VZW Not Selling DROID at fullprice

[engourdi]

I went to my local VZW corporate store yesterday to purchase a DROID for my wife. We are no eligible for the upgrades yet so I was willing to pay full price for the phone. The manager told me they were not allowed to sell the phone outright at full price. Told I must take a contract and add a line to my plan to purchase the phone. All I wanted to do was purchase the phone and move my wife's number to it. Now all they have is a ticked off customer. Guess she is not getting a DROID for a while.

Anyone else experience the same problem?

 

[PJnc284]

You can get it for the no contract price ($559) online. Not sure why they wouldn't sell it to you in the store.

 

[engourdi]

Thanks. I will check online for it.

 

[wsbsteven]

Probably a commission thing.

 

[OutGolfn#AC]

Got mine at full price without a problem in store. I think its a commission thing since some of the reps can be jerks.

 

[DougFNJ]

It's definitely got to be an individual store decision or something. I went to my local corporate store the launch day afternoon when Storm 2 released. Apparently some stores wouldn't sell some people a Storm 2 at full retail. I was expecting to pay full price as I had 1 1/2 years left for the upgrade.

I spoke to the sales woman who saw I had liked it, I told her I know I'm not eligible, but asked what's the best price she could do? She looked in the computer, confirmed I wasn't eligible, and then offered me the Storm 2 at 1 year pricing with manager approval. He of course approved This of course was a pleasant surprise.

After trying Storm 2 for a few days, I liked it initially, then the glitches. Typing fast waiting for letters to catch up on the screen, random reboots, and getting bored REAL quick with an outdated OS that they still seems to struggle to get it right. I called the woman that sold me the phone and asked her if I could do an exchange to the Droid and keep it at the 1 year price.

She said it would be no problem. So yesterday morning I got to the store at 7:30 am and switched it over....no problems.

My suggestion, go to another corporate store, expect to pay full retail, but definitely ask what the best they could do would be. Good luck.

 

[kkwan77#AC]

Go to another store. I was able to purchase mine without opening another line. (or BB, Walmart and Sears)

 

[engourdi]

I called VZW and was told that it could have been a store policy but there should not have been any reason I could not purchase it. I guess they now have put a note on my account telling the store to sell it to me. I just plan on going to another store.

 

[richpjr#AC]

I asked at a BestBuy yesterday if I could do a one year contract and was told no, I'd have to go to a Verizon store for that. Since I upgrade my phone so much, a one year contract makes much more sense for me.

 

[cgc2]

If your willing too, lost, stolen, damaged phones can be replaced with Droid at the 1 year price plus you get a $100 debit card sent to you.
So , i lost my Storm (after cancelling my insurance), got the Droid for 369-$40.00 corp discount= 329-$100.00= 229
I am only 8 months into a 2 year contract and this did not extend my contract.
Oh, and the Droid can be Insured and I have my same number.

 

[SharonW]

Thanks. I will check online for it.

Get it from Amazon for just $529.99 and no tax or shipping charges. Can't beat that!

Amazon.com: Motorola Droid A855 Phone (Verizon Wireless, Phone Only, No Service): Cell Phones & Service

 

[Bryant.Villada]

It was just an initial thing im sure they will sell one now.

 

[engourdi]

I assume I can buy one now. The problem I had with it was it was surprise for my wife. She had been talking about it for a while now. I figured I would go purchase her a new phone on the day it came out as a surprise. Now it's a few days late and won't be the same effect. I will order from Amazon and save a few dollars now. Hopefully she is happy with it.

 

[notjaykay]

Wow...that was unexpected

I went to my local VZW corporate store to play with the Droid and Eris with the idea of possibly buying the phone at full price (I NE2'd for the BB Storm back in February). VZW customer service had already emailed me saying that they would give me $100 credit to my account if I went in and bought it at full price so $459 was better than $549.

I spoke to the sales rep at the store and told him that "I'd like to get a Droid however I know I'm not eligible. Is there anything you guys can do to help me out?" He tells me he needs to talk to his manager and then comes back with the following 2 offers.

1) Purchase Droid at 1 year activation cost of $379
or
2) Purchase Droid at 2 year activation cost + $100 rebate as long as I bought 3 accessories.



I went with option 2 and ended up leaving the store with the Droid, the multimedia dock (last one they had left), a car charger, and some screen protectors.


So if there are any folks out there like myself who aren't NE2 eligble, go to your store and see what they're willing to offer you. You might be pleasantly surprised. I've seen posts on other Android forums saying that the 1 year pricing is common, however I haven't seen anyone get the deal I did.

 

[klipsch2345]

I have friend who is a VZW rep and he said that he received an email the day of the DROID release saying not to sell the phone to anyone that wasn't doing a new 2 year contract or eligible upgrade. I guess this was put into place to protect inventory in the beginning phases of the release. I'm sure that another retailer will sell it full price if you haven't found one yet.