Bait and Switch

[Alsatia70]

BOGO was told to me at the time of purchase and it is now not being honored by Verizon.  A complex payment routine makes it end up being $1250 for 2 S10+ w/ 128 GB requiring 24 mos of payments of $40.66 for each phone.  A calculated credit of 1/24 of $750 is given monthly and not fully paid until 24 months of payments.  That is not BOGO and is not what the saleman at a corporate store sold me.  Now Verizon says we never did that type of promotion, though they admitted to BOGO in March campaign but NOW add of lesser value, instead of having to buy this specific phone for the deal.  Further the CSR said the saleman did not tell me the truth. (nice finger pointing).

Shame on Verizon!

[mama23dogs]

If you had read the terms of the offer the deal was buy one Samsung get the S10e free, or $750 discount off another Samsung that is more expensive.  

All buy one get one deals, or trade in deals are published on the website. It clears up a lot of confusion if you read the deals before you except the offers.  

The terms of the offer would have been presented to you at the time of sale, in your receipt or by email.   Did you read either the website or your sales receipt?

[glitchedpixel]

You know 'BOGO' stands for 'buy one get one' with no mention of 'free', right? A BOGO deal isn't as complicated as people try to make it out to be.

You upgrade a line (buy) and add another (get). The 'get' phone is credited a certain amount over the course of 24 months. The promotion will state how much -- Verizon will have the details online. Typically this is around $750 with some promos being enough to cover the cost of the entire device.

For phones that cost more than $750 in this example, you're responsible for the difference. If the phone is 1k and the BOGO deal gets $750 off, that leaves you responsible for $250 over 24 months.

BOGO deals aren't that complicated to figure out. You're not getting all the money off up front because it's a bad business move thanks to fraud being a well known issue. This is why credits get applied monthly over that time frame. If you owned a major cell phone company, would *you* casually gave away nearly a grand up front for millions of customers? No, you wouldn't. That wouldn't make any business sense.

[Alsatia70 · Accepted solution]

Once again I'd say:  if the plan states "BOGO free - Phone must be Samsung Glaxacy S10 + w/ 128 GB memory, no substitutions" I'd say BOGO means buy one get one free.  On March 12, 2019, that was the offer sold to me in a Verizon corporate store in Seattle area.  After six months of payments, I could pay off the #1 phone and #2 was then free; never a discussion of $750, credits, or other stipulations and conditions.  So, when I was told that my bill would be ~$190/mo for 6 months, it would return to the $125 it had been before after I paid off #1.

Then when time to complete the purchase, #1 is ~$750 due, but #2 must continue to charged and credited or the whole value of #2 is due.  THAT IS BAIT AND SWITCH!  

If there were none of 'conditions' and 'promos at the time of purchase which was verified today by the CSR on the phone, the Gulliani-type response of 'we didn't say that' to explain the difference was, "the store salesman did not tell you all of the contract's requirements."  It was suggested that I go to the store and ask the manager to refund.  If it's a corporate store, Verizon should stand behind its offer as sold.

In the mean time, I must continue a contract for 17 months or face another $750 to buy #2.  You, sir or madame, need to avoid the Verizon-scripted responses to realize this was BAIT AND SWITCH.  It is not that it is difficult to understand the plan as presented today, it's that that was not the plan I bought on March 12, 2019.

As to if I owned a phone company, I'd be rich.  However, I would make certain any conditions that reduce an offer, stated as BOGO free, were known at the time of purchase and show costs over time.  The 6 month payoff offer to avoid the monthly charge was not applied to the #2 phone, it should have been stated.  It was not the case with my purchase.

[mama23dogs]

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@Alsatia70 wrote:

Once again I'd say:  if the plan states "BOGO free - Phone must be Samsung Glaxacy S10 + w/ 128 GB memory, no substitutions" I'd say BOGO means buy one get one free.  On March 12, 2019, that was the offer sold to me in a Verizon corporate store in Seattle area.  After six months of payments, I could pay off the #1 phone and #2 was then free; never a discussion of $750, credits, or other stipulations and conditions.  So, when I was told that my bill would be ~$190/mo for 6 months, it would return to the $125 it had been before after I paid off #1.

Then when time to complete the purchase, #1 is ~$750 due, but #2 must continue to charged and credited or the whole value of #2 is due.  THAT IS BAIT AND SWITCH!  
    NO, it's not.   Please look up the definition of bait and switch. The purpose of these promotions is to add new business and keep you for a period of time. It is stated in all of the promotions but if you pay off the promotional phone line or cancel it you will lose any remaining credits

If there were none of 'conditions' and 'promos at the time of purchase which was verified today by the CSR on the phone, the Gulliani-type response of 'we didn't say that' to explain the difference was, "the store salesman did not tell you all of the contract's requirements."  It was suggested that I go to the store and ask the manager to refund.  If it's a corporate store, Verizon should stand behind its offer as sold.

   Yes there were. The conditions of all promotions are published online and are Available in your online purchase record and on your bill each month n

In the mean time, I must continue a contract for 17 months or face another $750 to buy #2.  You, sir or madame, need to avoid the Verizon-scripted responses to realize this was BAIT AND SWITCH.  It is not that it is difficult to understand the plan as presented today, it's that that was not the plan I bought on March 12, 2019.

You do understand that all carriers work this way?  It is foolish for a carrier to let you walk away with a phone when the purpose of the promotion is not to give you a discount but to keep you for a lengthy period of time and make a profit off selling your service.   Go over to the AT&T sales page and read their promotions for phones. Read all the fine print, it's exactly the same.

As to if I owned a phone company, I'd be rich.  However, I would make certain any conditions that reduce an offer, stated as BOGO free, were known at the time of purchase and show costs over time.  The 6 month payoff offer to avoid the monthly charge was not applied to the #2 phone, it should have been stated.  It was not the case with my purchase.

Apparently not because your customers would take their free phones and go looking somewhere else for cheaper service.   And again, all the information is there, always was.  Just because you neglected to actually take in the information is on you.

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[AnOldInnkeeper]

I was going to start a thread but it seems this is a good place to start.

One phone broken, need to buy one.  The rep says WAIT, there is a great BOGO deal if you buy 2...

OK, so I ordered the BOGO deal on with Karl by phone.  I was told it would be $899 for the first S10 and $149 for the second.  $1048 total, Not BOGO but at least I was told.  And I was told the order would arrive Tuesday, maybe Wednesday (yesterday).

On tuesday checked the portal, nothing.  I call, the rep that day said order will arrive tomorrow, never came.

On wednesday checked the portal, nothing. I call, the rep said order the order is referenced in the notes by Karl but he never actually placed the order.  But they could help me place a new order.  

Oh Snap says the rep, the deal isn't available any more.  But we can sell them to you for $899 each, or you can buy the S/9 for $99 each with a new 2 year contract.  I say I that's fine. The order never shows on the portal.  I call back, i see the order but I am not sure why it hasn't shipped.

Yesterday at 4 pm still nothing on the portal and I contact the agent through chat.

Oh snap, says the rep that deal isn't available anymore but I can sell you 2 Samsung S9 phones for $1198

Now that is bait and switch.  Fake an order for 2 s/10 phones for $1048 but then not ship them, say my order number is cancelled and it can't be reinstated, then force me to buy lower quality phones for more money.

[mama23dogs]

By definition, no, since you didn't buy anything.  And there is a difference between changing loyalty OFFERS, and being FORCED to buy something.   Which you are NOT.  

[AnOldInnkeeper]

Actually I received a reply from the FCC to my complaint late this afternoon and you are totally wrong.

I contacted Verizon immediately with a copy of the FCC email and low and behold not 4 hours later Verizon has agreed to not only sell us the phones at the advertised price but they have offered our business an unlimited data plan for life at $110 a month for the entire company.

Please don't answer questions in a forum if you don't know what you are talking about.

[mama23dogs · Accepted solution]

Just because you shamed Verizon into a deal doesn't make my reply wrong.  

[Janfargo]

Same thing happened to me and my step-dad. Bought phones on July 30th 2019. We bought tablets as well. Verizon told us the same thing!!! And they did have BOGO signs on the wall too is why we asked for the deal. Also told us they were waiving activation because we purchase so much. Not true! First bill showed activation for 4 devices