Months of Looking for Help - Trade-In Debacle
beth97
Newbie

I didn't need a new phone, but when the offer came in to get a new iphone 12 mini for $5/month it seemed too good to be true.  It was. 

I read everything I could on how the trade in program worked, I filled out the form to request packaging, when I picked up my phone, I confirmed with the Verizon staff that a box would be shipped to me.... and then I waited.  No where in the 'Trade In' information is there a timeline to expect the trade in box, and last time we got a rebate it took months to show up, so I didn't know what to expect.   I didn't receive an email letting me know the box had shipped - I didn't receive anything. 

About a month after the purchase, I decided to talk to check in with trade in customer service.  They told me a box had been sent out in early January, but maybe there had been an issue with it arriving, and they would send me a new one.  A box never arrived. 

A few weeks later I called again.  They told me that they saw no record of a box being sent out either in January or when I called but that they would send a box.  The box never arrived.

This pattern repeated over and over again with promises of labels that would be emailed to me that never arrived.  Then promises of envelopes that did arrive but with no shipping label (this happened twice.)  Weeks and weeks and weeks went by because I kept waiting for things to be shipped to me that either never arrived or were useless.

Finally, I insisted on speaking with a manager.  His name was Marco.  Marco said that a box had been sent inDecember (entirely different information than I had received before, and he had proof it was mailed because it said so on his screen (not great proof).   When I pointed out that the box didn't arrive, that I was given no time frame for when to expect the box, that I had tried to remedy the situation over and over again, he said he would talk to marketing, and in the end he said they would honor my trade in.  We walked through the steps together for me to request a box online, he saw the same confirmation that I saw that I finished the request for a new box, and he sent me a text confirming that we would call me the following week to confirm the box had arrived. 

Guess what happened - THE BOX DID NOT ARRIVE.  Guess what else happened - MARCO DIDN'T CALL ME at 3:30 as promised in his text. I called Trade-In customer service at 4 to ask for Marco and they said he was on another call but would call me when he was done.  Guess what - MARCO DIDN'T CALL ME AT ALL.

So the next week I called on multiple occasions to connect to Marco and was told he wasn't in, or they didn't have access to him.  An email would be sent, a message left for him... but MARCO NEVER CALLED. 

I have spent hours and hours and hours of my life just trying to get a trade in box from Verizon and to have the deal I signed up for honored.  I have been jerked around, lied to, and generally treated like garbage.  I was so angry and disgusted by how I was treated, I had to take a break from trying to resolve this issue.  But I'm not going to let Verizon STEAL $600 from me.  I have done everything I can possibly can to address this situation and I'm starting to wonder how many people this has happened to.  

Someone at Verizon needs to fix this. 

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4 Replies
beth97
Newbie

Just talked to yet another representative and apparently the fact that the boxes aren't arriving is my fault (even though I get all of my mail and all of my packages from every other organization and company I work with and order from), and who knows why Marco didn't call back.  Starting to wonder if I need to talk to a lawyer.

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vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

beth97,

 

Being able to count on everything you need with any promotion is a big deal. I want to make sure you get what you are supposed to. You've put a lot of time into this and I want to find a solution so you don't have to continue doing so. I've sent you a PM. Please reply when possible. 

 

AndrewT_VZW

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beth97
Newbie

I have replied TWICE to your PM.  Why aren't you replying to me?  Is this just another example of someone pretending to offer help, when really you're just trying to frustrate me into giving up?  Why won't anyone at Verizon follow through?

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beth97
Newbie

I have now replied 4 times to Verizon's private message promising to help with no response.  I provided my submission ID as requested, and have heard nothing back.  I have read that Verizon intentionally trains customer service people to behave as if they are going to help you, and then do nothing for you.  I was skeptical, but this experience suggests that it's true.

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