$200 trade-in with 2 year contracts

[TheMatrix31]

Anyone having a major issue with Sprint (or any carrier if still applies) honoring the $200 trade-in deal while under 2-year contracts? I had a major battle with them today after they didn't honor what they said about it to me a few days ago. I was told that it was absolutely no problem and I was eligible and confirmed and repeated it multiple times (on other phone calls to other locations to check stock too) that it'd work.

Finally track down a 64gb today at another corporate location since the one I usually go to hasn't had them when I call and I go in and they give me some BS about it being for the lease option and whatever options only. I say okay but and explained to the lady and her managr how ridiculous it was that I've gotten misinformation (or worse, lies) from people working at three corporate stores and how it's absolute nonsense and how they're basically a criminal syndicate at this point and blah blah.

Spent 1.5 hours on a phone call with Sprint and explained to them my story in detail (including the lies and BS from them going back to last year, actually) and the guy I was speaking to said he had no authority but wrote everything up and attached it to my account and told me to go back into the original store where I was told I'd be okay with a 2 year plan upgrade. I mean I went in days before the phone came out just to verify the details for sure and I even ordered accessories on Amazon. Why would I do that if I had any doubts about the 2 year thing working? Still have texts from my GF from that date as well where I explained to her what the Sprint guy said about being allowed to do it with the 2 year.

Have others ran into issues like this? It's asinine to me how supposed corporate stores could say such things that, apparently, aren't factual at all. I should have gotten it in writing. I'm never doing anything with these guys without getting it in writing ever again. And it's bogus too since the $200 trade-in thing seems to be with everyone, not just Sprint. What a fiasco.

Frustrating as hell. All I want is to get the phone that I was told I'd be able to get no problem. If I was told it didn't apply to me, sure, fine, I'd just opt for the 32gb (they had plenty of those last friday) and do the $250 upgrade. But if I was told I could get the 64gb for $150 after the trade-in, why *WOULDN'T* I have done that?

 

[worldspy99]

I would tweet Marcelo Claure directly and tell him the runaround they gave you today. These days good customer service is available when you complain on Social Media. I am sorry that they harassed you this badly!

 

[TheMatrix31]

Thanks. Does he respond to that sort of thing? I might just do that if they don't budge when I go into the original store and talk to their manager.

 

[Rukbat]

This is why you get everything - at a corporate store - in writing. Then they're legally bound to honor it. The company can make any claim about anything you're told on the phone.

(Considering that Sprint has given the store away twice already this year in an effort to get customers, I think they'll be very sensitive to public relations. It costs a few thousand dollars to get a customer. What's it going to cost them to keep you? $100? They know how to do the math. If you don't get anywhere any other way, try the Retention department - they're the ones who actually do the math to keep you.)

 

[mitchd14]

I ordered the 32 gb last night online assuming that I was not eligible for the trade in as I was upgrading by 2 year contract, but this was in my receipt :

What happens next
Minimum $200 trade-in credit

Your purchase qualifies you for a bill credit of at*least a $200*when*you trade in any smartphone between 8/13 and 8/27. Go to sprint.com/buyback, enter promo code*200samsung*on the form and receive your credit after you send back your old device.

I wonder if I should go for it.

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[TheMatrix31]

You absolutely should.

Can you post a screenshot of this?

 

[allongo]

Got mine at best buy. 200 gift card. Any phone as long as it works. New user or update. Went to Verizon to see if they would match the deal. They said only for a new user. Went back to best buy and got the phone and 200 gift card.
SWEET.

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[coolbreeze78]

I should have done the $200 trade and signed up for NEXT, then paid the NEXT balance the next day. Instead I paid full retail (minus a 10% Best Buy mover's coupon). Oh well, still saved $89 on launch day vs. $200.

 

[Uncle Eliot]

This so weird because my experience was the absolute reverse. Best Buy claimed any working smartphone. I had a Blackberry and was told by the employee in the store that he couldn't take that phone. Why? It has no value to them. Uh, well then it's not any smartphone they would take. I went to the Verizon store. The person there took the Blackberry, no questions asked. And I got a $200 store credit which was easily used for the usual stuff when getting a new phone plus some extra goodies. I'm only dealing with corporate Verizon stores because of this experience.

 

[BergerKing]

I'm on a one year upgrade cycle, and had held onto my S4 for an extraordinary amount of time for me (21 months). I went into Best Buy, bought a meat snack and a drink, and went to the mobile counter to start the upgrade process.

Told them I'd like a Note 5 64 Gig, Black. The associate wasn't sure she had one. I told her she did, 1 black, two white.
She gave me a puzzled look, went and got the keys, and found that she had the exact number I told her.

We got my new phone all set up, then I did the trade-in on the S4. $200 gift card, plus $65 trade in value makes a nice gift card, and no hassle with Craigslist or any other site.

I used the card to make my down payment and fees, bought a nice case and an extra wireless charger to go with the free one, giving my wife one because she does nice things for me.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience.

 

[TheMatrix31]

This so weird because my experience was the absolute reverse. Best Buy claimed any working smartphone. I had a Blackberry and was told by the employee in the store that he couldn't take that phone. Why? It has no value to them. Uh, well then it's not any smartphone they would take. I went to the Verizon store. The person there took the Blackberry, no questions asked. And I got a $200 store credit which was easily used for the usual stuff when getting a new phone plus some extra goodies. I'm only dealing with corporate Verizon stores because of this experience.

Amazing. I don't get how all these people are so confused and different about things.

 

[mi7chy]

Got mine at best buy. 200 gift card. Any phone as long as it works. New user or update. Went to Verizon to see if they would match the deal. They said only for a new user. Went back to best buy and got the phone and 200 gift card.
SWEET.

Did you pay full price without new line or contract extension? Or, bought as an upgrade with contract extension? Which Best Buy if you don't mind me asking?

 

[linzgeneral]

This is the very reason I currently own a 64 gb black Note 5 from the dreaded Att. I have been a Sprint customer for the past 15 years. I recently moved back home to the US Virgin Islands to take over my dad's business. That being said, I decided to purchase the Note 5, despite my resolution not to based on the litany of compromises on this year's Note - no removable battery, SD card, low available storage, no IR blaster, etc..
I walked into the Sprint Corporate store, bright and early on release day. To my dismay, they only had 32gbs in stock. I called another store and was told the same thing, no 64gb were shipped to their store. I asked the Sprint rep to order one which she said she could. When she attempted to otder, a message came up telling her she could not order a new Note for a new 2 year agreement. She went on to tell me that the only way I could get the new phone was through the installment plan or full price purchase, that 2 year agreements now only applied to older phones. I couldn't believe my ears.
I thanked the rep for her time and drove to att were I bought the 64 gb, black ver sion on the next program. I got a $200 credit for an old gs3 and another $100 credit for porting my number. I canceled two of my 3 Sprint lines, and moved one of them to Att.

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[linzgeneral]

Apologies for all of the typos in my last post.. Lol.. I was the leading bidder on a Nokia Lumia 1520 on Ebay, and the auction was ending in less than 5 minutes, so I was pretty erratic and nervous about makkng sure I was paying attention to the last minute bid changes. I ending up winning the auction so all is well with the World now.
Although I personally don't care for Windows phones, based mostly on the lack of apps, this phone has been calling me for more than a year. There is something about a big pretty screen and a good camera that gets my attention. I have owned all 5 Notes and just sold my IPhone 6 plus (mostly kept it in a draw as I do my current iPhone 5) about 3 months ago. Nothing beats the Notes as they are always my main phones but I like to dabble with others since technology has given us so many sweet choices.

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[moto139]

This is one reason I go to Best Buy instead of Sprint stores. Your experience will vary greatly from store to store.
I did the two year upgrade and traded in an old S2, they did try and push the lease/ payment plan though.
Received the $200 for the trade and $50 from BB, I've bought six of my seven phones and a Note tablet through them
so they give me an extra $50.
They were out of the 64 gig, so I opted for the 32. Walked out only paying taxes and insurance.

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[TheMatrix31]

I just called Best Buy by my house and they told me I *couldnt* do it with my existing 2 year plan. But if you guys are saying it varies between Best Buy stores, then maybe I'll give another one a shot. Still have to have the showdown with the Sprint store in my original post after work but I'm doing Best Buy research just in case.

EDIT: Just called another one and they said they could and they have and that even my Evo 3D works as a tradein so long as it turns on and has no cracks in the screen.

Why isn't there consistency?

 

[mitchd14]

You absolutely should.

Can you post a screenshot of this?

Sure, here are 2 of my pages of the receipt. I went ahead and sent in my Evo3D. I guess the worst that happens is that I recycle an old phone.

 

[allongo]

Did you pay full price without new line or contract extension? Or, bought as an upgrade with contract extension? Which Best Buy if you don't mind me asking?

I have unlimited data, which means I can't get the two year low price without losing the unlimited data. I used my wife's line to upgrade then switched phones back. I pay like 32 bucks a month for 2 years which is paying full price. Just not all 800 bucks at once. Best Buy in Springfield Mo.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[TheMatrix31]

Thanks everybody!

Went into the original Sprint that told me I could do this and I explained the entire story and how frustrated I was and basically they were like "so what are you asking us to do for you?" and I just said "to be able to do the trade-in with a contract set up as I was told I could do." and that was it. No problems no nothing. They didn't even look at the ticket # that the customer care service guy gave me last night. They were perplexed that the other corporate store I visited could have said such a thing about the trade-in promo.

And I lucked out and they had a 64 in black. So all's well I guess. Sweet!

 

[mitchd14]

Did they give you the credit instantly or do you have to wait 3 months? If I knew that I for sure would have gotten the credit, I probably would have gotten the 64 gb. Whatever, I still have 7/32 left on my HTC one so I probably don't need it.

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