Trade in program at Best Buy / Radio Shack is DECIPTIVE!

[SAD*FACED*CLOWN]

The Radioshack deal is fine with me...200 for a 16GB 3GS...that makes my 16GB iPhone 4 free...the best way to get rid of a used iPhone is by selling it IN PERSON to a dumb phone user on AT&T's network...or someone looking to jailbreak...these guys usually hang out at Starbucks and Gamestops

 

[iphone1105]

Try Gazelle. Supposedly (say Leo Laporte) they are pretty honest and fair in evaluating equipment they buy.

I got a quote from them for my pristine 8gb 3g, this morning, it was for $106. which is okay, if you dont want ebay hassle and paypal ebay fees/weird craigslist people....I might do that if I decided to be lazy....may go radioshack route too, they offered 140, but heard I have to then preorder from them too, and apple has a store right around me in Los Angeles!

 

[youngplaya0228]

I'm gong the radioshack route. I can sell my 3G for $115 and preorder in the same place. $125 for a new iPhone still sounds really good to me, especially after the stories abou eBay and Craigslist that I read on this site. I'll take the small hit if I'm guaranteed the $$$ and guaranteed to have a good transaction

 

[aarong50]

I got a quote from them for my pristine 8gb 3g, this morning, it was for $106. which is okay, if you dont want ebay hassle and paypal ebay fees/weird craigslist people....I might do that if I decided to be lazy....may go radioshack route too, they offered 140, but heard I have to then preorder from them too, and apple has a store right around me in Los Angeles!

Sold my 16g 3gs friday within 3 hours of listing on craigslist for $350.

 

[Resist]

yes, I traded the phones in for $200 each anyway

And now that you have given them your proof that your iPhones were in "perfect" condition, you no longer have a case.

 

[drober30]

And now that you have given them your proof that your iPhones were in "perfect" condition, you no longer have a case.

If I completed my online form with the AG and they were interested, they would investigate the "issue" not my particular case. I was more interested in sticking it to them legally. No company likes to receive an inquiry from their AG.

Anyways, Best Buy handled it pretty good for me when I contacted their 800 number. Looking back, I should have requested a few more dollars for my aggravation.

 

[Knowimagination]

overall best buy comes down to store to store discretion. That is what makes it so inconsistent which is unfortunate but not every best buy store does it that way thankfully. I got the full $322 that the website had showed I would get.

 

[brvheart]

Is it possible that some Bestbuys do not do trade ins in store? I called mine local store, and they said they only do computers instore, everything else is online only? I would trade it in right now if I could.

 

[stu212]

I sold my 3GS on ebay and got £350 about $516.

 

[nickspohn]

These companies have to make money too, what do you expect?

Best bet is just to sell it on craigslist or eBay.

 

[highres]

Tried two different trade-in options for my iPhone 16GB 3GS in excellent condition with cables and original packaging :

Gazelle
http://www.gazelle.com/
Quoted me $226, emailed me a FedEx Ground Airbill and offered to send me a shipping box free of charge as well. Once they receive package and inspect it payment takes about a week. They will mail you a check or deposit into your PayPal account.

Best Buy Trade-in Center
http://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/
Quoted me $269 Best Buy Gift Card or $175 check.

Best Buy offers two options:
Instore Trade-in: You print out a Customer Item Tag and bring that to the Geek Squad Precinct counter to pickup Best Buy Gift Card immediately or they can email you check with 7 days.
Online Trade-in: They email you a prepaid airbill, you ship to them and they mail you check or Gift Card in 14 days.

Since I am having my new phone shipped to my house on the 24th, I chose the Gazelle mail in method. Since I qualify for an upgrade @ AT&T I will get the 32GB iPhone for $199 via credit card and the $269 from Gazelle will be automatically deposited to my account via PayPal within a week of shipping it to them.

 

[Resist]

If I completed my online form with the AG and they were interested, they would investigate the "issue" not my particular case. I was more interested in sticking it to them legally. No company likes to receive an inquiry from their AG.

And after they investigate, they will find there was no proof of wrong doing. Had you still had the evidence to show them the condition of your phones, then they could have shown how the store was clearly under determining their condition.

Oh and an inquiry from the AG doesn't scare a retailer, especially when all they have are customer complaints with no proof.

 

[Mac512-1987]

Don't you have to have purchased the item at BestBuy to trade it in-store?
Pretty sure it says that on their website.
Otherwise it's strictly an online trade...the 2-week wait on a gift card.
Am I reading it wrong?

 

[jlpoore89]

Tried two different trade-in options for my iPhone 16GB 3GS in excellent condition with cables and original packaging :

Gazelle
http://www.gazelle.com/
Quoted me $226, emailed me a FedEx Ground Airbill and offered to send me a shipping box free of charge as well. Once they receive package and inspect it payment takes about a week. They will mail you a check or deposit into your PayPal account.

Best Buy Trade-in Center
http://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/
Quoted me $269 Best Buy Gift Card or $175 check.

Best Buy offers two options:
Instore Trade-in: You print out a Customer Item Tag and bring that to the Geek Squad Precinct counter to pickup Best Buy Gift Card immediately or they can email you check with 7 days.
Online Trade-in: They email you a prepaid airbill, you ship to them and they mail you check or Gift Card in 14 days.

Since I am having my new phone shipped to my house on the 24th, I chose the Gazelle mail in method. Since I qualify for an upgrade @ AT&T I will get the 32GB iPhone for $199 via credit card and the $269 from Gazelle will be automatically deposited to my account via PayPal within a week of shipping it to them.

How are you getting $269 for a 16B 3GS? I went to Best Buy's website and it only gives me $170 giftcard/ $111 check for a 32GB 3GS with charger, cables, instructions and everything in best condition.

This is why I'm going to my local RadioShack. They have already seen my 16GB and 32GB 3GS and told me that they would give me the full $200 for each of them so to get a 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 it is only going to cost me $100 plus the tax of the total cost of the 2 phones which would be $40-$50. IMHO $150 for both a 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 is not a bad deal at all. And they said that I am the only one who has called about it so I don't have to wait in any lines.

 

[Macdicted]

I got a quote from them for my pristine 8gb 3g, this morning, it was for $106. which is okay, if you dont want ebay hassle and paypal ebay fees/weird craigslist people....I might do that if I decided to be lazy....may go radioshack route too, they offered 140, but heard I have to then preorder from them too, and apple has a store right around me in Los Angeles!

I'm gong the radioshack route. I can sell my 3G for $115 and preorder in the same place. $125 for a new iPhone still sounds really good to me, especially after the stories abou eBay and Craigslist that I read on this site. I'll take the small hit if I'm guaranteed the $$$ and guaranteed to have a good transaction

News Flash.... Radio Shack will only give you a flat $100 for a 3G , doesn't matter what their website says.

I am having my new phone shipped to my house on the 24th, I chose the Gazelle mail in method. Since I qualify for an upgrade @ AT&T I will get the 32GB iPhone for $199 via credit card and the $269 from Gazelle will be automatically deposited to my account via PayPal within a week of shipping it to them.

How are you getting a 32gig for $199 ? They are $299

How are you getting $269 for a 16B 3GS? I went to Best Buy's website and it only gives me $170 giftcard/ $111 check for a 32GB 3GS with charger, cables, instructions and everything in best condition.

Not sure why yours is so low but BB website showed my 32gig 3GS valued at $316 on a gift card.

Edit : Well my previous offer was 3 days ago , I decided to recheck and sure enough NOW they are only offering $165. What a bunch of BS.

 

[shanew21]

eBay gets $300 or more

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

So let me get this straight, you contacted your states AG for what amounts to $37? Do you have a clue what our legal system costs?? $37 is the hourly wage for the person who runs to pick up the starbucks while the rest of the idiots piece together a class action lawsuit.

 

[highres]

How are you getting $269 for a 16B 3GS? I went to Best Buy's website and it only gives me $170 giftcard/ $111 check for a 32GB 3GS with charger, cables, instructions and everything in best condition.

This is why I'm going to my local RadioShack. They have already seen my 16GB and 32GB 3GS and told me that they would give me the full $200 for each of them so to get a 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 it is only going to cost me $100 plus the tax of the total cost of the 2 phones which would be $40-$50. IMHO $150 for both a 16GB and 32GB iPhone 4 is not a bad deal at all. And they said that I am the only one who has called about it so I don't have to wait in any lines.

Because I filed and shipped my Trade-In 5 days ago. Oh and on the $199 I meant $299, it was a typo.

 

[Macdicted]

As for Radio Shack and their trade-in program , I was there yesterday and talked to the manager he said they will pay a flat fee for all 3G=$100 and 3GS =$200 no matter what size. I have a 32 gig and thought that was ridiculous. He then looked at my phone and offered $200 , I asked about keeping my home charger for a spare and he punched in the info and low and behold the computer said my phone was worth $247. I asked how he can tell me it's worth $200 when HIS computer showed $247.

He didn't have an answer ........and he and his $200 can kiss my azz.