Real Price of Mobiles.

[tighterse]

I was sent out today by the CEO to buy a Doro 612 for a neighbour and instructed to get it as cheaply as possible. On the Carphone Warehouse site it is shown as £69.99 sim free but I claimed vat exemption bringing it down to £58.47 (?). Then I noticed a card mentioning a special deal of £39.99 plus a new sim £15 top up so I asked for that and said don't bother about the sim. Pressing my luck I asked if it could be cheaper. Final price £43.99 including a £15 O2 sim. Another neighbour took the sim for a fiver simply to let him download a couple of apps and have some phone calls (different number mind you) till the sim runs out.

But, and here's the good bit. I asked the salesman what the absolute bottom price for an I-phone would be and he said no deal but if you want a top of the range Samsung, Motorola or HTC at least a 25% and maybe 30% discount if you really, really persist and look as though you might walk away.

Just what is the price and profit margin on mobile phones?