Best Buy Finally Called and Asked Me To Return The GN

[gakirby]

If it turns out there truly is a defect with the phone that can't be fixed with a software update, can't you eventually return the phone under a product warranty? Even though you got a possibly "early release" model, they did still sell it and should be responsible for servicing it. Maybe through Verizon/Samsung later after the official release.

 

[ShadowCatcher]

You did the right thing. If BB store/manager is really in trouble, they'll call you back and up the ante. Standard negotiating techniques. If they aren't in trouble or don't need it back that bad, then you still have the phone. You should have a certain amount of time to return it (if vzw ever decides to sell it) or there is always eBay - someone will buy it, especially if vzw doesn't decide to release to the masses....

 

[zero.]

aha! the plot thickens!



again.

 

[iggbastic]

On sunday, after handling the phone for 30 minutes all setup and ready to leave, only to be denied after she called bb help desk she offered me $50 off and a free case when the phone is officially available. Can't believe they wouldn't give him any concession whatsoever...ridiculous

 

[sledgie#AC]

WOW!!! 1:15am EST and OP finally tells us!!! YAY!! battery is at 9%. Can't feel the pads on my index finger screw you F5.

It WAS A TRAP!!

And btw, you have no legal obligations, which is why there was no police officer there waiting for you. You purchased the device. You didn't pick it up at the bar. You didn't sell it months early (er, wait!) to an online magazine. And no, Verizon won't BRICK it. Sounds like it might have a poor screen calibration issue? Tmobile and some of the other GS2's on carrier networks had it.
Some T-Mobile Galaxy S II Models Suffering From Poor Screen Calibration?
Anyway thanks for allowing me to go to sleep. Oh crap battery is at 7%.
Now that BB screwed you or wouldn't even budge, it's TIME TO DO A FULL VERIZON LTE REVIEW OF THE PHONE (w/video!)
have a big sign on the side saying "Thanks to Best Buy for letting me purchase this early. Without you it would have never been done." and then the address.

 

[Jodiuh]

Tag!

 

[DaPoets]

Great job on going back and trying to work things out and even better job walking out and keeping your phone under the lack of a deal they offered.

 

[skinja99]

Do NOT return it. This is best buy. They treat their customers and employees like crap. It is not like some mom and pop retailer accidentally sold it to you and VZW is mad at them.

Best Buy is terrible.

Keep the phone. Put pictures/vids all over youtube. It is yours.



Most of the time, leaks like this are intentional. Part of Marketing Campaigns. Like when someone gets a phone delivered a day early, or when blurry-cam photos come out. For once, it worked in your favor. So enjoy it!

 

[YourMobileGuru]

I skipped straight to page 24 on this one after reading the first and as a Police Officer for quite a few years I can tell you right now this is a consumer product and them selling it to you when THEY should have not has NOTHING that can blow back on you!!! I saw the word brick ... if they BRICK your phone that is on them and they are looking at a civil lawsuit for knowingly and maliciously disabling a product you bought in good faith. I would have returned it for NO less than $200 in store credit!!! Their mistake NOT yours my friend! This is 100% civil in nature and criminal law has NOTHING to do with it no matter what ANYONE might have you believe. Trust me the DA would laugh at this like I am!! =)

It was a poorly chosen word he meant deactivating the sim card severing the phone's connection to the network (and possibly black listing the IMEI wit the carrier), not physically damaging the device.

 

[bduran727]

Like a freaking boss! Those dip-wads at BB deserve it in my opinion! I would have done the same thing. Screw them for not making you any offers, I guess they don't want it back that badly.

And on a side note, I'm still waiting for this thing to come out on either T-Mo or AT&T. At this rate it will be before it comes out on Verizon

 

[davey11]

/me applauds the op.
Way to go.

Sent from my SCH-I510 soon to be SCH-I515

 

[mrkdilkington123]

I went to best buy to deal with this in person and spent two hours there trying to negotiate even the smallest of reward or gift card or even a discount on something else and they wouldn't do it. I spoke to a manager and three reps. All were freaking out about it and had a look of fear in their eyes needing to get the phone back "Because we want to make sure you don't have a faulty phone" but in reality, I could tell someone was in trouble. I told them, work with me and I'll return it. I spend an hour and a half activating the phone and trying to purchase, an hour total drive time dealing with this and the two hours trying to negotiate the return, and they wouldn't work with me. Not even a $50 discount on anything. they tried to push the razr on me. I said "If you can discount it, you have a deal"they wouldn't, then I said I might consider if they had the 32 Gig iphone 4s which they didn't and said all they could do is order me the 16 gig to pick up tomorrow. I said I didn't want it and the guy said he would call me back tomorrow. I told him not to waste his breath and I won't be returning. then I left.

The only problem I face now, Is I did notice a screen defect where you can see burns in the screen on low lit setting and while on white backgrounds. It's like 4 or 5 burn lines from top to bottom of the screen. I might just take it back for a refund as now that I notice the problem, I don't want to be stuck with it.

BB was making it sound like this phone isn't coming out anytime soon and they were trying to do me a favor and protect me from the "Software Problems" that have delayed the phone. I asked flat out if the rep who sold it to me is in any kind of trouble and they said no. So I don't know what the deal is. I can tell you the guy I was dealing with tonights face dropped when I said no and walked out.

Is this your first phone with a Samsung AMOLED display? Nearly all have that effect or something similar (i.e. vertical lines on low brightness).

 

[kath00]

Do not return it. Even if you don't want it! Put it on eBay or CL for $1000 and be rid of it if you have any doubts about the screen issue! Then you can buy it or whatever else comes along at full fare and still make $300 or so out of your headache/troubles!

Kath

 

[humpagardengnome]

Thanks for posting back - I wonder if this 'defect' is at all related to the screen issues as on the T-Mobile Galaxy S2 screen problems - long thread on T-Mobile S2 Forum.

Don't know what to make of this. If that's the case, the issue would be completely unknown to them or else they wouldn't have pushed out inventory. They'd have a massive recall on their hands before it even.sees the light of day. Besides, his phone would be the first user to report the issue. I think Samsung would've placed a hold on production if they used the same screen materials for this Nexus. Frankly, I'd rather not even ponder this as a feasible possibility, right now. It's an interesting prospect but nothing really indicates it is even in play at the moment.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Quit trying to make it sound like you know what your talking about...your really bad at it

Actually he's one of the few people int he thread who DOES.. because he lived a similar situation. There were differences yes but both involved an unauthorized device (in VZW's view) being given to a customer and activated on their network.

 

[Sock-Monkey Pete]

I went to best buy to deal with this in person and spent two hours there trying to negotiate even the smallest of reward or gift card or even a discount on something else and they wouldn't do it. I spoke to a manager and three reps. All were freaking out about it and had a look of fear in their eyes needing to get the phone back "Because we want to make sure you don't have a faulty phone" but in reality, I could tell someone was in trouble. I told them, work with me and I'll return it. I spend an hour and a half activating the phone and trying to purchase, an hour total drive time dealing with this and the two hours trying to negotiate the return, and they wouldn't work with me. Not even a $50 discount on anything. they tried to push the razr on me. I said "If you can discount it, you have a deal"they wouldn't, then I said I might consider if they had the 32 Gig iphone 4s which they didn't and said all they could do is order me the 16 gig to pick up tomorrow. I said I didn't want it and the guy said he would call me back tomorrow. I told him not to waste his breath and I won't be returning. then I left.

The only problem I face now, Is I did notice a screen defect where you can see burns in the screen on low lit setting and while on white backgrounds. It's like 4 or 5 burn lines from top to bottom of the screen. I might just take it back for a refund as now that I notice the problem, I don't want to be stuck with it.

BB was making it sound like this phone isn't coming out anytime soon and they were trying to do me a favor and protect me from the "Software Problems" that have delayed the phone. I asked flat out if the rep who sold it to me is in any kind of trouble and they said no. So I don't know what the deal is. I can tell you the guy I was dealing with tonights face dropped when I said no and walked out.

Stuff like this makes me smile. Keep manning your guns. Recently when sprint tried to run me around after refusing my $500 credit they promised for switching from Verizon. I fought them for over a month with them giving me nothing. After a month it finally ended with me:
-getting out of four smartphone contracts
-getting to keep the four phones for what we paid when signing
-$250 because the BBB "helped them find" the sales recording. :-$

Verizon was awesome too giving us:
-our termination fees back
-upgrades on all lines (superceding any contract end date)
-in writing on my account that we have until January 9th to trade new phones if we want (for the $35 restocking fee). Which is why I am getting the nexus when it comes out while chilling on my Rezound in the mean-time.

Moral of the story is that these companies will try to stonewall you with everything they have, but eventually they will work with you. Also Best Buy sold me a lemon of a HP laptop in 2007 (failed motherboard every 7-8 months) and I was able to make them buy me a 3g Xoom off-contract in March for my troubles.


STAY PERSISTENT!!!

 

[goldkear]

Not a remote chance they'd do that. Imagine getting in a car accident, no one around, and your only hope is to call 911. But wait, Best Buy cut the phone off.

Oh, the lawsuit that would result.

Not a chance they cut it off.

First of all, it would be verizon to shut it off, second, even a deactivated phone can still call 911, that is required by law. They still could deactivate it from his line though.

 

[Droid800]

Actually he's one of the few people int he thread who DOES.. because he lived a similar situation. There were differences yes but both involved an unauthorized device (in VZW's view) being given to a customer and activated on their network.

Hi Worley!

 

[Droid800]

It was a poorly chosen word he meant deactivating the sim card severing the phone's connection to the network (and possibly black listing the IMEI wit the carrier), not physically damaging the device.

Then stop saying Bricking. Or Brick. Or any derivation thereof. Because that IS NOT THE SAME THING!*






*To everyone else: Sorry about the shouting. It seems its the only way to get this through.

 

[jordo_99]

Nice to see that OP has some balls (or maybe just a great phone he doesn't want to wait for a 2nd time)!!!

BTW, could you imagine the bad press Verizon would get if they deactivated his GNex over this? First you find out that the phone works and stores have them but Verizon is pushing back the release date anyway...then they deactivate it rather that just let it slide...pretty similar for BB's situation...there's almost no way this can end well for either of those companies unless they help out OP.

Either they can back down and give him what he wants (either a phone or a deal) or be dicks and get terrible press and see the whole thing blow up even more, to the extent that non-techies will know about it.


Also, if there's any issue with the screen it's going to be covered under the warranty. If nothing else the GNex should be released within 30 days and you can exchange it at BB. or you could even get the overpriced insurance.

I'm having a hard time seeing how this could be bad for OP.