My local store wont sell me a Thunderbolt

[anon(141115)]

My local store (not corporate) got 3 thunderbolts in. I prance in there today with a huge grin on my face, fully expecting to walk out with a shiny new thunderbolt. They proceed to tell me they can't sell me a phone at retail and I will have to upgrade, I'm not due until may. I ask why and they say its because of limited availability of the phone and they're only selling to customers who upgrade. Needless to say I walk out seeing red. This is the same store that last july, told me I couldnt buy a droid x because I wasn't a "new" customer. Even though I was upgrading at that time they wouldn't sell it to me. So I bought it online. I guess ill have to do the same this time

 

[muska180#AC]

Not corporate stores set there own policies, they work off of commission from verizon. If they sell you a phone at full retail they make a couple of bucks and get 0 commission. While if they sell it to a customer who upgrades or is new they make $$$ in commission. Thats why they didnt want to sell to you.

 

[terrain]

Why not just go down the road to another VZW store?

 

[anon(141115)]

I assumed all along it was $ driven. My gf works there and was doing all she could to get her manager to let me buy it. Back in july when all of the droid x's were out of stock, this store still had one sitting on the shelf collecting dust. My town is 5,000 people and rural. Not to many people will be flying in there to snatch up the newest lte device. Especially since we aren't getting it until 2013

 

[Jude526]

They are paid on contracts. If they had more in stock perhaps they would had sold you the device. I worked for an indirect and we would sell full retail if customer wanted it.

 

[anon(141115)]

Why not just go down the road to another VZW store?

Its an hour drive. Otherwise I probably would. Hopefully I can still get one online tonight after I get off work

 

[Dgomez242@comcast.net]

I walked in and bought a TBolt full retail (company discount included) at my local VZW store this morning. I told them I lost my other phone and had to purchase a new once since my contract wasn't up. The Manager even cut me a break in addition to the corporate discount. Walked out for $524.00 with screen protectors.

My store was in a mall and had over 50 Tbolts to sell though.

 

[Jude526]

so you lied to get a thunderbolt at a cheaper price? hope this doesn't get stolen bad karma !

 

[Jude526]

many people will buy a phone outright because they can't upgrade. No need to give a story to just get a phone outright......

 

[WhoMe]

Im friends with a few people that work for Verizon corporate. They always warn me against going to those "authorized retailers". These stores work with a different rule set than the corporate stores. Somtimes they can be shady and do things like this. Honestly personally I avoid brick and mortar locations almost always. Authorized retailer or the real thing I hate the salesmens push. Unless I need soming ASAP...I'll order online.

 

[FrankXS]

My local store (not corporate) got 3 thunderbolts in. I prance in there today with a huge grin on my face, fully expecting to walk out with a shiny new thunderbolt. They proceed to tell me they can't sell me a phone at retail and I will have to upgrade, I'm not due until may. I ask why and they say its because of limited availability of the phone and they're only selling to customers who upgrade. Needless to say I walk out seeing red. This is the same store that last july, told me I couldnt buy a droid x because I wasn't a "new" customer. Even though I was upgrading at that time they wouldn't sell it to me. So I bought it online. I guess ill have to do the same this time

Not corporate stores set there own policies, they work off of commission from verizon. If they sell you a phone at full retail they make a couple of bucks and get 0 commission. While if they sell it to a customer who upgrades or is new they make $$$ in commission. Thats why they didnt want to sell to you.

Case closed. You need another store. Idiots!

-Frank

 

[Dgomez242@comcast.net]

so you lied to get a thunderbolt at a cheaper price? hope this doesn't get stolen bad karma !

Who said I lied? I told him the truth and he sold me a phone. Simple as that.

Also the store in the mall I went to is a corporate store in a mail not one of those fake little tent stores. Why do you people just assume all these things?

 

[easyrun99]

This explains why the store tried to talk me into adding a line to get the phone rather than pay retail...I said, "I don't need another line" and they responded with "it will be cheaper". I retorted, "sell me a damn phone and shut up"...kidding. I told them the difference was marginal and I'd just assume keep this simple...

 

[anon(141115)]

This explains why the store tried to talk me into adding a line to get the phone rather than pay retail...I said, "I don't need another line" and they responded with "it will be cheaper". I retorted, "sell me a damn phone and shut up"...kidding. I told them the difference was marginal and I'd just assume keep this simple...

Funny you mention that, I got the "if you buy a myfi we'll sell you the thunderbolt". Uh, no thanks.

 

[droidxixis]

This explains why the store tried to talk me into adding a line to get the phone rather than pay retail...I said, "I don't need another line" and they responded with "it will be cheaper". I retorted, "sell me a damn phone and shut up"...kidding. I told them the difference was marginal and I'd just assume keep this simple...

i recently had an interview at a VZW authorized retailer. Shady is definitely the word to describe those places. It's all about commission with them. The manager told me of a scenario just like the one you described...she claimed they were just trying to help them save money....B...S...they were just trying to get more commission based sales. So shady.

 

[anon(141115)]

I made the drive to corporate today and couldn't be happier. I forgot how nice it is to be able to actually use mobile internet silly blackberry.