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In-contract trick to get new blackberry for cheap, possible?

verizonplayah

Sep 11, 2009, 10:51 AM
Ok, so here is the deal. This all may sound like a lot but work with me here…

My gf has a storm and can’t take it anymore, its just not for her. We just got it swapped out for a refurb so it is in new condition. What she wants in the blackberry tour, however given the price they are going for ebay minus the price her storm would go for still makes her spend around $200 after everything. I think this would work to get it for cheaper:

1. Add a line to her account = Tour cost $99 at best buy (have to wait for that deal to come back, this was the last weeks price though, it increased to $150 since then)

2. Sell her new “refurbished” Storm on eBay for around $250-$275

3. Switch the ESN’s to put the new Tour...
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vzwinagent

Sep 11, 2009, 11:16 AM
Sure, if you can get it for that price. You'll also have an activation fee of $25 unless BB has a free activation promo with Verizon.
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Menno

Sep 11, 2009, 12:04 PM
That sounds like quite a bit of work and a ton of stuff that can go wrong.

And as for the best buy price.. I saw that sale, but it said for new Primary lines only, the secondary line was more expensive.

At least around here, best buy makes the price of the phone different depending on the plan that they are upgrading, so you need to make sure you read the fine print. For most upgrades or secondary lines, corp stores and other indirects can easily be the same price, or cheaper.
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epik

Sep 11, 2009, 12:08 PM
Yeah, people do that all the time.

1) If a salesperson even gets a whiff of it, they might refuse to do it. That's because they'll get hit with a chargeback on their commission when you cancel, and some employees could also see their commission reduced overall because their money is tied into their returns, too (but that is a corporate employee, not Best Buy, to my knowledge). I've refused to do it before. My manager has backed me up on it because it's not worth our time or money, and some may see it as a type of contract fraud (even though you're willingly paying the penalty for breaking your contract).

2) If you buy a phone through an indirect, most likely they will have their own termination fee of $300 to $500 within the first 3...
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verizonplayah

Sep 11, 2009, 3:54 PM
epik said:
Yeah, people do that all the time.

1) If a salesperson even gets a whiff of it, they might refuse to do it. That's because they'll get hit with a chargeback on their commission when you cancel, and some employees could also see their commission reduced overall because their money is tied into their returns, too (but that is a corporate employee, not Best Buy, to my knowledge). I've refused to do it before. My manager has backed me up on it because it's not worth our time or money, and some may see it as a type of contract fraud (even though you're willingly paying the penalty for breaking your contract).

I understand this point.. it seems unfair to the rep, yes.. but at the same time there...
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Menno

Sep 11, 2009, 4:01 PM
Most commission pay outs are either Three or Six months after the set up date. If you cancel before that time, the rep will get the chargeback.
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verizonplayah

Sep 11, 2009, 7:58 PM
Menno said:
Most commission pay outs are either Three or Six months after the set up date. If you cancel before that time, the rep will get the chargeback.

Noted.... So to be as fair as possible to the rep I would be in and out and waste as little time as possible.
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CellStudent

Sep 12, 2009, 1:33 PM
verizonplayah said:


Noted.... So to be as fair as possible to the rep I would be in and out and waste as little time as possible.


Not sure how letting a salesman under the impression he's going to see $200 on his paycheck due to setting you up and then having it not show up seems fair at all...

But hey- maybe this Professional Ethics course I'm taking is starting to rub off on me!
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Cellenator

Sep 12, 2009, 3:56 PM
🙄
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epik

Sep 13, 2009, 12:24 AM
verizonplayah said:


I understand this point.. it seems unfair to the rep, yes.. but at the same time there is nothing "illegal" about it, it seems well understood that you can end your contract as long as you pay for the termination fee.

Although... wouldn't you still get the commission given the fact that I would wait an entire month before canceling? I feel like thats the way it should go, in fairness to the salesman.


It is unfair to the rep. Some reps, in indirect, usually make most if not all of their money in sales. Corporate reps make about 1/3 of their income in their commissions.

I don't know about indirect, but a corporate rep can get hit with a chargeback as far out as four to six m...
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mellowlen62

Sep 11, 2009, 6:31 PM
In today's economic climate, I would make sure that ETF doesn't adversely affect your credit report....you might be surprised to know the things that show up on there...
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Cellenator

Sep 12, 2009, 3:55 PM
It wont...paying an etf will never show up on your credit report
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cilvzwagent

Sep 11, 2009, 7:42 PM
A easier way to do it is how I got my Curve.

I was on Voyager #5, after that one crapping out on me, I pretty much barked up VZW's backside until they multi-fru'd me into a curve, and I paid the difference in cost ($100). For giggles I submitted for the $100 mail in rebate, and they honored it!!!!

Now in your case, since you would be dealing with a storm to tour multi-fru, you may not have to pay anything, they may just do it because in all reality, they are like devices.

But my situation just got better.... 2 months later I sold my Curve and all accessories on Craigslist for $250. Used my hubby's annual upgrade and paid $150 for my tour, got the $100 rebate back on it as well, and if you followed all that correctly, by the end of...
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Ridgecrest

Sep 13, 2009, 6:59 PM
If you honor agreements with others. They will honor agreements with you.
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verizonplayah

Sep 13, 2009, 11:18 PM
Correct me if I am wrong but paying the termination fee is honoring an agreement.

When I sign a contract, the agreement states that if I cancel my service, I have to pay a termination fee.

As long as I pay the fee, I followed the agreement, right?
👀
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Gadget Junky

Sep 14, 2009, 1:51 AM
No, you broke your contract, or your word. The ETF is the penalty for that. What you're proposing is false churn, or fraud. It causes issues with revenues, reporting to shareholders, and stock prices, as well as our ability to earn a bonus.

Since you're willing to do those things, I suggest you move your entire account to a company that I'd love to see the stock drop for, AT&T. I'd personally rather deal with customers that have ethics, and morals, and are willing to stand by their word, and honor their contracts.
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llama

Sep 14, 2009, 3:51 AM
Gadget...so all those folks that ported out to at&t for the iPhone are bad people?

I believe your take on the ETF is wrong. If you don't want to be bound by the terms of the agreement, then pay your ETF and move along. The ETF IS part of the agreed upon terms...
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joey301

Sep 14, 2009, 11:47 AM
I agree with you. In fact, I think it will soon be even easier to get out of these contracts.
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epik

Sep 14, 2009, 9:29 AM
I think I see both arguments here.

Breaking a contract means you've decided to terminate your contractual obligations, which you agreed to at the time of purchase. The penalty for this is a termination fee, decided upon by the company and based on your longevity of service. However, the company did not have to give you a way out. They were not obligated to leave a door unlocked. If they hadn't left the termination clause in the contract, you would have been contractually obligated to pay the remaining monthly cost you agreed to, or simply continue service. A contract in itself is a binding agreement to maintain service, not terminate it whenever you feel like it. My point is, the whole point of the contract is to maintain service. ...
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hrmles1

Sep 14, 2009, 10:08 AM
My sympathies to the Verizon employees who lose their commission. I'd like to point out that no contract is "iron clad". They all have ways out whether stated specifically in the contract or not. Mobile phone contracts, rental agreements, auto leases. If you're willing to pay there's a way out.
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joey301

Sep 14, 2009, 11:48 AM
on a similar question. What if I want to break my contract and start a new one? That would be a cheaper way to get a new phone sometimes.
J
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epik

Sep 16, 2009, 12:43 AM
Our systems typically recognize a recent disconnect and force that line into reconnect, which credits back your termination fee and resets the contract. Even if you don't keep the same number, the system almost always automatically does this, specifically to prevent the very thing you're proposing.

It's happened to me twice on my own account during my time with the company. You typically have to wait three months before the system won't bother with this.

So, in other words, Verizon's already thought of that.
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curveguy321

Sep 14, 2009, 10:23 AM
You also want to check on a few other things. I now work for a Verizon indirect and if you cancel a line before 180 days, you have to bring the phone back to us. If you do not bring the phone back, or you bring it back and it is not working, we will charge you up to $250 to replace that phone. And that will be on top of Verizon's ETF you will get from them. So if you plan on doing that, you better check on ALL fees you may have to pay.
Though I don't feel it is right to that agent that sold it to you to do that to them and make them loose that commission. That would be like your boss coming to you one day and saying, "oh, btw, we have to take X amount of money off your paycheck this month. Hope you can manage without it."
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gunny

Sep 14, 2009, 1:16 PM
Been a while
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dualitycomplex

Sep 15, 2009, 7:21 PM
this guy is a classic example on why i hate every customer who walks through my door until they give me a reason in half a year not to hate them.

Seriously buy it from best buy do it there their employees don't work of commission and stock DvDs before they go and set your phone up, and while they are setting up this trick for you to con the system and yes thats what it is a con, i hope they muck your account and you have to go to a store to have a trained commissioned rep repair it only to be laughed at and told to go back to best buy.-
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gunny

Sep 16, 2009, 10:58 AM
I'm not talking to you why the hell did you respond under my name? I don't care who you hate...sounds like life has whooped your ass.
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motodude69

Sep 16, 2009, 9:40 AM
epik said:


It is unfair to the rep. Some reps, in indirect, usually make most if not all of their money in sales. Corporate reps make about 1/3 of their income in their commissions.

I don't know about indirect, but a corporate rep can get hit with a chargeback as far out as four to six months. Their commission is referred to as an advance. If the customer deactivates a new line or even returns and resets a contract upgrade, that rep gets their advanced commission pulled back. After a certain time, they're ok, but not in the time frame you're thinking of. Indirect gets hit with a charge back on their commission, too, usually within three to six months, from my understanding.



I am a f...
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llama

Sep 16, 2009, 10:36 AM
How can a 3rd party add a charge to your account?
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motodude69

Sep 16, 2009, 11:21 AM
Our D.M. would call our AT&T rep, and they would add the amount to their account. Not entirely sure how our Account Manager was able to do it, or if she was even authorized, but it got done.
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