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Best Buy Signed Me Up For Post Paid Plan

F

floridonet

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 5, 2011
150
17
Irvine, CA
Dissapointed with Best Buy today. Went and got a 4G model and had BB "pre-activate" service. They are signing people up for post-paid plans and not informing the buyer. Basically, a post paid account creates a new account in the carrier system which means a monthly bill, a minimum data plan of 2GB for Verizon instead of the 1GB minimum and a credit check (this is why some people posted they were requiring social security numbers when activating). Worse yet, you can no longer manage the account through the iPad settings but instead, you must go through an app or website.

I had to go to VZW and get them to void the account and install a new 4G SIM card on my iPad. This was a painful process in itself.
 
I'd definitely complain to Best Buy. Send a letter to Customer Service and also send a copy to Apple letting them know. If they hear enough complaints they are more likely to do something about it to make sure their resellers are informed about the plan options and don't try to "upsell" customers to a postpaid account that isn't necessary.

Setting up a prepaid data account is so straightforward on the iPad, and there are no real advantages to the postpaid plans right now.
 
I also got suckered into this BS. You're also going to be charged the $35 activation fee if you don't get out of it.
 
They tried doing it to me and even lied about but I knew better. I feel sorry for the average consumer that got taken advantage of.
 
wsbsteven said:
They tried doing it to me and even lied about but I knew better. I feel sorry for the average consumer that got taken advantage of.
Click to expand...

Best Buy should know better. Not sure what they are trying to pull. They must get some type of commission with the carriers.
 
Going from memory, they tried to offer me something like that when I picked up my wife's iPad 2, but I stopped them pretty quickly and they didn't push it.
 
You've got to watch those BB employees closely.

Yesterday morning one was telling the crowd that buying the wifi only iPad with a mobile hotspot was a better deal than the 4G model, saying it cost $230 more for the 4G. I asked him to check his math, it should only be $130. He ran in the store and came out and corrected himself, but then went on to say your only data option is the $50 plan.....again I corrected him. I can only figure it was an attempt to lock people into a contract for a hotspot. They were aso trying to get people to buy the seagate wireless extrernal hard drive, citing it was a better value the upgrading from the 16 to the 32 or 64.

I was a little puzzled to have to "active" my AT&T iPad in store, I didn't have to with my original iPad. Took over an hour. I watched him close to make sure I wasn't getting roped into a contract. Once in the car I fired the iPad up and was able to transfer the balance of the originals data plan over (and keep the 2GB for $25 too). So I don't know what exactly all the activation in store was about, maybe another attempt to get a contract out of me. Others who were in line for the 4G model just picked up and walked out, maybe it was my punishment for questioning the BB guys knowledge.
 
larock said:
You've got to watch those BB employees closely.

Yesterday morning one was telling the crowd that buying the wifi only iPad with a mobile hotspot was a better deal than the 4G model, saying it cost $230 more for the 4G. I asked him to check his math, it should only be $130. He ran in the store and came out and corrected himself, but then went on to say your only data option is the $50 plan.....again I corrected him. I can only figure it was an attempt to lock people into a contract for a hotspot. They were aso trying to get people to buy the seagate wireless extrernal hard drive, citing it was a better value the upgrading from the 16 to the 32 or 64.

I was a little puzzled to have to "active" my AT&T iPad in store, I didn't have to with my original iPad. Took over an hour. I watched him close to make sure I wasn't getting roped into a contract. Once in the car I fired the iPad up and was able to transfer the balance of the originals data plan over (and keep the 2GB for $25 too). So I don't know what exactly all the activation in store was about, maybe another attempt to get a contract out of me. Others who were in line for the 4G model just picked up and walked out, maybe it was my punishment for questioning the BB guys knowledge.
Click to expand...

I simply told the Best Buy salesperson that I would be doing the activation at home and she said, "OK" and I was on my way.
 
I'm guessing Best Buy gets commissions for activating iPad data plans on Verizon? I noticed they kept asking people about activating a data plan on it with Best Buy Mobile which won't give you the $20 1 GB option. Some people probably think they have no choice but to activate the data with Best Buy Mobile...

They also don't list the $20 1 GB plan as an option for Verizon iPads which it still is available with Verizon. I wouldn't have considered an iPad 2 3G if the $20 plan wasn't an option because $30 is too much to pay for another data plan.
 
Best Buy is a low life organization. They did it to my neighbor and we returned the whole iPad and left the store. These people are talking advantage of the less wary. They are just padding their profit by sell plans for Verizon.

They need to go ahead and go bankrupt, they deserve it!
 
Yup, that sounds like something BB would do -- either intentionally or unintentionally since they are both smarmy and have ill-informed staff. I used to love the store in the late 90s/early 00s but then they jumped the shark.

Fortunately, not too late to kill the contract. If you don't get a full refund you should complain to manager or call up the consumer reporter for local TV. I'm sure they'd jump all over a BB + iPad goes wrong story and you'd be doing the community a favor by outing this BB store's tactics.
 
johnothy said:
They also don't list the $20 1 GB plan as an option for Verizon iPads which it still is available with Verizon. I wouldn't have considered an iPad 2 3G if the $20 plan wasn't an option because $30 is too much to pay for another data plan.
Click to expand...

The 1 GB account is only an option for the prepaid plan. The minimum for the postpaid is 2 GB.
 
that didn't happen at all up here in Canada, guess our best buys are better
 
Can't believe that Verizon even offers a post-paid plan. They should at least offer a discount on the iPad if they do. Anyways, damn Best Buy.
 
walie said:
that didn't happen at all up here in Canada, guess our best buys are better
Click to expand...

I was fine buying in LA but being a former BB employee years back in the Midwest I could see them doing that. I've seen a manager sell a service extended warranty as a no questions asked replacement plan knowing that it is wrong to do that.
 
Best Buy almost talked me into this too but I told them I didn't want the data activated yet. They said that if you activate it at home you end up only being able to use the Verizon prepaid towers, instead of all of Verizon's towers. Is there any truth to this?

If you get the 1GB plan can you use all the towers? Is that why Best Buy doesn't offer that plan? I want to know for future use.
 
mlynchmob16 said:
Best Buy almost talked me into this too but I told them I didn't want the data activated yet. They said that if you activate it at home you end up only being able to use the Verizon prepaid towers, instead of all of Verizon's towers. Is there any truth to this?

If you get the 1GB plan can you use all the towers? Is that why Best Buy doesn't offer that plan? I want to know for future use.
Click to expand...

no, they're lying to you. scumbags.

use and enjoy!
 
Hmmm...shady, but it makes sense for BBY. Lol.

Every activation through their program, BEAST, gives them a certain amount per line per customer. New customers = more notional margin, upgrading a phone = a little less.

When I was still there, we would just activate data plans on the iPad itself...we never did it through our computers. But as a result, BBY made little to no money - no notional margin for that activation (because it wasn't through BEAST on our computers), and we make very little profit, if any, on all Apple products. Ever buy an iPhone at BBY? They try to get you accessories/buyback/BTP/everything because BBY makes $0 from carriers for iPhone activations and very little on the actual device.

I guess this time they're activating them in store so that their own mobile department numbers can shoot up a bit. Pity :/

mlynchmob16 said:
Best Buy almost talked me into this too but I told them I didn't want the data activated yet. They said that if you activate it at home you end up only being able to use the Verizon prepaid towers, instead of all of Verizon's towers. Is there any truth to this?

If you get the 1GB plan can you use all the towers? Is that why Best Buy doesn't offer that plan? I want to know for future use.
Click to expand...

This is false. There are no "prepaid" and "postpaid" towers...think of how expensive that would be for VZW! Erecting (grow up :p) two towers per site just to differentiate prepaid and postpaid? You use cell towers normally...there is no segregation of pre/postpaid.
 
AR15MBP said:
no, they're lying to you. scumbags.

use and enjoy!
Click to expand...

Actually ... If you activate it using the interface on the iPad, you are a pre-paid customer, and you can only use Verizon-owned towers. You won't be able to roam onto other carriers that Verizon has roaming agreements with (including the roaming that would be free within the united states in rural areas).

If you have a post-paid plan, you can roam onto their free roaming partners within the USA, and roam internationally as well (for a substantial fee)

Personally, I am rarely out of major cities, and it wouldn't be an issue for me, but I am on a post-paid plan anyway. When I'm out of the USA, I'll be picking up a local sim card.
 
larock said:
You've got to watch those BB employees closely.

Yesterday morning one was telling the crowd that buying the wifi only iPad with a mobile hotspot was a better deal than the 4G model, saying it cost $230 more for the 4G. I asked him to check his math, it should only be $130. He ran in the store and came out and corrected himself, but then went on to say your only data option is the $50 plan.....again I corrected him. I can only figure it was an attempt to lock people into a contract for a hotspot. They were aso trying to get people to buy the seagate wireless extrernal hard drive, citing it was a better value the upgrading from the 16 to the 32 or 64.

I was a little puzzled to have to "active" my AT&T iPad in store, I didn't have to with my original iPad. Took over an hour. I watched him close to make sure I wasn't getting roped into a contract. Once in the car I fired the iPad up and was able to transfer the balance of the originals data plan over (and keep the 2GB for $25 too). So I don't know what exactly all the activation in store was about, maybe another attempt to get a contract out of me. Others who were in line for the 4G model just picked up and walked out, maybe it was my punishment for questioning the BB guys knowledge.
Click to expand...

You are technically getting $230 off because you would be buying a Wi-Fi only version of the iPad which is $130 less than the 3G option, plus with the mobile broadband promotion you be getting an additional hundred dollars off, totaling to $230.
 
winterny said:
Actually ... If you activate it using the interface on the iPad, you are a pre-paid customer, and you can only use Verizon-owned towers. You won't be able to roam onto other carriers that Verizon has roaming agreements with (including the roaming that would be free within the united states in rural areas).

If you have a post-paid plan, you can roam onto their free roaming partners within the USA, and roam internationally as well (for a substantial fee)

Personally, I am rarely out of major cities, and it wouldn't be an issue for me, but I am on a post-paid plan anyway. When I'm out of the USA, I'll be picking up a local sim card.
Click to expand...

interesting. i stand corrected. it did sound like the poster implied that best buy implied that there were differences within verizon, but still.

while my verizon ipad was being rung up, this "2 year vrz" line item kept coming up for $0.00. i asked several times to ensure that i wasn't being signed up to this post paid service, and the employee, after asking someone else, said that i would not be signed up. that $0.00 charge is also on my receipt. i just want to make sure i wasn't swindled. i still have the ability to pick my plan on the ipad, but i worry that if i tried to actually sign up something would change, or i would trigger a contract. can anyone confirm that i'm in the clear? thanks.
 
mlynchmob16 said:
Best Buy almost talked me into this too but I told them I didn't want the data activated yet. They said that if you activate it at home you end up only being able to use the Verizon prepaid towers, instead of all of Verizon's towers. Is there any truth to this?

If you get the 1GB plan can you use all the towers? Is that why Best Buy doesn't offer that plan? I want to know for future use.
Click to expand...

You should've told them to shove the iPad where the sun don't shine. :cool:
 
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