What are my options given that I am not thrilled about having to purchase a device that I honestly don’t want?

[jmcolter]

To start right off, I’m not interested in paying full price for any of your current offerings after this fiasco. They are not what I was looking for in a device; I have the phone I wanted.  What are my options going forward? Being asked to basically downgrade at full retail is not acceptable in my opinion. There needs to be some sort of device discount applied to anyone affected by this Note 7 issue to ease the blow of having to deal with having to purchase a device we really don’t want and having to deal with all associated hassles (twice for some, including myself).

Three things that I believe need to be done:

1. A discounted price option for going to a different phone. (a discounted S7 Edge, the closest device spec and feature-wise, would be bearable until something better comes out)
2. A clause that will allow us to purchase a Note 8 (or similar device) if / when it available without penalty or additional charges.
3. Reimbursement of any Note 7 specific accessory regardless of if it’s 3^rd party. ( I have over $150 worth of accessories that are basically useless now)

I really look forward to hearing back with a non-canned response.

[MRJones33]

I signed up for Verizon in June 2016 and purchased an S7 Edge, knowing I would be upgrading to the Note7 once it came out. When it did, I had to pay about $300 to pay off the S7 so that I could get the Note7. Now that I'm going back to the S7 Edge, why am I paying full price for it again when I already paid about $400 to own an S7 that they took away from me? I agree with everything that has been mentioned about this fiasco, but I would also like my $400 credited back to the purchase price of my new S7 Edge that I don't really want.

Or is this just a great ploy by Samsung and Verizon to get people to pay $1200 for an S7 Edge?

[JohnB_VZW]

We are always here to help. I can certain understand how upsetting and inconvenient this whole situation has been for you and so many other customers.

When you originally purchased the S7 Edge it was done a device payment plan. So you are paying full retail for the phone. When you upgraded to the Note 7 you paid off of the device payment plan so you would be able to turn in the S7 Edge and upgrade to the Note 7. By doing this you were entering a new device payment plan for the Note 7.

Did you exchange the Note 7 for the S7 Edge and started a new device payment plan? Since you are receiving a brand new S7 Edge you would start the device payment plan over.

JohnB_VZW

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If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

[MRJones33]

I know why I had to pay off my S7 Edge to get the Note 7... that part just makes sense. But I'm not being able to keep my S7 Edge, so why should I be paying full price for a new S7 Edge? You took $400 from me, gave me a Note 7, which was great... but now that I don't have the Note 7 and have to go back to an S7, the S7 should be $400, not $800. That doesn't make sense to double charge me for a phone that I don't want and then triple charge me when a new phone comes out that I do want to purchase (Note8/S8).

[Weth]

The only fault in your logic is you had a used S7, and want a brand new S7. You can probably get a used S7 for a little more than $400. Call Verizon and see if they can get you in a used S7 to get you back to where you were.

[MRJones33]

My number one preference is to have the Note 7 that I upgraded to. I'm not asking for an S7, it's that they don't give me much choice. If I can't have a Note 7, then I'd prefer to have MY S7 Edge back that I paid $400 for. But that isn't an option either from what the store told me.

Does anyone know if they are offering anyone devices with payment plans and they can upgrade at anytime and without having to pay off 50% of the device? I have already paid off 50% of an S7 and nothing to show for it.

[Weth]

My number one preference is to have the Note 7 that I upgraded to - Not really possible or advisable. there will be no support, no updates. Verizon or Samsung could send updates that essentially disable the phone. Then there is the safety risk to you and others and the legal consequences that could bring.

If I can't have a Note 7, then I'd prefer to have MY S7 Edge back - Not possible. The phone is gone.

Does anyone know if they are offering anyone devices with payment plans and they can upgrade at anytime and without having to pay off 50% of the device? No, there is no option like this.

[jmcolter]

Really? Keeping the Note 7 as one's first preference is not an option now that they've been recalled? Man, thanks for clearing that up!

If you cannot see that people are being screwed by the horrendous way this is being handled, then I don't know what to tell you. That's why people are upset.

[tc2013]

• Weth  (to MRJones33) 46 minutes ago
• The only fault in your logic is you had a used S7, and want a brand new S7. You can probably get a used S7 for a little more than $400. Call Verizon and see if they can get you in a used S7 to get you back to where you were.

i do not agree here, Weth. AFAIK from MRJones33, this is our concern:  the old phone that we had carried/traded-in having our own ear-wax (yeww) on the phone, as well as our own saliva near the mic area.

Now you're asking us to accept a used phone with other ppl's ear wax and saliva?!  No way!! That's groose to my hygiene standard! LOL.

Simply, we've already being a victim in this case, we should not be further victimized! 

[jmcolter]

I'm about sick of this "upgrade" push from customer service that leads to wasting your upgrade eligibility on a device I don't want.I have looked at the Pixel devices and find them to be lacking. No IP68 water and dust resistant rating, no expandable SD memory options, and an unappealing aesthetic design IMO.

I have looked at the Pixel devices and find them to be lacking. No IP68 water and dust resistant rating, no expandable SD memory options, and an unappealing aesthetic design IMO.

I do not want an Apple device as a switch to iOS would be an utter pain given that I am rather invested in Android in term of accessories and the overall Google ecosystem.

The only remotely close option is the Galaxy S7 Edge, but I have reservations about getting locked into a two-year contract with a device that, A: I never really wanted in the first place, and B: a device that will most likely be obsolete and replaced by the S8 / S8 Edge in five months.

To be frank, I would have never upgraded and moved away from my Note 4 if the Note 7 was never an option. I upgraded expressly for that device. If I wanted the S7 Edge, I would have used my upgrade for that back in March.

It's really not that hard to grasp what I'm asking for.

• I want to exchange to a safe phone. Not "upgrade" as VZW is trying to pitch it.

• I do not want to lose my "Upgrade Eligibility" because there are no available phones that I truly want, nor want to be stuck with for two years. None. The End.

• I want the option to actually UPGRADE to a phone that I will actually care to spend my money on in the future. This may be the Galaxy S8/Edge or the Note 8 (or whatever similar device they may release).

• I want to be able to upgrade to this device without incurring additional costs or have to pay off a phone I did not want in the first place.

Those affected by this Note 7 recall should be able to switch to a safe device, while still keeping their upgrade eligibility to allow them to pick a device they may actually want when that device is available in the future.

I don't believe this is that hard to understand, nor is it unreasonable given the situation.

I'll be leaving Verizon if they can't figure this out and make an exception to policy for those of us affected by this rapidly evolving nightmere. I don't want to hear about the other great options available for "upgrade". You need to stop calling it that as you're not fooling anyone who has owned the Note 7; it's a downgrade plain and simple. It's time to take care of your customers with this thing called customer service and stop trying to take advantage of the situation and screw your customers over more than we already have been with the time involved with this mess and lost money on accessories that we will never be reimbursed for.

[lindamcd]

EXACTLY! Well said!

[Dbeak]

AT&T has a plan called Next Every year that allows you to upgrade after one year and as long as 50% of the phone is paid off! And EVERY PHONE IS ELIGIBLE!!!  The competition is there Verizon you better get on board!!!!