Just my .02,
If my storm was so defective I needed to swap it, I would take a refurb now over a new production in 2 weeks. and like weizilla said, if it fixes your problem why not.
I go the other way on this. You paid for a brand new phone, a replacement this early in the game should be a new phone. Just my opinion. I hate referbs.
I'd agree with the people saying you should be asking yourself whether or not it solves the problem(s) you were having. If yes, and it doesn't seem to have any other defects (that you care about anyway) keep it. Who cares if it's a refurb so long as it works? Now if it DOESN'T work, that's a whole other story.
These are most likely phones that were returned before the previous users 30 day trial period. That would be my guess. Probably, nothing wrong with them after the .75 update?!. My feeling is, if your phone is less then 30 days old then I'd want a NEW phone. If not, then your most likely stuck with this brown box phone. Thats my $0.02!!!!! I FEEL your Pain..
The serial label or UL label on the phone will actually say "Refurbished" or "Remanufactured", if it was a refurb. That is a product safety requirement by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) for products with their marking on it. My wife got a replacement phone in the brown box also but the labels did not identify it as a refurb.
This whole idea of "I bought a new phone so my replacement better be new" is idiotic. I've had a number of phones replaced over the years and they were all refurbished, looked brand new, and fixed the issue I had.
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I thought I would get a brown box phone when I got my replacement, but the vzw rep said since it was within the first 30 days they considered my phone DOA. Long story short I got a brand new phone with box, battery, the whole nine yards.
BTW, my end key was getting ready to fall off, hence the DOA.
They're not refurbs they are specific replacement phones. Field replacement Units. Or FRU's. Its brand new and off the same line that retail boxed units are from. The only difference is the packaging and they probably don't come with a battery sometimes. They also never have any of the manuals and accessories cause people never send those back.
I personally have never had any luck with refurbs. It my be itiotic to some, but in my opinion if you buy a new phone and have it replaced within the first thirty days, the replacement should be new. Otherwise, just buy the refub at a refurb worthy price.
like the guy said, if it is a field replacement Unit or FRU, then its just a unit that came off the same assembly line and is in different packaging with non of the extras because you should have already received those. Plus the storm is too new to have refurbs out this quick. The turnaround time for a phone to be ruturned, taken apart, put back together, tested, then sent back to the warehouse is just too long for people right now to be receiving Refurbs. If it were 3 months after launch, i'd might think differently, but it hasn't even been 30 days since launch.
If I had a major problem with my device and had to replace it at this point, since it is less than 30 days old, I would expect to receive a new device.
^^^and people are. People are just assuming since it's not in it's original retail packaging that phone is a refurb. If the phone is a refurb, it is required to be stated as such on the product labels.
Plus why send a new battery, sim, manual, cd and the whole nine yards if there is nothing wrong with it. U just want the phone replaced and that's what u r getting. I'm getting my refurb tomorrow. So as long it works and no dust or click problems, I am fine
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I got a brown box Storm today as a replacement, no where does it indicate that it was a refurb, went to buy another charger at VZW store today, took it out and showed them, manager and tech in the back said that it was brand new, I think it is just where things ship from maybe?
It is new regardless. I received the brown box replacement too. I researched intensely with VZW and found out they have thousands just like that ready to ship for replacements. They are new units.
Within 30 days of purchase they send a new one. After that you get a refurb is one is available.