JB Hi-Fi (Australia) feedback

Couldn't find a thread for this store so thought I'd make one. :)


Was impressed yesterday when going to order 'Transformers Animated Season 3'. The site said they had to get stock from their warehouse in and they did so within an afternoon. By late afternoon I got the shipping notice - very efficient. Shipping to Swan Hill was only 99c too which I thought was very good.

I'm finding their online store very useful for someone who lives 200km away from their nearest physical store. They often seem to have good pre-order bonuses for the various TF games that come out as well, though often I still go through EB Games as their DLC etc is usually more to my liking.

Bought an Iphone 5c telstra pre-paid. Sales person insisted it's locked but not and automatically activated the $30 sim/credit which I didn't needed at the time but was forced on me.

I was at JB Hi-Fi yesterday buying some DVDs and the people at the counter were friendly and nice. 5/5 would shop again

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Originally Posted by jazzcomp

Bought an Iphone 5c telstra pre-paid. Sales person insisted it's locked but not and automatically activated the $30 sim/credit which I didn't needed at the time but was forced on me.

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The phones are only through Telstra. In theory, they should be locked, but in reality I don't believe that stock was network locked.

My theory? Apple sold Telstra a tonne of (discontinued) 32GB 5Cs, and as per Telstra policy, they have to be activated at POS. JB are a Telstra dealer, so it's the same rules as it's not Apple stock - it's Telstra stock.

Take the SIM out and snap it, problem solved.

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Originally Posted by millhouse

The phones are only through Telstra. In theory, they should be locked, but in reality I don't believe that stock was network locked.

My theory? Apple sold Telstra a tonne of (discontinued) 32GB 5Cs, and as per Telstra policy, they have to be activated at POS. JB are a Telstra dealer, so it's the same rules as it's not Apple stock - it's Telstra stock.

Take the SIM out and snap it, problem solved.

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I wanted to delay using the credit if & when I needed it. It's prepaid. I bought the prepaid locked phones from Coles and it's up to you to activate the service.

I've found their inventory on the website to be unreliable. Case in point: I was searching for a particular TV series that was advertised on special - buy one, second half price, which was perfect for a series with 4 seasons. Unfortunately, their website was telling me the only store in the country that had one of the seasons was in Rockhampton. Others were in Melbourne but not close to me.

I went into the local store just in case and found all the seasons sitting on the shelf, plus a few other things the website said were unavailable.

Their Blurays, especially 3D ones, tend to be overpriced, but there are bargains to be had from time to time. I usually like a good browse in-store at JB if I have time, but don't like the website much.

A good news story from a few years ago: I was after a CD that I had on cassette tape as a youngster, but the record was never released in Australia on CD. I enquired in-store and JB told be they could import it from the U.S. I agreed, and it came in within a week or so, for an unexpectedly low total of $25. I never thought it would be that easy, quick, or cheap.

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Originally Posted by jazzcomp

I wanted to delay using the credit if & when I needed it. It's prepaid. I bought the prepaid locked phones from Coles and it's up to you to activate the service.

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Just Telstra's call with the phone mate. Hence the reason you got a 32GB iPhone 5C for $399 while the 8GB costs you $529 from Apple.

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Originally Posted by millhouse

Just Telstra's call with the phone mate. Hence the reason you got a 32GB iPhone 5C for $399 while the 8GB costs you $529 from Apple.

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I bought the phone for the price & coz it's unlocked :)

My experience with JB Hi-Fi is usually ok - nothing spectacular but nothing bad.

A couple of times DVDs I bought from them had the wrong disc inside (e.g. bought an animated Superman feature only to find the original live-action film disc inside).

As long as there are no problems with the products then it's all good - but if there's an issue it sometimes feels like I am speaking a foreign language to them.