New phone exchange policy!!!!

[chromed1300]

One reason that I am with Verizon is the CUSTOMER SERVICE! This all went out of the window today when I had yet another problem with my storm. I went in to a local store expecting to exchange my phone which went on the total blink! I spoke with the manager with whom I have built a good working relationship only to find out that I could not get a phone on the spot anymore due to a "policy change." Mind you that I depend on this phone as many others to maintain business relationships and contacts. I was furious with this new policy change that I had not been notified of by email, text or newsletter I have been with several other companies and have left them due to "poor customer service." This point was a keys selling point for me in chosing Verizon as my carrier of chose. I know that there has to be others out there that feel as I do and the only way for this company to know how we feel is to voice it in numbers. Please join in and voice you concerns as I am doing.

[MacDaddy]

All boils down to MONEY. They have got too big, only thing they care about is the bottom line, I too have had Verizon for many years, but think I'm taking my business ( 5 lines with data) to another company when contract is up, Love my Storm, But an Iphone on AT&T or a HERO on SPRINT would do just fine (good service in my area) and probably cheaper too. I know SPRINT is 4 lines unlimited everything $168.00.   Just to prove it's all about the money just look at what they have done to their customers lately. NEW ETF (which the FCC is looking into) No more Phone swap. Bing being pushed on us and our choices taken away ( Yeah I know some Verizon fanboy's will say you can still just set their site to your home page) But I like having a choice on Regular homepage like we had, No other reason except for MONEY! Every one wanna teach Verizon a lesson, Drop them for 1 year. Just like buying a foreign car, look how fast the auto industry responded in the 80's to improve the quality. Verizon used to mean Quality, and Customer Service, That's why I switched from Ameritech back in the day, Now they stand for GREED and I'm one person that's ready to leave.

[krafft34]

Why are you trying to exchange your phone? Is it a warranty issue or do you want to exchange it for a new device? There is obviously a time frame on when you can exchange it for a new device. If it is broken then it should be a warranty issue.

[chromed1300]

Well to start with, this is my 6th. Storm and this one is less than 4 months old. I fully understand that there are time requirements when dealing with electronics of any sort! I as sure that I am not the only person unhappy with this new policy! Please remember this blog when your phone goes out and you have to return it. I am positive that you will be upset also.

[jadzia007]

What is the new policy? This is the only phone I have and can not be without it for even one day. What are the changes?

[chromed1300]

You can no longer go to your local Verizon store and exchange your defective or broken phone. It know takes at least two days (in my area) to receive a refurbished phone not a new one in my case.

[jadzia007]

OH that is NOT good news. I'll have to investigate to see when this policy went into effect and if we have the option to opt out since the policy I THOUGHT I was signing up for it no longer valid. I get so disgusted when cell phone companies just change things like this. But if we wanted to break our contract it's a few hundred bucks....   I just came back to Verizon, but I"m not staying if they are going to have me without a phone for a few days. This is not good.

[halw]

Check the Crackberry.com forums. Lots of discussion of this and the new plan/pricing structure. General consensus on phone swaps is that too many people were abusing the privilege.

Not say OP here is.

[ltolman]

Heres my understanding about Verizon.  I was a brand new subscriber as of November 2008; I knew that day that I had 30 days to return my cell phone and exchange it for whatever (I was on a 2yr contract).  After 30days I can only exchange the phone if it was defective.

Well I had the phone from November til March 2009 when I called the 800# for Customer Service because my cell phone wouldnt turn on or something, 800# told me to take my cell phone to a local dealer and see whats going on.  My local dealer told me that my charging port was bad so he was able to do a "refurbished unit" exchange at the store (again because he knew the product was defective)

From March 2009 until January 2010 my 3rd storm was doing ok; in fact I just got off the phone with Verizon 800# about 1hr ago and told them of my situation and they told me (over the phone) that since I'm still under warranty if I want to exchange it, they would do something about it; which I'm thinking they might just put it in the computer and allow me to go to a local dealer and exchange it (but not sure)

So brand new phones can be exchanged within 30 days

After 30days Verizon would only exchange it, if the product is defective

So unless as of past March 2009 Verizon mails you the new phone, to my understanding if you call the 800# for tech support they just might create a ticket for you to go to your local store and have them pull up the ticket and do a "refurbished unit" exchange at the store.

[jadzia007]

After 30days Verizon would only exchange it, if the product is defective

Why else would they exchange it? I'm assuming by defective you mean, not working.  I can understand not getting a new one, but not to exchange it, that stinks. Especially since part of the reason I bought it was the exchange policy. I need to look into this a bit more.

[cstrait001]

VZW's return/exchange policy hasn't changed. Note, there are direct locations and indirect locations. Direct locations are corporate stores, while indirect location are called Authorized Retailers (indirect agents). You can also buy directly from VZW at www.verizonwireless.com and from *611 Customer Service/Telesales.

Indirect locations can set their own return or exchange policies. Check with them.

When you buy directly from VZW, all new phones have a 30 Worry Free Guarantee. If the phone is defective during the first 30 days, VZW will replace it with the same model, new phone, at no cost. If you want to exchange the phone for a different color or model during the first 30 days, VZW will exchange it for a new phone but there's a $35 restocking fee. Or, you can get your money back during the 30 days. However, if you cut off the UPC code from the box, VZW will deduct from the refund the rebate equivalent offer on the phone.

Every new phone purchased from VZW has a one year warranty from the manufacturer against defects. If the phone is defective (no physical/liquid damage or damage caused by negligence) after 30 days and within the year and VZW can't fix it, they'll replace it with a certified like new phone, including replacing any accessories that came with the phone like the charger and battery, at no cost.

If you purchased insurance, Asurion, a third party vendor that works with VZW, will replace your phone if it's lost, damaged (including negligence) or stolen by paying the deductible ($39 on non smart phones and $89 on advanced devices), with the same model of phone usually, or a comparable model if your phone is out of stock. There is also insurance plus an extended warranty called total equipment coverage that you can purchase that will replace the phone outside of the 1 year warranty if the problem is caused by a manufacturer's defect.

[MambaFace]

How does it all boil down to money when Verizon is willing to pay for the 2 day standard FedEx shipping that they use to send out the replacement phones?  Verizon is actually taking a hit on this - for a reason.  I'm not entirely sure, but I think I heard something about them trying this out in certain areas to see how customers reacted to everything being put at their fingertips, so that they don't need to come in to the store any more.

[jadzia007]

^ I think the TS was pointing out they don't replace it on the spot anymore, that they send it to you within two days. I didn't see that anywhere in your post (though I'm watching football, so I might have missed it) I also don't like that policy as that had some bearing on why I picked Verizon. This is my only phone and I can't be without it for two days. Can't happen. I think the TS feels the same way.

[Chesterface]

It's only certain zones that are not doing Certified Like News in-store anymore.

[XtremeBerry]

I havent been able to get a replacement berry in a store for a year now where I live (Midwest).

[Chesterface]

It was just enacted recently in this area, and not all stores do it.

[nomostorm]

It may be all about the money, but here's where we stand.  My wife and I both have storms.  I think everyone here can agree that the storm 1s are terrible phones.  My wife has had her phone replaced once.  I have had my phone replaced four times now.  Speaking to a Verizon rep today, I was told that the purchase price of a Storm 1 without the plan is $539.  That's $2,700 worth of phones provided to us in the past year.  Lets say we take off the retail price and set it at cost.

"iSuppli, estimates that the cost for the components and assembly of RIM's BlackBerry Storm are just shy of $203 -- an estimate that does not include software development or bug fixes." (http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/29/isuppli-blackberry-storm-costs-4-more-than-its-purchase-price/) $203 x 5 phones is a little over $1000 if we take the low end.  At our current rate we are going through these phones at 1 phone every two months.  By the time we reach December (It's April now) and are available to upgrade, we will have been through 3-4 more phones at a cost of somewhere between $1,600 and $4,800 to Verizon to be stubborn and leave us in these phones. As a business person, to me, it seems that the obvious choice is to get us out of these phones. During this time, we will have spent $3,200 on our phone service. Verizon is either cutting their profits in half or potentially paying up to $1,600 to keep us unhappy.  I'm just saying...

[bjones24]

I couldnt agree more. I have exchanged 5 phones within a month. They keep wasting money and they don't even solve the problem.  Clearly they need to hire someone who knows what to do rather than keep sending broken phones over and over again

[bjones24]

now I am wiping my phone for the 3rd time as if my time is completely worthless

the iPhone is so much better anyway, why bother being with blackberry, once contract is over, I am out of here unless someone competent from verizon does anything to actually help me