Buy Verizon phone for in store pickup and return/re-buy?

[Raffe87]

Has anyone had any luck with this? Basically, I need to make a device only purchase and VZW were the only ones available but only on-contract, no option to buy device only through online pickup.

Im wondering: I think this might be a solution if this comes up again. Given that Verizon had 14 day cancellation policy on new accounts, we could probably sign up as a new account/new number (so no porting issues) and select in store pickup. Then when arriving to pick up the phone (or later), cancel the line and return the phone (unopened) and re-buy it as device only. The worst that could happen is they take the phone back, you get a full refund and they don't resell it to you, right?

Has anyone tried something similar? Would they need to activate, and then cancel it? I know the phone would work on AT&T if purchased as device only...

 

[tjl3]

Has anyone had any luck with this? Basically, I need to make a device only purchase and VZW were the only ones available but only on-contract, no option to buy device only through online pickup.

Im wondering: I think this might be a solution if this comes up again. Given that Verizon had 14 day cancellation policy on new accounts, we could probably sign up as a new account/new number (so no porting issues) and select in store pickup. Then when arriving to pick up the phone (or later), cancel the line and return the phone (unopened) and re-buy it as device only. The worst that could happen is they take the phone back, you get a full refund and they don't resell it to you, right?

Has anyone tried something similar? Would they need to activate, and then cancel it? I know the phone would work on AT&T if purchased as device only...

Yes, this was what the Apple Store manager did for me on launch day. If an Apple Store employee won't do it, ask for the manager. Basically it goes into the store inventory as a new VZW iPhone 6. There is a slim chance someone orders it in the system, that was the warning.

One thing though, the refund is not instant, and the credit posted before the refund did, so I basically I had ~ $1600 on my CC balance. So if you don't have enough credit, it is somethign to think about.

 

[Raffe87]

Yes, this was what the Apple Store manager did for me on launch day. If an Apple Store employee won't do it, ask for the manager. Basically it goes into the store inventory as a new VZW iPhone 6. There is a slim chance someone orders it in the system, that was the warning.

One thing though, the refund is not instant, and the credit posted before the refund did, so I basically I had ~ $1600 on my CC balance. So if you don't have enough credit, it is somethign to think about.

Thanks for the reply. So, just to confirm, you did not have a VZW account and signed up as a new customer/line, then cancelled and were able to buy full price with no contract obligation?

The credit part is a smart point, luckily that will be okay. Just want to prepared if they come available again tomorrow morning.

 

[tjl3]

Thanks for the reply. So, just to confirm, you did not have a VZW account and signed up as a new customer/line, then cancelled and were able to buy full price with no contract obligation?

The credit part is a smart point, luckily that will be okay. Just want to prepared if they come available again tomorrow morning.

Correct. I preordered a space gray 128gb Verizon iPhone 6 on contract through the online Apple Store and scheduled for pickup on launch day. I asked an associate how I can purchase at full price and bypass Verizon, he asked his manager and said they can process it as a return and it would just show up in inventory at that store. I actually did not have to cancel anything with Verizon, once you process the return, it cancels the plan automatically.

The only reason that credit was a problem was because I had also pre-ordered a T-Mobile unlocked, so with Apple care that was ~$1100 + ~$1100 + ~$550 = ~$2700, and I had a balance already and didn't want to get close to my credit line.

Just an fyi, the Apple Stores around me have the Verizon 6 in various versions in stock and I already asked them if they can sell it at no contract, and they confirmed.