Mobile phone subscription ads can be misleading: Don’t let the “lifetime discount” fool you!

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Advertising promises from mobile phone subscription sellers are seductive. There is an explosion especially in the days before Black Friday, which will take place on November 24, that is, next week. For example, the Lidl: Connect & Smart subscription costs only 9.90 francs instead of 19.95 francs. The discounter is promised a “50 percent lifetime discount.” Sounds good.

But Wingo’s offer is also available everywhere: Internet at home for 39.95 francs per month instead of 69.00. Here too, the discount is valid for life. Being too good to be true?

There’s nothing wrong with such lifetime offers; Providers operate on legal grounds. However, what is noteworthy is that the offer is limited to a short period of time. Now you need to attack, it shows ads. There is buying pressure. So what is set aside in the pursuit of consumerism is the closer control of this advertising promise.

“Of course you can cheat with a lifetime discount,” Oliver Zadori (40) tells Blick. The operator of the comparison platform dschungelkompass.ch reviews such offers every day.

Ideally without a minimum contract period

Referring to the Lidl example, Zadori explains: Instead of 19.95 francs, an absolute 10.05 francs is obtained, or a discount of 50 percent. This applies if the list price changes at some point (for example from 19.90 francs to 24.90 francs). Zadori calculates: With a percentage discount (50 percent) the new price is 12.45 francs. With absolute discount (10.05 francs) the subscription now costs 14.85 francs.

According to the telecom expert, in principle you are quite safe with this “lifetime discount”. “Most of these offers have a two-month notice period.”

Jean-Claude Frick (50) from compareis.ch also sees the situation this way. He also points out: “Almost all providers now have provisions where prices can be adjusted ‘for inflation’.”

According to Dschungelkompass.ch, some subscription providers have already increased their list prices by 2 to 4 percent this summer. For example, Lidl has not yet increased its list prices.

That’s why a short notice period without a minimum contract period is important, says telecom expert Frick. “If the offer is valid for life but the minimum maturity is, say, 24 months, you should be careful. Then if you find something cheaper than the competition you can’t unsubscribe in advance.”

Source :Blick