Went to purchase phone instore how ridiculous and confusing is this?

It’s very common now for the online price to be different from the shop price. Shop price is usually more because they have more overheads. If you are buying a phone outright you should shop around and buy the phone from the cheapest seller. Any mobile phone shop you buy from will help you with the set up. If you want it to work on EE you just need to check that the phone you are buying is unlocked, most are these days.

As long as you have your Google password switching phones should only take a few minutes. The phone literally tells you exactly what to do. If that's the thing you need help with?

I guess you could tried to do the click and collect thing in front of her, then at least you'd have known it didn't exist. And so would she.

It's common for retailers to have online only offers. It doesn't surprise me it's more in the shops as they have bigger overheads and probably less and less footfall as most buy everything online now.

Not sure this is quite right. Online you have a right of withdrawal which allows you to request a return within 14 days and you then have another 14 days to actually return the item. Some online stores might offer a 30 day returns policy but this isn't legally required.

These return rights are useful OP in case you don't get on with the phone. Like, there's nothing wrong with it but you just don't like how it works / size / colour etc.

Shops can offer different prices online and in-store, as long as they don't misleadingly suggest that the same price applies online and in-store. So whilst I agree it makes no sense, the shop can offer a much different price for online orders.

I’m not sure what an eSIM is.

It just asked if l wanted to use my SIM card or copy the info onto the new phone. So l just selected the latter. Never touched SIM card.

You either need a physical SIM or an eSIM. How would you access the network otherwise? But yes, transferring the phone stuff from one to another doesn't need a SIM, just Wi-Fi.

Hope you get it sorted OP.

Reminds me of a visit to an O2 shop years ago. I wanted to buy an iphone (just the handset), had a sim already on pay monthly. The sales guy told me he couldn’t just sell me a handset, it had to be a handset plus a new monthly contract 😂 📱

And no, I didn’t make a purchase in that O2 store.

I got a new iPhone in December.

Yoh don’t need a SIM card. It just copies it from your old phone if yoh put them next to each other.

Nothing got lost.

Eyesight problems that mean reading instructions is difficult (especially as usual voice control does not work in a transfer process)? Cognitive disabilities (which could be as simple as old age) making it hard to understand this?

I did it on Friday. My new phone detected my old phone, it involved scanning a QR code and saying to do it over Wifi. That was it, less than a minute.

Changing the SIM card was tricky.

That's because all that time you take up getting a sales assistant to do that for you and it costs them money. They have to pay for the shop and the assistants wages. See it as people who just order straight from the warehouse and do everything themselves get a discount reflecting the work they do for themselves setting up their own phone. It's a bit like a takeaway Vs restaurant service.

It’s so, so easy to buy the phone online and just do it yourself. The last time I tried to do it in store nearly broke me. It took 2 hours of sitting and waiting while they all faffed about and then it only half got done and I had a phone where calls went to one but them WhatsApp went to the other phone. It was a nightmare. I’ve done it myself ever since and it’s so much easier.

I tried to buy a football top in Sports Direct, it said online it was half price. When I asked at the till they said that it was online only but that I could order it for free delivery to the store. I literally had the top in my hand. I had to put that one back, order it online and then go and collect it, from the same shop, the next day.

Ok , point taken but it does seem that the OP just died it because she's always done it not because she has to .

This.
And it happens a lot with a lot of things, not just phones. It's much cheaper and easier to send orders from a warehouse than from a main street shop.

If you check the small print of the ad it probably says the price is an online deal only. Happens a lot with phone companies.

I used to work in a phone shop. The incentive isn't there for a salesperson to sell you a non new contract/upgrade phone. They get commission for selling contracts/upgrades so are probably keeping that phone in stock for contract and upgrade sales. When I worked in a phone shop you'd get £1 for every pay as you go sale and £10 per contract/upgrades. This was almost 20 years ago though!

That's bonkers! 😂

Were you paying in gold doubloons?!

Have you tried setting your phone and SIM yourself? All you have to do is follow the instructions the phone gives you. There is no reason to go to a shop for that.
Maybe get a family member or friend to help the first time?

Data transfer is basically putting both phones on top of each other and press "ok". Photos if saved on a Google account or similar, is just about logging in.

You do you know that when you take that phone in store they are probably going to tell you they can't help set it up as you didn't buy it there 🤯.

I hate how in-store pricing differs from online. I get 10-20% off JD Sports online (blue light) so I take my son into the shops he tries on and picks what he wants then I go home and order it all online. They won't do the discount in store. I usually click and collect too.

If you can do it, anyone can?

Out of interest do you have arthritic fingers that make handling the sim card tricky? Eyesight problems that mean reading instructions is difficult (especially as usual voice control does not work in a transfer process)? Cognitive disabilities (which could be as simple as old age) making it hard to understand this?

Or do you assume these people should have to rely on friends/family for help and not aim to be independent as possible. Or perhaps an assumption that these people don’t use phones?

The difference in price is because they want you to buy online, not in the shop. It's an incentive to buy online.

The misinformation is likely a mistake. The assistant didn't know what she suggested wasn't possible.

Online purchases don't have anywhere near as high costs in rent, rates, fixtures and fittings, heating, insurance, staffing etc. They are encouraging people to buy online so that they don't need stores because it is less costly for both you and them. It's a win/win.

It sounds like you're very fixed on doing as you always have which is fine but it is probably costing you a lot of unnecessary money. Go on line, compare costs with other companies. Hope you get it sorted.

The assistant tried to help but alerted you to the fact it was more money which is good of them. They then tried to solve a problem for you but got it slightly wrong as they don’t run web sales. The assistant doesnt control prices. Also there’s no difference it being delivered to you or sent to the shop as you have to go there anyway.

So what would you complain about? The price difference? It’s standard practice for retailers to have online only prices. They are trying to move away from the shop model but they will help you do something very simple for free when you do get the phone so I don’t think anything warrants a complaint?!

Yes you can return if faulty. Thats it by law!!!

Online you have more rights. 30 days. For any reason.

And contracts. I am talking all contracts. Even if you are buying outright surely you have an air time plan contract for your SIM?

It’s just something worth knowing about. Imagine you walk out the shop and go oh shit! Thats the wrong storage amount. Or you walk round the corner and see it cheaper in the Vodafone store. They dont have to take it back. Even if it was 5 seconds ago!

I couldn’t buy a SIM free iPhone in Tesco Mobile because it was ‘too expensive to put through the till’. You’re a phone shop?!?!