Consumers Down On Carriers For Cellular Phone Buys

[Jerry Raia]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://mobileanalystwatch.blogspot.com/2005/11/consumers-down-on-carriers-for_21.html' target='_blank'>http://mobileanalystwatch.blogspot.com/2005/11/consumers-down-on-carriers-for_21.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"TechWeb covers a new report from NPD Group that finds "consumers are unhappy with buying a cellular phone from carriers, giving higher ratings to retailers." According to NPD, "only 24 percent of the more than 2,100 consumers surveyed said buying a mobile phone from a carrier-owned story was an "excellent or good experience." Mass merchants, such as Wal-Mart, and electronic retailers, on the other hand, scored higher levels of satisfaction.""</i><br /><br />My own experience with this has been mixed. When I was with Verizon every trip to any of their stores was an agonizing. The wait was long and the service was almost always substandard. Cingular stores have been the exact opposite. My one experience buying from a regular retail outlet, which was Best Buy, was not good. What have your experiences been?

[kmcx8]

I have had one or two decent visits to the local Sprint store, and many more disappointing visits. I generally avoid it. I either deal with Sprint online or by telephone.

Over the past three years, I've purchased five mobile phones for various uses. Two were directly from Sprint. Three were over eBay. So far, I have had no problems with my eBay purchases. The prices have been better--and most importantly, getting a new phone did not restart my service contract for another two years. I think that the restarting of the service contracts is a big turnoff for most users.

[Stinger]

I always buy direct - either over the internet or on the phone.

Operators in the UK generally offer better deals online compared to in-store and stores often lack stock of the more expensive or newer phones. Phones are usually sent out by courier too, so the phone arrives the next day (assuming it's in stock).

There's isn't anything I can do in-store that I can't do over the phone, apart from play with the phones and I generally have a very clear understanding of what phone I want.

[Sven Johannsen]

Been pretty mixed. Bought at T-Mobile, ATT, and Cingular stores, bought on-line, and at Car Toys and a couple of other smaller retailers (Mall kiosk).

I think if you really know what you want and are capable, on-line is the way to go, whether it is at he company site or an independent like Amazon. In person I really think is dependent on the individual you deal with. Has nothing to do with the store or the company. I've had those that really want to help and know what they are doing, and I've had yutzes too. Sometimes both in the same store.

I think the best customer service I've experienced was with T-Mobile. Shame they don't have better coverage in the US, or I'd never left them. Unfortunately, part of the reason I have a phone is to make phone calls.

[randalllewis]

Strolling down memory lane---- I've purchased a couple of phones at Radio Shack: one for Sprint and one for Cellular One. Both experiences were very good. Purchasing phone from Verizon was a nightmare just like everything else about my brief and unhappy experience at Verizon. I have purchased phones from the old ATT Wireless. Poor experience, but not as bad as Verizon. And most recently, I've purchased at Cingular. They were very good. I don't think I'd try buying from Best Buy or someone like that but I certainly would try a smaller retailer again.