[3GScottishUser]

Just had a look round the on-line suppliers and 3's prominance appears to be far less than it has been as of late.

The Link - Just a solitary 3 deal on their homepage now (K608i)

DialaPhone - 1 X 3 deal on the homepage and just 5 handsets to choose from.

CPW - A similar story with just 2 X 3 deals making it onto the front page now.

Phones4U - Down to 2 X 3 deals on the homepage and a choice of just 3 handsets.

e2save now only have 3 X 3 deals at the bottom of thir home page. Only 5 models of 3 handset in total. Most prominant deals are now Vodafone, T-Mobile and Orange.


(Sites checked at 12.00 23/09/2005)

Nobody is promoting ThreePay apart from Argos where prices are very high in comparison with similar spec handsets from other networks elsewhere.

Overall a quick browse round suggests that the dealers have reassessed their priorities and 3's handset range and trade deals are no longer as attractive as they have been in the past, or perhaps as attractive as others.

They are going to have make a big splash in Q4 to rekindle interest.

[Jon3G]

The link as advertised with 3 on the TV big time this month, promoting the K608i and 3. TV adverts are a big money thing and 3 are getting the push from The Link

[gorilla]

Now I'm no dealer, and this is just wild speculation on my part, but I would think that the likes of Voda and Orange are maybe offering better commission rates to the dealers now than 3. Hence the drop off in three's presence online.

[Jon3G]

not read these myself, but take a look

http://www.hughsymons.com/documents/hscm/pdf/9_2005_hscm_pdf_5pric_sep.pdf

http://www.avenir-telecom.co.uk/pages/talkingshop/200509.pdf

[whatleydude]

Had a quick 'scan'.

I'd be interested to know what 'customer classification' I was/am.

[3GScottishUser]

The Link will be getting a promotional subsidy for the TV stuff from 3. All of the dealers negotiate contributions from networks and handset makers for not only TV, Radio and Press advertising but showroom positioning, window display space, staff commissions and bonuses and even training costs!

Some of the above will be target based and performance related.

[dgilbert2]

Talkworldonline still have a 12 month free contract on offer, but yes, the good deals are getting harder to find now.

Some might say though that 3 should now be looking for Quality, not Quantity.

(I left 3 in July for one reason, their poor customer service!)

[3GScottishUser]

I think you have to be very careful with cashbacks from smaller lesser known dealers, especially ones on-line.

CPW (inc Onestop Phone Shop, e2save), The Link, Phones4U, Mobileshop.com, and DialAPhone are pretty trustworthy by all accounts.

Yes quality would be better for 3 I suppose. Dealers love them really because they knew that all those early Motos, LG's and NEC's were a churn certinty - great for their business which relies on that very factor Fewer dealers now seem happy offering LG's and the like even at giveaway prices. I think Q3/4 2005 will be the toughest time yet for 3 UK.

[Hands0n]

I reckon that Q3 may well be an abberation - it is Q4 where it all seems to count. What the've all got stored up for us in October through end December is where its at.

I still do not understand what 3's current TV ads are about, except that maybe they want us to know that they "like music". Yes dear, dont' we all. But we also like a bit of substance as well.