How do I get my refund back?

[scorn001]

I made the mistake of trying to purchase a phone through a 'Premium Authorized' Verizon Wireless retailer. I waited a while, and in the end they weren't able to deliver the phone I wanted, or a second alternate. If you want to know the entire story, you can see my rant here:

http://forum.androidcentral.com/motorola-droid-x/22824-boooooo-verizon-wireless-store.html

Anyway, they offered me a refund on my $100 deposit, and I accepted. I received an email from the store manager on July 19th, and was told it would take a few days for them to get my refund check in the mail, and I should have by the weeks end. I haven't received my refund check yet, I'm getting no response out of the store. The manager won't return calls, and is always conveniently unavailable or away.

I'm angry enough to launch an full fledged online tirade against this place, but don't want to get accused of slander or anything, so they'll remain anonymous for now.

So, I can file a complaint with the BBB, and report it to Verizon, but I doubt this will do much to get my $$ back. I've tried to call the corporate HQ, but they say each market is individually managed, so the closest I''ve been able to get is, that store, and that manager.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Menno]

well depending on the retailer, they could have a clause in their return policy that allows up to 4 weeks for them to refund any money paid by anything other than credit card. if that have that clause they have a month to send you the check (even if they promise sooner service). If they have that clause, reporting them also won't do much good as long as they have their return policy displayed clearly/given with a receipt. I would try and find out the number for whatever retailer company they're through though. Typically to get the Premium retailer tag you need more than a couple of stores.

Honestly, they were REALLY stupid for taking a deposit on a back-ordered item. The stores I worked in never did that.

As a side note, corporate stores royally screwed over retailers with both launches. Retailers were promised a ton of phones. The store near me (part of a group of over 200 locations) was promised 9 phones for launch day. Verizon just gave them 40 for all 200 stores.

 

[scorn001]

Fair enough, I went and looked on the website and couldn't find a refund policy.

They are a somewhat large retailer, lots of stores, and I know that they were screwed pretty bad on the launch, and from what I can tell, receiving shipments of new phones entirely. When they told me they had no idea when I would get a phone -that it could be a few months, after being told I was at the 'top' of two different lists and I should be a phone on launch day, that is when I became angry.

If a month is standard policy on getting a refund back, that is fine, I'll wait a month. But I was told I would have it within a week, and now I get no call back, and no response at all. I'm getting the feeling I'm being blown off on this issue. If it were $5 or $10, I wouldn't be getting upset, but $100 is a little different to me.

Thank you for the response,

-Tim

 

[tony bag o donuts]

Verizon won't be of any help......march on down to the store.

 

[volcom.airsoft]

You know what's lame? The "premium retailers" have them in stock near me, but are only doing it for New Verizon Customers; not NE2 Upgraders -__- so lame; AND they pushed back the date to ship the phone again. I waited a month with an upgrade to get the Droid X, they go out of stock & I finally wait another month to try & get it again D:

 

[scorn001]

I ended up calling another store that belongs to this same chain and explained my situation, they gave me the number to the head office in this market. I called them, and the person I spoke to was very helpful, looked up my account, and informed me that my refund had never been requested as far as he could tell, according to the system I was still waiting on a phone. He processed the refund, and as soon as he did, I received a nice official receipt with a receipt number on it via email. I should have it within a week.

Hopefully this time it will work.

 

[volcom.airsoft]

I ended up calling another store that belongs to this same chain and explained my situation, they gave me the number to the head office in this market. I called them, and the person I spoke to was very helpful, looked up my account, and informed me that my refund had never been requested as far as he could tell, according to the system I was still waiting on a phone. He processed the refund, and as soon as he did, I received a nice official receipt with a receipt number on it via email. I should have it within a week.

Hopefully this time it will work.

Congrats, what phone did you take back & what phone are you getting now?

 

[scorn001]

Congrats, what phone did you take back & what phone are you getting now?

They weren't able to deliver either of the two phones I was signed up for, after waiting 6 weeks on either the Droid Inc or Droid X, I was offered this refund, and I took it. As soon as they sent me the letter informing me they had submitted the refund, I ordered the Droid X online. It arrived in 4 days, crazy.

 

[mikestorm]

I have never and will never deal with a VZW storefront that isn't corporate. "Premium Authorized Retailers" (read: mall kiosks and the like) have their own set of rules which aren't nearly as stringent/customer friendly as VZW proper.

The worst part is if they screw up, the perception from the uninitiated is VERIZON WIRELESS screwed up, which gives Big Red a bad name...