The Telephone Saga
...or how we tried to live in XXIth century and failed.
Around May we've decided to buy ourselves a cool new smartphone. HTC Touch HD, to be precise.
First we tried the proper way: through a contract with a phone provider. On first try, we've failed an online credit check.
Meanwhile, I had my wallet stolen and all my cards locked.
In Orange salon, we've failed credit checks again. We were told to make the checks ourselves through Experian or Equifax to see what's going on.
After getting back the new credit cards, I've done both checks. All turned out nothing wrong (after a few days of them learning how to read royal mail addresses). We went to Orange again, and failed the credit check again.
Not willing to pay £500+ for new sim-free phone, we turned to eBay. It was mid-June by then, a month has passed. And here the story really took off.
Looking for a bargain, we found the phone for £330 with pre-installed Garmin software, slightly used. Cool!
We got the phone. Let's call it Phone A. Just the handset. The charger was a generic mini-usb one. And the Garmin software was a pirate CD of Garmin software FOR NOKIA.
I've checked IMEI - the phone A was reported stolen.
I've opened a paypal dispute and demanded a refund. The seller agreed, if I sent him the phone back. So I did (stupidly). Next day he claimed the phone arrived damaged and demanded money for repairs FROM ME.
I've escalated dispute to a claim. I have no phone A, and no 300 pounds. Now I'm waiting for the response from PayPal which they say will be on July 19th.
Meanwhile, still wanting the phone for holidays, we bought another phone, phone B. £320, used, boxed with all accessories.
Phone B was lost in post.
Royal Mail takes 15 days to say whether a Special Delivery is lost or not. After 15 days, instead of a refund, the seller offered to send another phone - phone C - under the same conditions. I agreed.
What we got was, again, just a handset, but at least this time it had original pouch and charger. That was all.
I demanded refund for cables and accessories. The data cable was apparently 'in post'. For the headset, I got a refund and bought a replacement in an online shop.
I got a Nokia headset instead. The replacement will be dispatched 'tonight'.
So now, after two months and spending some 700 pounds, the situation is as follows:
Phone A is back at the seller, with whom I have a claim dispute over PayPal.
Phone B is lost, presumably stolen, somewhere on its way from Essex to London.
Phone C is here, but with no original accessories except for charger, and a useless Nokia headset.
And we're leaving for holidays today, so no chance to improve any of that.
So much for online shopping.
PS: And now Royal Mail decided to NOT deliver our GPS software on time for holidays WHICH WAS THE WHOLE REASON FOR BUYING THE FRAKKING PHONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Around May we've decided to buy ourselves a cool new smartphone. HTC Touch HD, to be precise.
First we tried the proper way: through a contract with a phone provider. On first try, we've failed an online credit check.
Meanwhile, I had my wallet stolen and all my cards locked.
In Orange salon, we've failed credit checks again. We were told to make the checks ourselves through Experian or Equifax to see what's going on.
After getting back the new credit cards, I've done both checks. All turned out nothing wrong (after a few days of them learning how to read royal mail addresses). We went to Orange again, and failed the credit check again.
Not willing to pay £500+ for new sim-free phone, we turned to eBay. It was mid-June by then, a month has passed. And here the story really took off.
Looking for a bargain, we found the phone for £330 with pre-installed Garmin software, slightly used. Cool!
We got the phone. Let's call it Phone A. Just the handset. The charger was a generic mini-usb one. And the Garmin software was a pirate CD of Garmin software FOR NOKIA.
I've checked IMEI - the phone A was reported stolen.
I've opened a paypal dispute and demanded a refund. The seller agreed, if I sent him the phone back. So I did (stupidly). Next day he claimed the phone arrived damaged and demanded money for repairs FROM ME.
I've escalated dispute to a claim. I have no phone A, and no 300 pounds. Now I'm waiting for the response from PayPal which they say will be on July 19th.
Meanwhile, still wanting the phone for holidays, we bought another phone, phone B. £320, used, boxed with all accessories.
Phone B was lost in post.
Royal Mail takes 15 days to say whether a Special Delivery is lost or not. After 15 days, instead of a refund, the seller offered to send another phone - phone C - under the same conditions. I agreed.
What we got was, again, just a handset, but at least this time it had original pouch and charger. That was all.
I demanded refund for cables and accessories. The data cable was apparently 'in post'. For the headset, I got a refund and bought a replacement in an online shop.
I got a Nokia headset instead. The replacement will be dispatched 'tonight'.
So now, after two months and spending some 700 pounds, the situation is as follows:
Phone A is back at the seller, with whom I have a claim dispute over PayPal.
Phone B is lost, presumably stolen, somewhere on its way from Essex to London.
Phone C is here, but with no original accessories except for charger, and a useless Nokia headset.
And we're leaving for holidays today, so no chance to improve any of that.
So much for online shopping.
PS: And now Royal Mail decided to NOT deliver our GPS software on time for holidays WHICH WAS THE WHOLE REASON FOR BUYING THE FRAKKING PHONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.