouseMouse

I saw it on my computer system, I sell the credit. This is a consumer issue because it will maycause people to pay more on any surcharges.

mikemac

Shouldn't affect most people anyway, only a fool pays a surcharge.
You can use an ATM, register your credit card and top up by text or I'd say most towns in Ireland have a Xtravision or a Tesco.

Some newsagents have large signs stating they don't have a surcharge,
WOW! It's like they are doing customers a favour :rolleyes:

Gillo

I just find it very strange that both network would increase the price in unison. Perhaps it's the reseller you buy the credit from and not the network? [although I'd have expected them to do the same with three and meteor]

ScouseMouse

Meteor went up on xmas eve. I have been expecting this since then. By the way, it is a coincidence, but not at the retailer, O2 and Vodafone have both done it at the exact same time.

kleefarr

I do mine via online banking, there's no surcharge with that, I think.

jahalpin

The networks don't sell directly to the retailers, companies such as ALphyra (Payzone) buy the credit and resell it to the retailers

The margin on call credit is already very low and an increase in the wholesale price will lead to more surcharges being applied by shops.

If the wholesale price of an item such as chocolate went up, the retail price would go up as well. It's unfair to expect the retailer to absorb the increase in cost.

It's unfair of the networks to increase the wholesale price of the credit, and in my opinion, is anti-competitive and should be referred to the competition authority. The fact that the two larger networks increased their wholesale price at the same time is also seriously anti-competitive

JohnC.

micmclo wrote: »

Shouldn't affect most people anyway, only a fool pays a surcharge.
You can use an ATM, register your credit card and top up by text or I'd say most towns in Ireland have a Xtravision or a Tesco.

And there are quite often promotions in supermarkets or using ATMs where you get some extra credit free.

Gillo

Thats why I'm thinking that i'd the wholesaler (be that Alphyra or someone else) who increased the charge.

ScouseMouse

I genuinely doubt it is Alphyra that has done this. More likely the mobile networks getting greedy. I contributed to a thread about this before which generally blamed the retailer ! Then the mods locked it as it was going nowhere.

Now this has happened and I am in the unenvieable situation where something has gone up about five percent where people expect to buy for a certain price. I am in business 10 weeks - yes 10 weeks, and every penny counts. People on monday are going to turn on me for a surcharge when all I am trying to do is stay as I am. With mortgage repayments of 2k per week and electricity at 2K per month I have to be very careful. Unfortunately, noone is taking the phone companies to task. People may say to me that noone else charges extra but I know some shops do. Whether it is greed or downright necessity, is another question, but the real issue here, is the phone networks who make millions

Danno

Thank god for billpay. Mobile phone credit is sooo expensive.

JohnC.

Danno wrote: »

Thank god for billpay. Mobile phone credit is sooo expensive.

Depends how much you use it. Personally, I'm on PAYG and I've not bought credit since February 2001 because I don't use it much and on the 2 occasions when I did get a bit low, I bought a new phone which came with almost as much credit as I paid for the phone. O2 must love a customer like me Though I understand all that free credit needs top-ups to activate now, so my almost free ride seems to be over when I run low again.

denashpot

wouldn't surprise me that these companies are trying to increase prices in some way. its a joke with the money they make. i get my cred from 24 hour banking so they can stick they're surcharge where the sun dont shine!;)

Sam Vimes

Danno wrote: »

Thank god for billpay. Mobile phone credit is sooo expensive.

well that really depends on your usage. if i was on bill pay i'd pay far more than i do on meteor pre pay