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iphone trade in packaging and tracking

I received my trade in packaging from verizon today. My iPhones have been appraised at 200 each and are all in excellent condition. The problem is that the packaging is sub-standard for mailing a valuable iPhone. Verizon wants customers to put their valuable iphone in a green baggie then in a standard bubble wrap envelope (1 layer of bubble wrap) There is no tracking and from reading this and other forums, iphones are not getting where they need to be in the condition sent. Also there are so many iphones being traded, that the packaging seems easy to identify and steal or easy for the contents to be damaged due to the only protection is the bubble wrap!!!

in reading the shipping guide it clearly states that "failure to use this envelope will negatively impact value".

So now I find myself between a rock and a hard place. If I use the flimsy envelope system provided by verizon, my phone may become damaged in transit, or stolen. Can I use the envelope and add tracking and insurance without "negatively impacting the value"? I don't know.

I could ship it back in the box it came in(I save that stuff), using all the trade in labels from the brown envelope. Be assured it arrives unbroken, but will the nicer packaging violate the rules? I don't know.

The rules also say to remove the sim card. I didn't even know my iphone had a sim card. And it may not, It's an iphone 5. I never added one. I don't know

I would appreciate an answer from a Verizon trade in person with some thoughts on packaging, tracking and the sim card thing.

Comments

SamuelAdams

Take your old phones and order paperwork to a Verizon company storr. DEMAND that they conduct the trade-in there asvstated on a sheet of paper that came with your envelopes. They may not want to do the trade-in but show them the paper and insist that they do the trade-in. That's what I did and it worked immediately.

techmutter

Thank you so much! I found the statement near the bottom of the folded Shipping Guide. I wil take mine today and report my experience.

lwnmwrboy

I am also hesitant about sending my wife's 4s in this flimsy envelope for the trade in promotion. I am curious to know what your experience will be and look forward to your report.

llamabible

Please report back! I'm nervous about mailing mine in...if or when I ever get my new phone...

dabail10

Interesting. I wish I had done this. There is another thread where those of us who mailed them in are still waiting for our gift cards. I mailed mine on October 9th and only today did the one changed to a status of "Received" on their trade in website. If you are able to do it at the Verizon store, I would highly recommend this!

lwnmwrboy

I am reporting my own experience for those interested.

I went ahead and visited a corporate store today (10/29) to conduct the trade in of the 4s for $200 as part of the original iphone 6 promotion. The sales associate was happy to conduct the trade in. I thought great this is going to be easier than I thought. Problem is that the 4s is now only worth $100 in an in-store trade in since the $200 dollar promotion ended on 10/15. The only way to get the $200 for the initial promotion is via mail.

In the end, the initial promotion worth $200 for the 4s was misleading or at worst a scam. The customer service representative said if it was prior to the 15th, the 4s would be worth the $200 in store. However, when I signed up for a 2 year contract for the iphone 6, I was told the $200 could only be obtained via mail. To make matters worse, my iphone 6 did not arrive until the 17th so even if I was made aware that I could conduct the trade in in-store, it wouldn't have mattered as the iphone 6 did not arrive until after the promotion ended. Additionally, my shipping materials did not even arrive until the 27th even though I submitted the request on the 9th.

I guess this wouldn't be such a problem if the shipping materials was an actual box, or they permitted you to use your own shipping materials to ensure safe and secure shipment. I'd rather pay the 4 or 5 dollars out of my own pocket to ensure the $200 dollar trade in value than put it on chance that the USPS can securely deliver the iphone 4s in a flimsy envelope without breaking it.

Basically, I am disappointed with Verizon on this ordeal. Even if after shipping the phone, and I receive the $200, I am considering getting out of this contract on a matter of principle. Since most carriers will buy out my contract anyway, it's no sweat off my back.

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