So, what do I get for giving Best Buy $50 for a "presale"?

[MikeInMKE#AC]

I called the local Best Buy store to find out.

If you go to your local Best Buy store to pre-buy the Sprint Nexus S:
1) You will be charged $50 for a Best Buy gift card, which you can apply toward the purchase of the phone when they arrive.
2) The Best Buy store will contact the warehouse, asking that they ship to them the number of Nexus Ss which they have pre-sold.
3) Phones will be issued first come, first served, with those who pre-bought being first, in the order in which they pre-bought.

I asked what the launch date was, and the saleslady said the email she received today, regarding this pre-sale, only suggested that the launch details would be coming soon.

 

[bubbatex]

You get a place in line (without having to actually stand there). Personally, I would just pre-order from Sprint (which it looks like you can on their site).

 

[MikeInMKE#AC]

Personally, I would just pre-order from Sprint (which it looks like you can on their site).

Both Sprint and Best Buy require you to buy a $50 gift card in order to reserve your place in line. What advantage is there to pre-order via Sprint over Best Buy?

 

[jtexans]

A few months after the Nexus S went on sale at BB for $199, BB dropped it to $99 for a week or so.

I hope they do the same thing for this one...

 

[god_trentonj]

Both Sprint and Best Buy require you to buy a $50 gift card in order to reserve your place in line. What advantage is there to pre-order via Sprint over Best Buy?

Sprint has better in store service if your phone bricks or screws up if you bought the phone with them. Also seem to be more knowledgeable than those best buy store people.

 

[sedracer]

you really care if you the store you buy your phone in is knowledgeable? i don't consider myself an average user and i don't really think people who surf this site on a regular basis are either, but i could care less who sells me the phone. sprint plans are so stupidly easy to navigate they can't screw it up that bad.

 

[MikeInMKE#AC]

Sprint has better in store service if your phone bricks or screws up if you bought the phone with them. Also seem to be more knowledgeable than those best buy store people.

I do not know how good or bad the local Best Buy is, regarding service or knowledge.

I will say that the local Sprint store service, once you've waited a good long time for it, is good, and the people for the most part (with exceptions) are knowledgeable.

I just called a local Sprint store, and she confirmed that if I buy a Sprint phone from somewhere other than a Sprint store, I would not be able to get service for the phone at a Sprint store. I should have asked how this policy relates to pre-ordering a phone on Sprint's own web site.

[edit]Never mind. You pre-order the Nexus S by going into the store and paying $50 for a Sprint gift card, not by pre-ordering it on Sprint's web site.

 

[c0c0nutsp0rt]

The better question for me is who will have it cheaper without signing a 2-year contract?

 

[bloo0153]

The better question for me is who will have it cheaper without signing a 2-year contract?

I reserved one yesterday at my local Sprint store. No one at the store even new it was available for preorder yet. I had to show them the Nexus page on Sprint's website. As you can imagine, they couldn't tell what the price would be off contract, but happily took my $50 anyways.

 

[joelawilliams]

Release date?

Anyone know a release date for the Nexus S 4G?

I lose my upgrade credit at the beginning of April (Thanks, Sprint Premiere!) and was told by a Sprint rep that I could use my credit towards another phone and then return that phone within 30 days for the Nexus S. So essentially if the Nexus S launches anytime in April I'd be OK. I'd imagine a lot of Sprint Premiere members are stuck with this problem too.

 

[gtpimp97]

If I am eligible now for a full upgrade, I will keep it after 4/1 won't I? At least that's what my understanding is of the whole premier plan change.

 

[MikeInMKE#AC]

I too reserved a Nexus S, but at Best Buy. I used two $25 Best Buy gift cards (Christmas presents) to purchase the $50 Best Buy gift card, necessary to be put on the presale waiting list.

 

[levo912]

I did reserved mine at best buy, cuz the people at sprint didnt let me do the pre order paying the full price.

 

[gtpimp97]

Anyone know for sure about losing my current upgrade? I am eligible now (got a hero before i found out aboutu evo coming out). Will I keep the upgrade after 4/1 or lose it? I've read both ways online and emailed Sprint last night to see what they say too.

 

[kynov]

Anyone know for sure about losing my current upgrade? I am eligible now (got a hero before i found out aboutu evo coming out). Will I keep the upgrade after 4/1 or lose it? I've read both ways online and emailed Sprint last night to see what they say too.

I literally called Sprint yesterday about this since I am in the same predicament. What I was told is that since I will be put in their "Silver" tier that I will lose my upgrade on 4/1. But, I was told they have a program called "Sprint Buy Out". Basically its the same as paying your early termination fee and re-contracting to get the phone at the new contract price. As an example, my 22 month upgrade will be Oct 2011. If the Nexus S came out May 1st I would have to pay $60 to buyout the rest of my contract, then drop $200 on the phone. So the upgrade would end up costing me $260.

 

[gtpimp97]

I literally called Sprint yesterday about this since I am in the same predicament. What I was told is that since I will be put in their "Silver" tier that I will lose my upgrade on 4/1. But, I was told they have a program called "Sprint Buy Out". Basically its the same as paying your early termination fee and re-contracting to get the phone at the new contract price. As an example, my 22 month upgrade will be Oct 2011. If the Nexus S came out May 1st I would have to pay $60 to buyout the rest of my contract, then drop $200 on the phone. So the upgrade would end up costing me $260.

Interesting. I shot them an email and am going to a Sprint store today. Hopefully I can get the same answer out of one of those venues. I know my ETF is near or under $100 now. It was about $120 a couple months back I believe. Thanks for your info.

 

[maddmatt02]

preordering at best buy gets you the opportunity to pay more tax...

when I got my evo they charged me tax on my 50 dollar gift card, I just figured it was because they take 50 off the price when I pick it up and charge me another 149+tax.

well I was busy so I had to send someone else to pick up my phone. sure enough they were charged 199+tax and then applied the gift card... so I paid 199 for the phone and paid tax on 249...

I didnt bother wasting my time to go in and complain since tax on 50 bucks is just under 5 bucks, would have cost me that much in gas almost to get there and back...

maybe not all stores do it like that though...

 

[gtpimp97]

Just talked to a Sprint rep in one of their mall stores and the rep seemed pretty confident that if I used my upgrade before 4/1 and get say the evo, I can transfer it to my wifes account, and when she gets her upgrade on 4/1 I can then wait for the nexus to be released and use it to get the nexus and finally swap phones on our account. So she gets an evo and I get my nexus does this make sense, sound plausible to you guys?

 

[tomy2001]

Both Sprint and Best Buy require you to buy a $50 gift card in order to reserve your place in line. What advantage is there to pre-order via Sprint over Best Buy?

If you don't like the phone you bought or the phone is defective for some reason Best buy does not charge you restoking fee and it will give you a brand new phone if you return it during the first 30 day after you bought the phone. on the other hand, sprint will charge you a restocking fee for exchanging your phone.

 

[tomy2001]

I do not know how good or bad the local Best Buy is, regarding service or knowledge.

I will say that the local Sprint store service, once you've waited a good long time for it, is good, and the people for the most part (with exceptions) are knowledgeable.

I just called a local Sprint store, and she confirmed that if I buy a Sprint phone from somewhere other than a Sprint store, I would not be able to get service for the phone at a Sprint store. I should have asked how this policy relates to pre-ordering a phone on Sprint's own web site.

[edit]Never mind. You pre-order the Nexus S by going into the store and paying $50 for a Sprint gift card, not by pre-ordering it on Sprint's web site.

What they told you it is a lie. I have 5 lines in my account and I have bought a lot of phones from BB. I have insurance with Sprint. Everytime I have problem with a phone people from Sprint Store had taking care of my phones even though I bought in Best Buy.