Apple REFUSED to sell me an iPhone

[Sugadaddy]

Didn't read the whole thread, but all I see is another reason why carrier subsidies suck. Apple doesn't care who pays for the phone, you or ATT. On the other hand, ATT absolutely wants you to go through them and lock you into a contract and make money from the hardware. That's why you basically pay the same price for your plan whether you get a phone from them or not.

Hopefully one day everyone will be buying unlocked phones from any retailer they like, and not from carriers. Do you get a subsidized computer from your home internet provider? Of course not, that's ridiculous. You buy any computer you like full price, then get an ISP separately. Should be the same for phones and cell service.

 

[bpeeps]

Didn't read the whole thread, but all I see is another reason why carrier subsidies suck. Apple doesn't care who pays for the phone, you or ATT. On the other hand, ATT absolutely wants you to go through them and lock you into a contract and make money from the hardware. That's why you basically pay the same price for your plan whether you get a phone from them or not.

Hopefully one day everyone will be buying unlocked phones from any retailer they like, and not from carriers. Do you get a subsidized computer from your home internet provider? Of course not, that's ridiculous. You buy any computer you like full price, then get an ISP separately. Should be the same for phones and cell service.

Cell phones needs carriers to be operable for their main function, communication. Computers do not need ISP's to be operable for their main function, completing tasks. This is an apples to oranges analogy, but I understand your sentiments.

 

[nikhsub1]

Interesting. What did they claim was the logic behind enacting that policy? I don't see where there's a benefit to Apple from the policy while the benefit to AT&T seems pretty clear.

They didn't really go into it except that the systems weren't 'ready' for next yet or something of the sort.

 

[rantor49]

No. I'm not full of it. I was told by phone support to go buy it in store because they don't do NEXT online or over phone. I got to store and was told by two employees that I would have to order online for pick up in store because they were not doing walk-ins. HERE'S THE PROBLEM - Employees misdirecting people. I asked them if they had phones in stock, they said "YES, but you have to come tomorrow at 5AM." Why wasn't I told about this policy of no-walk ins over the phone? Why direct/send me to a store if NEXT customers aren't currently supported? We're clearly aren't supported online, over the phone, or currently in any store from what this thread has thus far discovered.

None of this is "full of it." It happened.

Call a Waaaaaaambulance.

 

[temna]

As Doctor Egon Spengler said, "Don't cross the streams"...

The AT&T implication is about Next financing for online orders for in-store pickup. You can order Next online for delivery. You can buy in-store with Next. Just can't order online with personal pickup.

I don't think anyone was blaming AT&T for Apple disallowing walkup purchases of stock being held for next-day walkup sales or being held for online purchase / instore pickup sales. That's clearly on Apple.

But I'm saying it doesn't matter what carrier you're dealing with, when you go into an Apple store, unless you have a reservation or wait at the door for opening, they will refuse to sell you an iPhone 6/+. It's just how Apple operates. And for the record, that is how they do it in Canada too.

Oh and when I tried it on the 5S, I was trying to buy it outright, no subsidy, so that's not a factor either.

 

[bunnicula]

Really? That's news to me. Maybe it's because I did the "manager" trick?

I remembering calling my local Apple store one time though and asking them a specific question about the store itself using the regular voice menus and they seemed pretty knowledgeable about their traffic.

Oh well, I stand corrected on that one then.

Trust me... you can get the local store. I have done it every day this week, and I got the same chick 3 of those days. LOL. Unless the call center has special people for each store (no. they do not) then you can get the store.

Just say "manager."

 

[ssl0408]

You could not pre-order using Next if you were located in New York. Most of us found this out during the pre-order. You could only purchase via contract..

 

[AA772ER]

You guys are completely uninformed. This IS an Apple issue, I dealt with it myself. The problem is, Apple will NOT allow you to reserve a phone for in store pickup with the NEXT plan. It has NOTHING to do with AT&T, it's Apple. The workaround is as follows:

1. Preorder the phone you want under a 2 year contract on a line that has it available but not the line you actually intend to use it on. If this is not an option, choose to add a line with a 2 year contract.
2. Go to the Apple store when they say your phone is ready for pickup.
3. Tell them you changed your mind and you want to buy it under next UNDER YOUR NUMBER.
4. They will cancel the web order, create a new NEXT order and you will be on your way.
5. For those Apple fanbois that say it is the OP's fault or AT&T's fault just stop posting since you are clueless. An Apple rep explained to me to do the above steps as a workaround.
6. Enjoy your new iPhone.

I've had similar problems trying to get a hold of an iPhone 6+ AT&T 64 or 128 Gray. First off AT&T is making it hell for certain people to get a hold of one.

We recently switched to a mobile value share plan or whatever they are calling it. When I went to renew the contract the old fashioned way AT&T is saying that the bill will increase $20/month on the affected line. They are obviously pushing this Next nonsense.

So not wanting to renew the contract the choices were the NEXT plan or just outright buy the phone - I've decided on the later as its just easier and its mine and thats that.

When I first went to track one down I knew full well it wouldn't be a fun process and it would take some time. However, I received so many conflicting stories from Apple on the phone and from reps in the store that it became super frustrating.

The first store I went to flat out told me there was NO way to buy it in the store unless I had preordered it online - to which I said I wanted to buy it outright and theres no option online for that. He promised me there was so I decided to try it again and alas can't do it....

I then called Apple on the phone and they told me they do not sell them outright - even in the store. However I know numerous people that did so on day one so I figured it was a bad rep and just called back. I got a different rep who knew you could in fact buy them in the store outright and checked inventory online (before I knew what the inventory really meant) and told me that xyz store had them. I went to the store shortly there after only to be told that they did in fact have them available but ONLY to people that have ordered it online. I could have ordered one right then and there from my iPhone 5 (thus renewing the contract that I'm avoiding) and picked it up.

It seems silly that they are splitting the stock into two different sets and even if they have them in the store and they are unaccounted for they will only sell them to people who reserve them online....

I guess the hunt continues...

 

[balamw]

MOD NOTE: Thread has run its course. If there are any updates from the OP, please report this post to have the thread reopened.

Thanks!

B