Vodafone return

anfirrua

Hi,

I purchased a new mobile phone from a Vodafone store on Saturday evening only to find the screen failed early this morning. I returned the mobile phone approx 10am this morning, less than 48hours after purchase.
They claim they need to send it for inspection to determine if it was user or manufacture fault and this will take 7-10days with no options suck as a cover phone etc. I am a prepaid customer with them.
My question being is this legal and correct practice considering the produce is less than 48 hours I was expecting to walk out of the store with a new phone.
Thanks for any guidance

dudara

You are entitled to one of the 3 Rs - repair, replacement or refund. This is at the shop's discretion, although you can influence it.

Mobile phone shops are well-known for their reluctance to replace phones - they prefer to send for repair. So in that sense, they are entitled to seek to have the phone repaired. If that repair is not permanent, then you are entitled to seek another course (replace or refund). Unfortunately, most mobile phone stores will try to go down the 3-repairs route.

pleasant Co.

This is the returns policy for their Online Store, not sure why an instore policy would be any different in regards to your issue:

Vodaphone.ie wrote:

Our returns policy
Less than 14 days

Changed your mind? No problem – as long as you haven't used your phone or accessory, you can return it to us to get a full refund. You will need to do this within 14 working days of receipt. This is in accordance with the Distance Selling regulations.

* Prepay customers: complete the online returns form
* Pay Monthly customers: please call us on 1907 to arrange a return
* Accessories returns: complete the online returns form

Less than 28 days

If your phone or accessory becomes faulty within the first 28 days, you are entitled to a replacement or a refund.

* Prepay customers: complete the online returns form
* Pay Monthly customers: please call us on 1907 to arrange a return
* Accessories returns: complete the online returns form

Vodafone.ie

I think they should have given you a straight replacement, as that's what their policy states (online store policy)

foggy_lad

they will most likely repair the phone or send you back a refurbished one but you can insist on a replacement with a brand new phone or a refund as your phone was only new and a repair is taking most of the value from your new phone!

vodafone will try to fight this and you may well end up having to go through the small claims court

Davy

Mactard wrote: »

This is the returns policy for their Online Store, not sure why an instore policy would be any different in regards to your issue:



Vodafone.ie

I think they should have given you a straight replacement, as that's what their policy states (online store policy)

This is advantage of buying online, you are allowed a minimum of 7 days from receipt of the phone as a cooling off period even if the phone isnt faulty

foggy_lad

but surely they will not accept a faulty phone back as a change of mind return?

Kensington

Davy wrote: »

This is advantage of buying online, you are allowed a minimum of 7 days from receipt of the phone as a cooling off period even if the phone isnt faulty

Does the product not have to be unopened, unused and in it's original, sealed packaging though?

anfirrua

Thanks for the replies.
I contacted Vodafone again with the information from their online returns policy. They claim that is the same returns policy and that if I had of brought back the receipt and phone to the original store I would of got a replacement. I had brought it to a different store and thus only entitled to repair/replacement taking 7-10 days.

Sam Vimes

anfirrua wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.
I contacted Vodafone again with the information from their online returns policy. They claim that is the same returns policy and that if I had of brought back the receipt and phone to the original store I would of got a replacement. I had brought it to a different store and thus only entitled to repair/replacement taking 7-10 days.

That's a load of BS. The store you bring it back to is irrelevant

anfirrua

BS is right, they had taken the phone and sent it for repair and it was only when I started talking about their website returns policy that they stated returns are only good if you bring it back to the store of purchase.
No worries, thanks for all the help with the argument with Vodafone.

Rhymenocerous

anfirrua wrote: »

Hi,


They claim they need to send it for inspection to determine if it was user or manufacture fault and this will take 7-10days with no options suck as a cover phone etc. I

It is perfectly legal for the store to send a phone off for inspection if they can't determine in store if it is a manufacturers fault, or user damage. Screens are very hard to tell whether if it's a genuine fault or user damage.

What vodafone have done is

• Tell you they cannot determine if it's a fault or user damage
• Inform you they have to send it away to get an engineer to determine this

It doesn't matter if you brought the phone back within 48 hours, it still could be customer damage. You can still drop or knock a phone and damage it at any point.

I don't blame the store for sending it off. They're not saying you have to accept a repair, they're saying that they can't make the judgement on it and therefore have to get an engineer's report. If they make the call, and it turns out to be customer damage, then they're the ones that get in trouble.

If it comes back as faulty, you will be entitled to get a new unit under their 28 day faulty exchange period.

Davy

anfirrua wrote: »

They claim that is the same returns policy and that if I had of brought back the receipt and phone to the original store I would of got a replacement. I had brought it to a different store and thus only entitled to repair/replacement taking 7-10 days.

Thats someone fobbing you off. I bet you mentioned that you brought it back to another shop before they did.