Loyalty Credit from VZW and rep says no iPhone 5

[Mace1856]

In addition to being eligible for upgrade on both my lines with VZW, my wife (the primary account holder), has an additional $50 loyalty credit. So theoretically, if the iPhone 4S/5 was $199 then I should be able to get it for $150 for her, and $200 for myself.

However, when I check for eligbility online through store.apple.com from the iPhone 4 product page, it returns the current iPhone 4 as being sold to me for $199 (16GB model) on my wife's number, as well as mine. Is it true that the additional VZW loyalty credits can only be used if ordering through VZW directly?

Here is my chat with an online Apple rep, but I'm not sure he entirely knew what I was talking about since he said its not a common problem. I would think it HAS TO BE a common question, since many customers get the additional credit. Also, I asked about the iPhone 5. His answer is interesting but I'm sure it doesn't mean anything one way or another, right?


You are chatting with XXX, an Apple Expert
Hi, my name is XXX. Welcome to Apple!
Hello! Welcome to the Apple Online Store! How are you doing tonight?

Quick Q. I look up my eligibility online through your store.apple.com for the iPhone, and it says I can upgrade for 199 (16GB version)

Alright, how can I help there?

but on my online verizon account, it says i have an additional $50 credit
"loyalty credit" as they call it

That would be separate from the Apple Online Store, and would not be able to be used here.

Is this a common problem? B/c a lot of people get this additional credit

This would not be a common problem, but here we would be separate from their credits and we would not be able to use those credits.

OK. Also any insight on the iPhone 5?

There would not be an iPhone 5 to have insight on.

OK - hey thanks for your help!

 

[Zepaw]

I don't know about this specific issue but from dozens of calls to AT&T and Verizon customer support you can call once and then call 5 minutes later and have two reps tell you completely opposite information. Don't give up after one try.

 

[wordoflife]

Call them whenever you actually plan to upgrade your phone. They're more helpful over a phone call

 

[MacBootyDaddy]

I think it's confirmed then.

 

[Abyssgh0st]

Surely some lowly chat rep would not be aware of the iPhone 5, therefore he/she cannot acknowledge its existence.

 

[Mike84]

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Seems like the rep was clear. The credits are strictly on the verizon side of things.

 

[Mace1856]

I agree that he wouldn't know, but it is interesting the way he phrased it. He could have easily said "we do not know about any upcoming iPhones or products" but instead said what he said. I still agree with you -- there's no way he knows one way or another.

Surely some lowly chat rep would not be aware of the iPhone 5, therefore he/she cannot acknowledge its existence.

 

[ifluckrunsout]

OK. Also any insight on the iPhone 5?

There would not be an iPhone 5 to have insight on.

OK - hey thanks for your help![/I]

Call it a hunch, but I highly doubt a CSR would spill the beans the day before one of the most anticipated announcements... If they knew anything about it at all.

 

[dave006]

.... Is it true that the additional VZW loyalty credits can only be used if ordering through VZW directly?

Yes, the Apple rep and their system has no way to process a credit that you carrier has chosen to offer you.

You will have to complete the transaction directly with Verizon for this credit.

As an example: would you expect Verizon to accept an Apple gift card that you had from a previous Apple transaction?

Dave

 

[MallCop]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Yes you have to buy from Verizon in order to get the $50

 

[The Californian]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

You're pretty much trying to use a McDonalds gift certificate to buy a TV at Best Buy.

 

[treyjustice]

It is a $50 VERIZON credit why would you be able to use it at APPLE? That is like using a walmart gift card at target. Apple Reps don't know if an iphone 5 is coming or not how would they? lol

 

[famoussasjohn]

Why do people bother calling in before a phone is announced to see if they are getting a phone? STOP CALLING AND ASKING. WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL IT'S ANNOUNCED! I work for Sprint and have been getting hammered by annoying people like you. Why can't you just wait and see what Apple is actually going to release?

 

[getKaos]

OK. Also any insight on the iPhone 5?

There would not be an iPhone 5 to have insight on.

OK - hey thanks for your help![/I]

You don't honestly think an Apple Employee is going to out the iPhone 5 before it has been announced, just because you asked nicely, do you?

 

[famoussasjohn]

I agree that he wouldn't know, but it is interesting the way he phrased it. He could have easily said "we do not know about any upcoming iPhones or products" but instead said what he said. I still agree with you -- there's no way he knows one way or another.

I'd assume he is in the same position as us agents that work with Sprint. Our scripting is sort of like "I do not have any available information in regards to unannounced products, but you may visit Sprint.com/news(or whatever) for product announcements." The scripting sucks.

 

[AppleFanatic10]

In addition to being eligible for upgrade on both my lines with VZW, my wife (the primary account holder), has an additional $50 loyalty credit. So theoretically, if the iPhone 4S/5 was $199 then I should be able to get it for $150 for her, and $200 for myself.

However, when I check for eligbility online through store.apple.com from the iPhone 4 product page, it returns the current iPhone 4 as being sold to me for $199 (16GB model) on my wife's number, as well as mine. Is it true that the additional VZW loyalty credits can only be used if ordering through VZW directly?

Here is my chat with an online Apple rep, but I'm not sure he entirely knew what I was talking about since he said its not a common problem. I would think it HAS TO BE a common question, since many customers get the additional credit. Also, I asked about the iPhone 5. His answer is interesting but I'm sure it doesn't mean anything one way or another, right?


You are chatting with XXX, an Apple Expert
Hi, my name is XXX. Welcome to Apple!
Hello! Welcome to the Apple Online Store! How are you doing tonight?

Quick Q. I look up my eligibility online through your store.apple.com for the iPhone, and it says I can upgrade for 199 (16GB version)

Alright, how can I help there?

but on my online verizon account, it says i have an additional $50 credit
"loyalty credit" as they call it

That would be separate from the Apple Online Store, and would not be able to be used here.

Is this a common problem? B/c a lot of people get this additional credit

This would not be a common problem, but here we would be separate from their credits and we would not be able to use those credits.

OK. Also any insight on the iPhone 5?

There would not be an iPhone 5 to have insight on.

OK - hey thanks for your help!

I don't think the people that actually know when certain phones are coming out are allowed to tell the reps anything. Which is mostly why some reps will just tell you "no, *this phone* won't be coming out".