Two Questions on the AT&T iPhone Trade-in

[dvdchance]

OK so I have an iPhone 4 that I want to get a quick $200 for from AT&T.

The problem, however, is that none of the stores in my area have the 6 I'm looking for. Or frankly any 64gb 6 at all really.

So is it possible to trade-in my 4 at AT&T and buy the new phone at the Apple store?

And my second question, is the $40 upgrade / activation fee payable when you buy the phone or does it appear on your next monthly bill?

Thanks for reading.

 

[RyanG]

OK so I have an iPhone 4 that I want to get a quick $200 for from AT&T.

The problem, however, is that none of the stores in my area have the 6 I'm looking for. Or frankly any 64gb 6 at all really.

So is it possible to trade-in my 4 at AT&T and buy the new phone at the Apple store?

And my second question, is the $40 upgrade / activation fee payable when you buy the phone or does it appear on your next monthly bill?

Thanks for reading.

they just give you a $200 AT&T gift card.

appears on next bill.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

OK so I have an iPhone 4 that I want to get a quick $200 for from AT&T.

The problem, however, is that none of the stores in my area have the 6 I'm looking for. Or frankly any 64gb 6 at all really.

So is it possible to trade-in my 4 at AT&T and buy the new phone at the Apple store?

And my second question, is the $40 upgrade / activation fee payable when you buy the phone or does it appear on your next monthly bill?

Thanks for reading.

I have heard that ATT will send you Visa Pre Paid cards. Those can be used anywhere, but I am not sure how long you will have to wait for them.

EDIT: I am incorrect on the Visa cards, sorry.

The upgrade fee is on the next bill.

 

[RyanG]

I have heard that ATT will send you Visa Pre Paid cards. Those can be used anywhere, but I am not sure how long you will have to wait for them.

The upgrade fee is on the next bill.

would like to know who got a pre-paid visa. I just did it yesterday and there wasn't even an option besides an AT&T gift card.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

would like to know who got a pre-paid visa. I just did it yesterday and there wasn't even an option besides an AT&T gift card.

I am most likely wrong. I read that some where before the launch of the 6, it must have just been speculation. Editing my first post.

 

[dvdchance]

Wow thanks for all the quick replies.

So basically you don't have to buy any new phone to get the $200 trade-in?

Just walk in with my phone, walk out with a AT&T gift card?

 

[FzNk]

Wow thanks for all the quick replies.

So basically you don't have to buy any new phone to get the $200 trade-in?

Just walk in with my phone, walk out with a AT&T gift card?

No, you have to buy a new phone as part of the deal. As I understand it, you order the phone then you get an email with instructions for the trade-in. Maybe that can all be done at once if you go to an AT&T store, I'm not sure.

To confirm, the $200/$300 is on a AT&T card which can only be used on AT&T products and services (including your cell bill).

 

[dvdchance]

No, you have to buy a new phone as part of the deal. As I understand it, you order the phone then you get an email with instructions for the trade-in. Maybe that can all be done at once if you go to an AT&T store, I'm not sure.

To confirm, the $200/$300 is on a AT&T card which can only be used on AT&T products and services (including your cell bill).

Now that makes more sense. So I really cannot do the trade-in and get the phone at the Apple store.

From reading other threads I can get $200 instantly at the store off, but none of the stores anywhere near me have any in stock.

So I guess I'll have to decide if I want to do it online and wait to get the both the phone and the card, or get the phone now at Apple Store and see what I can get selling the phone on eBay or one of the other services.

 

[lordofthereef]

Can you choose to use the gift card for your Bill? Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I have no real use for $200 at AT&T store.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

You can trade your phone in at the Apple store, but it will likely be lower for a 4. I was offered $205 for a 32gb iPhone 5.

 

[dvdchance]

You can trade your phone in at the Apple store, but it will likely be lower for a 4. I was offered $205 for a 32gb iPhone 5.

Thats a no go for me. They only offered $60 for my 4. Thats why the AT&T $200 looks so very appealing.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

Thats a no go for me. They only offered $60 for my 4. Thats why the AT&T $200 looks so very appealing.

Makes sense. If you really want to buy the 6 at an Apple Store I would sell the 4 elsewhere. I am not sure that you will get $200 anywhere else, but getting more than $60 should be pretty easy.

 

[ASakai]

OK so I have an iPhone 4 that I want to get a quick $200 for from AT&T.

The problem, however, is that none of the stores in my area have the 6 I'm looking for. Or frankly any 64gb 6 at all really.

So is it possible to trade-in my 4 at AT&T and buy the new phone at the Apple store?

And my second question, is the $40 upgrade / activation fee payable when you buy the phone or does it appear on your next monthly bill?

Thanks for reading.

I asked reps at two different AT&T stores about the trade in deal if I happen to find my iPhone 6 model I want at an Apple Store before they get more stock. Both reps said I could still walk in with my old 4S and get a $200 ATT gift card even if I find my new iPhone elsewhere.

Remember the deal ends 9/30. My plan is if I don't find my new iPhone 6 by the 29th, I plan to order it from ATT.com because as long as you order by the 30th, you lock in the $200 trade offer (or $300 if it's a 5s model) even if your order arrives later on.

 

[Devlonc]

Don't have to buy new phone

You don't have to buy a new iphone thru At&t to get the "trade in". I think trade in is where people are getting confused. It's more like a guaranteed buyback. They are giving $300 for any 5s and $200 for iph4-5. It's an At&t gift card to be used at the AT&T store or At&t online. A friend didn't order a new ip6 but took his two ip4's in and walked out with $400 in Att gift cards. I ordered my phone from Apple and took my ip4 in and got a $200 card which i used to buy a new screen cover then applied the remaining $185 to my att account which covered this months bill plus my account shows a -$95 balance. It's pretty simple really and a great deal if you have older iphones laying around.

 

[dvdchance]

Makes sense. If you really want to buy the 6 at an Apple Store I would sell the 4 elsewhere. I am not sure that you will get $200 anywhere else, but getting more than $60 should be pretty easy.

Looking quick on ebay a white 32gb 4 like mine will get about $125 or so.

 

[Angriff]

I was able to trade in an old iPhone 4 on the Wednesday before the iPhone 6 launch and walk out with the $200 AT&T gift card (which by the way IS processed as a Visa and might have had a Visa logo on it, but is only good at AT&T). I then traded in my 5S on Friday for a $300 gift card, and used both gift cards towards my iPhone 6. When I did the 4 trade-in, the guy did mention something about being unsure if he could do it without me buying something in-store that day, but it didn't end up being an issue. I'm sure if you went in with the iPhone 4 and said you plan on ordering the new phone online or at Apple if you can find it in stock, they wouldn't give you a major issue. You could then apply the gift card towards your next bill or two if you end up getting the phone at Apple.

 

[lordofthereef]

I was able to trade in an old iPhone 4 on the Wednesday before the iPhone 6 launch and walk out with the $200 AT&T gift card (which by the way IS processed as a Visa and might have had a Visa logo on it, but is only good at AT&T).

Any idea if the cards can be used towards a future bill? Or do they have to be used on product?

 

[ScottJ]

I was able to trade in an old iPhone 4 on the Wednesday before the iPhone 6 launch and walk out with the $200 AT&T gift card (which by the way IS processed as a Visa and might have had a Visa logo on it, but is only good at AT&T). I then traded in my 5S on Friday for a $300 gift card, and used both gift cards towards my iPhone 6. When I did the 4 trade-in, the guy did mention something about being unsure if he could do it without me buying something in-store that day, but it didn't end up being an issue. I'm sure if you went in with the iPhone 4 and said you plan on ordering the new phone online or at Apple if you can find it in stock, they wouldn't give you a major issue. You could then apply the gift card towards your next bill or two if you end up getting the phone at Apple.

I was also able to trade in my old backup iPhone 4 on September 18th, and received a $200 AT&T Promotion Card. Since I wasn't eligible for a regular upgrade, I applied the Promotion Card to my wireless account. Note that these promotion cards are only good for 3 months...

 

[RyanG]

Wow thanks for all the quick replies.

So basically you don't have to buy any new phone to get the $200 trade-in?

Just walk in with my phone, walk out with a AT&T gift card?

no, no phone needs to be purchased. i already had my iphone 6 from apple. he just checked the phone, did some paperwork and gave me the gift card. i was not required to purchase anything.

 

[dvdchance]

Not needing to purchase a phone to get the trade-in seems like a good way to go if AT&T doesn't get any more stock of phones to do a swap right there.

Great responses thanks

 

[FzNk]

no, no phone needs to be purchased. i already had my iphone 6 from apple. he just checked the phone, did some paperwork and gave me the gift card. i was not required to purchase anything.

Interesting, that goes against what the trade-in website says:

Trade-in Offer: Ends September 30, 2014. Select locations only. Requires eligible trade-in and purchase of new smartphone on AT&T NextSM, 2-year wireless agreement, or at regular price with no annual contract and qualified service activation.

Maybe they gave it to you because you had renewed your contract?

 

[DravenGSX]

When I traded my phones in (after pre-ordering and purchasing two iPhone 6s from AT&T), I was told that I had to purchase something in the store for him to initiate the trade. That could be ANOTHER $20 lightning cable or some gawdy $30 case or even a $10 stylus that I couldn't use.

I had to make a stink with a manager before they would even consider my $1500 iPhone pre-order (made through them) eligible for the trade.

YMMV, but he showed me the terms on his iPad that made him feel special.

Once the transaction was completed, I marched over to the payment kiosk and added the $500 (5S and 5) to my account and tossed the cards.

 

[RyanG]

I asked about specific clause on AT&T chat and was told you don't need to purchase a phone at the time of trade-in, nor is it required. Many others have stated the same in various threads.

I used this link: https://attbb.tradein-program.com/manufacturer

Filled out, brought into store, gave him the iPhone 4, walked out with a gift card.

Do it at a corporate store, not an authorized retailer. Authorized retailers WILL make you buy some sort of accessory.

And no, I did not renew my contract. They didn't even check my account.

 

[FzNk]

Ah, I see. That appears to be a different offer than what they've been advertising as the quotes I get are good past the end of the other offer.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

For those that have done this, does the phone need to be in good physical condition? I assume so, otherwise they would be giving money out for trash but it wouldn't hurt to get rid of some of my stock of broken phones.