Pre-ordering off contract?

[Frankenstein]

I know the pre-order threads are really starting to add up, but I haven't actually seen this question addressed/answered yet. The $449 thread brought up a good point that buying off contract anywhere but a Sprint store is going to cost more (probably significantly more than $449), so I'm definitely going to be buying through Sprint. Does anyone know how Sprint (or even other carriers) handles pre-ordering for off contract buyers? Is it even an option, or will I end up having to sleep outside a Sprint store June 4th to pick one up ASAP (only kind of kidding about sleeping outside--Frankenstein doesn't need sleep )?

 

[anon(20944)]

I asked a sprint rep this today and they didn't know if they were going to offer a pre order. I'm in the same boat.

You may actually have to just try your luck on release day.

 

[Frankenstein]

Do Sprint reps ever know anything? I don't know why Sprint can't just have pre-orders ready to go online, in-store, and everywhere else immediately after launch. I'm really hoping Sprint follows suit with Apple (iPad) and Verizon (Incredible) and offer online pre-orders with home delivery.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

Jenn over at pocketables said that Best Buy in Hawaii was charging her 700 off contract. No help on the possibility of a Sprint pre-order I know, but it confirms your suspicion of the big price hike.

 

[Rizop]

I know the pre-order threads are really starting to add up, but I haven't actually seen this question addressed/answered yet. The $449 thread brought up a good point that buying off contract anywhere but a Sprint store is going to cost more (probably significantly more than $449), so I'm definitely going to be buying through Sprint. Does anyone know how Sprint (or even other carriers) handles pre-ordering for off contract buyers? Is it even an option, or will I end up having to sleep outside a Sprint store June 4th to pick one up ASAP (only kind of kidding about sleeping outside--Frankenstein doesn't need sleep )?

I brought this issue up in the 449 retail thread,and i couldnt believe that this hasnt gotten more attention from those looking to buy off contract; apparently for buyers who arent eligible for upgrade/looking to buy of contract, our options for preordering appear to be pretty slim. BB is charging their usual premium for retail phones, and someone else mentioned that RS is doing the same. We might have to wait outside the Sprint store on opening day for this one.

BTW i did go to BB this morning to preorder, but i was being a moron and did not realize that their off contract prices were higher until AFTER i got the 50 dollar GC(im going to probably use the GC on accessories). The mobile rep gave me a really nebulous answer: 600-800 for full retail

 

[Frankenstein]

yeah I made this thread based on your post in the 449 thread. I was surprised this question wasn't getting more attention, so maybe it's own thread will help. The premium off contract pricing at non-sprint stores never occurred to me until you mentioned it b/c I've never been in the market for a full price phone (the mobile world moves too fast to wait now). I'm sure there are more people in our situation, so maybe somebody will shed some light on the situation.

 

[Rizop]

absolutely,

I'm grateful that you made this thread so others can hopefully weigh in with their thoughts/suggestions/advice.

I can't fault BB or any other retailer for doing this right now since they have done this for a while now. An example is the release of the palm pre last year at stores like BB; the retail price of it was 849! And even today, if you go to the BB website the pre still retails in the mid 700's; this price caught the attention of boygeniusreport and some others. Again, i can't fault them because it was my fault that i did not read the fine print i guess, but i hope this thread can educate others who are in the same situation with us.

Also, i could be wrong, but ive never heard of Spring doing preorders for a phone; we might have to wait bright and early for this one!

 

[crownanddrpepper]

here's my problem. I am eligible for my upgrade on Sept 1 but I cant stand to wait that long to get this phone. So I called up sprint and asked if I knew someone who WAS already eligible for their upgrade if I could have them purchase the phone but I would be the one activating it on my sprint acct. Sprint said that would be alright. Had anyone ever done this before or know of someone who has ? And if so did you run into any problems ?

 

[chrgnthru]

here's my problem. I am eligible for my upgrade on Sept 1 but I cant stand to wait that long to get this phone. So I called up sprint and asked if I knew someone who WAS already eligible for their upgrade if I could have them purchase the phone but I would be the one activating it on my sprint acct. Sprint said that would be alright. Had anyone ever done this before or know of someone who has ? And if so did you run into any problems ?

hmm... if that's the case I may try and do the same. Although 449 is a great price IMO.

 

[MannyZ28]

So, is this 449 price point at Sprint directly just a guess or a fact?

Also, on my account are 2 lines of service, mine is eligible, the other is not. So if I go to best buy to pick up my evo, will they automatically add 20 bucks to my account, or will it be just 10 bucks extra for my evo, and then, as soon as we get the second phone at sprint for 449 (if that really is their retail price) will the second 10 bucks be added?

 

[Rizop]

So, is this 449 price point at Sprint directly just a guess or a fact?

Also, on my account are 2 lines of service, mine is eligible, the other is not. So if I go to best buy to pick up my evo, will they automatically add 20 bucks to my account, or will it be just 10 bucks extra for my evo, and then, as soon as we get the second phone at sprint for 449 (if that really is their retail price) will the second 10 bucks be added?

To be honest with you, Im not sure. If i had to guess i think the 449 price point is an educated guess based off the email that was sent to sprint premier customers(this email gave a 449 minus various rebates to bring the price down to 199 for new customers/contract renewals). Even though the 449 price was listed, i dont think the email actually referred to it as the actual retail price. Some posters have hypothesized that this 449 could be some sort of "starting" price, with the full retail being possibly 599. I sure hope not.

 

[clafountaine]

glad I read this....

I didnt know BB was going to charge SO MUCH! I'm out of contract and already did my pre-order.

Anyone ever hear of going in, getting a new line of service, going home and transferring the phone to my primary number, then just cancel the service and pay the fee. It would be abuot the same price (200 for the phone + 200 fee.) Round about way, but would get me the phone.

No way I can wait till november for this phone!!! EEEEK!

 

[kinster02]

I know people don't want to wait for the Evo but from my experience the prices usually go down within a month or two. I went to the Shack to Pre-order my Evo and I notice that the Htc hd2 was going for 99$ (temp) and this is also a high demand phone that just came out in March. This phone is normally 199$ and usually sold out in most places.

 

[Rizop]

I didnt know BB was going to charge SO MUCH! I'm out of contract and already did my pre-order.

Anyone ever hear of going in, getting a new line of service, going home and transferring the phone to my primary number, then just cancel the service and pay the fee. It would be abuot the same price (200 for the phone + 200 fee.) Round about way, but would get me the phone.

No way I can wait till november for this phone!!! EEEEK!

I'm in the exact same situation that you are in. If the price of the phone at the sprint store is indeed 449( which a poster who asked a sprint pr rep seems to have confirmed), then i'll try to buy it there on release day, and use the $50 gc on accessories or whatever else i can think of. There is also some debate over whether BB price matches to the sprint retail price. One person who allegedly works there said no, but others have said yes. I guess it really depends on the store.

 

[ls3mach]

here's my problem. I am eligible for my upgrade on Sept 1 but I cant stand to wait that long to get this phone. So I called up sprint and asked if I knew someone who WAS already eligible for their upgrade if I could have them purchase the phone but I would be the one activating it on my sprint acct. Sprint said that would be alright. Had anyone ever done this before or know of someone who has ? And if so did you run into any problems ?

The last time I did that, they denied my mail in rebate.

 

[crownanddrpepper]

I didnt know BB was going to charge SO MUCH! I'm out of contract and already did my pre-order.

Anyone ever hear of going in, getting a new line of service, going home and transferring the phone to my primary number, then just cancel the service and pay the fee. It would be abuot the same price (200 for the phone + 200 fee.) Round about way, but would get me the phone.

No way I can wait till november for this phone!!! EEEEK!

I'm thinking about doing the same thing( cant upgrade till Sept ). Was going to try to use someone else's upgrade but come to find out ( according to BB rep ) BB WILL do this but the phone has to first be activated on the purchasers acct , changing their plan to everything data in the process , for a couple of mins then they can re activate their old phone and give me the HTC EVO to activate on my acct. To much trouble and the plan they are on right now isn't avail anymore so they would have to get a totally new plan. So probably going to just add a new line transfer my current # to the new phone then cancel the service and keep the phone. But after chatting and talking to sprint reps I found out that I am eligible for a $75 discount ( but i have to extend my contract 1 more year to get it ) that i could use towards purchasing the phone at full retail price and I can still use my upgrade in Sept. So for me it all comes down to what the retail price is. So either Ill activate a new line / cancel and pay 400+ tax or should the phone actually be 449 ( god i hope it is ) Ill just buy it at retail and use my 75 discount.

Either way I WANT THIS PHONE NOW

 

[vbsoulpole]

Take it for what it's worth but I just did some calling around to 3 different Sprint retail stores and 2 Best Buy's. Both BB's said the price was going to be $699 out of contract so yeah... They didn't even hesitate so I'm going to assume that's going to be accurate. Out of the 3 Sprint stores, 2 said $499 and 1 said $449 for out of contract.

I already had my mother in law in Michigan go to preorder mine at Best Buy because I'm going to be there for release weekend. After talking to the Sprint retailers though and giving them my name and number, I may just wait outside a Sprint store bright and early and use the $50 gift card for something else. Worst case scenario is that I don't get one at Sprint and have to pay $200+ more for my reserved one at Best Buy... ugh.

 

[r-nice]

Some of you are going through some pretty heavy lengths just to get this phone.

 

[Adam Sawyer]

I really really really want this phone but I'm in the same boat as some of you guys.. I can't get another upgrade til next February

Not sure what I should do... I'm willing to drop $450, but when will Sprint's website let me order one? Opening day?

What happens if I pre-order, get my $50 gift card, go there opening day and just try and go through the process? I've called a couple stores and they've told me $199, even AFTER I told them I was an existing Sprint customer. I wish Sprint would be more clear about this to their "premier" members.

I'm seriously considering calling them and complaining that the Sprint 2.1 Moment upgrade didn't fix the radio lockups and demand an early upgrade.

No, but seriously, I don't mind paying full price -- I just wish they clarify these things ya dig?

 

[Rizop]

I really really really want this phone but I'm in the same boat as some of you guys.. I can't get another upgrade til next February

Not sure what I should do... I'm willing to drop $450, but when will Sprint's website let me order one? Opening day?

What happens if I pre-order, get my $50 gift card, go there opening day and just try and go through the process? I've called a couple stores and they've told me $199, even AFTER I told them I was an existing Sprint customer. I wish Sprint would be more clear about this to their "premier" members.

I'm seriously considering calling them and complaining that the Sprint 2.1 Moment upgrade didn't fix the radio lockups and demand an early upgrade.

No, but seriously, I don't mind paying full price -- I just wish they clarify these things ya dig?

Yeah, i know. I do wish that the retail price was reported as constant between all the sprint stores, so i would know exactly how much money i need on hand.