Verizon Wireless Store Trouble and Questions.

**duckybrown** · 02-14-2011, 05:31 PM

Hello. First post and I first want to say this is a great site with all the phone information. Just scroll to the last paragraph for the questions.

I had a couple of questions reagrding a not so good experience at one of the retail verizon stores. I will try to make this as short as possible.

I purchased the iphone on release date. Decided I want to return it and get the Thunderbolt when it is released. I also vistited the store to upgrade my moms current phone to a Droid 2. I first tell them I want to return the iphone. They tell me the restocking fee was 70. I tell them I thought it was 35, but the SA insist it's 70. So I move on to my moms upgrade and say I will check on the restocking fee at home and return if I find something. I tell them I want to upgrade her line to the Droid 2 and thats it's a gift so I just want to purchase the phone unopened. The SA says they can't do that and the phone needs to be activated before it leaves the store. I then explain that if I ordered it online, it would come unopened and I could activate it at home. The SA says the store is different. So we proceed with the transaction. White or Black? I chose white. She goes and gets a droid 2 from a cabinet. The phone is not wrapped, and the box looks a little worn. I ask if they had any brand new phones and the SA said it was brand new. I'm not sure about the droid packaging, but every piece was indivually wrapped and the manual looked like it was just quickly wrapped in plastic wrap. Whatever. She has create a gmail account for my mom as this also is nessecary for the phone activation. So the activation is complete and I recieve the phone. The SA then says "oh yeah, whatever phone that was on this line is now disconnected and the phone cannot be used" Which is what I was trying to avoid in tthe first place. This was suppose to be a suprise gift, and now my mom has no phone on her way home from work.

So my questions are what is iphone restocking fee? Was the SA right in that the phone must be activated in store? Sorry about any spelling errors and the long post. For some reason the spell corrector is not showing.

**HF305** · 02-14-2011, 05:51 PM

Was it a corporate store or an "independent" dealer such as an Authorized Reseller or a Premium Reseller? The third-party dealers are allowed to set their own return policies.

**Joe12304** · 02-14-2011, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by HF305

Was it a corporate store or an "independent" dealer such as an Authorized Reseller or a Premium Reseller? The third-party dealers are allowed to set their own return policies.

They had the iPhone so do the math.
OP: I call Verizon for sure about this. Let them know how disappointed of a valued customer you are.

**gvillager** · 02-14-2011, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by duckybrown

So my questions are what is iphone restocking fee? Was the SA right in that the phone must be activated in store? Sorry about any spelling errors and the long post. For some reason the spell corrector is not showing.

I don't know about the restocking fee. But I know that the phone has to be activated in this system before you leave the store (this is due to the contract, once you sign on the pad the contract gets renewed and the phone activates). However, they could have easily reactivated the old phone before you left the store.

**BuckeyeCadet86** · 02-14-2011, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by duckybrown

Hello. First post and I first want to say this is a great site with all the phone information. Just scroll to the last paragraph for the questions.

I had a couple of questions reagrding a not so good experience at one of the retail verizon stores. I will try to make this as short as possible.

I purchased the iphone on release date. Decided I want to return it and get the Thunderbolt when it is released. I also vistited the store to upgrade my moms current phone to a Droid 2. I first tell them I want to return the iphone. They tell me the restocking fee was 70. I tell them I thought it was 35, but the SA insist it's 70. So I move on to my moms upgrade and say I will check on the restocking fee at home and return if I find something. I tell them I want to upgrade her line to the Droid 2 and thats it's a gift so I just want to purchase the phone unopened. The SA says they can't do that and the phone needs to be activated before it leaves the store. I then explain that if I ordered it online, it would come unopened and I could activate it at home. The SA says the store is different. So we proceed with the transaction. White or Black? I chose white. She goes and gets a droid 2 from a cabinet. The phone is not wrapped, and the box looks a little worn. I ask if they had any brand new phones and the SA said it was brand new. I'm not sure about the droid packaging, but every piece was indivually wrapped and the manual looked like it was just quickly wrapped in plastic wrap. Whatever. She has create a gmail account for my mom as this also is nessecary for the phone activation. So the activation is complete and I recieve the phone. The SA then says "oh yeah, whatever phone that was on this line is now disconnected and the phone cannot be used" Which is what I was trying to avoid in tthe first place. This was suppose to be a suprise gift, and now my mom has no phone on her way home from work.

So my questions are what is iphone restocking fee? Was the SA right in that the phone must be activated in store? Sorry about any spelling errors and the long post. For some reason the spell corrector is not showing.

First, the rep is incorrect, the restock fee is only 35, I don't know for sure if they understood or not, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. (Only because you can still return it for the same 35). As for the activation they did need to activate it on the account to do the NE2 upgrade. The rep should have reactivated the old phone on the account though. I'm sure he didn't want to because it isn't good for his numbers to activate data and then remove it. He should have explained the process and given you his business card so she could call him to activate the phone if he was that concerned about the data removal. Overall it seems like the rep you dealt with wasn't necessarily up front, it may be a training issue but my guess is he didn't want the hits on his commission. Take the iphone back, there is no sense in having it if you don't like it.

**Steveanderson13** · 02-14-2011, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by Joe12304

They had the iPhone so do the math.
OP: I call Verizon for sure about this. Let them know how disappointed of a valued customer you are.

Yes, +1; spell it out just like you did here. Poor service.

JL · 02-14-2011, 09:16 PM

Im almost positive the restocking fee is 70 for tablets and 35 for phones. Also they did not have to activate the phone. Process it there the computer and put it on the account yes, but they did not.physicaly have to program it via *228. All they had to do was go back and put the old ESN back on the line. Done it a million times no problem.

Sadly this seems like it was a Corp store which goes to show that all the money Verizon blows on training modules and upper management is poorly wasted.

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**elgee02** · 02-14-2011, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by Steveanderson13

Yes, +1; spell it out just like you did here. Poor service.

Please, do NOT do this. What's a CSR over the phone gonna do besides give you a half ***** apology? Don't waste your time, the restock info is on VZW's website. If you need to print it and bring it with you.

**kupe** · 02-14-2011, 10:27 PM

Maybe next time you'll use the website. It's a much more efficient, money-saving, non-BS-dealing way to do business.

**duckybrown** · 02-15-2011, 02:22 AM

Thanks for all the responses. Just an update. So I called Verizon customer service to make sure the restocking fee is 35. They confirmed it. So I called the retail store and explained to them what customer service said. He disagreed and said that customer service was wrong. I said customer service told me to call them in the store if there was a problem with the restocking fee. He said ok then they will have to take care of it and credit me the35 back. Then he asked me why I didn't like the iphone. I said I like the feel of android with the combination of htc sense. He then asked/tell "so you purchased the phone for the hype huh"

Oh well. I won't be returning to that Verizon store. I drove to another one about 20 minutes away. They excepted my return and charged the 35 restocking fee. It's just funny to me how the SA's at both stores were puzzled and shocked that I am returning THE phone to end all phones

**Extraordinary** · 02-15-2011, 02:49 AM

Should have just sold it on eBay. Saw some end for over $3,600.00 USD.

**Snackers** · 02-15-2011, 02:58 AM

why do they charge a $35 restock fee. How is that even legal? Its a BS charge and a way to either scare people from returning something or to stick it to you for returning a phone. Thats bad business and wrong t odo to customers that pay $100 a month for service.

**Steveanderson13** · 02-15-2011, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by kupe

Maybe next time you'll use the website. It's a much more efficient, money-saving, non-BS-dealing way to do business.

I agree, all of that is true, but most people are more familiar and comfortable with a store, especially in the beginning. And there's no reason he should have a negative experience in the store but people are human and it's going to happen. Well, at least he resolved it to his satisfaction.

**BuckeyeCadet86** · 02-15-2011, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by Snackers

why do they charge a $35 restock fee. How is that even legal? Its a BS charge and a way to either scare people from returning something or to stick it to you for returning a phone. Thats bad business and wrong t odo to customers that pay $100 a month for service.

Its not like Walmart where they will just reseal the package and sell it again. You've returned a $650-750 device that cannot be sold as new anymore, wiping at least half the retail value right there. Cars don't depreciate as fast as cell phones these days. If we are able to sell it again its as a used device.

**Frank S** · 02-15-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by BuckeyeCadet86

Its not like Walmart where they will just reseal the package and sell it again. You've returned a $650-750 device that cannot be sold as new anymore, wiping at least half the retail value right there. Cars don't depreciate as fast as cell phones these days. If we are able to sell it again its as a used device.

Exactly! And that is one expensive VZW policy. It is this kind of nonchalant attitude about swapping (returning) phones because you didn't apply due diligence when making your choice to begin with that is causing VZW to cut back on the niceties of the "no-worry guarantee". Like, changing from a 30 day to a 14 day return policy. Like removing NE2. Like cutting annual upgrades, etc. 'Course, I'm not blaming the O.P. I really blame VZW for being too lenient to begin with. Now people expect to just bring a device back 'cuz they don't like the color, or they don't like the looks, or their sister told them they'd be happier with something else. Etcetera. Bottom line, just like what is going on in many parts of our society, people are just not willing to take responsibility of their own actions.

-Frank