O2 Change of Mind Policy (Exchange NOT Cancel)

[maxwilkes]

Has anybody got any experience with this? I rang customer services today and was rather surprised by the apparent lack of knowledge of their own process. The girl on the phone had to keep putting me on hold while she spoke to somebody else and eventually she said someone from a different team is going to call you back and help you with this...but they never did.

Basically I took out (less than a week ago) an O2 Refresh plan for an iPad Pro 12.9 inch 128GB 2020 model costing me £36 a month for 48 months (£23 a month device plan, £13 a month airtime). For all intense and purposes it is a brilliant device BUT it's a little TOO large...larger than I anticipated having been used to the 9.7 inch iPad. It's great for using on a desk but it's not so great to hold in your hand. For that reason I was hoping to be able to do a straightforward exchange...for the iPad Pro 11 inch 2020 model...either the 256GB model (which will effectively cost me £2 per month LESS than what I'm currently paying) OR preferably the 512GB model (which will cost me £2 per month more but offers an insane amount of storage space and for the price difference it's worth it to me).

I have already put down a deposit of £595 on this contract and for that reason I am very keen for this to just be a straightforward exchange...I do NOT wish to cancel my contract and then have to go through all that annoying procedure of placing a new order, being subjected to yet another credit check, being asked to put yet another deposit down...etc etc etc...

According to the O2's websites "change your mind policy" this SHOULD, technically, be possible. But I was rather alarmed when I contacted O2 customer service today and the girl agreed that that should be no problem at all but she was unsure how the process worked so had to keep putting me on hold while she asked different people and eventually I was told someone would ring me later in the day to help me with the procedure but then nobody did.

So was wondering if anyone has had any actual experience exchanging devices with O2?

[MI5]

@maxwilkes 

A good few years ago now I had Blackberry something or other and wished to swap that, which I did eventually but it was still a hassle.

I don't recall having to cancel and re-order though, it was just an exchange of device with the corresponding tariff adjustment.

[maxwilkes]

@MI5

That's what I'd like to do, a straightforward exchange where they adjust the device plan up or down by £2 a month depending on which one I'm able to get.

Would it be a simple they send me the exchange device and the courier collects the one to be returned at the same time?

Or would they expect me to pay postage plus insurance (as I would never send an item of this value uninsured unless somebody else took responsibility for its loss should that happen) and only send the exchange out after they receive it?

If the latter is true do you think they'd let me exchange it in store instead? As I don't like the sound of the second option very much.

[MI5]

@maxwilkes 

They should do a doorstep exchange if you ordered online or in store if you bought from there originally.

[maxwilkes]

@MI5

I ordered online. A doorstep exchange is fine providing O2 take responsibility for the courier delivering it back to them, if that makes sense. I don't want no "it got lost in the post now you owe us £1000 rubbish".

Do you know the procedure required to request this? As customer service seem clueless which is quite concerning as they're supposed to know their own process...

[MI5]

@maxwilkes 

Assume you've seen this? https://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-sims-and-devices/our-change-of-mind-policy

You'll need to call customer service and tell them what you want in exchange. They should then arrange to courier your replacement to you and your current device will be collected at the same time.

[maxwilkes]

@MI5

Yes I have seen the website but I've been speaking to O2 through the my O2 app and they told me they can't exchange, they can only request returns and cancel. So I rang customer services this morning, explaining I'd been speaking to them through the app and also explaining what I was told here and how I agreed that the way it's worded on the website makes it sound like exchanges are possible and the girl I spoke to today told me they only exchange devices of the same type (for example just a change of colour) but to exchange to a different device you'd have to cancel and sign up to a new contract.

Are they talking out of their bum or what?

[MI5]

Sounds like complete rubbish to me @maxwilkes 

I'll ask @O2Lisa to message you to see if she can help.

[maxwilkes]

@MI5

Thank you.
I'm going around in circles here while O2 customer service don't even seem to know their own policies. really frustrating!

[O2Lisa]

Morning thanks for the tag @MI5. I will look into this and private message you @maxwilkes