Riddle me this

[vernard]

So I dropped my flip phone one time to many and it broke one of the side joints that holds the flip lid. The phone is usable but extremely unwieldy. It also tends to flip open easier now which is annoying. So its time to get a new phone.

I drop in to a Verizon Store. Turns out that I have to wait until September for me to be eligible for there New Every Two plan which I’m signed up for. That would give me basically a $100 rebate off of any phone with a two year renewal. No biggie since I’ve been with Verizon for about 10 years now I think so that works for me. However, I really can’t wait until then since this phone is in pretty bad shape. They notify me that at present I can get any phone at the sign-up price for a two-year plan. This is less than retail of course but still quite hefty. I’m in a hurry so I have to leave but I call the verizon help service on my unpleasant but working phone to get a checkup on my account to know what plan I am signed up for. While on the phone they tell me that I am eligible for a $50 online only discount if I buyt a phone right now. So I get $50 off the two-year discount renewal price of a phone if I DON’T go into your swank store?

*blink blink*

So exactly why would I bother? I’ll just use your store as a way of figuring out what I do want and then order it online and get the discount.

I’m all for the instant gratification but I don’t think its worth $50.

Comments

[tonyvila.livejournal.com]

They don't want you to go into their store because having a store is expensive. This is why some banks charge you to come in and deal with a teller for the things you could do online or at an ATM. Brick and mortar are expensive and the customer winds up paying for them.

[dustyskinandall.livejournal.com]

Hey there... jerseygirl1 referred me to you because you're apparently looking for a house. I'm just starting my search and was wondering if you had any tips for a first time buyer in Atlanta?
Where are the best neighborhoods to look right now?

[figgyscott.livejournal.com]

Same thing happened to me with Cingular (with their "Go" phone service). After doing some online research (Cnet and Cingular) I picked one particular phone that I thought I might like. I went to the Cingular store near me, decided it would work, but the store wanted $300 for it (no discount for "Go" phone service). Went back home, and on Cingular's web page I could order it and get $150 online discount. No brainer.

[alexanderc.livejournal.com]

Cellular companies don't get the concept of customer service. For example, with Cingular, you can be a long-time customer and they won't cut you a deal on any phones beyond whatever price they're offering for a two year contract.

Each time I have to call because of a problem, they constantly remind me I'm eligible for an upgrade. Ask about the price and it's the in-store/online price with a choice of no discount, a one year contract discount, or a two year contract discount. Ask about any special pricing for being a long time customer (which, for me, was going all the way back to a time when Cingular was actually BellSouth Mobility) and the answer is "no, we can't do anything like that". "Sorry, I don't want an upgrade then."