In recent times there has been a marked growth in online comparison websites, with phone apps and online surveys available to compare most things. The tips below provide some clear guidelines as to how to go about choosing a comparison site or company to save you money, be that for a new phone contract, broadband contract, or utility bills.
1. What are you trying to compare?
As well as being able to compare mobile phone contracts, you can also use these services to compare insurance companies, utility bills, and almost anything. The tips presented here can be used to whittle down comparison sites for pretty much anything. All you have to do is have a very clear idea of what you’re looking to compare, as long as its comparing apples with apples. For example, there will be no point comparing budget mobiles with poor camera quality if you’re looking for a device with great photography capabilities to aid in your creative projects.
2. Do they do a whole of the market comparison?
If yes, continue. If no. stop and look again. There is only value in paying a commission for a comparison that has looked at the entire market, or as much of the market as could be of relevance to you. This is the case for business energy comparison, as it wouldn’t help if it only provided quotes from the ‘big 3’ top suppliers, but it’s also true for mobile contracts as well. Some sites only compare the top ten providers, or only the big manufacturing companies such as Apple, Samsung and Huawei. This may be of no use to you if you are looking for more independent and affordable phones. A whole of the market analysis is essentially what you are looking for, but as a minimum, the site must provide a good understanding of what’s available and allow you to find something that suits your needs. As the Financial Conduct Authority noted with regard to the insurance comparison industry, sites must be transparent, noting how many firms are included in the comparison and who isn’t included.
3. Do they have social credibility?
Look at how many other people use the comparison site you’re using. Do they have good reviews? If yes, continue and get the comparison you need to save you money; if not, look for something else. Not only must the big firms trust them to provide a genuine business quotation, but there must be proof of success provided before you choose the site to make your comparison. Look for reviews and customer feedback as a guideline for success.
4. No upfront payments for the comparison
There should be no upfront payments for any online comparisons. There are several free comparison sites, but keep in mind that these sites are likely to receive a commission from the providers that they rate and recommend. Others may charge a small fee, but never before you’ve actually made a saving based on their results.
5. Is their process clear and simple?
Don’t get into bed with a mobile comparison website that will require details of your previous ten business addresses or some other outrageous requirement before they can make a comparison. The process must be simple and easy to follow. This is one of the standards set for comparison websites by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA). You must be able to switch providers with ease, and the site you choose must be able to fluently do this for you in as little time as possible once you’ve made the decision to use their services to find a new provider.
The five tips provided here are a starting point to save you money when you decide to switch mobiles and find a new service, however, comparison websites can be used for virtually any function,
