Ordering Verizon iP5s at full retail help!

DollaTwentyFive

macrumors 6502a
Background:

I have an old Alltel plan that is great with unlimited data. I haven't used an upgrade in several years because I want to stay grandfathered into my plan.

With the 4, 4S and 5 there was a pre-order period. You would log into your Verizon account and it would take you to the pre order screen and you could select 2 year pricing or month-to-month. This year there is no pre-order as we know.

If you go on their website and click on a phone, it gives you the option of 2 year, edge and month-to-month. But this seems only to work for a new activation.

If you log into your VZW account and select upgrade your phone, I only get the option for a 2 year agreement, which forces me onto a tiered data plan.

I notice this because I was testing out the order process with a 5C so that I would be able to progress though the process as quickly as possible when I want to order my 5s this morning.

Is anyone else in a similar boat and has anyone else looked at this? Am I missing something completely obvious? There used to be a dropdown for month to month pricing but, for the life of me, I cannot find it.

Suggestions? Other than waiting in line tomorrow. I have a conference call at 8:30 which is why I wanted to order online as I always do.

EDIT: Maybe I have figured it out and maybe this will help others in the same boat. You can't be signed into your account. You have to be logged out and then click shop, smartphones, click on the phone, select month to month and then in the top right click existing customers sign in. It then seems to carry you through at full retail. Not positive this will work. Seems like they are intentionally obfuscating the process to make it difficult.

Edit 2: Nevermind. Seems that option is gone as quickly as it appeared.
 
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Background:

I have an old Alltel plan that is great with unlimited data. I haven't used an upgrade in several years because I want to stay grandfathered into my plan.

With the 4, 4S and 5 there was a pre-order period. You would log into your Verizon account and it would take you to the pre order screen and you could select 2 year pricing or month-to-month. This year there is no pre-order as we know.

If you go on their website and click on a phone, it gives you the option of 2 year, edge and month-to-month. But this seems only to work for a new activation.

If you log into your VZW account and select upgrade your phone, I only get the option for a 2 year agreement, which forces me onto a tiered data plan.

I notice this because I was testing out the order process with a 5C so that I would be able to progress though the process as quickly as possible when I want to order my 5s this morning.

Is anyone else in a similar boat and has anyone else looked at this? Am I missing something completely obvious? There used to be a dropdown for month to month pricing but, for the life of me, I cannot find it.

Suggestions? Other than waiting in line tomorrow. I have a conference call at 8:30 which is why I wanted to order online as I always do.

I tried with the 5c preorder, and I clicked on upgrade phone, and selected month to month without a problem.
 
I tried with the 5c preorder, and I clicked on upgrade phone, and selected month to month without a problem.

Yes - I checked that out earlier and with the preorder, as it always has in the past, it would bring you to the iconic device ordering screen that the stores use and you could, indeed, select month to month. However, as of midnight, 5C is off preorder and it no longer takes you to that iconic screen. Presumably the 5s will be the same since it is not going to be a preorder. See my above edit for a *potential* way to accomplish what I am looking to do.

PS wxman2003 - are you a weatherman?
 
Yes - I checked that out earlier and with the preorder, as it always has in the past, it would bring you to the iconic device ordering screen that the stores use and you could, indeed, select month to month. However, as of midnight, 5C is off preorder and it no longer takes you to that iconic screen. Presumably the 5s will be the same since it is not going to be a preorder. See my above edit for a *potential* way to accomplish what I am looking to do.

PS wxman2003 - are you a weatherman?

yes I am.
 
Well looks like my edit in the above post does not work, either. Just tried it again and there are new screens. Verizon obviously does not want to let people order online with no contract. I can only hope that when the 5s goes live, there will be an option for full retail.
 
I think they are getting their site ready for the 5s. So it's a bit flakey right now. The 5c is no longer available for preorder. It goes on sale with the 5s at 1201 PDT.
 
I can only hope. It just seems like no matter what I try, they don't want to let me buy a phone online at full retail. Hopefully we can chalk it up to a flaky site and all will be will at 3:01 eastern.

@Wxman2003 Off topic, I dual majored in finance and meteorology. I wish I hadn't opted to persue a career in finance. Too boring.
 
Have been exploring for past hour. Seems there is no path for paying full retail if you have an upgrade available. I don't want to use my upgrade. I want to keep my plan and pay full retail. Verizon should make more on this. They aren't subsidizing a phone and I am paying the same monthly. I realize I can walk away in 2 weeks and they lose my revenue stream, but if they aren't subsidizing, they aren't really losing anything. I am throwing the bull!@#$ flag on this move.
 
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Bestbuy.com will let you buy at full retail.

Very little availability. Don't know if it will actually be available to pick up, even with a order confirmation.
 
Turns out I worried for nothing, as usual. VZW site came live with an option for full retail. I guess in the future I should just relax and all will work itself out.
 
Where's the full retail option? I click month-to-month then it's making me pick a plan? Do I just choose one and not activate it when I get it? How can I do this? It wasn't like this to upgrade to full retail for the last iPhone.
 
No when the 5s orders went live they directed the order to the iconic site and month to month was an option. At least it was 11 minutes ago.
 
I know it was an option and I picked it, but then it's still making me pick plans for it and contract information. I just want the phone, this is ridiculous.
 
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