Will the customization options still be available if bought from a 3rd party retailer?

[jlanik4]

I was wondering if I bought the device through amazon if I could still personalize it through moto maker? What are your thoughts?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[lostaggie]

I would think this would be difficult given the process... What advantage would there be anyway?

 

[ultravisitor]

I would think this would be difficult given the process... What advantage would there be anyway?

Why would it be difficult? Some AT&T stores will just issue the purchaser a card with a redemption number, and then the purchaser can just go home, enter the redemption number, and design a phone. That doesn't sound like a difficult process to me. I don't see why third-party retailers can't do the same thing in terms of issuing the redemption cards/codes.

 

[jlanik4]

Amazon often offers a subsidized price lower than carrier retail stores do. So I often buy my phones there.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Aquila]

Shouldn't be difficult but should ask them if they're offering the same promotion. They might not be because typically Amazon ships you a device, and in this case they'd just be brokering a deal.

 

[NealJ777]

Amazon often offers a subsidized price lower than carrier retail stores do. So I often buy my phones there.

I like Amazon for the same reason. I purchased my Droid Razr on Black Friday through Amazon for $1. Make sure you read the fine print if you purchase via Amazon. I'm seriously going off topic here, so, that is all.

 

[jlanik4]

Yeah, I plan on contacting either Motorola or amazon about this, because if the customizability isn't an option, I'm gonna give this a pass

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[jlanik4]

Just asked Moto. They didnt have an answer though. Kinda figured as much.

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[Paisley]

Question, i've never purchased from amazon or wirefly, do they usually offer lower prices on new phones? I just on the Maxx board wirefly had the $299 max for $199. :O. And the droid mini is on below carrier price as well. Is this a possibility for the moto to be less there? But then i check out the s4 there and it's $199 same as it is on Sprint. Is it random, is there a common situational discount? wow, the htc one is 119. I haven't bought a new retail phone in so long i had no idea.

i reeeeally want to get the X for a lower price, i'm already down to $125 after the trade-in, i would love to get it for under $100.

 

[Woosh]

Question, i've never purchased from amazon or wirefly, do they usually offer lower prices on new phones? I just on the Maxx board wirefly had the $299 max for $199. :O. And the droid mini is on below carrier price as well. Is this a possibility for the moto to be less there? But then i check out the s4 there and it's $199 same as it is on Sprint. Is it random, is there a common situational discount? wow, the htc one is 119. I haven't bought a new retail phone in so long i had no idea.

Yes, third party sellers get paid more money from the carrier to sign a contract. So they discount phones more. Plus on top of that they have their own ETF. Because they only get paid if you stay for x amount of time. So if you cancel within 6 months is usually what the deal is, you not only owe the carrier about $350 but you owe Wirefly or Amazon $350 ish.

The deals aren't exactly random but they are random as far as we are concerned because we never know when they get extra kickbacks for certain phones.

 

[Paisley]

Yes, third party sellers get paid more money from the carrier to sign a contract. So they discount phones more. Plus on top of that they have their own ETF. Because they only get paid if you stay for x amount of time. So if you cancel within 6 months is usually what the deal is, you not only owe the carrier about $350 but you owe Wirefly or Amazon $350 ish.

oh, ouch! Daaaamn. thanks. *hope* they get a discount on the X, i will be so happy.

 

[Woosh]

oh, ouch! Daaaamn. thanks. *hope* they get a discount on the X, i will be so happy.

You probably won't be able to trade in the phone and use a 3rd party seller. But you could check gazelle and see what they will give you for the current phone you have or sell it on craigslist. Best 3rd party sellers are usually Costco or Sams since they offer a slightly cheaper price, accessories, good return policy, and no extra ETF.

 

[Paisley]

You probably won't be able to trade in the phone and use a 3rd party seller. But you could check gazelle and see what they will give you for the current phone you have or sell it on craigslist. Best 3rd party sellers are usually Costco or Sams since they offer a slightly cheaper price, accessories, good return policy, and no extra ETF.

Not even if the trade-in is with motorola directly and not the carrier/store?

 

[Woosh]

Not even if the trade-in is with motorola directly and not the carrier/store?

You might be able to. Tbh I haven't read the rules since I don't have a spare Moto phone.

 

[Paisley]

You might be able to. Tbh I haven't read the rules since I don't have a spare Moto phone.

And their rules page is the PITS. lol. must "buy online", that's it, makes no mention of no 3rd party retailers, which i personally would often think the case would be one of those exclusion, heck, would ebay count?! (obviously not soooo....) also no mention of something like cannot be combined with any other offer, etc. which is also usually the case.

so lame. nowhere to call either, and when i emailed them a simple question they sent me a random answer completely unrelated to the question, lol. aka 'we have no idea...about anything, thanks'

Just sent them another email, clear as a bell, lets see if they can handle it.

 

[Woosh]

And their rules page is the PITS. lol. must "buy online", that's it, makes no mention of no 3rd party retailers, which i personally would often think the case would be one of those exclusion, heck, would ebay count?! (obviously not soooo....) also no mention of something like cannot be combined with any other offer, etc. which is also usually the case.

so lame. nowhere to call either, and when i emailed them a simple question they sent me a random answer completely unrelated to the question, lol. aka 'we have no idea...about anything, thanks'

Just sent them another email, clear as a bell, lets see if they can handle it.

Yea after looking at the FAQ.....it seems like you should have no problem buying from a 3rd party retailer.

Q: What does it take to get the $100 Motorola Visa Prepaid Card?

A: Purchase your eligible new smartphone in a retail store or online. Then visit motorola.com/tradeup to process your trade and print out your mail-in form. We'll need you to mail in your eligible used smartphone along with your mail-in form and [B]valid proof-of-purchase within 30 days of your purchase[/B]. Within 6-8 weeks, you'll receive a $100 Motorola Visa Prepaid Card2 that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.

https://www.mototradeup.com/?q=faqs

 

[Paisley]

Yea after looking at the FAQ.....it seems like you should have no problem buying from a 3rd party retailer.

Q: What does it take to get the $100 Motorola Visa Prepaid Card?

A: Purchase your eligible new smartphone in a retail store or online. Then visit motorola.com/tradeup to process your trade and print out your mail-in form. We'll need you to mail in your eligible used smartphone along with your mail-in form and [B]valid proof-of-purchase within 30 days of your purchase[/B]. Within 6-8 weeks, you'll receive a $100 Motorola Visa Prepaid Card2 that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.

https://www.mototradeup.com/?q=faqs

does seem like it. Lemme ask you this, when wirefly gives an extra discount, who gives them the money, is it the carrier? or the manu of the phone? i just want to feel it out, the faqs and terms are so vague (like for example, they don't even say "authorized retailer". whoever wrote these faqs and terms was sleeping at the wheel on that one) that i just would prefer not jeapordize my $100 for whatever the disount is, if any. But how psyched would i be to get this phone for like $75.

But yeah, i so far haven't seen anything that would even hint that this would be a problem. That would *usually* at very least include "may not be combined with other offers", something like that. Okay, will cross my fingers for wirefly. : )

 

[Woosh]

does seem like it. Lemme ask you this, when wirefly gives an extra discount, who gives them the money, is it the carrier? or the manu of the phone? i just want to feel it out, the faqs and terms are so vague (like for example, they don't even say "authorized retailer". whoever wrote these faqs and terms was sleeping at the wheel on that one) that i just would prefer not jeapordize my $100 for whatever the disount is, if any. But how psyched would i be to get this phone for like $75.

But yeah, i so far haven't seen anything that would even hint that this would be a problem. That would *usually* at very least include "may not be combined with other offers", something like that. Okay, will cross my fingers for wirefly. : )

Carriers give rewards for signing customers up. Usually if its a new customer(as opposed to an upgrade)it'll be more money to them. Which is why most Amazon and Wirefly deals are two different prices. One for new customers and one for upgrades. Like the S4 on Sprint is $140 for a new person and still $199 for upgrade.

So what will happen is they will lower the price of the phone to get you to buy from them. They're essentially subsidizing your phone price so later they get a big pay check.

 

[Paisley]

Carriers give rewards for signing customers up. Usually if its a new customer(as opposed to an upgrade)it'll be more money to them. Which is why most Amazon and Wirefly deals are two different prices. One for new customers and one for upgrades. Like the S4 on Sprint is $140 for a new person and still $199 for upgrade.

So what will happen is they will lower the price of the phone to get you to buy from them. They're essentially subsidizing your phone price so later they get a big pay check.

excellent. if it's the carrier, then almost no chance it'll be a problem.

 

[Woosh]

excellent. if it's the carrier, then almost no chance it'll be a problem.

Something randomly popped in my head when I woke up this morning. Iirc you are on SERO? You rly don't want anyone touching that plan except the ppl at Sprint in the SERO department. If you buy from a 3rd party then they will likely make you change to a plan currently offered.

Disregard if I remembered your plan wrong.