Feedback: Ways to get a SIM card changed, wasted a trip to the store

[hokuochan]

Hi,

I wanted to transfer my son's phone to PM and so need a SIM. According to this page: https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/qc/store-locator, it says:

Need your SIM today? Find a participating TELUS or Koodo store near you to buy a Public Mobile SIM card to activate at home. Or simply order online, and never leave your home.

Buy SIM online

Well I went to the store only to be told "We don't do that any more. We can offer you a similar plan on Koodo or you have to order your Public Mobile SIM card online." I wanted the SIM right away but my trip was for nothing. Overall, I've been happy with PM but this one stings. Update your website PM.

[kaoru]

totally agree with this assessment :

1) i called every single store listed on the PM website that suggests that the stores near my postal code may possibly carry a pm SIM card to purchase in-person and every single store i called either had NO working phone number or did NOT carry the SIM from pm. so yeah, it is misleading and the list of stores needs to be verified and updated.

2) several weeks ago i ordered a SIM from the amazon link provided here at PM and it was returned back to seller ( vancouver, BC ) because it was "damaged" during shipment.

3) in 2020 when i first ordered a SIM from PM directly, i was charged THREE times and had to fight my way to get that refunded.  

[hokuochan]

Here's another example of why your answer is short-sighted. Let's say another potential customer sees the same message as me but just happens to be close by to the store. The store happens to be a little busy and has to wait 10-15 mins to speak to an employee (like I did). By your logic, it's still the potential customer's fault but PM still doesn't need to fix their website.

[hTideGnow]

I agree with @dust2dust .  I like to go and buy it myself, but the Telus/Koodo store network just not helping.  All the sales care is to convince you to activate on their networks so they get commission.

Buying online is ok if PM can deliver as promised, within 5 days.  But the deliver is not reliable.  And,  phone activation is a impulsive purchase as well, if there is a 5 days "cool down" (due to delivery), you likely will loss the customer in the end

@J_PM , the current way of getting sim card just not working at all !!!!

[dust2dust]

Yup. You're right. Then that store is mis-informing you. My mall Koodo/Telus kiosk will sell me a sim. My same mall Telus store tells me to go away like I have the plague.

I simply do not understand the approach other than to let this place die. To supposedly have just corporate stores able to sell them and then to have those stores say no. It leads to they want this place to die.

I personally hate waiting for mail order deliveries. I'll go to a store and pick it up. It's actually more of a deterrent to me to finally subject myself to have to wait for mail order. If that's the only way I can get something I want then I actually second-guess how much I want it. But I'm probably old school.

@J_PM 

[hokuochan]

I can even take it a step further. Even if I called the store, let's just say the store is as busy as it was when I was there in person, I would have still wasted my time calling and waiting on hold. If the information was correct to begin with, I would have just ordered it online then and there. Not a single second wasted.

[hokuochan]

I went to a store that the store locator provided. It is a Koodo/Telus kiosk at the mall. The page explicitly says I can still get it a store.

[hokuochan]

While I agree it can be wise to call ahead for stock reasons, my issue is with the fact that PM is still providing incorrect information. I can easily twist your sale story around: if website says there's a sale at the store but then store says there no sale, who's to blame? Should I call ahead and make sure there's really a sale? That's basically what happened here and is simply not good customer service.

If only some stores carry the SIM, they shouldn't list it on page they say to use to find out where to buy it.

[DDM69]

If there's a sale at a store and you drive there to find out they are sold out, who's to blame?  

As stated above.  You've learned your lesson.  Call before you go.

[CountyDownIeUk]

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@softech wrote:

@hokuochan   Also call before you go, not all stores carry PM sim cards. Only "Corporate-owned" stores carry it, but how people know which is which

or you can order from Amazon instead:

https://www.amazon.ca/Public-Mobile-Card-Unlocked-Phones/dp/B07R6P5KBB/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1666369678&ref...

It is sold by PM and fulfilled by Amazon, so, it should arrive quick

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@hokuochan 

@softech 

The URL to find a store only lists corporate stores as per some of my checks. 

[Yummy]

You should call before you go to any store (for any merchandise even food). Even if store stocked PM SIM cards they could be out of stock due to supply issues.

Your choice is to either order directly from the PM site, call around and reserve SIM if store has it (pay in advance if needed) or if not happy with PM (only ONE failure so far) find different provider. Simple as that.

[porcupine]

i bought my sim online .i ordered it Friday and got it the next Friday 

[softech]

@hokuochan   Also call before you go, not all stores carry PM sim cards. Only "Corporate-owned" stores carry it, but how people know which is which

or you can order from Amazon instead:

https://www.amazon.ca/Public-Mobile-Card-Unlocked-Phones/dp/B07R6P5KBB/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1666369678&ref...

It is sold by PM and fulfilled by Amazon, so, it should arrive quick

[dust2dust]

Did you go to a store from the store locator link you used? Or whatever retailer that has Telus or Koodo branding?