On 10-4-17 I went to pick up a preordered iPhone 8 at the Verizon store on Promenade Parkway in Castle Rock, Colorado. I told my salesperson, Tiara [Removed], that I would pay for the phone in full and all I wanted as far as accessories was the glass screen protector. She said if I found a case I liked and paid for it I would receive 3 free items - Hum, Mophie, and the screen protector. I had never heard of a Mophie or Hum, certainly didn't ask for them, but she said she was making me a great deal with this bundle. I asked twice if those other 3 items were free if I paid the $50 for the phone case and she was very clear that they were. My husband and I both heard her say that more than once because I asked more than once, wanted to be very clear. Tiara knew we were going to buy another iPhone 8 for my husband when we returned to Texas and had asked if she could order it for us when we made the purchase. We appreciated that she had made us that great deal and had planned to do that so she could get credit.
Tiara was also very clear that I should call or email her with any questions. In reading up on the Hum we realized it was not something we wanted so I started emailing Tiara, asking what we needed to do. After 2 days of unanswered emails, which included the fact that it would be difficult to get back that week (the store was out of town) so could she please let me know if it would be OK to come the following week to return the Hum, there was no answer. I then called Verizon who said I had a while but they recommended I go ahead and take it back to receive full credit. So we changed our plans for the day (we were on vacation) and went back to return the unwanted Hum and Tiara was at the store but did not address us or make eye contact. By that time I was not very happy with her so was glad someone else helped us but what terrible customer service. The man that helped said we would have to pay a restocking fee for the Hum which we were not happy about but he said it was just $5 and some odd cents so we paid it and were glad to be done with that store.
Until I opened my bill today! Tiara charged us for all of those 3 "free" items! Plus there was an additional charge of $35 for restocking even though I had already paid what they told me I owed in the store for restocking when I returned the Hum! I called Verizon this morning, 11-4-17, and the representative, whose name is Shani, was very helpful, removing the bogus restocking fee and crediting my account for it. She also gave me $20 credit on the items that we were told would be free and I agreed to it since when I received the receipt by email I guess I should have gone over it carefully but it never occurred to me that Verizon would blatantly LIE to me! Shani was great.
However, the more I think about it the madder I am becoming about this situation. I paid $50 for the case and was supposed to receive the 3 freebies - that I never asked for, by the way. Tiara offered them to me. But now for the case and the "free" items, which I never intended to buy, I am being charged $35 for the case (that I already paid $50 for), $35 for the "free" Mophie, which I never asked for, had never heard of such a thing - she threw it in, and $19.99 for the glass protector which I did ask for but Tiara said it would be free with the bundle (again - the Hum, Mophie, and glass protector were represented as being free if I paid $50 for the case, which I did.
So here is the bottom line. I already paid $50 for the case, but am being charged again for it, at a lower price ($35), as well as for two of the"free" items, at a total of another $89.99 on top of the $50 I already paid. Shani offered me the $20 credit on the "free" items which I agreed to but after thinking about it further I believe that Verizon should refund the other $69.99, due to the fact that we were blatantly lied to. It's not a large amount of money but it is a total ripoff.
Finally, I will say that I should have checked more carefully, I should not have trusted Tiara to do what she promised. Lesson learned. But my biggest concern while still at the store was getting my photos transferred from the iCloud. It just wasn't working, she even downloaded a Google photo app on my phone and tried to send them that way but it still wasn't right. After a couple of hours we left, when we found out the store didn't have real wifi, just a hot spot (or at least that's what Tiara said...) and when we got home and connected to wifi the photos came immediately.
I have been a loyal customer since back before it was even called Verizon, it was GTE Mobilnet. I take partial responsibility for not checking Tiara's figures sooner but have never felt a Verizon rep would lie to me. Until now. We have a credit with Apple and almost bought the phones through them. Maybe next time. We will be getting our wireless chargers and other accessories from them for sure.
I can only hope we don't have the same problem when we are billed for my husband's new iPhone that we also paid for in full at a Verizon here in Texas, as they also threw in 3 free items, and without asking for the $50 payment like I paid in Castle Rock. They were just free - a case, a charger, and another Mophie, or so they said. I no longer trust Verizon salespersons, at least the ones in the stores..
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