giffgaff in more shops from 30 July

persco

Thanks for the update. This is a massive development and a shift albeit early and small from online basis to a face to face one for everything giffgaff. I would guess staff will have to or be asked about all the days to day issues picked up by the community too.

I hope it goes well if it is about helping members but that the community is maintained as well as an option/alternate.

t_will

persco The way it’ll work in the trial is that everyone who gets a SIM from an O2 shop will be told about how to use the community and agents for help if they need it, beyond the setup that’s done in-store. If someone needs support they’ll still be coming to you lovely lot 🙂

bluemoonbaz

t_will If someone needs support they’ll still be coming to you lovely lot

Thats what we wanted to hear 😁

jaymailsays

The integration has begun then?

Many suspected the Virgin Media merger would lead to a blurring of branding and this seems a huge change in that direction. We are moving from giffgaff runs on O2, to giffgaff is promoted by O2!

Edit

t_will beyond the setup that’s done in-store

In which case there is no earthly reason why the O2 shop staff, cannot verify and remove, the adult content bar? (Just like EE shops do)

Or process the porting of numbers to giffgaff, endless potential for having a giffgaff phone delivered or returned to the O2 shop?

And how are costs worked out? Shop staff may take lengthy amounts of time activating a giffgaff sim, detracting from their regular O2 duties or will there be dedicated giffgaff staff?

So many questions.

[/Virgin Media to disappear from UK high street https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/may/28/virgin-media-to-disappear-from-uk-high-street-coronavirus]

mrjeeves

laura_oc

Online only? Not anymore!

This is a really cool idea and a great way to push people to giffgaff.

Thank God it’s owned by Telefonica UK 😂

scottliddle25126585

jaymailsays

Seems a great direction mate. But I wonder how much are giffgaff paying O2 for the placement and not to mention the advisory plans from O2. But I suppose we have been a business partner with them for along time and some benefits and reduction of payments to and from was always on the cards. It would be nice to know the numbers from giffgaff to O2 in terms of turnover and money made. But I suppose they must be good as we are still in business 😁😁😁

Scott.

t_will

scottliddle25126585 The group we’re targeting here are people who might not otherwise consider giffgaff - so hopefully there’s less overlap than you might think 🙂

jaymailsays In which case there is no earthly reason why the O2 shop staff, cannot verify and remove, the adult content bar? (Just like EE shops do)

Or process the porting of numbers to giffgaff, endless potential for having a giffgaff phone delivered or returned to the O2 shop?

Future potential for these maybe, but as of right now we’re just seeing if the SIMs being stocked and having it as an option for people is viable. Don’t worry about cost - O2 are on board, and happy with the arrangements we’ve worked out. Ultimately, what we all care about is making sure someone gets on the right plan for them, and if giffgaff works for them, as of tomorrow they’ll be able to get set up right then and there.

scottliddle25126585

laura_oc

Great news for giffgaff but not very great news for SR’s who work the shops and marketing stalls.

But if you snooze you lose 😁😁😁

Best regards,
Scott.

harrrrrry

scottliddle25126585 I wonder how much are giffgaff paying O2

giffgaff’s entire profits go to o2 (alias Telefonica UK) anyway. So any concept of giffgaff “paying for” any service that o2 provides (including the o2 network) only affects the cosmetic appearance of a profit on the giffgaff balance sheet.

jaymailsays

harrrrrry giffgaff’s entire profits go to o2 (alias Telefonica UK) anyway

Thats not strictly true, it can only pay Telefonica by way of a declared dividend and/or for invoiced services like they might do for O2 network services or for loan repayments or more likely as a loan advance. From an accounting perspective, it all gets messy and with Virgin Media joining the party, will their shareholders put up with the blurring of undefined servicing costs coming from giffgaff?

mrjeeves

harrrrrry jaymailsays

giffgaff can easily earn a profit, as they have been doing for several years now.

Although strangely enough, giffgaff decided to pay O2 a lot more in 2019 compared to 2018 despite having about the same number of members and earning about the same amount of revenue.

The £10 profit per member figure is kind of right, but most of the revenue ends up at O2, which makes that figure accurate.

kathleen414

laura_oc t_will
Sounds like a sensible way to go , as not everyone is looking for contract and giving them the giffgaff option is perfect

a1antman

Hi @laura_oc ,

for this update, much appreciated. 🙂

While this may good news for some and only a trial for now, my main concern is that this will be the end of giffgaff as we know it (my personal opinion) 🙁

Yes I know and acknowledge that giffgaff has to move with the times and to survive.
The unique selling point for giffgaff is / was that it is /was an online network only, but as mrjeeves not anymore! 🙁

If the giffgaff sim card trial in O2 stores is successful, whats next giffgaff call centres? 💭 🤔

Now please don’t get me wrong I love giffgaff and I don’t see me leaving. 🙂

Anyway just my two pennies worth of input. 🙂

Kind Regards

a1antman 🙂

jaymailsays

mrjeeves Although strangely enough, giffgaff decided to pay O2 a lot more in 2019 compared to 2018 despite having about the same number of members and earning about the same amount of revenue.

The sale of the old Platform might have placated Telefonica temporarily, following huge Ofcom fines, member overcharging refunds, and extra Charity donations. All in all 2018/19 was not a favourable period for the Company and not a time they want repeated.

octopus16

mrjeeves

giffgaff used to throttle members’ data speeds - but since 2018 they’ve stopped. Could this be why they pay O2 more? 😄

harrrrrry

a1antman my main concern is that this will be the end of giffgaff as we know it

People have been saying every day for at least the last million years that the world will end tomorrow, but so far none of them have been correct.

Likewise, when

giffgaff had to abolish unlimited data
giffgaff started selling phones
giffgaff started advertising on buses and TV
giffgaff put sims in shops

… every time, somebody said it was the end of giffgaff as we know it.

The good thing is that even tomorrow, tomorrow will always be another day away. And the sun will probably come out tomorrow too.

jeff_elephant

I’m really curious to see how people react to giffgaff in O2 Stores and whether they receive a lot of traction. giffgaff is huge among students and digitally connected people, so it’ll be interesting to see how the ‘more regular’ consumers react to the low priced giffgaff offers!

a1antman

harrrrrry People have been saying every day for at least the last million years that the world will end tomorrow, but so far none of them have been correct.

Likewise, when
giffgaff had to abolish unlimited data
giffgaff started selling phones
giffgaff started advertising on buses and TV
giffgaff put sims in shops

… every time, somebody said it was the end of giffgaff as we know it.

The good thing is that even tomorrow, tomorrow will always be another day away. And the sun will probably come out tomorrow too.
harrrrrry

What I should have said in my OP was will this be the end of giffgaff’s uniqueness?
and as I also said (in my opinion)

Sorry if my post has upset anyone 🙁

Kind Regards

a1antman 🙂

jaymailsays

Be interesting to see which product the O2 shop recommends during the giffgaff trial.

Inclusive Roaming in 75 International destinations is an interesting offer.

i_am_sy

jaymailsays The sale of the old Platform might have placated Telefonica temporarily, following huge Ofcom fines, member overcharging refunds, and extra Charity donations. All in all 2018/19 was not a favourable period for the Company and not a time they want repeated.

I cannot make a single bit of sense out of what you said there.

Firstly giffgaff made more direct profit than any of its competition, and they will have helped O2 make a larger profit too, as not 100% of what giffgaff pays O2 is cost, O2 makes a profit on that. You can be certain giffgaff made a huge amount of money last year as was extremely successful.

jaymailsays

i_am_sy I cannot make a single bit of sense out of what you said there

https://community.giffgaff.com/d/33147802-giffgaff-s-annual-accounts-for-2019/56

Profits for 2019 are actually down on 2018 if you factor out the £7,4m they received as a one off disposal payment of a capital asset.

ma2013

laura_oc
This is awesome! Nice one! I’m hoping to see them in Manchester, will feedback if I do. 🙂📱😁🤞🏽