Login
Start Free Trial Are you a business?? Click Here

Carphone Warehouse Reviews

1.6 Rating 1,631 Reviews
13 %
of reviewers recommend Carphone Warehouse
1.6
Based on 1,631 reviews
Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods
Postal Service, Courier
Average Delivery Time
Within 5 Days
On-time Delivery
Greater than 25%
Accurate And Undamaged Orders
Greater than 85%
Customer Service
Communication Channels
Telephone, Live Chat, Email
Queries Resolved In
Over A Week
Customer Service
1.3 out of 5
Returns & Refunds
Refunds Process
Difficult
Returns Process
Could Be Better
Read Carphone Warehouse Reviews

About Carphone Warehouse:

The Carphone Warehouse was founded in 1989 to bring mobile services to consumers. The market has always been complex and our aim from the very beginning has been to offer our customers simple, impartial advice while also offering outstanding value. As a result we have grown from a handful of stores operating exclusively in the UK selling mobile handsets and contracts, to a European-wide platform of over 1,500 stores in 10 countries, providing a wide range of mobile and residential telecoms services.

Visit Website

Phone:

0870 111 6565

Location:

The Carphone Warehouse, PO Box 375
Southampton
SO30 2PU

Write Your review

Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 25th April 2022
Rachel Pollard
Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 25th April 2022
Rachel Pollard
Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 1st July 2021
Neil
Carphone Warehouse 5 star review on 1st September 2020
Ilyas
Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 2nd July 2020
Brian Gillbanks
Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 5th July 2017
Unsatisfactory Treatment!!!
Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 2nd December 2016
Yeakub Kiani
3
Anonymous
Anonymous  // 01/01/2019
I ordered an upgrade with Carphone Warehouse. Still awaiting the phone after 10 days and numerous promises. CPW haven taken payment from my account. Rang up and they said the upgrade was cancelled!!! I'm still waiting for a refund. Avoid at all cost!
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Bought a 5s from Carphone Warehouse "SIM FREE" which is of course nonsense as they know it will lock to first network you use it in. They don't exactly go out of their way to tell you this when you buy it. Also I bought it with the idea I could use it in US with an ATT SIM when I visit. Nope - can't do that either - because it will only take a UK SIM. Absolute shambles. BUY IT ONLY FROM APPLE DIRECTLY TO AVOID ALL THE @*$%. Anyone want to buy a used 5S in great shape - would be cheap!!!!
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Bought a new contract for an iPhone SE at Carphone Warehouse as Tesco Mobile was out of stock....HUGE MISTAKE. At the time, I was concerned about the quality as it's so much cheaper than the iPhone 6 and Apple don't like to lose money! They assured me that it was of equal quality. After 2 weeks, the phone bent in my pocket.....very easily, I have had the same work phone for two years and it doesn't have a mark on it. I returned to a local shop and spoke to the staff, who said I need to speak to the customer service team, who in turn said that I had to speak to technical services, who told me that customer services could make a decision.....who told me that it was actually technical services......I can't even complain online as it's hard to understand the complaints procedure as it's not explained at all. In the end, between their Shop, CS. TS, they stitched me up and said that I'd have to pay £214 for a repair and that I shouldn't keep it in my pocket!! Seriously??? In the end, I phoned up Apple and after a quick call and a couple of photo's, they agreed that the damage was strange and agreed to swap out my phone for a new one. The morale of this story is: NEVER, EVER BUY FROM CARPHONE WAREHOUSE. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE EXISTS TO CONFUSE, NOT TO SERVE.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I bought an iPhone from Carphone Warehouse as a SIM FREE device as I already had a contract with EE. I have since moved and EE do not have coverage so I have entered into a new contact with O2. On placing the O2 SIM into my SIM FREE device I now discover that the phone was locked to the EE network. They do not and have never owned my phone. What gave them the right to lock my phone which I had purchased outright from a different company. That is theft. Well, I discovered that it was not EE who have instigated this, but the Software that Carphone Warehouse load on their SIM FREE phones that automatically lock your device to the first SIM you use. This is a feature developed and implemented by Carphone Warehouse to rob you of the right to own the SIM FREE device that you have purchased them. EE are willing to unlock the device, but at a fee to me. I feel this fee should be paid by Carphone Warehouse. I am disgusted with them at their blatant disregard for consumer rights. When I questioned the sales clerk on the legality of doing this I was told that they do and so it is legal. If anyone is looking at purchasing from these thugs, I would say stay away!
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
On the 13th June 2016 I handed in my phone for repair to my local Carphone Warehouse store in Cannock. On the 17th June the store sent my phone, along with four other people's phones, to the repair centre. I received an email informing me that my phone would be ready to pick up from the store on the 29th June.   On the 29th June I arrived at the Carphone Warehouse store in Cannock only to be told that the box containing my and the other four people's phones never reached the repair centre and they don't know where they are. On the 4th July a form was sent to Customer care from the Cannock store which was supposed to start things moving toward replacing my phone. Since then, the store, the repair centre and the Customer Care centre have all been fighting between themselves as to who is responsible for my phone going missing and resolving the issue. Meanwhile, I'm stuck without my phone and no sign of the situation changing even now, a month later.   I and the staff at the Carphone Warehouse store have made repeated calls to the so-called customer care centre and all they do is request forms to be filled out and argue between themselves. Today, the 13th July, I again called the customer care centre and asked to place a formal complaint. The guy on the phone did that for me, gave me a reference number and said it would take a further three to five days to be dealt with. As you can imagine, as  a month has already passed, this is just not good enough.  My only option now is to start taking things into my own hands. Firstly, I will be cancelling my direct debit to my service provider and when they contact me to find out why, I'll be pointing them in the direction of Carphone warehouse. I know this is none of my service provider's doing but I am not going to continue paying for a phone I no longer possess through no fault of my own. In the meantime, I'm spreading the word on every consumer website, forum and review site I can find, Including BBC Watchdog, warning people of the atrocious customer care by Carphone Warehouse. This whole sorry circus is a disgrace. In the beginning I would have accepted just my phone being replaced but after a MONTH of being passed around from pillar to post with no end in sight, I will be looking for some meaningful compensation for the inconvenience and really shoddy treatment by this company. Not a happy bunny.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I have ordered for the same phone for 3 times now. For each time, they have stated that I will receive my order on a particular day but it never came even after reordering it for 3 times now. I was counting on the delivery date because I desperately need a phone to replace my broken one. I am never going to get a phone from Carphone Warehouse. Never.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Faulty phone unbelievably customer service department am about to take to small claims court Customer service is not fit for purpose I would not touch with a barge pole
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Bought a Samsund s7 edge fron them at start of June '16. Didn't purchase a case at the time as i'm always careful and have never dropped or cracked the screen. Took out insurance but guy never told me about the excess to pay in the event of a claim which is £60. Had the phone 6 weeks and the screen is full of little marks and sctraches despite being in a case all the time. Pulled the phone out today 11/7/16 and the screen has a massive crack from end to end despite not being damaged by myself. Carphone won't replace the phone free of charge so i'll have to pay the £60 excess charge and they can't guarantee it won't happen again! Poor customer service!!!
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
I brought in my galaxy tablet, I was informed it could be fixed as the guy said he knew exactly what to do. I was told to pay £4.99 before hand and then he said come back in half an hour to the shop and it would be ready to collect. When I went back to collect I was informed he was unable to fix my tablet and was told not to worry as the payment didn't actually go through. When looking at my bank statement the money did in fact come out of my account. I re visited the shop to let them know and they took ages to find the payment on the computer, I left my phone number and bank details with them as I needed to be in work and still, 2 weeks later I've had nothing. I know it's only £4.99 but that's not the point.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
The guy that served us today 9/07/16 Saturday, around 12pm was helpful and patient while helping my partner to get a new contract, also made it cheaper then usual due to this we are very thankful, and will be a returning customer. Thank you.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
DO NOT buy a contract with their subsidiary - ID mobile. Horrendous customer service. They disconnected my number. I woke to an email informing me that if I contact them they'll restore my number....but they'd already disconnected me. A businesss mobile number! I've lost custom because of this and they couldn't rectify their mistake. Always get an Indian (and rude) customer service consultant when I try and get in touch. Absolutely hopeless.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Given false information about phone cap with Ee. My next bill is over £650.00! Feel sick to my stomach... I had stressed the need for a capped agreement for my daughter and was assured she couldn't go over. Feeling badly let down by incompetent staff. Going in today to speak to them.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
My wife and I visited the Glasgow Argyle Street branch yesterday and the guys could not have been more helpful. Adam in particular went out of his way to get us the right deal for both our phones, despite almost insurmountable when trying to buy out my old contract with EE (EE were less than helpful). I would highly recommend Adam and the team and will have no hesitation in dealing with them in the future.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Terrible customer service, ordered a phone for next day delivery which didn't happen. I'd taken a day unpaid off work to wait for it, so was annoyed when it wasn't going to be delivered. I decided to phone up and cancel the order and collect in store myself. After speaking to several 'customer service' assistants I was given different, contradicting information from each one, and was eventually assured that the order was being cancelled and would be returned to warehouse instead of being delivered to me. Needless to say getting a text this morning to give me a delivery time slot was not appreciated
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Never buy a Motorola phone from carphone warehouse as when it break down there do not repair them and then think u should chase motorola to get it repaired staff are very unhelpful would never buy from them again
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Ordered a phone from CPW, and it was sent via DPD next day delivery. The phone apparently was delivered to my address but signed for by a person i do not know at my address, (This did not happen) phone rental is being charged to my account and I do not have the phone, car phone warehouse customer service keep cutting me off when I call, and I have asked to speak to a manager on 10 occasions with no call back, staff have laughed at me on the phone and I have requested all telephone conversations to be sent to me under the freedom of information act and no calls sent to me, feel completely done over and don't know what to do, I have no phone and a 24 month contract to worry about. Surely this isn't right, I have spent hours of time on the phone with them, if your buying a phone you will get Great service, once purchased after service is non excitant, please reconsider supplier if purchasing new phone, this whole situation has made me ill.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Problem with getting a phone from Carphone Warehouse is that you end up with 3 companies to contend with. Got my Motorola X Play online in February this year and after a month it stopped working. Carphone Warehouse wouldn't replace it but sent it away for repair. It came back unrepaired and told me Motorola wouldn't let them repair it. They also said Motorola wouldn't let them send it in for me so that cost me £7.50. They sad it tells you this on their website when I bought it but it actually says that they repair Motorola! Also, why send it away if they're not allowed to repair them?As far as they're concerned that is the end of their commitment. Phone has been in to Motorola 3 times and is still not working. Motorola are now telling me it's my sim and I need to get 4 new ones from Vodafone to find one that works. My existing sim works perfectly well in my old phone! Carphone Warehouse told me that Motorola couldn't get the parts to repair my phone so it may be refunded. I asked them what would happen to my contract with Vodafone if Motorola refunded the phone and I was told that Motorola would cancel my contract and I would be free to go elsewhere. Motorola don't do this at all. If they end up refunding the phone I'm left with a contract and no phone! Wish I'd stuck to dealing with O2 direct. I thought that after all these years that Carphone Warehouse would have improved. I couldn't have been more wrong and I will certainly never use them again. If the new sim cards don't work I won't be using Motorola again either! I can't understand how these mobile phone companies can get away with things. If I buy a fridge and it doesn't work after a month I can get a refund or a new replacement but with phones they will not replace them even after only a month. It's a total con.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Wasted an hour in store being misled by TWO employees at Spytty store. Guy from Huawei and sales guy agreed with me on a £24 a month free phone contract on an P9 in white. Went through all the paperwork and credit checks to be told after an hour that sorry as it was in white thereit wasn't free upfront but 49.99, WASTED HOUR MISINFORMED STAFF
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
The Carphone Warehouse advertise what appear to be "good offers" Do not phone up about them - they don't exist And pushy salespeople ( who work on commission) pester you to purchase something more expensive and of lower monthly value. Go to another company for a much better deal than these sharks will give you.
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Biggest con company are you rude staff and mis-selling
Helpful Report
Posted 8 years ago
Carphone Warehouse is rated 1.6 based on 1,631 reviews