Carphone Warehouse Reviews

Name: Carphone Warehouse
Address: The Carphone Warehouse, PO Box 375, Southampton
Rating: 1.57

1.6 Rating 1,636 Reviews

13 %

of reviewers recommend Carphone Warehouse

1.6

Based on 1,636 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

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

Tell us how Carphone Warehouse made you happy

Minimum 10 characters

Would you like to add a photos or videos?

Strengthen your review by uploading photos & videos.

Drag files here or browse

(Supported files: jpg, png, mpeg, ogg, mp4 & webm)

What's your name?

Leave this blank if you'd like to publish your review anonymously.

(Optional)

What's your email?

We need your email address to verify that your review is genuine

Please note that we may share your email with the company to verify your order.

Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 14th June 2025

Francisolivia771 At Gmail.com Help Me Recover My Lost Cryptocurrency From A Scam

Carphone Warehouse 1 star review on 14th March 2025

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“CPW's website showed the phone I wanted in stock in my local store when I went to buy it it wasn't. I was required to order it and pay up front. I was promised it would be in the store the next day and specifically told they would ring me. Eventually I returned to the store 3 days later and found it there. No phone call from them and I had attempted to call them three times. Rotten service but that should have been the end of it. Then I receive my phone bill, I have been charged £5.30 for ringing their automated store number given on the website, no one ever actually answered on the three occasions I rang, just left me hanging on what turned out to be premium rate service number, so that was £5.30 for a total of 8 minutes. Nice business, fleecing customers who are attempting to find information about items paid for and not received. This is a company heading for bankruptcy and their business model appears to be rip off as many customers as possible before it arrives. Don't deal with them!”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“I just bought a pay as u go sim free mobile Samsung galaxy A5 from Wembley high road branch. The guy was serving me he was so rude. No smile no thanks we feel like we buying for free or he doesn’t get paid for work. Very very bad and third class customer service. He was young black boy. Name is Marley. He shouldn’t be there in customer service. I will never ever go to that shop. Very unpleasant experience ever.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Contact telephone number has access and service charges that they do not tell you about. I phoned to check on the cost and time it would take to replace my battery as I had an appointment set up. The operator said that it depended if they had the battery in stock. Given I was travelling 2 hours round trip to get to a servicing branch I asked to be put through to make sure they had in stock. On hold for about 10 minutes before I was told there were high volumes of calls (to a branch on a Saturday morning with no direct contact number??) and then the machine hung up on me. Nice little earner I am sure but did they really need to waste my time and money keeping me on the line for so long.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Absolutely appalling. Went into two of the stores in Birmingham city centre to purchase a Samsung S8 phone but the service was so bad in both of the stores that I left without it. The staff couldn't be bothered to engage in any form of conversation and when I asked to have a look at the phone to make sure I was happy with it, rather than get me a display model, one of the workers handed me her phone instead (which had a bulky case around it, thus preventing me from getting an accurate look or feel of the phone). Absolutely ridiculous. I'll now be taking my £500 and purchasing my phone from a store which can actually be bothered to deal with it's customers.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“AVOID AVOID AVOID. USLESS STAFF AT CARPHONE WAREHOUSE PUSH AND SELL THIS CHEAP TACKY SCREEN PROTECTOR AT £25. YOU WOULD THINK ITS SOME HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT. EVEN SAYS ON THE BOX LIFETIME GAURANTEE. WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH. THE SCREEN BROKE WITHIN 2 WEEKS. CARPHONE WAREHOUSE REFUSE TO DEAL WITH IT. ZAGG ASKING FOR £9.99 SHIPPING CHARGE?!!! WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“I have been a Carphone Warehouse customer for over 10 years, usually returning to them loyally when I was due a new mobile phone. I checked what deals were available online before going into the store to request my new phone, only to be told that this was an online only deal despite it not saying that on the website. I decided to try and order the phone via the website, despite never having to do this before, only to be told something was wrong with my application. I initially used the online chat window to find out what was wrong only to be told there was nothing wrong. However their system was down so they couldn't upgrade my contract. They could however process my application as a new customer. When I asked what the difference was I was told it would cost ME £100 to be processed as a new customer. I decided against this and was told if I phoned up quoting a reference number I would be able to get my new phone. A couple of days later I phoned the number provided and was told I would be able to get my phone. The salesperson on the line even had some good news. Instead of the 8GB of data that I expected I would be getting 25GB of data at no extra cost. However as we proceeded with the order and I was having the terms of my contract read to me I was then told that this deal only had 4GB of data. When I questioned this I was told that the salesperson had made a mistake. I pointed out that the 4GB was half the 8GB I had originally requested. When I asked about this I was told this deal had now expired. It may well have done, I had been on the phone for well over an hour by this point. I was told I could only have the 4GB deal, did I want to continue. Obviously I decided to cancel my order, why would I accept a deal that was significantly worse than what was being offered on the website. While I was on the phone and as my previous contract had already expired I decided to transfer to a SIM only deal. This appeared to go ok until I questioned why I was being asked for bank details when I had been regularly charged for years, surely they could transfer my details over. I then asked if my previous direct debit would be cancelled or I would be paying this fee on top of what I already pay. It turns out this was an additional payment. So I had to cancel this too. I then finished the call and searched online to find other suppliers. I was subsequently able to order a phone with more data that Carphone Warehouse had ever offered for a lower price than they were offering. To summarise Carphone Warehouse have now lost a loyal customer of well over 10 years because of poor service.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Epic fail! Tried to take out Vodafone contract and was told "credit declined". No other details forthcoming and told they couldn't help any more. Was eventually told it was Vodafone's fault, but it transpired that no check had been requested from Vodafone. So I was erroneously "declined credit" because of an IT failing at Carphone Warehouse with all the embarrassment and stress that leads to, not counting the time I wasted trying to take out the contract. Neither the given phone number or email contact for complaints actually allow you to make complaints. The phone number takes you through to the sales team and the email requires you to have an account All in all a very poor experience”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Appalling telephone customer service. Sold an upgrade by phone. Mistakenly given a new contract due to admin error. Now irreversible they say despite being their fault. Repeated incorrect guidance through whole process. Meanwhile had opened the phone / disposed of box so unreturnable (though keep having to remind helpdesk of this as they continually reel out return as an option via their script). Am 68 minutes into call with helpline and ‘options’ appalling - from waiting 9 days for investigation (transcript of original call etc) to see if they were at fault, to severing old contract on 30 days notice before porting over to new phone. Totally ridiculous. Needed new phone in first because old one faulty. Now stuck in limbo as can’t activate the new phone until investigation complete. And 2 bills now running in parallel. Very frustrating and totally unnecessary. Not recommended”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Their "free gifts" with a purchase is pure FRAUD. I didn't receive the gift with my phone. Rang them, told me not to worry it normally takes a few days more. 3 weeks after now they say it was NEVER AVAILABLE. FRAUD fraud fraud.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Continually calling me to upgrade my contract which is not even with them but apparently because im with o2 they can do this. Next step is to complain to Ofcom.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“When I attempted to get a Motorola phone fixed under warranty, they informed me it would have to go back to Motorola. They said they'd send it. However, instead of sending it to Motorola, it was sent to their 'in house' repair facility, and then came back unfixed, wasting a week of our time and a week of remaining warranty. They did offer a loan unit, but it was close on impossible to use. Even their own 'expert' staff had trouble. When we sent the phone back to Motorola, it was returned very quickly and efficiently, and is now fine, but no thanks to CPW!”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Horrible customer service especially the people working at the store. They are very rude and never listen to what I am saying. I had to repeat myself 6 times as the staff member kept on speaking over me. I explained calmly that she needs to let me finish speaking before responding but still went on to interrupt me again. Furthermore the issue I came to the store about was never resolved was just constantly given excuses. Carphone warehouse sold me a contract and the device broke down within 3 days. They wouldn't replace the device so I allowed them to send it off for repair. Big mistake. They sent it back unrepaired claiming it had water damage. So my 3 day old phone has water damage, so I ask for some proof of this water damage. I am given a picture of some chips with some liquid on them. Frustrated I left the store and visited the apple store. The apple store tested tyre device and repaired it. They confirmed that there was no water damage. I showed the apple store employee the image from carphone warehouse of the phones chips with water on them. They said this picture was definitely not for this phone as they wouldn't repair a iPhone for free if it has any water damage. So it's fraud and i want anyone else who is told any of these fraudulent lies to take their device to the manufacturer to test as carphone warehouse will make up anything to not repair your phone. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up dropping water themselves on customers devices just to prove that there is water damage. Avoid them and avoid the hassle.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Such a terribly organised company! I have insurance through them and I am on my mothers account. Every time I claim on my insurance they say to get the name changed on the account. I have done that about 5 times now, and they have again told me that I have to do it!! the store staff are useless as well, none of them can do anything to help. Do not use!”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Not even 1 star at last the 2 year contract is up ..and your going to get it !! Right I am a wheelchair user 2 years ago ..no sent to hedge end carphone warehouse ..mind you I hadn't been long out of intensive care I was in there for 3 months .so I explained to the girl at the store .I thought she had my best interest really at heart ..well shy conned me a treat and no one helped at all ..I didn't check my paper work untill I saw my first bill ! I was with VODAPHONE paying 26 PM. ..she said i can give you a Top of the range phone and bill of 24 pm ..I said excellent thanks ...my first bill was ..wait for it ...36-50 pm.! And she also put me in a 2 year !! Contract ..when I complained for months for someone to help me no one was willing to help ..now they want me to stay with them .WHAT A CHEEK!! I'M AN SO18 GLAD I AM OUT OF THAT CONTRACT! ! BEEN WAITING 2 YEARS .ME YEARS OF MISSERY ...COM ARTISTS ..NEVER AGAIN WILL YOU BE ABLE TO ROB ME EACH MONTH ...JUST BAD ....PEOPLE GO ELSEWHERE THEY SIMPLY CAN NOT BE TRUSTEX .NO HELP NOTHING ..GO TO ONE .. BY THE WAY I HAVEN'T FINISHED WITH YOU ..I HAVE TOLS ALL PROVIDERS ABOUT MY TREATMENT FROM START TO FINISHED ..SHOCKING IT IS ..THEY WHERE DISCUSTED BECAUSE I WAS TAKEN ADVANTED OFF ..I HAD A CARDIACE ARREST IN INTENSIVE CARE AND I AM PARALIZED IN A WHEELCJAIR AND WAS MASSIVLY TAKEN ADVANTED OF THAT GIRL FROM HEDGEND HOPE SHE GETS HER DESSERTS ..”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Their cancellation policy is legal but the execution of it reeks from cheating. I tried to cancel over the phone twice and they gave the most ridiculous excuses why I have to come to the store to cancel, despite the legal way that I should be able to do it over the phone. Of course now I am pressed for time and not sure I will actually be able to meet the 14 days requirement.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“If I could give a minus ten score I would, bullying, obnoxious, talk over you people,”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“I ordered a phone online for my husband and received a email which said the phone would be delivered the next day but it didn't arrive on checking our emails I saw another email off car phone warehouse to say we needed to ring them to clarify some details so I rang them and explained I had done the order but was told they would have to speak to my husband. On my husband's return from work we rang again and I passed the phone to my husband so he could give the answers to all the details that I had given them in the first place, my husband did not know the phone number off by heart to his work phone but gave them the number for our landline which they had also requested on the application online, we where then told that because he did not know his number straight away that we would have to ring them a third time even though it had taken us ten minutes to get through to them the second time. I told them to forget the order. I have always got my phones through the car phone warehouse shops next time I need an upgrade I will go elsewhere. We can go online and get a loan in our account within five minutes and we get all this trouble trying to get a phone.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Traded my phone in at the end of Feb and still havent received the promised money for the device. When I call customer services they tell me that the trade in team dont talk to customers and that they'll email someone but i have to call back in 2 days. I get told the same thing every time. Nobody to escalate to as managers dont talk to customers either. Not recommended. Will never use again.”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“Sent my 4 month old Google pixel for repair received back a refurbished phone with tatty back cover and also dirty not happy ! Expected better service will not use carphone warehouse again”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

“I ordered two huawei p20 phones for my family who didn't want them as a gift. I tried to return them to two different stores and was told it was "not working". I was then told to pay £10 to post the phones back which I didn't agree too and they eventually said they can send a returns label for free. Having returned the phones it has been a month now and I have only received a refund for one of the two phones. I intend to call tomorrow for probably the 6th time to sort this issue. Worst customer service I've ever received and nobody has even contacted me to apologise for this laughable service. Joke of a company and worse than buying off a private buyer. Disgusting company”

Helpful Report

Posted 7 years ago

Carphone Warehouse is rated 1.6 based on 1,636 reviews