Purchasing subsidized phone online with intention to pay full price

[DirectorMan]

I'm thinking about following the advice of numerous people posting on this board and purchasing a subsidized AT&T phone online at the Apple Store with in-store pick up, and then informing them that I actually want to pay full price for the phone when I arrive at the store. Can I do that if I'm currently an AT&T or GoPhone customer? When I initiate the process it asks me if I want to replace a phone on my account or add a new line. If I choose one of the options and lock myself into a 2-year contract, will I still be able to "change my mind" and have the in-store Apple employee sell it to me full price? Will they be able to negate the 2-year contract?

 

[CEmajr]

I'm thinking about following the advice of numerous people posting on this board and purchasing a subsidized AT&T phone online at the Apple Store with in-store pick up, and then informing them that I actually want to pay full price for the phone when I arrive at the store. Can I do that if I'm currently an AT&T or GoPhone customer? When I initiate the process it asks me if I want to replace a phone on my account or add a new line. If I choose one of the options and lock myself into a 2-year contract, will I still be able to "change my mind" and have the in-store Apple employee sell it to me full price? Will they be able to negate the 2-year contract?

Why not just buy the unlocked T-Mobile model online for full price and avoid any hassle? They're the same phone.

 

[DirectorMan]

Why not just buy the unlocked T-Mobile model online for full price and avoid any hassle? They're the same phone.

I've been trying to do just that and I've come close to getting one, but each time I hit the final button to buy the phone I get aced out by somebody else. Living in Silicon Valley has its drawbacks. Every nerd (and I'm proud to say I'm one of 'em) wants a 128GB 6 Plus, and we're all using iStockNow, etc. to find out when they become available.

Buying a subsidized AT&T or Verizon phone is my fallback plan. More of those show up at any given time than the T-Mobile phones.

 

[GreatStarSe7en]

I just did this last Friday but the whole process was not like what you thought of.

Long story short, it's not viable.

Online orders consumes a different stock from the walk-ins. If you order online and then "change your mind" in store (e.g. cancel the online order and want to purchase it again full price). they are not able to process it, or more specifically, they are not able to process the "purchase it again full price" part. That's because the specific iPhone you ordered online has already had a carrier account tied to it, they cannot sell it again to you without a contract, full price or not. And according to the apple rep I spoke with when cancelling my online order by phone, the iPhone you ordered online for personal pick-up needs to be returned (apple store will handle this part) for you to get a refund.

But I did get the iPhone I wanted in store, because they happened to have an exactly same one in stock, and I purchased full price. I then cancelled the one ordered online with a contract and received full refund.

 

[Stevessvt]

Apple really needs to put a disclaimer on their on line page showing local stock. I dont know how many times I went to the store because it showed something was in stock, which it was, but was not able to buy because everything in stock was for online orders only.