OPTUS Not Sending Return Label

Ozzie15 on 25/05/2020 - 12:15
Last edited 25/05/2020 - 14:06

So about 2 months ago my missus and I went to my local Optus store and asked if she was eligible to upgrade her plan. They have this trade up service after 12 months of use where you have to return your old device in mint condition and get a new one and the plan continues
We chose an iPhone 11 Pro which they didn't have in stock at the time so they shipped to us in 3-4 business days.

Unfortunately, our financial circumstances changed and we decided to cancel the order after 2 days of placing the order but before receiving order tracking or actually receiving phone. Spoke to customer service agent on chat (in March it wasn't that bad getting hold someone) They confirmed it was cancelled and even emailed me a cancellation confirmation number.

Two days after I received the phone. I went straight to the local store and told them I didn't need it anymore and even showed proof of cancellation but they wouldn't take it. They advised speaking to online support again. I spoke to customer service agents on phone and chat at least 6 times on separate occasions and they all promised to send me to return kit which never arrived.

Three weeks ago I again went to store and this time made a quite of fuss about they not dealing this matter urgently and how they are not accepting this unopened return and I even spoke to the manager who eventually generated a return request in front of me. It's been 3 weeks since my last visit to store and I haven't received any return kit yet, but they keep on sending me bills for a phone that I never used.

My question is what are my responsibilities under this situation? Do I have to keep bugging them to send me the return kit? Are there going to be any implications for not paying the bill?

TL;DR Optus wouldn't send me a return kit after more than 8 weeks of a cancelled order but keeps sending me phone bill

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Comments

  • Hithere on 25/05/2020 - 12:22
    +6

    Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

    https://www.tio.com.au

    • Cheapskate Paul on 26/05/2020 - 01:18

      Just do this OP. Your issue will be resolved very quickly as it costs Optus money once the TIO get involved.

  • triviums on 25/05/2020 - 13:06
    +1

    I've been having issues with Optus as well. The reason they gave me was that they were having logistic and shipping issues due to COVID-19.

    • Ozzie15 on 25/05/2020 - 14:03

      Delivery or return kit?
      How long have you been waiting for?

      • triviums on 25/05/2020 - 14:16

        Delivery.

        I only waited a week before cancelling all my Optus plans due to other issues (They reneged on a deal they offered to me)

        Note: It may have only been a week, but there is a lot more to the story that I'm not going to go into.

  • Blue Cat on 25/05/2020 - 13:30
    +1

    Prepaid plans and phones bought outright with cash - I see my strategy is paying off in the long term.
    I will add your experience to the list of reasons I never want to deal with "plan" phones and post-paid plans.

    8 weeks of a cancelled order but keeps sending me phone bill

    Have you been paying it?

    • Ozzie15 on 25/05/2020 - 14:02
      +1

      No, I haven't been paying for the last couple of months.
      The sales staff at the store advised me "off the record" not to pay the bill since I have the cancellation confirmation.
      I have all the chat logs and phone calls logs and I even made sure to see everything is recorded in my account when I was in store last time.

      • Blue Cat on 25/05/2020 - 14:17

        I have all the chat logs and phone calls logs and I even made sure to see everything is recorded in my account when I was in store last time.

        I think that's all that you could have done and you actually did it. Just wait for the return label confirmation.
        Do you have a written confirmation that the return label has been sent out to you?

        • Ozzie15 on 25/05/2020 - 14:40

          Yes, I have return reference in writing.

          I just checked my message history and support staff did say "in writing" to ignore bill on this number and only pay for the other account.

          Just like to add that when you trade up you have to return the old device in 14 days or else you keep getting texts/calls to return it. I never received any call or email asking to return the old device back.

          • LustStarrr on 08/06/2020 - 03:43
            +1

            @Ozzie15: It's probably worth keeping an eye on your credit score, just to make sure that the unpaid bill doesn't affect it in the future, but if you've got it in writing to ignore the bills & you've done everything in your power to return it, which it sounds like you have, you should be able to fight any defaults, etc. on your credit record in the event that it ends up affecting it.

            I had an issue with Optus not sending me a return label years ago (~2006) when I signed up for a new phone contract & a Nokia N95 over the phone, only to receive a crappy Samsung flip phone in the mail instead. I called & advised them they'd sent the wrong phone, so they sent out the N95 I'd actually ordered, & promised me a return label to return the Samsung, the latter of which never arrived. Nothing ever came of it, either - no bill, no charge on my account for the phone, & no future mention of it in any of my communication from them. Good to see they haven't changed. LOL I hope your situation is as easily-resolved as mine was!

  • Hithere on 25/05/2020 - 14:29

    It may help if you put your complaint in writing here.

    https://www.optus.com.au/for-you/support/feedback-and-compla…

  • Seraphin7 on 25/05/2020 - 14:30
    +1

    Ah, Optus.

    Once they have your cash/CC details they simply don't give a monkey's. Worst customer service in telecommunications for mine.

  • Davo1111 on 25/05/2020 - 14:31

    complaint in writing, with scan of reciept.

    its not that hard

  • PissLUR on 25/05/2020 - 15:17

    They have this trade up service after 12 months of use where you have to return your old device in mint condition and get a new one and the plan continues

    but they keep on sending me bills for a phone that I never used.

    isnt that still the same ongoing bill for the same service?

    • Ozzie15 on 25/05/2020 - 15:35

      Device repayments changes.
      The service plan can also be changed if you opt-in for more/less data on the new plan.

  • xRenshaw on 25/05/2020 - 17:06
    +1

    It seems strange they provided a cancellation confirmation number - yet you still received the phone? Isn't clear what they cancelled exactly then?

    However my understanding is you signed the contract in the store when you chose the new iPhone and went ahead with the trade up service - regardless if you picked it up in store or it got shipped to you. Otherwise there is no way for this to be processed.

    Implications of not paying your bill will go against your credit score - meaning it potentially could be difficult to secure future borrowing (i.e. car loan,
    personal loan, mortgage etc.)

    I appreciate how frustrating it is - best bet is contact Customer Support and perhaps push for it to be escalated. Tbh, there isn't anything that can be
    done at a store level. Store's are purely there to push sales through selling contracts.

    Source: Former Retail Employee for them.

  • Ozzie15 on 09/06/2020 - 12:23

    Just to update, I received a return kit last week and returned the phone.
    Escalating through store manager did the trick I guess and their online complaint form.
    Their dispute resolution team also called me and waived off the new phone bill.

    So it's all good now for now. Thanks for your input guys.

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