So I've been trying to purchase a verizon iphone 6 (not the plus) which has brought many to many stores over the past few days.
1. I started off at Bestbuy and my local one had the model (Verizon, 128gb, color doesn't matter) I wanted in stock, but they wanted $50 more than everywhere else ($900) for a "replacement device". No thanks.
2. I then headed over to Verizon after giving them a call to see if they had the size I wanted in stock. After confirmation they had it in stock, I visited my local verizon store and waited for 40 minutes. I wanted to purchase the phone off contract which they are willing to do, but they will not let me leave the store unless I activate it for which they charge a $35 fee and credit check. I'm on AT&T and do not want to activate it but would like to have the option to switch to verizon later, so I leave without the phone.
3. I contacted apple support over the online chat to ask if they sold the verizon phone off contract to which they replied: not online but they will sell it off contract in store. Great. So I've been following the stock of the phone model I want and it always shows as available. I call the store to see if it's in stock which they confirmed and I asked how quickly the line was moving since I wanted to pick it up on my lunch break. Apple informed me they were moving people pretty quickly so I drove over about 30-45 minutes later and there was a long line so I went back to work. Darn.
4. Just before I left work that evening, I checked the store stock online and it was available. I stopped by and there was a line of about 15 people and I really didn't feel like waiting so I left.
5. On my way home, I decided to call Bestbuy to see if they would price match Apple and if they had the phone I wanted in stock. They did! I show up and they agree to price match without any hassle so I swipe my card for the phone. Now, they want me to activate the phone and I tell the employee that I do not want to activate it for verizon since I'm not their customer. Long story short, I ended up getting the payment voided since they would not agree to let me leave without activating it. Screw them.
6. The next day, just before I left work for the evening I check the Apple website and called the "local" (about 45min away from home, but not too terribly out of the way if I stop "on the way" home from work) Apple store again to verify stock. In stock. Great! I show up and ask the employee at the front if there are any iphone 6 in stock to which the employee tells me know. Naturally stock changes so it wasn't that big of a deal and I go home empty handed.
7. Today, just before leaving work I again check the stock online and call to verify to which I'm told it is in stock. I left work a little later than expected and did not make it until about 2 hours later which was still 2 hours before the store's closing time. I ask the employee out front who is watching the "line" of 1 person if there are any iphones any stock. No. Darn, I guess they could sell out since it's been 2 hours so I leave empty handed again. On my way home I decide to call Apple just in case. I called the local number and the lady who answered told me it was in stock. Wtf? I told her that an employee at the store told me they were all out of stock. She then says I can check the website to determine if they are in stock and I realize where the disconnect is....the person on the phone isn't actually at the store despite the number I was calling and the online inventory must not be updating quickly. So she puts me on hold to call the Apple store and check for me. When she gets back with me she tells that it IS in stock and guaranteed it would be there. Wtfx2? I'm about 35 minutes from the store at this time and obviously I'm not going to double back.
So I can understand the Verizon retail store not selling me the phone since they make their money on activations and I can understand Bestbuy not selling me the phone since they too likely get a decent cut from Verizon. But what I don't get is why Apple is lying to me. THEY MAKE MONEY OFF OF THE DEVICE ITSELF! What is Apple's excuse?
I think it would be a good idea to mention the store too:
Apple Store, Lakeside Shopping Center
Address: 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70002
Phone: (504) 830-1400
1. I started off at Bestbuy and my local one had the model (Verizon, 128gb, color doesn't matter) I wanted in stock, but they wanted $50 more than everywhere else ($900) for a "replacement device". No thanks.
2. I then headed over to Verizon after giving them a call to see if they had the size I wanted in stock. After confirmation they had it in stock, I visited my local verizon store and waited for 40 minutes. I wanted to purchase the phone off contract which they are willing to do, but they will not let me leave the store unless I activate it for which they charge a $35 fee and credit check. I'm on AT&T and do not want to activate it but would like to have the option to switch to verizon later, so I leave without the phone.
3. I contacted apple support over the online chat to ask if they sold the verizon phone off contract to which they replied: not online but they will sell it off contract in store. Great. So I've been following the stock of the phone model I want and it always shows as available. I call the store to see if it's in stock which they confirmed and I asked how quickly the line was moving since I wanted to pick it up on my lunch break. Apple informed me they were moving people pretty quickly so I drove over about 30-45 minutes later and there was a long line so I went back to work. Darn.
4. Just before I left work that evening, I checked the store stock online and it was available. I stopped by and there was a line of about 15 people and I really didn't feel like waiting so I left.
5. On my way home, I decided to call Bestbuy to see if they would price match Apple and if they had the phone I wanted in stock. They did! I show up and they agree to price match without any hassle so I swipe my card for the phone. Now, they want me to activate the phone and I tell the employee that I do not want to activate it for verizon since I'm not their customer. Long story short, I ended up getting the payment voided since they would not agree to let me leave without activating it. Screw them.
6. The next day, just before I left work for the evening I check the Apple website and called the "local" (about 45min away from home, but not too terribly out of the way if I stop "on the way" home from work) Apple store again to verify stock. In stock. Great! I show up and ask the employee at the front if there are any iphone 6 in stock to which the employee tells me know. Naturally stock changes so it wasn't that big of a deal and I go home empty handed.
7. Today, just before leaving work I again check the stock online and call to verify to which I'm told it is in stock. I left work a little later than expected and did not make it until about 2 hours later which was still 2 hours before the store's closing time. I ask the employee out front who is watching the "line" of 1 person if there are any iphones any stock. No. Darn, I guess they could sell out since it's been 2 hours so I leave empty handed again. On my way home I decide to call Apple just in case. I called the local number and the lady who answered told me it was in stock. Wtf? I told her that an employee at the store told me they were all out of stock. She then says I can check the website to determine if they are in stock and I realize where the disconnect is....the person on the phone isn't actually at the store despite the number I was calling and the online inventory must not be updating quickly. So she puts me on hold to call the Apple store and check for me. When she gets back with me she tells that it IS in stock and guaranteed it would be there. Wtfx2? I'm about 35 minutes from the store at this time and obviously I'm not going to double back.
So I can understand the Verizon retail store not selling me the phone since they make their money on activations and I can understand Bestbuy not selling me the phone since they too likely get a decent cut from Verizon. But what I don't get is why Apple is lying to me. THEY MAKE MONEY OFF OF THE DEVICE ITSELF! What is Apple's excuse?
I think it would be a good idea to mention the store too:
Apple Store, Lakeside Shopping Center
Address: 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70002
Phone: (504) 830-1400
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