I went to the Verizon store in Brooksville, FL last Monday morning to purchase a new phone. I was told there would be a 20 - 25 minute wait. After 30 minutes I checked to see if my name was still on the list and was told it would be 10 more minutes. Finally after a total of 45 minutes a salesperson called my name. He asked me in a gruff voice "What do you want", I told him which phone I wanted (I had done my research and had already decided). He told me that it was too technical for me. (I am a 66 year old woman - with lots of electronics experience,) He also told me I would need a SD card for the phone. He never asked me if I was due for a new phone or even my phone number and never checked my account. I felt he didn't want to deal with me and was probably glad when I left the store without buying anything.
I went to Best Buy and had just the opposite experience. There was no waiting, they were glad to sell me the phone - half price of Verizon's. And no it didn't need an SD card to work but I could take the card out of my old phone and use it in the new.
Moral of the story - go to Best Buy!!!!