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ATT Next pickup in Apple Store
- Thread starter alm99
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It is not, however you will have people say that they've done it and I believe them. I tried it and was turned down by the Apple store manager and also AT&T.
While I've heard people have done this route, where you choose the 2 year contract, do the in-store pick up and when you go t cancel the order and repurchase it under the AT&T Next.
You may need to tell them to process the return as "open box" return. This way it doesn't go back into the system and have someone else buy it off your hand.
Agreed, this is something I wouldn't take a risk. I've heard that some people didn't get the eligibility reset back right away and ended up not purchasing the phone.
Best option is to check the online stock checker and make a trip to the apple store and just do a walk-in reservation instead.
The apple store in my area in Madison, WI has decent stock the past week and today they still have some 6's available.
Correct, if the Apple store near you has the phone you want in stock, they can do AT&T next.
Usually happens within 5-10 minutes, but it can take up to 72 hours. And AT&T cannot (or will not) do it manually if you call.
So yes it's a risk.
Call the store you're thinking about doing this at. Do not talk to customer service. Talk to someone at the store. I had the 6 Plus and did this very thing. Ordered it on a Friday night with a 2 year contract and they switched it over to the Next program when I picked it up. It took a while, but some stores will do this. As always, YMMV. Good luck.
I knew there were people who successfully did this! 
More details:
Also, Apple would not let me return the phone and immediately purchase it because it came from "different stock".
I post all this only to help someone see the roadblocks and be more successful than I was.
More details:
- I first called Apple and they said it was OK
- I was transferred to the store and they said it was OK
- I was told no at the store
- I called AT&T and they said it was OK
- I went next door to the AT&T store and they said no
- I called ATT and they said to go to a Corporate AT&T Store
- Corporate store said no
Also, Apple would not let me return the phone and immediately purchase it because it came from "different stock".
I post all this only to help someone see the roadblocks and be more successful than I was.
I knew there were people who successfully did this!
More details:
- I first called Apple and they said it was OK
- I was transferred to the store and they said it was OK
- I was told no at the store
- I called AT&T and they said it was OK
- I went next door to the AT&T store and they said no
- I called ATT and they said to go to a Corporate AT&T Store
- Corporate store said no
Also, Apple would not let me return the phone and immediately purchase it because it came from "different stock".
I post all this only to help someone see the roadblocks and be more successful than I was.
I have bought 2 iPhone 6+ this year by reserving under 2-yr contract, then going into the store and making them cancel it so I could pay cash for one and having them sell it to me while doing an exchange (contract swap) with the other one. Same line of service for that last one, and both times they fed me the "it might get bought by someone else" BS.
Eligibility reset right away for that last one.
They tell me AT&T eligibility resets faster than all others. Verizon and Sprint are both very slow and a pain to deal with.
Once they bring out the phone, standing there and telling them there's no way in hell they're going to let someone else buy that phone because you're watching them and they'll just have to sort that mess out usually works fine. There is a way that they can hold that phone out of inventory to keep it from going right back in immediately. I've had this confirmed twice by 2 AT&T experts at Apple stores while I completed both of those transactions, so I'm quite confident when I tell you that anyone who says it cannot be done lacks education in the ways of inventory management at Apple.
I'm not sure that was a shot at me because I was very careful to mention that I know others had done it and that it was simply my experience if it could help others. And I agree with you that I don't have an education in the ways of inventory management at Apple. I trusted that the Manager that told me does.
I have done this 4 times at 3 different Apple Stores in 2 states (4 is the Max. for Next lines). Just order online with 2 year contract and complete purchase when you pick-up. Do Not cancel the in store pick-up!! If they cancel your online order it can take hours or days to recycle as available inventory.
Your upgrade should should reset within a few minutes. Then just purchase under Next upgrade. The entire process take 15-30 minutes.
No need to call AT&T to ask for permission or talk with Apple Store. Your buying it and then returning it and buying it again. You are obviously in your buyers remorse period and they happen to have the exact iPhone you are looking for and willing to purchase.
Perfectly legal transactions.
Your upgrade should should reset within a few minutes. Then just purchase under Next upgrade. The entire process take 15-30 minutes.
No need to call AT&T to ask for permission or talk with Apple Store. Your buying it and then returning it and buying it again. You are obviously in your buyers remorse period and they happen to have the exact iPhone you are looking for and willing to purchase.
Perfectly legal transactions.
You went to a douchey store... This is absolutely possible and Apple explained to me how to do it... it has been explained before so I won't repeat it but, the worst that happens is you don't get the phone.
Same. I tried and had no luck. Fortunately my wife decided the plus was too big and when we returned it they had a 6 in stock, so we were able to get it using the next plan.
I've posted this in numerous threads on this very topic already, you have to get lucky with the store and blue shirt/manager... I've had the "oh, once returned, it goes straight back into the online pre order stock"... Also had a couple of cool, well informed managers say it's doable and processed it for me....
You have to walk in there like you know they're going to do it exactly like you want them to do it.
You cannot show any sort of weakness or appear to be confused about how this whole deal will work.
That's where they stick ya.
As others have said, if you want to do this, you MUST finish the purchase in the store, then return the phone, then buy it again under Next. If you try to take a shortcut by canceling your in-store pickup, that will trigger a 24 to 36-hour wait for your upgrade to be restored. (I learned this the hard way today.)
You have to walk in there like you know they're going to do it exactly like you want them to do it.
You cannot show any sort of weakness or appear to be confused about how this whole deal will work.
That's where they stick ya.
well there are douchey blue shirts... I had to get 3 6 Pluses for my 4 lines so on my last one, I went to a different Apple store in NYC... the first 2 was at the Fifth Avenue Flagship store... the people in the SoHo store flat out said no to me, even after I said: you see this 6 Plus Im holding? I got it the exact same way Im telling you how you can process this... the prick and his lapdog wouldnt budge... they even said you are circumventing the system; you should come back at 5am and line up like everyone else... I said you misinformed, ignorant prick, you're not fit to be a manager; Im a manager at my job and you never tell the customer/client straight out "no, we cant"... told them to process my return and he should take classes on management and client services...
went online and did the process at the Fifth Avenue store again and 30 mins later, walked out with the 3rd 6 Plus for my family...
Ugh. They need to go back to Apple Academy or whatever.
I'm glad Fifth Avenue has some intelligent employees.
Ugh. They need to go back to Apple Academy or whatever.
I'm glad Fifth Avenue has some intelligent employees.
the employees are night and day between the 2 stores... thats why I tell people you really need to get lucky with the store you go to and the blue shirt you speak with, and more importantly, the on-site manager at the particular shift...
not true for me at all, when I did this, my eligibility never was even touched. had no issues.
I tried to do this at my local Apple Store and was told that since it was an online order, it would have to be "reclassified" and therefore cannot be resold to me. So either, I return the phone and leave empty handed (and who knows when ill find another 6+, took over a month) or walk away with the 2-year contract.
Side note: Is it possible to pay the ETF now and get rid of the 2 year contract and go back to the reduced monthly fee for my line on the Mobile Share Plan?
Side note: Is it possible to pay the ETF now and get rid of the 2 year contract and go back to the reduced monthly fee for my line on the Mobile Share Plan?
I was successful at it but went through many hoops and was told the same thing.
Need to return the phone and once it is returned, the stock goes back in the queue.
I did the opposite of what bunnicula mentioned, I acted like, "Oops, I meant Next and accidently clicked purchase, etc."
You basically have to buy the phone with 2 year contract.
Return the phone.
The Apple sales person needs to keep the phone for you (this is the iffy part).
Then wait for your eligibility to return, then set it up under Next.
I wouldn't risk it now nor waste the time.
Is it really still hard to get a 6/6+ ?
Need to return the phone and once it is returned, the stock goes back in the queue.
I did the opposite of what bunnicula mentioned, I acted like, "Oops, I meant Next and accidently clicked purchase, etc."
You basically have to buy the phone with 2 year contract.
Return the phone.
The Apple sales person needs to keep the phone for you (this is the iffy part).
Then wait for your eligibility to return, then set it up under Next.
I wouldn't risk it now nor waste the time.
Is it really still hard to get a 6/6+ ?