[CrackberryQ]

Dearest Bla1ze,

Being editor in chief of this community, and the later being as I believe the largest BlackBerry user community around, and in light of the current BlackBerry Passport Coupon VIP debacle, please help buy sending and email and obtaining a final clear answer on what the VIP version, and whether or not purchasers should be compensated with either goods or refunds, or not.

Please keep in mind the following which I gathered to the best of my understanding from the forums pertaining this issue.

1. A while ago a "VIP" version was featured in a video on crackberry forums, this lead people to search the BlackBerry site, and in fact find a VIP version, which is 100 usd more expensive than the regular on the US site.
Although BlackBerry is not related to the released video, but the word Vip and the extra 100usd and the fact that orders were accepted at the same time as the regular cheaper one, all pointed out to the fact the the VIP version has something different, linger warranty, different color, faster delivery, included gifts etc...

2. At the very beginning some contacted DR and got replies confirming that the VIP package has extra chargers, and a solid case.

3. Recently an email from BlackBerry to one of our members stated that the VIP package is identical and no extras in comparison to the regular package.

What we would like to know.

1. Is the VIP package different, if so how?
2. If it is identical, and BlackBerry had it on its site and allowed users to place orders at a premium, will BlackBerry give us something for this premium, or will they refund the difference, or nothing at all.
3. For people who bought the VIP instead of the regular during the coupon period paying 568 instead of 480 usd including tax, will those people also get refunds if BlackBerry decides to go down that road based on the coupon they used?
4. The email from BlackBerry noting the 29 October delivery commencement, does that apply to the VIP version, as many of us didn't get the email, although our funds have been deducted.

These are the questions and clarifications I gathered from the other forums, guys if u have anything else please add.

BLA1ZE please end this, in all cases I love the coupon thing still got away with a passport at reduced price, but I believe this is a hot topic and you should be all over it ASAP.

Thnx.

Ps.: description says VIP device included, so that's quite clear that is a different thing. At least for me.

Posted via CB10
Attachment 305357

[arthursim]

Bla1ze isn't the ambassador to BlackBerry here, but hopefully they would give someone like him a more solid answer. The problem is that (it looks like) they're too busy trying to figure out what to do about it and laying blame on each other I'm sure (DR and BB).

I don't think anybody really knows the full scoop of the problem. This is a ****ty way that they're handling some of their most loyal fans.

I wonder if maybe Bla1ze or Kevin could/should send some screen shots of the number of threads related to this mess.

Posted via CB10

[LiteBulb]

All these for a phone?

[AnimalPak200]

Doesn't the VIP "version" just include the same phone + a hard shell, international charger adapters, and a nicer (bigger) box (to fit the extra stuff in)?

The main reason most ordered that instead of the regular one was because it was showing as in stock long after the regular Passport was listed as out of stock.

What is there to clarify? Both packages are backordered and will "begin shipping by" Oct 29th. In other words, the latest they will begin shipping them is on Oct 29, but they could ship earlier.

Posted via CB10

[Cobrajett]

Doesn't the VIP "version" just include the same phone + a hard shell, international charger adapters, and a nicer box?

The main reason most ordered that instead of the regular one was because it was showing as in stock long after the regular Passport was listed as out of stock.

What is there to clarify? Both packages are backordered and will "begin shipping by" Oct 29th. In other words, the latest they will begin shipping them is on Oct 29, but they could ship earlier.

Posted via CB10

Nobody, thats NOBODY except BB and DR know the answer to your question. Anyone on this forum that tells you otherwise, is speculating.

[CrackberryQ]

Bla1ze isn't the ambassador to BlackBerry here, but hopefully they would give someone like him a more solid answer. The problem is that (it looks like) they're too busy trying to figure out what to do about it and laying blame on each other I'm sure (DR and BB).

I don't think anybody really knows the full scoop of the problem. This is a ****ty way that they're handling some of their most loyal fans.

I wonder if maybe Bla1ze or Kevin could/should send some screen shots of the number of threads related to this mess.

Posted via CB10

Finally someone with something constructive to add!

Dude where have u been!

Posted via CB10

[CrackberryQ]

All these for a phone?

Correct! Sometimes I actually regret posting something in this community!

Posted via CB10

[deezy87]

Nobody at DR knows anything and BlackBerry certainly isn't going to give you an answer either.

Posted via CB10

[slick_cl]

I got 100% confirmation from BlackBerry yesterday that the VIP is exactly the same as the regular Passport, no extra chargers or hard shell case. The only reason it says VIP is because the way it was setup on the site, only specific people were given the link to the VIP. Most likely for a pre-sale prior to launch or something along those lines. It was never intended to be for the general public.

Posted via CB10

[CrackberryQ]

I got 100% confirmation from BlackBerry yesterday that the VIP is exactly the same as the regular Passport, no extra chargers or hard shell case. The only reason it says VIP is because the way it was setup on the site, only specific people were given the link to the VIP. Most likely for a pre-sale prior to launch or something along those lines. It was never intended to be for the general public.

Posted via CB10

Ok, cool is it documented in an email?

Posted via CB10

[slick_cl]

Ok, cool is it documented in an email?

Posted via CB10

Yup, got confirmation from the director of ShopBlackBerry.

[CrackberryQ]

Yup, got confirmation from the director of ShopBlackBerry.

Please can you share the directors email address, ide live to email her myself, with a couple of questions.

Thnx

[buburimbu]

I got 100% confirmation from BlackBerry yesterday that the VIP is exactly the same as the regular Passport, no extra chargers or hard shell case. The only reason it says VIP is because the way it was setup on the site, only specific people were given the link to the VIP. Most likely for a pre-sale prior to launch or something along those lines. It was never intended to be for the general public.

Posted via CB10

I can also confirm this after my email exchange with her.

[CrackberryQ]

I can also confirm this after my email exchange with her.

Plz share her email address.

Posted via CB10

[Master of Surgery]

Nobody, thats NOBODY except BB and DR know the answer to your question. Anyone on this forum that tells you otherwise, is speculating.

Ha Ha. Now THAT'S the funniest thing I've read so far on here. "DR know the answer" Ha Ha!!


Posted via CB10

[Cobrajett]

Ha Ha. Now THAT'S the funniest thing I've read so far on here. "DR know the answer" Ha Ha!!


Posted via CB10

I accept that none of the CS reps at DR have the slightest of clues, the same as almost no one at BB knows. But, someone at DR and someone at BB knows what VIP is. No one on this forums knows. Even those that say they have received confirmation really don't know.

[Bla1ze]

You're not going to get any answers right now anyway.

1). It's Sunday (when this was posted)
2). It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Anyone with any stature to be able to REALLY answer the questions from BlackBerry is out of office even if they live in the U.S.

Also, I see a lot of people essentially complaining about the VIP packages. However, how did anyone even know about the VIP packages to begin with? They were hidden on the site and you had to search for / be given the link to order them, as noted previously in this thread. Seemingly with that being the case, everyone took a small risk in ordering something they weren't supposed to actually be seeing or wasn't intended for them anyway as far as I can tell.

Everyone read something about the VIP package here which was based on rumor and speculation and ordered something that had no details associated with it aside from it saying 'VIP package'. Seems like the 'debacle' blame has to be shared here. BlackBerry and DR should have killed every VIP order and well, no one should have been ordering it to begin with.

I'll see what's shaking on Tuesday morning and see if there's any answers to be had.

[anon(1852343)]

Now that it's common knowledge, I will take one plz

Blackberry Passport on the TELUS network

[deezy87]

You're not going to get any answers right now anyway.

1). It's Sunday (when this was posted)
2). It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Anyone with any stature to be able to REALLY answer the questions from BlackBerry is out of office even if they live in the U.S.

Also, I see a lot of people essentially complaining about the VIP packages. However, how did anyone even know about the VIP packages to begin with? They were hidden on the site and you had to search for / be given the link to order them, as noted previously in this thread. Seemingly with that being the case, everyone took a small risk in ordering something they weren't supposed to actually be seeing or wasn't intended for them anyway as far as I can tell.

Everyone read something about the VIP package here which was based on rumor and speculation and ordered something that had no details associated with it aside from it saying 'VIP package'. Seems like the 'debacle' blame has to be shared here. BlackBerry and DR should have killed every VIP order and well, no one should have been ordering it to begin with.

I'll see what's shaking on Tuesday morning and see if there's any answers to be had.

This would suck, if the VIP orders were canned.

Posted via CB10

[Bla1ze]

This would suck, if the VIP orders were canned.

Posted via CB10

In a way, yes. However, it would clear up a lot of frustration as well. People would get their money back and could order what they should have been ordering to begin with - a normal Passport package. DR should have never left them available on the site and people they weren't intended for should have never been ordering them. With DR leaving them there and people ordering them, it has created an entitlement factor that should never have been in place.

Posted via CB10

[SK122387]

BlackBerry and Digital River have canceled orders for the VIP Passports? That's rich.

The idea that BlackBerry is literally returning money to customers is hilarious.

The people who found out about the VIP link are probably just us CrackBerry crazies or N4BB nuts--I don't think BlackBerry is doing themselves any favors by rubbing their diehard fans the wrong way.

I didn't order one, because I saw the picture of it and saw that it was still stainless steel, I already have the case, and I don't need a bunch of adapters. But for the what, like, the few hundred BlackBerry fans that got their VIP orders canceled for no reason? That's terrible, and at a time when BlackBerry and Digital River are trying to establish credibility, this definitely doesn't help.

[mf1982]

In a way, yes. However, it would clear up a lot of frustration as well. People would get their money back and could order what they should have been ordering to begin with - a normal Passport package. DR should have never left them available on the site and people they weren't intended for should have never been ordering them. With DR leaving them there and people ordering them, it has created an entitlement factor that should never have been in place.

Posted via CB10

I'm not completely frustrated yet, although by the end of the week I was hoping for a surprise delivery.

The fact that they immediately took our money (and now have had it for almost 10 days) when we ordered goes beyond a simple shouldn't have had it on the site.

Some communication is necessary and if they pull the VIP orders, they need to at least send a regular Passport to those affected at this point.

An error and fix like yours would have been last Monday morning at the latest. It's too late for that now and many a vendor has taken a loss to correct these kinds of problems. It wasn't an insane unheard of discount where orders were cancelled quickly. They've sat on our money for a week and a half now, so there is an expectation that the product ordered will arrive.

As long as there is no holster, I'm not in a massive rush for it yet though.


Posted via CB10

[RafiqK]

BTW I don't believe BlackBerry had "canceled" their orders per say..there just giving them the normal order instead of the VIP (so just the passport).

But yes I do agree that it's not right at all.

Posted via CB on my BlackBerry Z30

[anon(2570095)]

I accept that none of the CS reps at DR have the slightest of clues, the same as almost no one at BB knows. But, someone at DR and someone at BB knows what VIP is. No one on this forums knows. Even those that say they have received confirmation really don't know.

Myself and others have posted with 100% certainty it is the normal passport. We do know. Here is an excerpt from the email:

You are correct on multiple points:

Your card should not have been charged at checkout. It should have been charged at shipment. This was due to the way we set up the VIP product.
The VIP product is only a name to be used for a very small marketing initiative it never, though, referred to a VIP bundle, such as was distributed at the launch. It was called VIP because the marketing initiative was for VIP contacts. The product you are getting is the regular version of the passport with only the phone, headphones, and charger. I apologize for the confusion.

Posted via CB10

[nomi1978]

BTW I don't believe BlackBerry had "canceled" their orders per say..there just giving them the normal order instead of the VIP (so just the passport).

But yes I do agree that it's not right at all.

Posted via CB on my BlackBerry Z30

Well technically for the folks in the states they ordered the VIP because the regular one was sold out. Also after using the coupon they got it cheaper then buying a regular passport.

For the Canadians they would have paid $699 regardless so just getting the passport with the coupon is a win win.