Do Sales reps hate the iphone?!

[TDK_DPT]

Ok so my contract ended with t-mobile and for my birthday I wanted to sign a contract with Verizon and get the iphone. I shopped around for a bit and everytime I went into a verizon store ( I tried about 3-4 different stores), each sales rep tried to sell me an android phone and told me the iphone is inferior for this reason or that... EVERY SALESMAN!! Do they not get commission on the iphone sales or what?!

So anyway, I meet with with one saleman who shows me a Samsung Fascinate and how close to the iphone 4 it is with the layout, side scrolling apps pages, resolution, etc... So i went ahead and got it. Now the Fascinate has potential to be a great phone but this thing is so buggy and slow, and there is no signs of samsung or verizon coming out with the updated 2.2 or 2.3 version update. 

So my 14 day return period ends this Sunday and I want to return it to get what I originally wanted; THE iPHONE. I call my salesman up and tell him this and he gives me the go around saleguy speach of how I should keep this phone and he could trouble shoot it for me, the update wont fix my problems, etc... etc...

All i want it an iphone. haha. jeesh.

Does anybody know if I return my fascinate in stores and purchase the iphone onlinem how long it might take me to receive it? I dont want to be stuck without a phone for too long. Thanks!

[brichi]

the droid phones of today are better spec wise because the iPhone is 8 months old, but the 8 month old iPhone still performs better then the droid phones, as you can personally see. The way I look at it, All the new smartphones are always compared to the iPhone, so you might as well just get the phone that everyone else tries to be like

I am willing to bet that the droid hardware makers, Moto, htc, samsung, etc.... do have their hand in what the salesman says, whether they are told to sell the droids or get a bigger commission on it. I heard the same thing when i went in for a new iPhone, I went in to buy, not to speak to a salesmen that I know more about phones then he does, He was telling a customer the same thing about specs, sd card expansion, etc.... on the droid, I just smurked and walked to the counter, what they dont tell the people is how buggy droid is, My Incredible SUCKS right now compared to the smoothness and ease of the iPhone 4. Me, I would return the fascinate and get the  iphone and hope there is no big change in June

[ibanez737]

Personally, most employees prefer the platform compared to iOS.  There are no kickbacks for the phone and no push by the manufacturer.  Most reps are just giving their opinion and most reps have Android phones.  There's postives to both phones, but it does seem that most lead towards Android, which isn't the best.  Most places you do research will have some form of bias, so just get what fits your needs and go from there.

As far as the exchange, just do it at the store so you have it in your hand.  If you return and then go online, you still have to wait for the shipping.

[TDK_DPT]

Yes My Fascinate it incredibly buggy. It drives me nuts. Technically, once my wife's contract ends with t mobile in June, she will be joining me for a family plan on Verizon and she will be getting the iphone 5 (hopefully if it comes out then) and then taking over this Fascinate (or iphone 4 if i exchange) and I will be getting the iphone 5. 

She is not a cell phone junkie like me and could care less what she has so I think the iphone 4 would fit her better than a more confusing Android phone would.

About the issue of returning the Fascinate in store and getting the iphone instore as well. As far as I know, no stores in jacksonville are currently in stock with the iphone. I guess I could call around and see before I go. If not, I will have to do the order online and hope it doesnt get too confusing with the current customer/new customer issue since Im technically a new customer just returning a recent product.

[Kyllle]

Return it to the same store you bought it at (other Verizon stores may take it, but your best bet is to go to the place you got it) for a $35 restocking fee, and you can get an iPhone. 

[kaebfly]

Not to imply that all reps are doing this, but I will say that one rep I spoke with (on a account billing issue, not a iPhone issue) admitted that he has told customers that they don't want the iPhone solely out of "iPhone envy" (his words!)...since employees weren't able to get the iPhone at release. Yes, he could have been joking but if he wasn't then there could be other reps that are doing the same thing. Or...they could be giving their personal opinion. As great as it is to hear others thoughts it shouldn't be the sole decider in a customers choice. What's trash to one person is gold to another.

[TDK_DPT]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Just did some research and called around. The corporate Verizon store here in Jacksonville DOES have the iphone. He did inform me that I would have to return it to the store I bought it from (as one poster had said), keep the account open, then go to the corporate office and purchase that iphone there.

Looks like I will be a proud owner of the iphone 4 tomorrow! 

[TBhouston]

Maybe they were sold out of the 16g. I mean other than the name iphone doesn't really have much going for it. If you compare the processor power and memory to almost any droid it lags behind. If you are unhappy with the phone just bring it back, don't let him talk you out of it.

[Tug101]

I can attest to this.  I was in my local Verizon corporate store to buy a case for my iPhone.  While I was perusing the cases I overheard a salesman launch into a ridiculous tirade against the iPhone and Apple in general.  The young lady with whom he was talking was visibly upset as she clearly wanted an iPhone and this clown wouldn’t let up in trying to talk her out of it.  Finally another customer stepped up and said something to the effect of “Hey, she wants an iphone, get her an iphone!”  The salesman was so disgusted that he went on break and another saleslady stepped in to help her.

I kept looking around for Ashton Kutcher as there was no way this could be real.  

[Tidbits]

I like my iPhone and I liked my droid2.  The pro's and con's for both are similar enough that you can't go wrong with either device.  I believe sales people nowadays believe they know what's best for their customers without listening to them. 

[CharmingPhlsphr]

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Tidbits wrote:

I like my iPhone and I liked my droid2.  The pro's and con's for both are similar enough that you can't go wrong with either device.  I believe sales people nowadays believe they know what's best for their customers without listening to them. 

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I think you are right. The sad part is that it is not how they are trained. Verizon Wireless is very firm in requiring representatives to qualify a customer before selling them a particular phone, but this can clash with the perception of the sales reps.

[chris227]

It sounds as if, the sales person, sales a certain amount of these phones and gets an iPhone for free? Who knows. I have the iPhone and I'm happy.

[medic2joey]

Also keep in mind most Verizon employees were taught to hate the Iphone for the past 4 years cause it was exclusive ATT and now all the sudden the old enemy is in there hands. Also for the past 3 years of Iphone rumors it gets old being asked 50 times a day by different people "Do you have the Iphone" over and over again. Tends to make you hate it after awhile.

[dirkbonn]

Back in June and July I had been able to upgrade my Phone (which at the time was an Omnia) with a NE2 availble too. I decided I wanded the Droid X. I knew I didn't want an iPhone as both my wife and Daughter had it and as such I had played  with it extensably.

So I went to the Verazon store on launch day and got it. Just a side note, here, I have never noticed and bugginess with it at all.

But to my point here.....  If you do you your research and you decide the phone you want is the iPhone, the go to the store and get an iPhone.  Don't let a sales(wo)man talk you out of it.  It's different if you're undecided when you walk into the store...  But it's been my experience that the vast majority of the time, if you don't get the phone you really "wanted", you'll be always thinking in the back of your mind..... "What if?"

So do you have an iPhone now?  How do you like it?

[AZSALUKI]

also....fyi...you only get one return for a different device, so BE SURE the iphone is what you want. once you return the samsung and buy the iphone...there is no exchanging it for a different device.

[Jax_Omen]

Also keep in mind most Verizon employees were taught to hate the Iphone for the past 4 years cause it was exclusive ATT and now all the sudden the old enemy is in there hands. Also for the past 3 years of Iphone rumors it gets old being asked 50 times a day by different people "Do you have the Iphone" over and over again. Tends to make you hate it after awhile.


I'm sure this is a large part of it. The other part of it is probably that the salespeople have Android phones already (and are probably under contract themselves, so they can't easily switch) and want to sell devices they're familiar with, because invariably a large number of customers will come back with questions, especially if it's their first smartphone. If they don't have an iPhone, how can they answer the esoteric questions that customers come up with?

[oxzide]

When I was using my Droid Incredible I tried to convince myself that I didn't need or want a iPhone; honestly it was just blind envy. I wanted the device that the Incredible and hundreds of other phones were inspired by not an imitation. I still like my Incredible and other Androids but after having the iPhone since Tuesday I'd never go back. The apps/app store is so much better, better battery life, better display and animations, and overall iOS runs so much more smoothly. There a few things that I miss from Android though like having turn by turn google maps navigation, widgets, and more user customization but I'm still happy without them.

[bytheriver]

Ever hear the saying "the grass is always greener on the other side"?

After saying I wouldn't get the iphone I couldn't help myself...I was due for an upgrade, so..... I purchased the 32 gb.

I am having serious Android withdrawal, I miss the customization.. the iphone seems, I'm sorry to say......boring.

So, I will continue using it for now. Maybe it will grow on me, otherwise I'm going back to android.

[Squallfyr]

Come back to the dark side! We baked cookies

[MKF]

My buddies in the online sales department currently do not get credit on sales for iphones but that is only because of the way the site is set up, but most recommnedation like the ones I use to give come from the heart. I normally just ask a customer what type of phone do you want? How hard can that be....except when I get one that asked me........ " can I get a droid without data I'll never use it........let me thinkg about that.....ummm noo you can't I'm sorry... its REQUIRED.  By God or VZW I'll let you pick just by this phone so I can feed my kids

[CharmingPhlsphr]

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TDK_DPT wrote:

Ok so my contract ended with t-mobile and for my birthday I wanted to sign a contract with Verizon and get the iphone. I shopped around for a bit and everytime I went into a verizon store ( I tried about 3-4 different stores), each sales rep tried to sell me an android phone and told me the iphone is inferior for this reason or that... EVERY SALESMAN!! Do they not get commission on the iphone sales or what?!

So anyway, I meet with with one saleman who shows me a Samsung Fascinate and how close to the iphone 4 it is with the layout, side scrolling apps pages, resolution, etc... So i went ahead and got it. Now the Fascinate has potential to be a great phone but this thing is so buggy and slow, and there is no signs of samsung or verizon coming out with the updated 2.2 or 2.3 version update. 

So my 14 day return period ends this Sunday and I want to return it to get what I originally wanted; THE iPHONE. I call my salesman up and tell him this and he gives me the go around saleguy speach of how I should keep this phone and he could trouble shoot it for me, the update wont fix my problems, etc... etc...

All i want it an iphone. haha. jeesh.

Does anybody know if I return my fascinate in stores and purchase the iphone onlinem how long it might take me to receive it? I dont want to be stuck without a phone for too long. Thanks!

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I would just enforce the point, kindly, that you want an iPhone. The main reason why reps offer different devices over the one that you originally wanted is due to qualifications. If you say you want an iPhone, but you do not have an internet connection at your home and only plan on using the phone for talking and texting, they will try to get you to a better phone for your needs. They cannot force you, however, to pick one phone over another - that is up to you. In store, returns are also perceived negatively because that is one new phone they can no longer sell as new; this is more of a company concern.

Just remember, with the iPhone, you have to have a computer with an internet connection to activate and certain events can occur that will require you to reconnect your phone to your computer to reauthorize or for troubleshooting. If you plan on using iTunes to download music, games, apps, movies, and whatnot, then it is a good device overall. As for functionality, the higher-end Droid devices are better, but lacks in a few areas that the iPhone shines.