It can be really tricky to try and find the best mobile phone deal. What is given with one hand is often taken away with another. So if you get a free handset, you might be tied into a longer contract, or if you pay for the contract phone with an upfront payment, you may get more minutes as an allowance. Getting the balance right is important. Many people overspend and end up having hefty household mobile phone bills.
This article will look at buying over the Internet, contract lengths, handset reviews, and getting deals.
The biggest two advantages of buying over the Internet are that you can receive better prices and that you can get a cooling-off period.
Best Prices Online
It tends to be the fact that the best phone deals are available on the Internet. Web retailers don’t have to cater for the same overheads of sales staff and the physical location, and so can offer phones at low prices and still achieve the margins they require. In addition, buying online will provide you with the opportunity to shop around, read reviews, look at deals, and make an objective decision without any pressure.
It is of course possible to do your research then go to a store fully-loaded with the information you require. However, this can be quite stressful when you’re looking to try to bargain and haggle with a sales agent who is also trying to earn his commission. Online is normally better.
The Cooling-Off Period
When you buy anything over the Internet, over the phone, or through catalogs, the way you buy will be classified as distance selling. Regulations for distance selling mean you have different buyer rights than if you were to buy in person. One of these is a 7-day cooling off period, through which you’ll be able to decide whether it really was a good decision.
Contract Lengths
In the past contracts tended to be 12 months in duration. Nowadays, with ever-increasing flagship phone prices and offerings of minutes and texts to any phone, contracts have tended to extend to 24 months. Longer contracts often offer some excellent deals. You are tied in for a greater period of time,but savings are to be had. If you want to stay flexible, then you should choose a shorter contract. This may enable you to switch handsets sooner, but you may have to pay more upfront and will not get as good a deal because the cost of the handset is built into the price of the contract.
There are networks offering SIM only contracts that run on a rolling 30-day contract. This provides an excellent way to get affordable minutes and utilise the handset of your choice. It is possible to buy SIM free handsets nowadays which match the SIM only contracts very well.
Compare Handsets
Many of us find it really hard to choose which handset we want. Perhaps this is partly behind the success of the iPhone series. The marketing and branding have done an incredible job of making the iPhone a default choice for so many.
Online, there are many resources available to compare, contrast, and review mobile phones. Look for a balanced website with good technical reviews. Understand your priorities before you begin your review process. If you’re looking for primarily a brilliant camera, then make sure you are looking in the right places to find reviews of the quality of the pictures taken. It is even possible to find websites that show you the quality of pictures or even the level of video taken.
By understanding your budget and priorities, you will be able to conduct good quality research which will really inform your decision.
Getting A Deal
With mobile phone operators trying to entice as much business in as possible, you’ll often be able to get a deal. It may even be possible to get cash back or a line rental deal. Deals are available both online and in store. Some retailers are also offering additional incentives such as a free tablet or Playstation. Watch out for the offerings to make sure you get the most for your money.
Phil Turner always tries to help all the people who ask him “What is the best mobile phone?”, but there really is no simple answer and it depends on each person’s priorities.