[RCUK]

On a related issue (now i done the clouseau thing... ) how tricky is the cash back?

Do you need to send bills in etc - as everything online now so er...

[Palmnuts]

Yes, the cashback does have T&C's....you have to claim it by sending bills at set periods over the course of the contract (well, I say send them but you can actually upload them online) and, as you'd expect, there is a time limit.

Some people really don't like redemption cashback due to it being perceived as a hassle, having to remember to claim, having had a previous poor experience etc etc and for those customers, we have auto-cashback where you get all of it automatically about a month after you get your phone. Our auto-cashback deals are pretty much the same as you'd get from the high street and obviously has a low take-up compared to the redemption deals - I have to admit, our brand tends to appeal to a type of customer who is very deal savvy and who traditionally shops online through comparison/cashback sites.

You can clearly see the difference between auto and redemption cashback values on each of the deals but I can assure you, if you claim and do so at the right time, you do get your money!

Also, unlike some of our (now mostly defunct) competitors, we're pretty good in the cashback market in that we're very open about the claim dates (you get your actual dates sent to you with the phone) and the claim windows are long (60 days each time).

Just set a reminder in your new phone for the dates we give you and you'll be fine...

Anyway, I think I've said enough already for someone who isn't a sponsor! I will leave you to make your own mind up



But don't forget to check out those refurb S3's deals later this week - I reckon they'll blow anything else advertised in the UK into the weeds!

[RCUK]

def up for a refurb piece of kit ...

random question as you mentioned it earlier tho ... how much trade do you guys get through quidco? I use it for everything where i can, but reckon some of those cashbacks must seriously cut into margins on some deals.

[Palmnuts]

They're one of our biggest affiliates and unless we specifically add some funding to a particular type of deal it doesn't cost us anymore than a traditional affiliate (such as the numerous price comparison sites).

We obviously have to pay all affiliates (and it's expensive business....outside of payroll, its the biggest expense of running our business) and Quidco simply pass on everything we pay them to the customer. Their model is based on profiting from the annual (£5 IIRC?) membership fee.

[RCUK]

i do wonder sometimes about the true cost of something - if vodafone can do £140 cashback on a sim only deal!

Though the marginal cost of an extra user on its network must be pennies a month!

[Palmnuts]

Sim Only is very profitable (well, the fixed term contract ones are, less so the rolling 30-day ones) as theres no device cost to build into the deal.

It costs the network a pittance to provide the relevant mins/sms/data so, with very little cost of sale it's easy for them to give big cashback values.

So they have you locked in for say 12 months and it's cost them very little. Compare this to a normal contract where they may have to provide a £250+ device for free, as well as pay (admittedly lower) cashback amounts, and suddenly it's very apparent that the cashback on a Sim Only is not quite as much of a 'deal' as it first seems.