If you are looking for a great deal on a smartphone you might want to go check out the devices that Econet is selling at discounted prices. The mobile network operator is out to push a lot of smart and dumb phones and it has kicked off an aggressive ad campaign to go along with this.
While there are discounts for high-end devices like the Galaxy S4 or the $381 iPhone 5, the phone that caught our eye was the Huawei Ascend Y220. The last time we reviewed this device, it was the cheapest smartphone from Econet with a $70 price tag. This was later beaten last year by the $55 ZTE V795. A lot has changed, including the price, and many alternative devices later Econet is selling it at $27.
It’s not the cheapest internet ready phone available though. If you still want to get onto WhatsApp you can get a ZTE F116 for $24 and if smart really isn’t your thing there are cheap devices in their gallery like the $8 Tiaggo V121 or the Nokia 1208 set at $6.
You can check out all the discounted devices on the Econet devices website and on the Econet Facebook page.
Granted that there are cheaper devices you can get from other distributors, but the significant thing here is that Econet, which is in all likelihood the most visible device distributor in Zimbabwe, is offering cheaper internet ready devices.
As exciting as all this might be though, the comments on Econet’s Facebook page regarding these discounted devices seem to suggest that they are out of stock most of the time. We got the same “out of stock” response when we looked for the $27 Huawei device at Econet’s Avondale branch.
It turns out there are some enterprising people who swoop in these massive discounts and make bulk orders only to sell the same devices at higher prices, sometimes even outside the Econet stores.
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10 comments
In response to the advert in The Herald of 24-Apr-2015 I went to an Econet shop at Joina City in the heart of the CBD to see if these incredible “offers” were truly on offer not just on paper. So I joined the usually long queues which i didnt mind. When my turn came to be served I asked for the solar lights but was told they only had the $34.00 ones . I asked for the Huawei and Samsung Rex smartphones which were advertised at around $27 and $37 each but was told they were not there. The worst part of it all was that they could even refer me to the shops which had these gadgets in stock. So it would then mean that I would have to go from Econet Shop to Econet shop joining long queues only to be told that they dont have a particular item in stock. Come on Econet, please dont take us for granted.
heard staff bought all the phones
ZTE V795 is the worst phone ever! Dont buy it.
true that
WHY DO YO GUYS ALWAYS TAKE US FOR FOOLS ,U ALWAYS ADVERTISE THINGS THAT YO DONT HAVE .FOR EXAMPLE YOU GET INTO AN ECONET SHOP THEIR ARE NO SOLAR LIGHTS BUT VENDORS OUT SIDE THE SHOP ARE SELLING THAT PRODUCT
I have a problem with econet they always advertise things they dont have in stock
Some of your products do not last longer and non repairable like ZTE V795
Ur products a not so gud lyk zte huwaei n they cost even customer care u dnt answer colls oh gosh
too bad i almost fell for the ads
Most of the time yu advertise products yu dont have in stock