Anyone have experience buying iPhone 5 from Radioshack?

[Vell843]

I am going to a radioshack tomorrow to pick up a VZW 16 gig iPhone 5 at the discount upgrade price ($199). Now I have heard mixed things about buying a cell phone from the shack. Anyone have any stories, good or bad about buying a iPhone 5 from radio shack?

 

[codeman7]

I purchased my Black 16GB AT&T iPhone 5 there. I didn't really have any serious complaints. It took them a while because I was purchasing in a different area than we were in and apparently they had the wrong market picked at first. They were also pretty insistent that I buy a case (although I didn't feel like I *had* to), but otherwise were pretty good!

 

[Zhester25]

Slooooow

Recently purchased my 5 at my local Shack. While I didn't have any problems, I was there well over 1 hour for the whole process. I was the only customer in the entire store the entire time, and it took 4 employees to complete the process. Also, be prepared to receive a somewhat forceful barrage of sales pitches on everything from $50 cases to $20 screen protectors.

Overall, no problems (unless you count them opening my 2 boxes before I could stop them) a problem, just be prepared to stretch your patience, and have a strong no ready for the sales pitches.

 

[utl768]

anytime u buy a phone at a store that isnt apple it takes like 4 hours because most employees at these type of stores are all stupid and incompetent

whereas at apple u could be a new customer and buy the phone and sign the contract all in like 20 mins

 

[poloponies]

Picked up 2 last week. Employees were nice. Took about half an hour to get both done but I was able to confirm that both units were unblemished and functioning well. No complaints.

 

[Copefree]

Not an iPhone 5 I bought my iPhone 4 on release day from Radio Shack (pre-ordered).

Zero issues at all. They were great and it was just "in and out."

Preordered my iPhone 5 from Verizon online so I could sit on my couch all day and just wait for it

 

[gapperonduty]

where are you guys located and how did you manage to get one from radioshack?

I called pretty much 20+ RS around the NY area and zero luck...and I don't want to keep calling everyday and sound like a creepy stalker!

 

[akshep]

anytime u buy a phone at a store that isnt apple it takes like 4 hours because most employees at these type of stores are all stupid and incompetent

whereas at apple u could be a new customer and buy the phone and sign the contract all in like 20 mins

I would have to disagree with that statement. I've bought several iPhones and never bought one from an apple store, and have never had an issue or dealt with a "stupid or incompetent" employee. I also take offence to that statement being a radioshack employee.

 

[KylePowers]

Anyone know if Radioshack can do device swaps? As in, can I buy an iPhone 5 on a family line that isn't mine (2-year upgrade pricing eligible), and they can swap activations so that I end up with a new iPhone 5 on my line (without ever deactivating the other line)?

 

[utl768]

I would have to disagree with that statement. I've bought several iPhones and never bought one from an apple store, and have never had an issue or dealt with a "stupid or incompetent" employee. I also take offence to that statement being a radioshack employee.

obviously not every one who works there is stupid but the majority of these stores hire people making minimum wage who have little to no knowledge of the product they are selling

 

[akshep]

Anyone know if Radioshack can do device swaps? As in, can I buy an iPhone 5 on a family line that isn't mine (2-year upgrade pricing eligible), and they can swap activations so that I end up with a new iPhone 5 on my line (without ever deactivating the other line)?

It depends on what carrier. If its verizon then yes we can its called an alternate upgrade. If its AT&T then no unless they already have a iphone on that line, this is what are att rep told us that att is doing its not a radioshack rule. If its sprint then no. Sprint makes you keep the phone active on the upgraded line for 30 days.

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obviously not every one who works there is stupid but the majority of these stores hire people making minimum wage who have little to no knowledge of the product they are selling

Ok. I do know though that RadioShack made me go through a month of training before they would let me on the sales floor. Sorry if I seemed like I was being a jerk. That was not my intention.

 

[qckslvrsiete]

I am going to a radioshack tomorrow to pick up a VZW 16 gig iPhone 5 at the discount upgrade price ($199). Now I have heard mixed things about buying a cell phone from the shack. Anyone have any stories, good or bad about buying a iPhone 5 from radio shack?

Patience will be your best friend. The customer management systems they use to patch into the carriers is terrible if they use the same one as target mobile (target mobile kiosks in target stores are owned by radio shack, so I assume they use the same system). I bought mine at a Target Mobile and the whole process took an hour and a half. I don't blame it all on the rep either, it had a lot to do with the software -- I was standing at the computer with him and there was no guidance or clarity to any of the fields he had to fill out.

 

[mpossoff]

Recently purchased my 5 at my local Shack. While I didn't have any problems, I was there well over 1 hour for the whole process. I was the only customer in the entire store the entire time, and it took 4 employees to complete the process. Also, be prepared to receive a somewhat forceful barrage of sales pitches on everything from $50 cases to $20 screen protectors.

Overall, no problems (unless you count them opening my 2 boxes before I could stop them) a problem, just be prepared to stretch your patience, and have a strong no ready for the sales pitches.

Yep no problems except they take a long time to get the process done

 

[Jay724]

If you're in Southern California, they'll force you to buy Applecare and accessories.

 

[ForceMan]

Is it possible to get Verizon Asurion insurance on a phone purchased at radioshack?

 

[qckslvrsiete]

Is it possible to get Verizon Asurion insurance on a phone purchased at radioshack?

It was offered to me at Target Mobile (owned by Radio Shack).

 

[famous600]

This question is for the shack employee, can you add a line on an account that is NOT under your name but you ARE a listed authorized user for AT&T?

 

[KylePowers]

It depends on what carrier. If its verizon then yes we can its called an alternate upgrade. If its AT&T then no unless they already have a iphone on that line, this is what are att rep told us that att is doing its not a radioshack rule. If its sprint then no. Sprint makes you keep the phone active on the upgraded line for 30 days.

So suppose there is an iPhone on that line... does it need to be present? Can the swap be done without it affecting aforementioned iPhone?

 

[largefarrva]

My wife and I got our iPhone 5's at radio shack the day after release. Our experience wasn't unpleasant but it wasn't enjoyable either by any means. The two guys that sold and activated our phones didn't understand Verizon's system and had quite a few problems. Like hitting "submit" to actually transfer our service to our new phones.

We literally waited 40 minutes waiting for the phones to become activated with nothing happening. So after asking the guy doing the activating a couple times if he could go through it again he finally gave in. Spent the two minutes required to go through it and we saw the light bulb come on in his head as he says to us that he didn't hit submit the first time. Once he realized his mistake and submitted it we had service on the new phones in like a minute or so.

The only other issue that came up is that during entering the info for transferring our service was that he somehow changed the email address on our Verizon account. Don't ask me how, because he even read it back to us before he proceeded to the next step....but nevertheless it was changed. We knew this immediately because Verizon sent my wife a text saying it was changed. When that happened we brought it up to him and he said it happens all the time and its just a glitch in Verizon's system. Once we got home we changed it back to the correct email address.

All in all it took just under two hours to get everything done.

 

[akshep]

This question is for the shack employee, can you add a line on an account that is NOT under your name but you ARE a listed authorized user for AT&T?

Add a line no. Only the account holder can add lines, but as an authorized user you can upgrade. I know some people let authorized users do it but the official word from att is no.

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So suppose there is an iPhone on that line... does it need to be present? Can the swap be done without it affecting aforementioned iPhone?

What we were told is that the line has to have some kind of iphone it when the upgrade is processed. I personally have not dealt with this yet because att iphone 5's are hard to come by. It used to not be that way with cross upgrades, and I have no idea why att is doing this now because an upgrade is an upgrade no matter what line the phone goes to the customer still has to sign a 2 year contract.

 

[akshep]

Is it possible to get Verizon Asurion insurance on a phone purchased at radioshack?

Yes but you have to dial *611 on your phone and talk to verizon. The system that radioshack uses will not let us add it. You can add it within the first 30 days of the upgrade or new activation.

 

[ForceMan]

Yes but you have to dial *611 on your phone and talk to verizon. The system that radioshack uses will not let us add it. You can add it within the first 30 days of the upgrade or new activation.

Now lets say we did the loophole. Would they still let me do it with the ESN swap? or because it is considered bring your own device that you can't do it?

 

[braddick]

I really thought I could hold off upgrading to the iP5 and finally on Sunday, two days after the initial release, relented (damn you, MacRumors! The praise for the new device right here got me to cave in).
Of course Apple and AT&T were out with a three week approximate waiting time.
On just a hunch I tried Radio Shack and was pleasantly surprised to find the exact model and color I wanted, first choice.
It took about 30 minutes to get everything set up and I was out the door with my shiny new iPhone.

I'd point out too Radio Shack does purchase/trade-in your older iPhones if you don't want the hassle of selling it yourself.

 

[akshep]

Now lets say we did the loophole. Would they still let me do it with the ESN swap? or because it is considered bring your own device that you can't do it?

Not sure what loophole you are asking about. If you upgrade or start a new line of service at radioshack verizon will give you 30 days to add their insurance if its a new device. If you bring your own device I'm not sure if they will let you add it. Thats something you would have to ask verizon as i am not well versed in their insurance policy. We try to sell our own insurance.

 

[vijay007]

Recently purchased my 5 at my local Shack. While I didn't have any problems, I was there well over 1 hour for the whole process. I was the only customer in the entire store the entire time, and it took 4 employees to complete the process. Also, be prepared to receive a somewhat forceful barrage of sales pitches on everything from $50 cases to $20 screen protectors.

Overall, no problems (unless you count them opening my 2 boxes before I could stop them) a problem, just be prepared to stretch your patience, and have a strong no ready for the sales pitches.

I had similar experience when I bought a iPhone 5 for my Cousin last week at a local Shack.