[kdav78]

I've just found out that for people who go to verizon wireless corporate stores looking to upgrade might get the answer "sorry all sold out" while new customers are able to get the phone in store. Here is the background to what I've had to go through. I went the the local verizon wireless corportate store where I live looking to purchase the phone. However, storm was sold out but they told me that another store (located in 30 Mall Dr W # K38, Jersey City, NJ - (201) 239-4000) has 9 storms available. So, the sales person called the JC store to ask them to hold the phone until I get there... After few minutes the store salesperson basically told me they only sell it to NEW customers not upgrading customer... My response was "WHAT!!" thats ridiculous. I decided to call verizon and basically told the supervisor the story. The supervisor call me back and basically tells me that the store manager told him the store has no storms available.

So, I decided to go to the JC store with my wife, telling her to pretend to be a NEW customer. I went into the store about 5 mins after her pretending to be a upgrade customer. Basically, sales person my wife was dealing with tells her they have about 4 left. The sales person I was dealing with tells me it's sold out. Furious, I called back the supervisor and explained the situation and how they lied to him and me. The supervisor called the store manager directly and after couple of mins I was given the storm. How legal is this? Can they discriminate who to sell to? I will be definiately be consulting my lawyer friends about the legality of this experience.

To all if you who go/went to any verizon store.. I would first act like a NEW customer rather than telling them you're looking to upgrade. Looks like their policy is to be nice to new customers while for people looking to upgrade get the **** treatment.

Has anyone experience this before.

[LaRZo]

Yikes, salespeople can be so dirty. Glad you fought the good fight for it.

[Ainvar]

Heh wow, wonder how you could get them in trouble for doing that. All they are thinking of is the bottom line and $$$ in there pocket. Pretty crappy IMO.

[Yesterdays Shoveler]

At least you didn't stand in line on release day and have to deal with that bull **** like I did. Then again, they didn't lie to me and say they didn't have any in stock, they flat out told me that only new subscribers could walk out with a phone and anyone else had to have one shipped.

[Train13]

I went yesterday to exchange my Storm for a new one. The night before I called Verizon explaining my issues and the CS told me my local store had 20 in stock and to go exchange it. She told me they will swap it out for a brand new in the box, I was to take my box and everything with me. She also said she would mark my account to swap it out. So i get to the store and the tech says they dont have any in stock and he would order me one. I said thats funny the CS told me you have 20 in stock. He said he cant give me one of those, I said you better ask your mananger. So he got the manager and the manager started to tell me the same thing and I said lets call corporate and you explain to them you have 20 but wont give me one.... 2 minutes later they were setting up a new one for me. I can honestly say I have never experianced this with Verizon before. I had the RAZR and got it replaced 4 times and never had that issue....

[Nyisles84]

I'd start taking down each of there names an inform them that I would be contacting the BBB on accounts of discrimination. Not sure how much would get done honestly but it could put a good scare into them.

[the12thskin]

after reading this i called my local store ( as a new ct.) and they told me the same thing. this is Dirty and should be illegal

[jaybird0613]

Exact same thing happened to me here in Canada on release date with Bell.

After following the storm hype for the last 2 months I decided to buy my first BB. A crackberry virgin! When I walked in to Bell World I asked if they had any in stock. Their response was ‘New activation or upgrade?’. ‘Upgrade’ I said. They then told me that the only ones they had left were for people who prepaid for their phone… so I walked out of the store with my head hung low. Seems like they only wanted to give ones to new activations…. where I assume they make more money for their store.

As I got to my car I decided to call Bell CS and tell them I wanted to cancel and switch to Telus. I told the agent that the store would not sell me a phone and she promptly told me to walk back in and that they are required to sell it to me if they have them in stock.

So this time I spoke to them and said I wanted to buy one for my ‘gf’ on a new activation (testing to see if they really have them in stock). She said yes, and I informed her about my call to Customer Support. She reluctantly got one from the back.. and now I’m enjoying my first ever BB! I didn’t like having to be sneaky about it, but I think I deserve to buy one just as much as a new customer. =)

[juKe187]

that is grimy, I was a new customer when I got mine opening day, and they actually put one on hold for me before the opening day because of that excuse. helped me out, but I admit it is messed up (morally, but not financially)

[seVer916]

Not really discrimination since it's not because of you specifically... Black, white, male, female... Whatever. They get better commision for new sales than upgrades.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[TruPolishPride]

That's horrible. Although my relatives in Illinois were upgrading 2 phones from verizon for 2 storms and had no problems at all on launch day.

Something should be done about that tho.

[brileverett]

Funny...I went in the other day to try and buy my storm (don't have an upgrade but was going to give the bastards fullprice for it even!) And they were 'out of stock' until mid january! After reading this I called the store as a 'new customer' wanting one and...weird....they said to come right in! Verizon is so ridiculous.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[zenit]

I had no trouble at all buying a storm on an upgrade here in salt lake city. They must have gotten a whole lot of them in this week.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[IAmAmirHasan]

Stores with lower inventory are holding them for new activations.

It's not illegal. It's not even wrong really. It just isn't 'fair'. Life isn't really fair either most of the time. You can order it online still however, or find a store with more inventory.

[BBartist]

I went into my local Verizon store here in Colorado this week and the same thing! I was doing an insurance claim and I asked if they had any phones in stock and the woman said no. Understandable, but after telling me no I was waiting for her to set up my backup phone and I look up and see another employee walking out of the back with two of them and started to set them up for this guy!...I looked right at the lady "so no storms in stock huh?" (pointing at the guy next to me). She said they must have been hiding in the back...just tell me the truth. I would have been cool with it no big deal, I had my backup so I was good, don't lie to my face and then get caught with your foot in your mouth!
The funniest part was after everything was all said and done, I was sitting in my car outside of the store going through my contacts and I look up and see the guy come walking out with his two daughter (looked like 12/13 years old) PLAYING WITH THEIR NEW STORMS!!! I couldn't believe it. They all hop in the Cayanne GTS and off they go. Give me a break, really?

[ddarvish]

they are really shady guys. i learned that the hard way with vzw.

[cray1000]

its def. not illegal.

this is how this all works.

the store and the managers/sales people there only care about new activations. we all know this, when i last worked in the business 5 upgrades = 1 new activation. well that should explain it to you right there!

now corporate, yes of course they want new activations, but they dont want to lose customrs either. unlike the store who gets the upfront commision and then doesnt care if the person stays for 10 years or 9 months, corporate does care. they want to keep subscribers. unlike the stores who judge themselves on "new activations" corporate judges itself on "subscribers"

so yes in these situations always call verizon corporate cs.
the best part is CS has all power over the stores, even over the managers.

but its not illegal, they are risking losing subscribers who have been around for years (and more years to come) to give someone a phone who may cancel after 20 days.

so corporate knows this is bad policy, but obviously its best for the stores.

[lblank69]

it all has to do with the managers in that store. new customers they do this for so that the new customers can have a phone to leave with. the reps make no more money on a new or an upgrade

[lewis584]

I'm going to get stood on for this but its not underhand, the reps aren't shafting you. They're playing by the companies rules.

Here in the UK, Vodafone have ALL their consumer cusotmers classed as either 'core' 'medium' 'high value' 'ultra high value'. As it stands, I am only allowed to send the phone out to High, and Ultra High Value customers.

In the stores, this was the same for a while.

The other way VF are seen to 'discriminate' is to only give the phone to people upgrading or starting a contract. The phone can not be bought outright, handset only.

Which is annoying as it has resulted in my STILL not being allowed the phone despite being employed by them as I'll be getting the phone with no contract (�100, no contract) and simply using it with my staff tarriff that I already have set up. Hopefully going to be picking it up after Xmas when we get the go ahead. At that point (in the UK at least) anybody will be able to get the phone in the UK.

All this is due to stock. We're CONSTANTLY having phones shipped over from Canada and its such a slow trickle that the phones are rarely in stock, I went into the work the other day and in my 9 hour shift, VF customer serice went from 1000 units to -500.


*awaits abuse*

[opph20]

I'm sure they get more commision on a new activation over an upgrade! Atleast that's how it worked when I was in cellphone sales. Not to mention the bottom line!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[vzwindahouse]

In response to this post, the Storms are not in stock for Insurance claims. You have to go through the insurance company to do so. The reason the other customers got the Storm was probably because they were new customers or upgrades. I am sure that the Tech Rep said that they did not have Insuranace Replacement Phones, just remember Insurance which is through Asurion, is a third party company, you need to go through them in order to replace your phone if You mess it up. Why would they need to lie to you if you have an insurance claim phone anyway? They do not give you new Storms for an insurance claim. And because they have a Cayanne those customers defiantly have priority, give them a break, really? You should consult your guide....Have a nice day.

I went into my local Verizon store here in Colorado this week and the same thing! I was doing an insurance claim and I asked if they had any phones in stock and the woman said no. Understandable, but after telling me no I was waiting for her to set up my backup phone and I look up and see another employee walking out of the back with two of them and started to set them up for this guy!...I looked right at the lady "so no storms in stock huh?" (pointing at the guy next to me). She said they must have been hiding in the back...just tell me the truth. I would have been cool with it no big deal, I had my backup so I was good, don't lie to my face and then get caught with your foot in your mouth!
The funniest part was after everything was all said and done, I was sitting in my car outside of the store going through my contacts and I look up and see the guy come walking out with his two daughter (looked like 12/13 years old) PLAYING WITH THEIR NEW STORMS!!! I couldn't believe it. They all hop in the Cayanne GTS and off they go. Give me a break, really?

[howie]

Not really discrimination since it's not because of you specifically... Black, white, male, female... Whatever. They get better commision for new sales than upgrades.

Agreed, it's not discrimination at all. The store decides on how they want to sell the item. It is the customers privilege to buy, not their right to buy. They can deny anyone that they wish - just as Best Buy can over a TV, but they never do.

They don't even allow their employees to buy new phones for a period of time. But, I do think it's wrong to say "It's sold out" when they should just be honest and say "we are currently only selling to new customers, not upgrades in this store at this time"

[snowgimp]

If this happens you should absolutely get the name of the rep/manager and whoever else you deal with in the store that is doing this. I would then call CS and ask the rep to help you file some feedback on the store...that is so not cool. And to the post about insurance in Colorado...insurance claims really should go through Assurion if they do let you do it in store it's a HUGE exception.

[Pete6]

Several people should prin this thread (url's and all) and take it to several Verizon stores. If about 20 people do this then I am sure that it will percolate upwards.

Also those who have the email addresses of managers in the loop should email the link to this thread.

Verizon are just trying to make money and that is not illegal. However they have been caught optimzing their sales by CrackBerry mambers and we owe it to them and ourselves to showthem that we know what they have been up to.

There is an easy fix btw. If you want an upgrade, take another person to the store with you who says they are a new customer. Person #2asks to see the phone and then shows lack of interest and does not sign. Now you.....

[swangner]

Personally, I would contact the Better Business Bureau.

Not because of the policy per se, but because of the lies.

If you make a higher profit margin on new activations, and you want to save your limited amount of units for that purpose, fine...it's your company, you can set policies as you like...but be up front about it and do not out and out lie to the consumer.

I would also be contacting VZW Corporate. Again, for the same reasons. Then perhaps a local news person (like "Help me Howard" or "Shame on You" here in NY). I'm sure both the local store AND Corporate would LOVE the publicity