Carphone Warehouse Ticks Off Disgruntled iPhone 3G Customers
Today we published an article titled “All iPhones from Carphone Warehouse have been activated” (See Here).
Well following on from this we have had a couple of our readers comment on what they think about Carphone Warehouse.
Reader One Says: “Connected maybe, but working properly. I think not! My visual voicemail still isn’t working. It refuses to use the 3G network and to top it off I’ve been told by O2 that I’m still on my old tariff.
This is officially the worst launch I’ve ever seen, both Apple and O2 are a joke if they think this was successful”.
Reader Two Says: “With regard to your story that “All iPhones from Carphone Warehouse have been activated” I can categorically inform you that that is NOT the case.
I have been waiting since Saturday, (it’s now Wednesday evening and still nothing.
Each time I Phone O2, (typically 30 mins wait to get through) they say they have no info on me. I give them my CW transaction number and my iPhone mobile number shown on my invoice.
They then promise to have somebody call me from “Activation” ~ That was on Monday and I am still waiting.
To see this story claiming we have all been connected is really annoying. I have been tied to my house waiting for O2 call, as I have no mobile from my previous provider (Orange whose service was much better) and I am supposed to be on holiday.
This whole iPhone business has been horrendous, and after being a loyal customer of Apple for many years, and to see them not even bothering about the UK problems, has made me think very hard about buying any of their products again. In fact I can now say I will not.
I don’t know what to do, apart from return the iPhone if nothing is sorted by Friday”.
Please let us know if you are a Carphone Warehouse customer who went in to buy the iPhone 3G, we also want to know if you have your iPhone 3G and if it has been activated yet. Say whatever you feel you have too in the comments area provided below.
Comments
46 thoughts on “Carphone Warehouse Ticks Off Disgruntled iPhone 3G Customers”
Where to start? Overall I think that the whole iPhone situation has been a bit of a shambles. I can understand that with the sheer amount of people that want to get their hands on this item, things aren’t going to go smoothly. Problems with activation and servers going down? OK I can understand with the volume of traffic this is going to happen. Limited availability? Yet again, obviously with the massive demand first come, first served seems like a fair deal. Although with the fact that O2 did a pre-release “are you interested” survey, I would have thought that with the hundreds of thousands of people registering their interest, they would have tried to stock far more iPhones than what they did. I think that the problems I have with this whole fiasco is the lack of consistency, clarity and communication that is emerging from all 3 of the companies involved with this release in the UK (Apple, O2 & Carphone Warehouse). O2 & Carphone Warehouse have little to no stock whatsoever yet Apple seem to have lots of them to go around. Great I’ll go to Apple and get one, a bit of a drive but what-the-hell! However (correct me if I’m wrong) Apple can’t sort out O2 upgrades, so if you’re already an O2 customer, no point in getting one from there. So back to O2 & CPW. O2 couldn’t even handle the pre-register of iPhones, nevermind the actual taking of good hard cash on the day, and with a estimated delivery date of the 25th July before the next batch of 16GB come in, I think I might leave that one for a bit. So CPW. Arrived in my local store on launch day (not early, didn’t queue unfortunately had to work) and due to the fact that they had sold out WITHIN HALF AN HOUR of their allocation, the best they could do, was a mail order with delivery by courier on Monday 14th July. OK, not great but I can wait a few days. Monday comes and goes with no sign of delivery. Contact my local store on Tuesday to find out that they are Out of Stock and “don’t know when they’ll come in, POSSIBLY in their warehouse Thursday/Friday”. So if I don’t get it the Monday 21st July, I’m gonna have to wait until the following week (as they seem to be getting their stock weekly). The only reason I managed to find this info out is by little to no help from the Sales Guy (not his fault really, if he’s told nothing he’s obviously only going to tell me nothing!) and lots of forum reading (mainly O2’s). Surely in this internet/web page era perhaps a FAQ (that has relevent info) on each company’s respective pages with some reasonable delivery time expectations and how quickly all of this backlog of customer orders may actually get resolved would help? You never know even an apology with some kind of customer courtesy gift. Nope instead you have Carphone Warehouse proclaiming that everybody was now activated, Apple have lots of stock and O2 saying that they had some teething problems but everything is now all fine. Pat on the back all around then?!? I understand that there are a lot of people out there that have technically “a brick” in their hands and still trying to get their new shiny toy activated, but there’s also a lot of people out there that have paid for their new shiny toy and amongst a lot of half promises, have got nothing but a bank balance that’s a hundred and sixty pounds lighter. Also, with the possibility of having to wait weeks before they get anything for their money.
I visited the CPW in nottingham on Friday around 11Pm. They did not have any of the 16Gb, but quite a few 8GBs. I placed my order with payment and contract signup with them on same day with promise for deleivery the next day. On saturday they didnot get the phone. Then on monday i called them around 1130, and they promised me that i can come and collect the phone as the delivery would be there in an hour. I reached the store not just that they did not have the iphone the employees were quite rude including the manager(Ash) was rude. Though they returned the delivery charge of £20 but i still have not got my phone. and they have no idea when will i get it. I am sure i would never purchase anything from their store ever.
write a letter to steve jobs and tell him his job is flipping done. or his deputy who in charge of iphone 3G has to be sacked.
bunch of cowboys or fat cats.
Its a phone.
All this WHINING about a phone not working?
Shameful.
So you wont ever buy anything from Apple again? Who cares?
You should go down on your knees and thank O2 that you have had this opportunity to vent all the frustration from your lives.
Call it free counselling.
Look at yourself – you might find that there is more to be angry about than a little inanimate object…..
^^^ Ouch !
Of course – you could have ignored the hype and bought a real phone from a real phone manufacturer rather than from a company with no pedigree in this market and some extremely controlling business practices. Roll on the N96, I’m not expecting this sort of problem when I come to upgrading.
On the other hand – I sympathise with the shoddy displays of customer service you have all been getting.
Serves you all right for slavishly following “The holy grail” of Apple. I have no doubt that most of you queued for hours? GET A LIFE!
As probably the only owner of two iphones I am equally disgruntled – if not doubly so! After being told my online upgrade via o2 was unsuccessful I ordered a phone via the carphone warehouse. Lo and behold on the Friday morning an O2 iphone was delivered! Great I thought….or not as I’ve now got two. However on Saturday morning when I went to go to the Carphone warehouse to cancel their order I was told I couldnt as they’d sold my phone to a store customer and kept my money. Cue several angry phone calls to Carphone warehouse customer services and refund centre. TOday I got a text message to say my order was now available to collect in store….not amused.
Carphone Warehouse – never, ever again!!! I was really looking forward to the new iphone 3G. On the 10th of July (Thursday) I went on Carphone Warehouse’s website and have seen that the new iphone 3G is still available. I decided to make a purchase for a long awaited device via telephone in order to make sure that my order will be processed. I phoned them up and the guy said that my iphone will be delivered tomorrow (Friday, 11th). Promises, promises…I spent all day at home, waiting for delivery. Nothing. I phoned CPW and have been waiting 40mins to be connected. Finally when got through I’ve been told that because of a huge demand they weren’t able to proceed with all deliveries and my iphone will come tomorrow. The woman reassured me that my iphone is secured and allocated to me and is waiting for dispatch. Saturday (12th) – no iphone. Phone them back asking where is my iphone??? They said that they out of stock and all orders taken on Thursday are pending when the new stock arrive. In that case if I knew I would probably go to any o2 shop on a Friday and get the iphone from there. They couldn’t explain me why they took the new orders knowing that they out of stock!!! It’s just a money business!!! Indeed, they took the money for the handset from my account straight away. Today is Thursday (17th). I still don’t have my iphone. According to them I should get it by tomorrow. Will I get??? I doubt it….!!!
Now hang on a moment, its not really fair to start judging people for wanting to get their hands on an exciting new product. I would love to have and iPhone although I wouldnt have queued as I have a job and it would not be practical for me to do so.
CPW and O2 have been shockingly bad (or severly mis-informed) to people even trying to get their hands on an iPhone, I expected to be able to get an iphone on launch day as I’d pre-registered my interest as soon as I was given the option to on the O2 website and yet, a week later i’m still without my phone.
Spoke to a guy at the CPW last weekend who assured me that if I rang on thursday to reserve a phone I could pick it up tomorrow. Well I rang and was told that apple had only sent them enough phones pre-allocated stock ordered online and that it would be AT LEAST a week before I could get my beloved gadget.
Am I dissapointed? Definately. Will I live? I imagine I will.
Well what can I say – great company to give you the sale spiel, take you money then leave you without any idea what’s happening!
I went in last Friday and ordered a 16gb – the sale person assured me constantly it would arrived Monday before 12 – great I thought!
1pm Monday (I was on lunch before!) I give them a ring – 30 mins later still no answer (great for a PHONE company) – in the end with sheer frustration I phone their national line – to be told “sorry sir, they are taught to serve shop customers first” – great I’m already a second rate customer then – quick enough to take my money then “sod me”..
Anyway, the chap proceeds to look into it for me, to then inform me – “sorry not arriving today and not sure when it’s arriving” – fantastic service, attitude and now I find out I’ve been lied to! When I then start to rightfully moan – I’m simply informed to take this up with the shop…. thanks a bunch crapphonewarehouse.
2 hours pass, and I’m now in the shop – “sorry sir, don’t know when it’s arriving and can’t update you any further (after spending 30 mins typing on his computer – I’m sure he was simply playing Tetris!) So why didn’t I get a call apologising or any sort of update? why did I have to do the chasing? “we don’t do that” what? you don’t inform clients their products haven’t arrived? what service do you call this?
Anyway – four days later and lots of phone calls chasing I’m still informed that they don’t know when it will arrive – but still no apology, no compo (not even a free leather case!), and no phone call/email or even carrier pigeon to update me – all in all I’m totally cheesed off, disappointed and fed up with their attitude, service and lack of caring for the customer!
I will never use crapphone warehouse again!
Hmmm…Carphone Warehouse – never, ever again!!! I was really looking forward to the new iphone 3G. On the 10th of July (Thursday) I went on Carphone Warehouse’s website and have seen that the new iphone 3G is still available. I decided to make a purchase for a long awaited device via telephone in order to make sure that my order will be processed. I phoned them up and the guy said that my iphone will be delivered tomorrow (Friday, 11th). Promises, promises…I spent all day at home, waiting for delivery. Nothing. I phoned CPW and have been waiting 40mins to be connected. Finally when got through I’ve been told that because of a huge demand they weren’t able to proceed with all deliveries and my iphone will come tomorrow. The woman reassured me that my iphone is secured and allocated to me and is waiting for dispatch. Saturday (12th) – no iphone. Phone them back asking where is my iphone??? They said that they out of stock and all orders taken on Thursday are pending when the new stock arrive. In that case if I knew I would probably go to any o2 shop on a Friday and get the iphone from there. They couldn’t explain me why they took the new orders knowing that they out of stock!!! It’s just a money business!!! Indeed, they took the money for the handset from my account straight away. Today is Thursday (17th). I still don’t have my iphone. According to them I should get it by tomorrow. Will I get??? I doubt it….!!!
I must say I had a thoroughly pleasant iphone experience! Apart from the computer systems crashing on launch morning (when i got my phone) its actually been really good. I got my 16gb from my local o2 store (wimbledon), they were friendly and informative and doing a good job of keeping everyone happy (heck they even went and bought muffins for everybody standing waiting in the queue). For the newbies they were even giving brief demo’s on how to use some of the features of the iphone so that when you got home with your new toy, you’d know how to use it straight away.
Because the systems were down, they had to do everything on paper – i thought this would cause huge headaches as I was porting across from o2 through CPW to o2 direct. However, they said that the phone should be connected within 2-48 hours (big window, but the staff in the store were guessing to the best of their knowledge), and about 40 hours later, on sunday morning, the sim was up and going, 3G working, visual voicemail working and everything. Kudo’s to the store for employing people with their heads screwed on well and knowing what they’re doing! I then received a text on monday saying my number would be ported on wednesday, and come wednesday afternoon lo and behold my number was ported. Everything working as per expected.
I am really glad I decided to leave CPW, as from the sounds of things the service from CPW and from O2 is like chalk and cheese! I must say i’m really impressed that the sale & activation of 250,000 iphones in 3 days has actually gone so smoothly! (that would be the UK initial allotment selling out by the end of the weekend).
And finally, I can conclusively say that this experience was actually more pleasant for me than when I changed from vodafone to CPW-O2 some years back.
Got mine last friday, works perfectly and I love it. Best phone I’ve ever owned. No problems at all, ported my old number. all easy…
I’ve yet to receive my (paid-for) iPhone and may have to wait two weeks, I’m far from happy about the situation.
However, as I’m sure Phonesreview are aware, Apple provided far less stock than O2 and CW asked for. Even worse, it only confirmed the stock each was to receive not too long long before launch – hence why O2 had to announce it couldn’t offer PAYG at launch. If stock had been more plentiful, I doubt there would have been such a mad rush by customers.
The activation problem is pretty much at Apple’s door as well.
As an existing CW and O2 customer (and Apple for that matter), I’m not overly happy, but I’m far more annoyed at Apple.
Went to the CPW store in Hammersmith Broadway Friday mid morning, no que. They were out of phones, but that I would get it delivered on Monday, “look here, (pointing at screen) we are reserving your phone right now”, so I payed, and waited all Monday at home for my phone to be delivered. No phone arrives, no email or call about the delay, no info whatsoever. Calling the autimatic helpline with my transaction number, I get “Your order has already been submitted”???
Finally have time to go to the store today. “I have bad news and and I have good news, for you Mr…” (Who teaches sales guys to say these things?).
Apparently my phone may arrive with them today… or not. When today? Don’t know. Why will it arrive there if it was ordered for home delivery? How will they know it’s my phone? How many phones are they expecting? Where am I on the waiting list?????
I think they either know it’s going to be weeks, and are stalling, or they don’t have a clue, and are making it up as they go along.
Either way, they are misleading customers. Not first time CPW does this, apparently.
…and guess what just arrived in the post. My first 02 bill!! Obviously no delays in delivering that…
I ordered my phone on last monday morning and it arrived on friday as promised.
Took a while to get activated on Fri evening, but was soon up and running.
All in all, a good experience and an amazing phone!
Personaly I had an exceptional experience with my my purchase – I ordered my iPhone the day before release on the CPW website at 2.30, had an email saying payment processed at 11.30.
On the day of release I had a call at 11 saying my phone was in store and I could collect when free, popped in at lunch time phone was already activated signed the contract was out within 5 mins couldn’t of been happier/easier in my experience.
Sorry for you guys who weren’t as fortunate.
So are you whiners whinging about the whiners (Dithers for example) saying that bad customer service is OK and that paying customers should not complain when they receive bad service.
This whole sorry saga should be referred to the trading standards authority and Apple, O2 and CW should be hit with sanctions. At the end of the day a phone should be treated like a phone that you can buy and use on any network you want. The present system only suits fat cats, it ensures they will get fatter.
Well, I pre-ordered a phone last Monday to be sent to a CPW store in Queensway. Went in there on Friday to pick it up, and was told it would be in later in the afternoon. Went back in and told it hadn’t turned up and would be coming in the following week.
Then got a text & email on Monday night telling me my order had been cancelled!! No idea why and customer services for CPW have not been any further help.
I’m still keen to get my hands on one, but will buy direct from O2 to avoid giving any cash to CPW, that’s for sure.
I pre-ordered an ip3g last Monday on the CfW website and received a confirmation mail. I foolishly opted to deliver to store on Friday as I would out of the house.
The Staff in store were helpful but told me the reservation was irrelevant, cancelled my order and placed a fresh one for delivery this Monday (14th).
I’m still waiting. They don’t answer the phone, the order tracking system says “there is a fault”, and the central helpline just rings out.
Livid. They’ll happily take your money and sign you up, but that’s where the service stops.
I won’t be buying from Carphone Warehouse again.
Went to Carphone Warehouse Friday morning to buy 16Gb 3G iPhone, told they had none in but plenty ‘in warehouse’ paid £15 to have it delivered on the Saturday – no phone, no sign of any phone, website sys no stock. No idea when I’ll get my ‘phone, though I’ve already paid for it! Called Apple store in Manchester, who seem to get new stock every day, they say 16Gb is in short supply with them. CPW phoned to say they’ll refund next day delivery charge, but no idea when I’ll get a phone.
Ordered on friday got a sim card through no phone, still waiting for the phone today already heard 4 different exscuses from the CPW. Money been debited from my account for the phone and just had a BILL for my line rental given to me in the post for a network I cant even use because I dont have a phone.
Carphone warehouse response is ‘well I dont know’ off up there in a minute to try and sort it out and no doubt shall get no response!!
In Reply to “Dithers” I can bet your bottom dollar that if the same thing had happened to them, they would be whining, and if they feel like that, what are reading this report column for in the first place?
Too right I am complaining, if I buy something I expect it to work, and if not, I expect the merchant responsible to take reasonable and prompt action. ~ This O2 & CW are not doing.
Get a life he says ~ That’s the point, I want to get on with it, but waiting every day for a call from either CW or O2 to activate this phone, is time consuming and believe it or not frustrating. ~ A phone it is not, that’s the whole point. Thank Apple on my Knees for what ~ selling me a very expensive, limited capacity iPod?
And if he really thinks that companies don’t care about people not buying from them again, then he is as big a fool as he sounds.
No, granted my own contribution to Apple’s profit’s won’t be missed, but when you have as many people complaining about a single product, it might make them think again about buying any other products from that company or merchant, and that reaction can brush off on to friend’s, family and work colleagues.
Remember Apple has nearly gone to the wall before, and it is ONLY because people partially stayed loyal and tried their new products namely the first series iPod and iMac series, that rescued them. Have you not heard of the “iPod Halo Effect” ? Many people buying later generations of iPod, had their first experience of an Apple product and liked, and decided to try their other products, particularly computers.
With regard to ‘Simon’s comment: “..Serves you all right for slavishly following “The holy grail†of Apple. I have no doubt that most of you queued for hours? GET A LIFE!”.
Let me say this. Having waited three years for Apple to bring out a mobile phone which I had expected to be up to their (until now) high standard of design & usability, I did not purchase the first iphone as I believed that any problems would have occurred with that launch, and when that went well, I decided to go for the next version, which by this time they should have understood their market better, and not launched the product in so many places at the same time. Common sense would dictate that if you have thousands of people globally trying to register / or activate, connect or whatever all at the same time, you are bound to have problems.
Last year they launched it in six countries, this time it was twenty-two.
And no, iI did not queue for hours, I ordered mine online.
At the moment, their is the risk, at least here in the UK, that the ‘iPhone’s Halo’ has definitely slipped.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
As an update, as of today (Thursday) lunch time, i got through to O2, and they informed me that “…they are very sorry not to have got back to me, and that someone should now ring me in 24 HOURS! ~ If they do not, then they can ‘escalate’ my request…”
I was informed that this entailed e~mailing the ‘Back Office’ but they cannot phone someone as they don’t have a number ~ and this is from a Mobile phone company!
The way things are going, and with the weekend looming up, I would reckon that it will be at least Tuesday before this is sorted out.
I can echo Tom Wilcocks post on here. I too was sold a 16GB iPhone by CPW on fridaynand was told i would have the phone on saturday morning without any problems (i thought this was too good to be true and made sure by having the sales rep confirm this 3 times). saturday i got a phone call to tell me that the phone wouldnt be in stock and that they would hav it on monday. Today is Thursday and there is still no phone in my possession. I also recived my line rental bill yesterday and still dont have a phone and all CPW can tell me is that i will have my phone on xxxxx, only for that day to come and me still not have hold of my iPhone 3G.
This is abysmal by both CPW and O2, they knew demand for the item would be big but yet they and apple havent solved the issue and have just caused this situation.
Just been upto the carphone warehouse and they still dont know when it is going to arrivre and also regards to the line rental they are going to be compensating people but not until they receive the phone.
Apprarently they are getting some stock in today to be distriputed but I think its doubtful and I think they are just playing us!!!!!
I purchased an iPhone via CPW website. Later that day they sent an email saying the network supplier was demanding £150 deposit. I rang o2, they knew nothing about it. I checked my credit rating was still excellent, and rang CPW. They said it was o2 wanting the deposit. o2 said again they knew nothing about it. Rang CPW again, and they said I had no choice, I had to pay the £150. I said I did have a choice, I told him to shove their iPhone. There is no great hurry to get one, I can wait, but I won’t be paying anything to CPW, bloody small minded fraudulent company trying to get people keen on the phone to pay them £150 to sit earning interest in CPW’s bank account.
I went to the Carphone Warehouse in Cambridge on launch day. I got there just before 8AM and there were only 5 or 6 people waiting. Compared to the 40 odd that I passed waiting at the O2 shop nearby I thought this would work out better than last year. By 9AM the first 4 people through the door were still being served and I had got no further than my feet in the door! Shortly after 9 I gave up. I came back a few days later to ask how things had gone and they told me that the O2 servers related to CC payments had buckled under the strain and had only managed to get some payments completed by 11AM. A ridiculous situation considering they have had more than half a year to anticipate demand. I am currently still waiting for my Black 16GB model but at least I got the 2.0 update for my original iPhone.
I also purchased a 16gb from CPW last Friday morning. I was guaranteed that it would be delivered to the store for me to collect on Monday lunchtime. I was extremely dubious as the amount of press claiming that the earliest anyone could expect to get one would be the middle of never!!!!! But oh no sir, look it has been allocated on our system, it wouldn’t do that if there was a phone sat on the shelf in our warehouse with your name on it.
Monday comes and guess what…. no phone!! it should be in by Wednesday. “Are you sure? It’s just that I have to travel 15 miles to get to this store and it is a bit inconvenient if its not in. ”
“Sir would I lie to you?”
Wednesday ……………. no phone!!!! (temper shortening by the second) What do you mean no phone???????
“Look it will be here on Thursday or Friday, anyway it is your fault sir for buying a iphone in the first place. If you hadn’t then it wouldn’t not be here.”
Thursday . no phone, very friendly lady named Sarah, very apologetic (much nicer than the boy who served and irritated me before, and was obviously dressed in his fathers suit) informs me that unfortunately that have no idea when they are coming in, head office can’t tell them and that as soon as it comes in she will call. CPW well done, this is only the second time i have had dealings with you, the first time was when you wiped the only photo’s of my newborn daughter off my phone after telling me you would definitely not wipe any data from my phone!!!
You are a class act and do not deserve to be in business. It is obvious that you rely upon new business to make your income. In a competitive market that you operate you will not survive the long term unless you adopt a different approach. The process of buying something like the iphone should be a pleasure not a nightmare. Try under promising and over delivering. Apple take note
I went to CPW last Fri, failed to get a phone (not surprised) so, no big deal, ordered a 16Gb online with delivery scheduled next business day (Mon). Unsurprisingly no phone turns up. Spoke to Cust Svcs – yes, your order is in the system, not sure when it’ll show up. Today (Thu), got an email with the subject “Re: Carephone Warehouse Online: Iphone” – they cant even spell their own company name right!! – telling me my order was cancelled due to an alleged problem with my debit card – this being the same card that they currently use each month to successfully take my contract payment and have done without a hitch for the last 10 years!
It’s just a complete debacle – Apple need to get their priorities straight – they obviously have not got the idea of selling via distributors – bottom line is that if there was enough stock in the first place (as there was most places in the US….hmm) by now all the launch problems would have subsided. As it is Apple’s “partners” (ha ha) in the UK, CW & O2 have lost massive amounts of credibility and goodwill
I went to the CPW store on Low Rd, Leeds launch day, got there about midday. I was told by Dave none in stock but could order for pick up next day from the store (extra £15). This guy also took my house number separate so he could ring if there was a problem.
There was no phone call so I assumed no problems.
Went into the store Saturday morning and was informed by Dave it had not yet arrived. When I asked Dave why the response was ‘I’m afraid I don’t know but it should be here on Monday’
So I go to the store late Monday and see this same guy Dave again. Still no phone and now informed me that the stock should arrive Thursday or Friday.
Not arrived today (Thursday) and I really doubt it will arrive tomorrow, but I still hope…
All through this ordeal I never received an apology.
Not bad since I signed up for what will eventually cost me £800.
Carphone Warehouse is a total and utter disgrace.
Anyone heard anything about deliveries yet? – it’s a week since the launch now (Friday 18th), still CPW website says ‘no stock’, though Apple stores in Manchester seem to have no problems getting iPhones. Is it still the 16Gb that’s in short supply? Seems to me that Apple are keen to get new users on the iPhone, while penalising existing customers who want to upgrade. Agree with Robin about the problems with Apple and their UK distributors. Getting pretty fed up now.
Here’s a useful site for anyone planning a trip to an Apple store to get their hands on an iPhone – looks like Apple have plenty!
http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/iphone/availability.html
this is bad customer service
I was 1st in line, at the front, no one before me at the CPW shop in Newcastle under lyme for the launch. When they opened they informed us that they didn’t have any 16 gigs. That is NO 16 on launch day. They promised me that they could get one to me Monday though. I foolishly believed them. Its now Friday 18th, I’m still waiting. Going to cancel tonight. CPW has the WORST customer service I have ever seen. I have been continually lied to by them.
Same story as a lot of people here. I ordered the 16GB phone from the Bournemouth store on Friday, was told on 2 occasions that it would arrive on Monday. Waited all of Monday for it to arrive, then called and was told it would definitely arrive on Tuesday. Tuesday came, still no phone. I called again and was told that it was out of stock (even though I had been told it definitely was in stock and would ship on Monday).
To top it all, carphone warehouse have charged my bank for an item which doesn’t even exist yet.
I walked into the carphone warehouse store on Wednesday to complain, and they told me they couldn’t possibly cancel the order because it was an upgrade. No apology at any point.
This is fraud, pure and simple. I will be contacting trading standards about it. This misleading of customers about stock levels is clearly a policy in order to get business. There is no way they should be taking money from people’s bank accounts for out of stock items which customers were promised were in stock.
Been back in today after a promised phone call that I was supposed to receive last night but no luck! There response today was we have had some in the warehouse but there isnt a lot and yours has not been dispatched. Although I was the 3rd customers credit check to go through?
Apparently I shall get a phonecall this evening but Im not keep my hopes up! Nice one carphone warehouse you really have made this a smooth ride!!!!!
Like most people here I waited patiently outside carphone warehouse on the 11th, was third in line, placed the order around 07:20, was promised Monday delivery. Here it is the following Friday and I’m told that they will guarantee all placed orders to be delivered by NEXT Friday (25th) No response to e-mail complaints and cryptic references to a ‘stock problem’ from the CPW call centre. My first O2 bill arrived promptly however so no problems in taking the money. Apparently all delayed orders will get a £20 credit note on their CPW accounts, small potatoes if you ask me. If I’d known I’d have just gone to the O2 store. I won’t be using CPW again. I’m so disappointed.
Same sort of problems as everyone else I’m afraid with CPW. Their Lincoln store took an order on Friday 11th at 11am and promised the 16gb iphone delivery Monday, never turned up, waited in all day. Spoke to their customer care (ha), said that they sold out before 11am and shouldn’t have taken the order and told me it was coming. (despite me having a printed order stating it was coming also) Then told me it was coming today but again has not turned up and now saying by next Friday, two weeks after original order. At no time was I advised on any issues with delivery or apologised to. The customer care and communication is the worst I have ever experienced from any company and would advise anyone else to steer away at all costs.
I think the only way to get back at Apple, for it has to be their fault at the end of the day since their stores always seem to have piles of the bloody things, including the white ones, is to vote with your feet! It seems that they would rather sell the phones in their own stores, thereby forcing the customer to activate their phone in the store, guaranteeing their cut of the monthly rental (was this £9 in the UK or something similar), effectively penalising us current iPhone users who simply want to upgrade, which Apple currently do not allow.
Well done Apple. Not only do you piss off prospective new customers but existing ones at the same time.
I have contacted trading standards about CW’s misleading customers about stock levels here:
http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/contact
I suggest anyone in the same boat do the same thing. This looks like a deliberate policy to mislead potential customers in order to gain extra business.
My Name is Andrew, and I have already placed two comments on this subject, buy here is an update of today, Saturday 19th July,
As I have explained above, both O2 and CW have been very poor and misleading regarding connecting my iPhone. This morning I received a phone call from CW telling me they CANNOT connect my iPhone as their is a “Problem” but what that problem is exactly they still cannot tell me.
They wanted me to send my 16GB Back and receive and 8GB in Return!
Can you believe the nerve of them?
I have been told also this morning, that my other option (apart from a full refund and cancellation of my iphone contract having another make of hone as if I really wanted to do that!) is to wait whilst they sort this out “sometime in the next week or so”
But not to worry, they will send me a ‘screen film) to protect the face of the iPhone as a “Goodwill Gesture”
If that is CW’s idea of customer support, they I am absolutely at a loss as to how they stay in business.
So, To sum up, I have a 16GB iphone, that I have had for one week, and have been told daily that people form either `o2 or CW will call me back within a few hours, or get me connected within hours, but now tell me to return it for a lesser model, or wait at least another week whist they sort it out.
I said in my second post that I did not think this would be resolved by Tuesday, well I was wrong, it could be *whenever* CW does something.
I am going to go to Trading Standard’s on Monday, because this is beyond a joke,
The worst purchasing experience I can remember.
For goodness sake don not ever recommend CW to anyone
Weird – Bro got his iPhone in about 2 days, activated it within minutes and hasn’t had any problems. Ordered from Carphone Warehouse. *shrugs*
I missed out on the first batch of 16gb phones, but managed to bag one on the second wave to hit the Carphone Warehouse website. I’m severely disabled, bedridden and have a hearing impairment which prevents me from using a normal telephone, so I have to rely on a carer to make any phone calls for me. When I noticed Carphone Warehouse had not only got my address wrong (I put it in correctly, but they left the flat number off the confirmation email) but weren’t getting back to me to confirm my payment had gone through I asked him to call them and find out what was happening.
Apparently Carphone Warehouse consider themselves exempt from the Disability Discrimination Act; they refused point blank to speak to my carer or to offer any means by which I could confirm that he has legal authorisation to discuss things such as this on my behalf. Either I could phone them myself (despite explaining why I couldn’t) or I could go in to one of their shops (I’m not sure which part of “bedridden” caused them confusion… I suppose it is a long word!), but under no circumstances were they prepared to help over the phone.
I’ve tried emailing them and got nothing bar their automated “we’ll get back to you within 24 hours” response. That was 32 hours ago.
As I’m shortly being rehoused, I was waiting to get my phone setup to sign up with o2 for their broadband. Can’t do that till I have an account to qualify for the discount! Meanwhile my carer will need to take a morning off work to take delivery of the phone for me. And I can’t arrange that if they won’t tell me whether I have the damned thing or not!
First treat I’ve had in years and its been nothing but one big headache. I certainly wouldn’t ever shop with Carphone Warehouse again, and frankly it makes me angry that we’re held to ransom in this fashion as to who you can or can’t buy an iPhone from online.
im gonna ask my friend to buy me a iphone 3g cause im not allowed to go to town by myself and i gonna give my friend the money to buy it for me and do you have to sign a contract to buy the iphone 3g