Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Annoyed at myself- shop incident

269 replies

stresser · 16/01/2023 22:39

I am exactly as my username says, so I just need some reassurance that I’m worrying for no reason at all and it will be fine!

I had to buy a wire for my i phone charger today, and also a plug- I told them it was an iphone 13 and showed it to them, and they said it needed a usb c cable. I said I thought it was the B but they said that only refers to the fitting for the plug, and the plug they were selling me was for a C. So they went and got me the C and I bought it and I went home and surprise surprise it doesn’t fit my phone.

I’m kicking myself now because my guy instinct said he was wrong but he was so insistent and was talking over me each time I was trying to explain it- it’s a big high street brand so I stupidly trusted him and bought that one.

obviously I’ll take it back tomorrow but I’m just a bit worried they deny it or say they can’t swap it because I’ve opened the packaging and unwrapped the wire (I had to to try and fit it in my phone) but I’ve put it back in the box and wrapped it as best as I could, it was £35 so I’m just a bit worried they won’t swap it or take it back because obviously it’s a lot of money. Like I said in my username, I’m a stresser and have bad anxiety so I’m a bit worried about it tonight!

has anyone got any knowledge about this?! Absolutely kicking myself!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
JorisBonson · 17/01/2023 05:01

laughs in Android

FangsForTheMemory · 17/01/2023 05:14

Are you near a branch of Tiger? They sell them for £6. Not Apple ones, but they work fine.

heartbroken22 · 17/01/2023 05:31

Can't believe how many people are so rude. Go buy a dildo if you're that frustrated and that's me being polite. Op I hope you get it sorted...it should be okay.

Lifeistough74 · 17/01/2023 05:38

Oh yeah that’s understandable I got a iPhone 13 I purchased the phone I had through a work discount on my Birthday with the Birthday money and they added the cable in the cost , I’d say don’t worry you have the cable and you opened it but if it’s in good condition they could accept it as a opened used one , as long as you have the receipt and explain the situation and bring in your iPhone 13 to show them it doesn’t fit .

After all the guy was only trying to help maybe he got distracted by your lovely personality and didn’t realize he gave you the wrong cable.

if I remember it’s 28 days return. If worst comes to worst there’s many useful second hand shops and apps like Vinted or Amazon used items or even the green app I can’t remember it’s name that’s a good one .

You may even find a buyer that wants the B one. I also recently got a MagSafe charger that clips on the back , so I could send the usb c spare if you wanted that one .

tigger1001 · 17/01/2023 06:24

I have iPhone 11 and it's a lightning to c cable that came with it. But can use a lightning to usb too.

Coffeecreme · 17/01/2023 06:38

i got mine from poundland, and they let me try them before i bought them,
still works

throwaway201809 · 17/01/2023 06:43

Keep the plug and swap the cable out for a USBC to lightning cable. All iPhones have lightning ports. The USBC end of the cable will go into the plug, the lightning and goes into your phone.

The only Apple products that have USBC ports are some iPads and some MacBooks.

source: I used to work at Apple retail

SherbetDips · 17/01/2023 06:46

They should swop it as it was their error not yours. As no iPhone uses the the USC wire! Only the iPad and laptops

I’ve got the newest phone And the phone still has the original USB port.

CheshireSplat · 17/01/2023 06:50

Hi OP.

To answer your question about whether you will be able to take the cable back, the answer is "yes" as you told them what you wanted it for and what they sold you wasn't fit for purpose. Quote section 10 of The Consumer Rights Act if you need to.

Good luck!

Annoyed at myself- shop incident
Kamia · 17/01/2023 06:50

For that price you could get an original which is better for your battery.

365names · 17/01/2023 06:52

You showed them the phone and they told you which one to buy. End of. Just repeat and take it back.

I’d also state that you told them you were certain it wasn’t a C but the man repeatedly said you were wrong.

classic man over-ruling

Poppins2016 · 17/01/2023 07:04

Two thoughts:

  1. You mention needing an extra long cable which is what made it so expensive. Might it be worth buying an extension lead (to then plug a normal length charger into) instead?

  2. If they are difficult about returning the item, tell them about the bad customer service you experienced (to be honest, I'd be tempted to mention it anyway, this staff member could do with a reminder to actively listen to the customer): im so annoyed at him for talking over me constantly and acting like I knew nothing and was stupid, he was so bloody patronising and the only reason I was asking is because it wasn’t possible just to pick it up and check the back for details of which iPhone it fitted, you had to pick a card and take it up to the till and they brought the product out and that’s when I double checked that the card was the right wire I’ve had before.

Lacey247 · 17/01/2023 07:10

£35!! I buy my iPhone chargers from Amazon for £5.

Lacey247 · 17/01/2023 07:10

Also you sound very anxious about this. Just return it tomorrow

Blogswife · 17/01/2023 07:22

I feel for you OP, I wouldn’t have a clue so ignore the superior comments !
As you asked for advice & have been sold the wrong product you have the right to a refund :

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/changed-your-mind/if-you-were-misled-or-pressured-into-buying-something-you-didnt-want/

Take your phone with you and demonstrate that it doesn’t fit but make sure that you tell them that you asked for help & were sold the wrong product .

You should be fine. Something similar happened to me at Tesco and they swapped it no problem .

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 17/01/2023 07:23

Guy instinct is the best typo though. When a male assistant insists you need A, but you are pretty sure it’s B.

Mummieslncorporated · 17/01/2023 07:25

Kamia · 17/01/2023 06:50

For that price you could get an original which is better for your battery.

It is an original.

Rainbowsparkles29 · 17/01/2023 08:01

On a serious note OP are you ok? This isn't really a proportionate response to buying the wrong (if it is wrong?!) Charger....

Darhon · 17/01/2023 08:04

You were sold an apple laptop charging cable - you needed a phone charger. So they have still sold you the wrong item.

LookItsMeAgain · 17/01/2023 08:04

And this, ladies and gentlepersons, is the reason why the EU brought in legislation to standardise mobile phone cables. Because people were being sold the wrong ones, there were too many varieties of cables based on the versions of mobile phones someone might have.
It's about time that Apple were made to even standardise which cables work for their phones, so situations like the one the OP found themselves in doesn't keep happening.

@stresser - I hope that Tesco takes back the cable. It's clearly the wrong one for your handset. Anyone selling you the wrong cable shouldn't be working in the mobile phone section of their store. They should know what cables work with which model handset.

TheNoodlesIncident · 17/01/2023 08:05

Tesco has a solid returns policy, you won't have an problem returning the unsuitable item even with the disturbed packaging.

And I also second the PP's suggestion that you buy extension cables for your power points (from Tool Station or Amazon). Our house has older wiring and we only have two double sockets per room and need many more, so we have extensions snaking around everywhere. But it saves buying longer and more expensive charger cables.

IronCandle · 17/01/2023 08:11

You can get them for a couple of quid on eBay. Different lengths as well. I would never pay that much on a charger.

I would never buy a charger from eBay either. Those cheap ones are a massive fire hazard.

GCWorkNightmare · 17/01/2023 08:19

Darhon · 17/01/2023 08:04

You were sold an apple laptop charging cable - you needed a phone charger. So they have still sold you the wrong item.

Apple laptops use MagSafe chargers, not usb-c!

PassAnotherJumper · 17/01/2023 08:47

Apple laptops use MagSafe chargers, not usb-c!

Here goes a whole new debate Grin

The newer macbook pros don't - they use USB-C. Not sure about anything else but am looking at mine and it is not a magsafe charger.

LookItsMeAgain · 17/01/2023 08:48

IronCandle · 17/01/2023 08:11

You can get them for a couple of quid on eBay. Different lengths as well. I would never pay that much on a charger.

I would never buy a charger from eBay either. Those cheap ones are a massive fire hazard.

You don't need to go so far as shopping on line. Primark/Penneys has 1m and 2m charging cables for less than £5 and the adapters for under £10 each:
www.primark.com/en-gb/p/2m-lightning-to-usb-charging-cable-lilac-991027990556

www.primark.com/en-gb/p/2m-single-iphone-charging-cable-navy-991041741528

www.primark.com/en-gb/p/fast-charge-dual-ubs-plug-white-991042888002

www.primark.com/en-gb/p/usb-charging-plug-black-991023973804