Can you bring a mobile phone back for a refund?

RATM

I've a beef about the sale of mobile phones. In the shop before buying a phone you are allowed to see it, feel it but you can't use it. Now if you were buying a TV you can see it working, judge the quality of the picture and decide for yourself whether or not to buy it.

But with mobiles thats simply not the case, you get home and you power it up and hope that everything will be ok.

But then you realise that the software on the phone is pure cack, despite the phone itself looking nice. But its the use-ability of the software that you are going to have to contend with over the next 12 months of your contract that really matters, not the actual looks of the phone. However, the powers that be have decided that they will not let you have a play around with the phone and its software to judge for yourself before buying.

So I bought a Samsung Jet. All the online reviews I read seem to give it the thumbs up. But after less than 24hrs of use I'm fed up and regret not buying something else. The software on it just simply isn't up to scratch compared to other phones.

Does the consumer have any claim in this case or is it just a case of put up and shut up?

My network (Meteor) say that they offer a 7-day 'No Quibble' guarantee on new phones. However this comes attached with the condition that the phone must be unused. Which brings me back to my original point- the way that software works on a phone and the use-ability of it greatly effect your experience of the phone. Yet with the 'No Quibble' guarantee you are excluded from using the phone in order to check whether you like it or not.


Catch 22 anyone ?

jhegarty

You have no legal rights.

wmpdd3

All O2 stores have real phones you can see and use before you buy.

matchthis

RATM wrote: »

I've a beef about the sale of mobile phones. In the shop before buying a phone you are allowed to see it, feel it but you can't use it. Now if you were buying a TV you can see it working, judge the quality of the picture and decide for yourself whether or not to buy it.

Catch 22 anyone ?

Its not as easy to steal a tv on display as it would be to steal something small like a phone. I was asked to pick a phone from a shop and 3 of the fake phones had been stolen. Doubt real ones would last. Agree with what you're saying though about trying them out first

dudara

All the shops would have real working versions of the phones behind the counter. Ask to try your chosen model before you buy. (I've done this with the last 2-3 phones I've purchased). If they don't have it, go to another shop.

Cabaal

If you ask you can try a model of the phone in store, this has always been the way you have no leg to stand on.

I've been able to use phones before I bought with Vodafone, Meteor and O2 and this includes there own stores and the carphone warehouses stores, if however you choose not to test it before hand thats your loss.

matt70iu

Having bought many phones, all retailers I have dealt with have a working demo model for customers to play around with, as far as the law goes, the product is not faulty and is a used electrical good, therefore, you are not entitled to a refund. sorry...