Music stores rip-offs

[growler]

Hi everyone
Not really guitar related, but interesting all the same .
I recently looked at a breakdown of one of my telephone bills recently as it was brought to my attention whilst examining one of my bank statements as to why my monthly, all in, phone anywhere for free, telephone abbonement had jumped from 39 euros, to 70 euros .......... Reason for it ........ ringing up well known musics stores in the UK to enquire about and maybe buy one of their products, and being charged at a mobile phone rate for the call.
So you buy the product from them and pay an extra £10 for the phone call

Thomann in Germany assure me they do not follow this practice, and were quite taken aback when I told them that it was done in the UK...... you contact them on a local rate

An Annoyed

Growler

[ianz]

Hi Growler
I think you're a victim of typical telco rip-offs. I've just taken a look at HMV's site (as an example). Their customer line is 0845, which if you call from a UK landline is "lo-cost", or on some tarrifs with BT free (or included in your call allowance). However, if you ring froma mobile it is designated (certainly with my provider) as premium rate, so paid for and not included in my contract. SImilarly if I ring an 0800 number (freephone) it is free from a landline but premium rate from a mobile. Again if i ring a toll-free no. in the states, i pay premium rates.
I guess this is all a result of the margins being so thin on music sales (although HMV prices for CDs, looks at a premium to most other web based retailers!)
I know this doesn't help, just explains the telco market as i see it!

[growler]

Thanks for reply ianz
But all these calls were made on a normal phone where I can phone anywhere for free within the monthly tariff , I have a mobile ( somewhere ), never use it, have been put of these things just watching the usage my17 year old daughter has of them.
Incidentally I have gone through the list of all the music shops who have been charging me this rate and struck them off for good.

regards

Growler