Refund procedure problematic

On January 17, 2015, I was eligible to upgrade my iPhone 5. I wanted to upgrade to Samsung Galaxy Note 4. $299.99 with 2 year contract. Ok so far.

I did the "upgrade" online, following step by step procedure. In the end, it turned out to be NOT an upgrade, but an ADD A LINE. Oh no! By the time I realized the mistake, customer service could not cancel the order as it already shipped! I was told I'd have to receive the phone then send it back. I should never have done this online.

Due to it being a weekend, it arrived January 20, 3015 which was 3 days later. I immediately went to the Verizon store. They could not or would not help me since I ordered it ONLINE. Sheesh. The store printed out a return label for me and it took it to FedEx for a free overnight return. FedEx took it and I received a tracking number.

Sure enough, the warehouse in Texas received the Note 4 on January 21, 2015, unopened, brand new with charger, etc. All new, untouched, etc. tracking number proves it.

I have called customer service no fewer than 11 times just trying to get a timeline for a refund!! I get different answers from diff reps. Extremely annoying! It should be so simple!

There is one BIG thing that I am nervous about. On December 14, 2015, my generous husband, for my Christmas present, purchased from the Verizon store, a Verizon gift card for $300 to put toward upgrade when my contract expired 1/17/15. The total bill was $361.24. I used gift certificate for $300 and paid the $61.24 with Visa....all online!

I want my refund and I want it now. I have the gift card itself plus the receipt. Store did nothing for me on any of this. I am real afraid that the gift card amount won't get refunded back to the card. I don't even care about the Visa $61.24. It's my husband's $300 I desperately need back!

Warehouse has had phone since January 21. I would drop Verizon instantly if it weren't for the 2 year contract cost of the Note 4. I need that reduced price for it.

I have kept and printed out all paperwork, including tracking number, etc etc. Tracking to warehouse in Texas is FedEx (removed), received and signed for by D Watson on January 21, 2015. Customer support says they have no way to contact warehouse to even inquire about the return! Ridiculous!

Can anyone help me please? The stress over this is horrible. Thank you. They have my money and the phone. I have none.

Cissy Brazil,

San Jose CA.

Customer since 2009

>> Edited to comply with the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

Accepted answers

CissyBrazil

First the bad news, then the good news. BAD NEWS

AS my billing cycle began, a potential nightmare began to unfold. I did not get a refund....nope. What I got was BILLED an early termination fee for the very phone the warehouse has that was never ever used and was sent by mistake! What??? Are you kidding me?? Promise after promise that I had a refund coming, Verizon billed me instead $350. The refund was for $361

I called customer service for the 2oth time. FINALLY, I got someone who actually understood what was happening. As I explained the whole story, luckily a supervisor was listening to my story as well.

GOOD NEWS

After 30 minutes of talking to both ladies, they took the bull by the horns and actually did the right thing. They couldn't have been more professional. they clearEd up my bill by removing the $350 immediately. That was done by the supervisor. The CS rep said she would take care of putting the $300 back on my gift card. She said it would take about 1 business days. She promised it would happen on Monday about 2:00 pm......it did! it actually did!

THanks to CS rep Michelle and her supervisor, Kim, it's all settled. I now can upgrade at the store in person....never on line again.

I Wish there was a way to give stars to these two ladies, I really do. They restored my faith in good customer service.

All comments

CissyBrazil

Thanks to moderator for putting my post in the correct place. I do hope I can get some help.

CissyBrazil

Can a Verizon customer rep please respond?

rcschnoor

This is mainly a customer to customer forum, not Verizon CS. IF a Verizon agent responds, it can sometimes take up to a week before they do so.

CissyBrazil

OOk. I had seen some replies from Verizon, so I was hoping. CS is no help at all. My last chance was to come here. Oh well, I tried. Thank you!

Verizon_Support

I'm sorry about your returned device issue CissyBrazil. Since the warehouse has the phone, it can take while to evaluate the device before credit is given back to the account. It usually takes 1-2 bill cycles but due to the holiday season it may take a bit longer. If you don't receive the refund for the device by your next bill cycle, we can further investigate. You can reach out to us here, facebook, twitter, or by phone to start the investigation.

Kinquana_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

CissyBrazil

FIrst billing cycle is 2/25 (tomorrow). I certainly hope a second cycle won't happen. I want to upgrade my phone but I won't without my refund. So frustrating. I did it all the right way. Send back phone same day, etc. I'm a good customer so to make me wait for a refund due me is terrible :-(

THank you for any help you can give me. It very very important I get back the $300 from gift certificate by husband gave to me.

CIssy B

CissyBrazil

First the bad news, then the good news. BAD NEWS

I called customer service for the 2oth time. FINALLY, I got someone who actually understood what was happening. As I explained the whole story, luckily a supervisor was listening to my story as well.

GOOD NEWS

THanks to CS rep Michelle and her supervisor, Kim, it's all settled. I now can upgrade at the store in person....never on line again.

I Wish there was a way to give stars to these two ladies, I really do. They restored my faith in good customer service.

Dawnpipes

I Have the same problem too. It's been 2 billing cycles going to the 3rd & I still don't get any refund & my account states that refund amount is past due. I call them at least 2-3 times each week, no action. I'm gonna call again 1 more time later today & im done. I'm gonna let BBB take care of this problem.

jranmann

I have a refund story that might curdle your coffee, that is you happen to be reading this in the morning?

Shows beyond a shadow of any doubt what transpires when Verizon owes YOU money...even if it's their

mistake there can be no other word for this, ummm opportunistic theft..? By the way, and the law this is

still illegal in any state in the union...usually a felony but in this case not and convenient for Verizon and

yet, all us customers always seem to pay the price, as here in full and make a mountain out a 20 bucks!

I recently purchased a $21.59 accessory at a Verizon store and paid for it with my cc (I did not charge to my acct.)

I attempted to return it 2 days later, unopened as I had one already with my receipt in hand at the very same store

a refund could not be processed for a reason I did not understand, called visa they cancelled the card, sent me

a new one, I filed a dispute got compensated by visa with a provisional credit and was told by Verizon that a

treasury check would be issued with the confirmation code [personal information removed] Great except that I was also asked to

send the accessory back to the Verizon warehouse which I did using the tracking number [personal information removed] but hang on a sec, this is the curdling part...

....after all this BS I called them tonight and they said that the original request for a refund shows that it had been denied anyway because of the fact that Verizon policy refund checks are only issued for $25 and over..so it's ok to steal $25 from a customer...is that it or does the fact that I don't even have a current Verizon account to refund the $21.59 to (not what I asked for) and thus in lieu of a credit to the account a check is required in this instance...A light bulb goes off in my head "perhaps you might train your employees as to the fact that checks are not issued for the amount of my refund" or as that bulb dims and goes out..perhaps the truth is that without any conscience whatsoever Verizon it may be that your company feigns excuse after excuse on a regular basis I might add that actually It really appears to most of us that you just don't care, right? come on, admit it...do ya?

Personal information removed as required by the

Message was edited by Verizon Moderator