Purchasing phones somewhere other than Verizon

[Brandermill533]

I am looking to upgrade my phone before the new $30 fee kicks in. I would like to take advantage of the pricing from other vendors such as Best Buy, Amazon, etc. I have a few questions for those who have purchased from other outlets:

1) Will the other stores honor the loyalty discount that Verizon offers?

2) Will I be able to keep my unlimited data that I currently have? I am going from a 4g phone to another 4g phone.

3) I get an employee discount because of the discount given to state employees where I live. Will I still get this discount if I don't go through Verizon?

4) If I find that the phone I pick doesn't work for me, will my upgrade be wasted if I return the device within the required days of the respective stores?

Thanks to anyone who can share their experience.

 

[Irvgotti]

I buy from wirefly and amazon. With my loyal discount it didn't compare to amazon. I bought the gnex for 199 vs Verizon 249. I'm not sure about the other discounts. I also didn't have to change plans so I still have my unlimited data. One thing I did notice was I have different insurance. You could call the 800 number to get accurate info about the other discounts.

 

[Devinator]

1. I don't think they do. At least they didn't at Costco.

2. You should be able to. It should just be a contract extension since you aren't a new customer. If you are really concerned though, call Verizon and talk with a rep. Get an employee number if they say yes. If they say no, call back until someone says yes, and get their employe number.

3. It's doubtful you'd get a discount through a third party vendor on phones or accessories. But, plan discounts you will get.

4. I don't think so. Since in order to return it, you'd be voiding your contract which I would think would make you eligible for getting a two year contract again. Might wanna ask a rep about this as well. If you are past whatever day amount you are allowed for a return, you could still do an exchange at certain stores. Not sure what it is everywhere, but, I believe Costco gave you 90 days to swap the device for another.

 

[Brandermill533]

Thank you for your responses. I wanted to hear from others who have upgraded through third parties. I am trying to avoid any pitfalls and make sure I know the right questions to ask before committing. Thanks again for sharing your experience.

 

[Devinator]

No problem.

I had a very positive experience going through Costco. It's actually like a fourth party because it's a vendor inside Costco. But, you still get the amazing customer service and policies that you expect from Costco.

I might be a bit more cautious going through an online vendor. You might get a great deal, but, might be more hassle than it's worth if you need to return the phone. If you have to return a phone that you bought from a warehouse store or something, you can easily go back. Sometimes the online prices from Newegg, Tiger or Amazon are a bit better, but, I'll pay a little more for Costco and it's excellent customer service/return policy if I had to.

 

[Ry]

I was under the impression that you needed to complete your current contract if you wanted discount/2-year/upgrade pricing with a third-party retailer like Amazon or Costco, and not be 18 (or 22) months in.

 

[Devinator]

I don't think so, but, maybe.

All I can say is that you can add two years to your contract and get a new subsidized phone anytime you want. I needed a new phone once and was only one year into my two years. They said so long as I agreed to two more years (three total) they'd give me a subsidized phone. So, I don't think it matters when you get a new phone, so long as you are on board for extending your current contract by two more years.

 

[Brandermill533]

Has anyone ever purchased/upgraded a phone through Radio Shack? I was wondering if the hand off from them to Verizon went smoothly.

 

[Devinator]

I did ten years ago. It was no different than going through any other third party or going through Verizon. But, I stay away from Radioshack nowadays because they are generally over priced.

 

[Brandermill533]

Had an interesting chat with Verizon:

Please hold for a Verizon Wireless sales representative to assist you with your order. Thank you for your patience.
You are now chatting with 'Marnie'
Marnie: Hello. Thank you for visiting our chat service. May I help you with your order today?
You: If I upgrade through a third party vendor will I lose my 250 text plan for $5
Marnie: I'd be happy to assist you.
Marnie: If you have an older plan that is no longer offered, you will need to upgrade your plan.
You: It is my understanding that I can keep my data plan as is. I have unlimited data and I want to upgrade from a 4g device to another 4g device.
Marnie: You can keep the unlimited data if you order from us, I do not know the policies of third party vendors.
You: Thank you.
Marnie: Have you decided on a new phone yet?
You: Yes. My droid charge has been deemed defective. I did not want tech support to send me another one so I am looking at the Droid Bionic or HTC Rezound. Unfortunately, they called me back with diagnostice
Marnie: Do you have an upgrade available now?
You: with the diagnostic to late to get the Rezound for $49. I am pretty upset about that.
Marnie: I see, that was a great offer.
You: Yes. I have an upgrade available now. The bionic is much cheaper elsewhere even if I apply the loyalty discount given by Verizon.
Marnie: If you do order it elsewhere, we can not guarantee the quality of service of that phone...
Marnie: Nor can we insure it.
Marnie: To get the best service offered on the Network it is best to get your phone from Verizon directly.
You: So Authorized retailers of Verizon phones don't get the same quality of phones as Verizon?
Marnie: We can stand by those devices, they are not Verizon.
Marnie: I mean we can not certify the quality of the phones.
You: Interesting that manufacturers would provide potentially inferior phones to authorized resellers. I would think if I had a problem with the phone during the 1 year warranty, it wouldn't matter what authorized reseller I purchased it from.
Marnie: It is not that the phones are inferior, it is that we do not know where those phones were obtained from so we can not guarantee the quality of the service.
You: By the way, it was Verizon that had the Rezound for $49 until April 9.
Marnie: That is true, we offered it as a special promotion.
You: I would think Best Buy or Radio Shack got them from the manufacturer just as Verizon does. Is that no the case? This is very interesting.
Marnie: I don't about best buy or anyplace else, I'm sorry.
Marnie: I am only saying that if you definitely want to make sure with out a doubt the best service offered from Verizon, it is best to get a new phone directly from Verizon.
Marnie: That is all.
You: Okay. Thanks so much for your help.
Marnie: You are welcome.
Marnie: Is there anything else I can help you with today?

Are the phones different from Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc.? Has anyone had problems getting Verizon to address an issue with a phone purchased from an authorized retailer?

 

[umpirerob]

Third party retailers do not have the same access to the billing system as Verizon. You will probably have to choose current data plan, meaning you lose unlimited. There are perks to going directly through Verizon, even if it costs more. Also, some third party retailers have their own "recapture" fee if you make changes to your plan during a certain timeframe. Do your homework and get everything in writing.

Sent from my HTC Mecha using Tapatalk 2.

 

[umpirerob]

Also, your loyalty discount holds no water, your service discount stays, and as long as you abide by the buyer's remorse policy of the retailer, you can return the device and still be upgrade eligible. KEEP YOUR RETURN RECEIPT!!

Sent from my HTC Mecha using Tapatalk 2.

 

[Brandermill533]

Third party retailers do not have the same access to the billing system as Verizon. You will probably have to choose current data plan, meaning you lose unlimited. There are perks to going directly through Verizon, even if it costs more. Also, some third party retailers have their own "recapture" fee if you make changes to your plan during a certain timeframe. Do your homework and get everything in writing.

Sent from my HTC Mecha using Tapatalk 2.

Thanks for the heads up. I don't understand what you mean by losing my unlimited data if I choose current data plan. My current data plan is the unlimited plan, at least that is what I was thinking. When I tested out the ordering process, it gave me the option of choosing a plan out of all of the available plans for upgrades and the last option is to keep my current plan (which is unlimited data). I would hate to bypass the motorola deal I have been contemplating, but I really don't want to lose unlimited data. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Devinator]

I bought my phone from Costco, the Verizon kiosk inside is not a Verizon store, it's a third party vendor. I am getting the same level of customer service from Verizon, regardless as to where I purchased my phone. And, I have insurance, so, this person doesn't know what they are talking about. Also, they are terrible at typing for someone that is supposed to be a text based CSR. If I were you, I'd try calling in the future and getting the advice you need from someone on the phone. I'm not a big fan of the phone, but, in this scenario, it might be a better idea to call.

As for losing your plan, I had a plan that is no longer offered when I upgraded at Costco, and, as far as I know, I still have it. Unless they changed my plan without telling me, which I doubt they'd do. And, I am not paying anymore for my minutes than I ever was and the price for my minutes hasn't changed. Unless you leave your plan and start a new plan as a new customer, you shouldn't lose your unlimited data. As I said earlier, do this.

"2. You should be able to. It should just be a contract extension since you aren't a new customer. If you are really concerned though, call Verizon and talk with a rep. Get an employee number if they say yes. If they say no, call back until someone says yes, and get their employe number."

 

[Brandermill533]

Thanks again Devinator. I thought what the guy at Verizon was telling me was off the mark.

 

[Devinator]

No problem. It does seem strange. And, the rep was horrible. Good luck with everything. Make sure to keep us posted with what happens.