Why buy from Best Buy?

[fredd0]

with the shack offering $20 in accessories that must be purchased that day, i figure I will let you know the benefits of pre-ordering from your local Best Buy that will save you money, too.

Reward Zone points - an upgrage with accessories will get you $5 in RZ certificates. Can be doubled if you have a Reward Zone Mastercard and use it for the purchase. pay the card off that month if you don't want a balance.

Package discounts on chargers - get 2 chargers (home, car, or combination) for $29.99.

Geek Squad Black Tie Protection @ $9.99 per month - covers accidental damage and provides a NEW - not refurbished - phone in the event that the phone cannot be repaired with NO deductible. accessories in box as well as battery replacement (1 during a 2 year contract) are also covered. power surge and HEAT & HUMIDITY are covered, too. repairs can take up to 30 days, however there is no deductible to pay. tradeoff = $100 or some time without phone.

0% Financing - If buying more than 2 phones (or anything else that brings your total over $299) you can get 0% financing for 6 months. Go over $499 and get 18 mos @ 0%. The purchase will get 90 days @ 0% if just getting the phone on a 2yr upgrade.


any other questions I will be happy to answer as long as it is not confidential information.

legal stuff - the opinions i express are mine and in no way express the opinions of Best Buy.

 

[androiduser5]

I decided to pre-order at my local Best Buy after they informed me that they would match Radio Shack in the form of a $20 gift card. And, I like the people that work there. They've been nothing but great in the times I've had to deal with them.

 

[steve41015]

Did you need to speak with a manager for that. I ask for the same price comp and was told no

 

[androiduser5]

Nope, the wireless consultant was cool and offered it outright when I mentioned Radio Shack. Then the manager, who was in the vicinity, also backed her up by also offering it (independently). I didn't even have to ask to match as they just suggested it.

 

[dkotoric]

Ya I spoke with the manager there too and he took the add that I brought in from Radio Shack and just said I'll staple this to you pre order and when you come in will honor the same radio shack add.

 

[ls3mach]

with the shack offering $20 in accessories that must be purchased that day, i figure I will let you know the benefits of pre-ordering from your local Best Buy that will save you money, too.

Reward Zone points - an upgrage with accessories will get you $5 in RZ certificates. Can be doubled if you have a Reward Zone Mastercard and use it for the purchase. pay the card off that month if you don't want a balance.

Package discounts on chargers - get 2 chargers (home, car, or combination) for $29.99.

Geek Squad Black Tie Protection @ $9.99 per month - covers accidental damage and provides a NEW - not refurbished - phone in the event that the phone cannot be repaired with NO deductible. accessories in box as well as battery replacement (1 during a 2 year contract) are also covered. power surge and HEAT & HUMIDITY are covered, too. repairs can take up to 30 days, however there is no deductible to pay. tradeoff = $100 or some time without phone.

0% Financing - If buying more than 2 phones (or anything else that brings your total over $299) you can get 0% financing for 6 months. Go over $499 and get 18 mos @ 0%. The purchase will get 90 days @ 0% if just getting the phone on a 2yr upgrade.


any other questions I will be happy to answer as long as it is not confidential information.

legal stuff - the opinions i express are mine and in no way express the opinions of Best Buy.

I prefer Sprint TEP at $7 a month. It has netted me quite a few upgrades over the last 7 years. Very little downtime for lost or stolen phones. I got one within 16 hours of filing a claim.

People really finance phones?

I paid for the protection on my Treo 600 back in 2003. WORST idea ever. When it came time to use the warranty, Best Buy was none too helpful. I ended up having to escalate the problem so far, they gave me a 100% refund and Sprint let me have "new customer" pricing on any phone I wanted. I ended up buying a Treo 650 direct through Sprint Business. In fairness the protection program that Best Buy was selling back then was completely different. I have no experience with the new programs and will probably not ever be discovering their "virtues". On a related note, the PSP for the Rockford Fosgate amp I bought worked out great for me, they sent it to RF and had if completely refurbed after it started overheating.

 

[fredd0]

it is a grey area for PM, due to not knowing the price of radio shack accessories and the fact you have to use it that day and them not holding the phone for more than 2 days.

BUT, why would i lose a sale over $20 that will be spent back in my store?

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Best Buy.

 

[lembowski]

I decided to pre-order at my local Best Buy after they informed me that they would match Radio Shack in the form of a $20 gift card. And, I like the people that work there. They've been nothing but great in the times I've had to deal with them.

Did you need to speak with a manager for that. I ask for the same price comp and was told no

Nope, the wireless consultant was cool and offered it outright when I mentioned Radio Shack. Then the manager, who was in the vicinity, also backed her up by also offering it (independently). I didn't even have to ask to match as they just suggested it.

Same thing here, the manger signed the copy of the RS flyer and told me to bring it with me when I pick the phone up and they would honor the $20 acc credit.

 

[fredd0]

true, we don't cover lost or stolen, and if that is a huge concern, TEP may be better. however at $100 + whatever your payments to sprint for insurance had been you may be able to upgrade in a month or two, especially if you are premier customer. example - you have a phone for 5 months and lose it. you have paid $135 to get your new phone. not too bad. at 10 mos, you have paid $170. the benefit of GSBTP is that you are not out $100 to get the phone fixed. and unrepairable phone is replaced with a NEW phone.

i always recommend to choose which protection YOU believe covers YOU better, not what someone else thinks covers you better.

financing phones not as a necessity, but if you can get 0%, why not? if putting it on a RZ mastercard gets you double points, why not pay the card off at the end of the month and get double points?

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Best Buy.

I prefer Sprint TEP at $7 a month. It has netted me quite a few upgrades over the last 7 years. Very little downtime for lost or stolen phones. I got one within 16 hours of filing a claim.

People really finance phones?

I paid for the protection on my Treo 600 back in 2003. WORST idea ever. When it came time to use the warranty, Best Buy was none too helpful. I ended up having to escalate the problem so far, they gave me a 100% refund and Sprint let me have "new customer" pricing on any phone I wanted. I ended up buying a Treo 650 direct through Sprint Business. In fairness the protection program that Best Buy was selling back then was completely different. I have no experience with the new programs and will probably not ever be discovering their "virtues". On a related note, the PSP for the Rockford Fosgate amp I bought worked out great for me, they sent it to RF and had if completely refurbed after it started overheating.

 

[IQmatic]

i have a question: Can i get Sprint's TEP when i pre-order Evo from Best Buy?

 

[Gekko]

1. Reward Zone points - i don't want the spam and junk mail. not worth it.

2. Package discounts on chargers - i don't like the crappy rocketfish chargers/accessories.

3. Geek Squad Black Tie Protection @ $9.99 per month - this is a waste of money for me and pure profit for BB.

4. 0% Financing - i always pay cash. $199 is a light bar bill on a bad night.

regardless - i do have my pre-order in at BB.

 

[twan2001]

i have a question: Can i get Sprint's TEP when i pre-order Evo from Best Buy?

We CAN ad sprints TEP at the store though we are not supposed to. If for some reason we don't, just call 611 from your phone, speak to a rep and add it on.

AND BTW for everyone else. We DO price match and will match local comp and we will match radio shack on the $20 if there is a radio shack if there is a radio shack within 40 miles of the BBY location...

 

[Gekko]

for matching the RS $20 deal - can you just give me $20 off of the price of the EVO or must we buy the crappy rocketfish accessories? or will you have OEM EVO/Sprint accessories at launch?

 

[lembowski]

true, we don't cover lost or stolen, and if that is a huge concern, TEP may be better. however at $100 + whatever your payments to sprint for insurance had been you may be able to upgrade in a month or two, especially if you are premier customer. example - you have a phone for 5 months and lose it. you have paid $135 to get your new phone. not too bad. at 10 mos, you have paid $170. the benefit of GSBTP is that you are not out $100 to get the phone fixed. and unrepairable phone is replaced with a NEW phone.

i always recommend to choose which protection YOU believe covers YOU better, not what someone else thinks covers you better.

Exactly, but I'm more prone to losing the phone than breaking it. I've never broke a phone, but I've lost 3 or 4 over the past few years. TEP is way more attractive than the GSBTP for someone like me.

 

[Rudementry]

Can I get the Sprint TEP if I preordered at Radioshack?

 

[sum_n00b]

A lot of people don't seem to know this, but Best Buy will price match the local Sprint store's no-contract price for the Evo if you ask them (i.e. $449). I checked with five different area Best Buy mobile managers before even thinking of posting it here. No ad necessary, they will just call the local Sprint store and verify the price for the match. It has to be a Sprint store though, not the Sprint website. As with anything, ymmv, but I didn't get a hint from any of them that they would have a problem doing this. Probably worth calling and asking in your area. Hope this helps those of us who can't wait for our upgrade date to purchase the Evo.

 

[bp3dots]

Can I get the Sprint TEP if I preordered at Radioshack?

yes.

 

[fredd0]

i have a question: Can i get Sprint's TEP when i pre-order Evo from Best Buy?

yep.

 

[fredd0]

Exactly, but I'm more prone to losing the phone than breaking it. I've never broke a phone, but I've lost 3 or 4 over the past few years. TEP is way more attractive than the GSBTP for someone like me.

i would recommend a leash or family locator for your phone... when/if it is turned on you will be able to find it.

if you told me that, i probably wouldn't recommend GSBTP either...

 

[bballintom22]

A lot of people don't seem to know this, but Best Buy will price match the local Sprint store's no-contract price for the Evo if you ask them (i.e. $449). I checked with five different area Best Buy mobile managers before even thinking of posting it here. No ad necessary, they will just call the local Sprint store and verify the price for the match. It has to be a Sprint store though, not the Sprint website. As with anything, ymmv, but I didn't get a hint from any of them that they would have a problem doing this. Probably worth calling and asking in your area. Hope this helps those of us who can't wait for our upgrade date to purchase the Evo.

ditto...i was able to do this on the HERO last year on the non-upgrade price.