Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
hayhaygwynne
Newbie

Background: I have had Verizon since 2010. I upgraded to an iPhone 4 in February of 2012 at my local "Verizon" store no problem. I am the type of customer that gets a phone on a two year contract and keeps it to avoid extra charges because, frankly, I'm on a budget. I also have cut down my bill as much as possible by going with the 450 minutes and eliminating text (charge per text) but I kept my grandfathered unlimited data because I am constantly on the internet. I went back to the same store today to upgrade my old iPhone to a LG G2 that I have been eye-ing online.

I go into the store and ask the person working to tell me exactly how much it would be to upgrade my iPhone to an LG G2 today. She put my information into the computer and disregarded my question, but instead asked me how much data I use. I told her I wasn't sure, and she assured me that I wasn't even using 1GB and that I should change my data plan. I insisted that I wanted to keep my unlimited data plan to avoid overage charges when she informed me that if I wanted to upgrade ever, at all, I would have to change my data plan. She proceeded to tell me that it wouldn't matter if I decided to do it now, but in June of this year, I would be forced to change my data plan, as Verizon was getting rid of "unlimited" data. I was a little confused at this point, and I asked her again to tell me how much money it would cost for me to upgrade today to an LG G2 - so she scanned one in a box and told me it was going to be $150 for the phone alone. I told her I had been studying up on Verizon phone prices and she was incorrect, and Verizon advertises the LG G2 at $50 on their website. I even used my old cracked iPhone to show her on the official website the LG G2 priced at $50 when she stopped me and informed me that the store I was in, and have visited multiple times, was not a true Verizon store, but a franchise and that she could not uphold the official Verizon prices, and that if I wanted the phone in that store at that moment, I was going to pay $150 for it.

Why would a Verizon store be able to take my money for payment, see all the information about my billing statements, my social security number and what-not, and not tell me that they are some sort of "knock-off" Verizon store? If they're good enough to take my money, they should be good enough to uphold Verizon prices and policies, and it's a shame that Verizon lets this happen. I am very seriously considering switching carriers at my own expense over this.

Why do non-corporate stores exist? Can I never have the LG G2 with unlimited data?

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
hayhaygwynne
Newbie

After I typed that out, I just went ahead and reported Verizon to the BBB not that it matters. I am sort of sickened by this situation and I have decided that it's not worth my time or money to have Verizon as my service provider any longer. If you are making payments in a store, or planning on purchasing a phone in a store, WARNING!!! ask them upfront if they are a franchise or a corporate store. If they say they are a franchise they do not have to uphold Verizon policies or prices and can basically charge whatever they feel like. The store looks EXACTLY the same as other Verizon stores I have visited, and Verizon is passing these off as the real thing to get more money from you when there are better prices within their own company!

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
hayhaygwynne
Newbie

I know I keep replying to my own posts, but if you're a random person on here looking for help from the Verizon community, go somewhere else. Most of the replies you get will be unfriendly replies from Verizon butt kissers making fun of you for your post/comment while defending Verizon.

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
Xyvis
Specialist - Level 1

Alright, let's clear a few things up.

First, the person in the store was not correct, you can indeed upgrade your phone and keep your unlimited data plan, however you may not like how you have to do it. To keep your unlimited data you'd need to pay full retail price, and not renew your 2 year contract. This phone at full retail price on Verizon's website is going for $499.99.

If you pay the $50 you are purchasing this phone and getting a 2 year contract in which case, you will need to get rid of your unlimited data, you likely pay $29.99 for your unlimited data, minus any corporate discounts, you seem to be on an older nationwide plan, so you could keep your nationwide calling plan instead of going to one of the new "More Everything" plans, and simply choose a tiered data package. They start at $30 for 2GB of data, which sounds like it would be plenty for you. If you receive any corporate discounts though, tiered data plans do not qualify for the discount unless they are priced at $50 or greater. So even though the actual data plans are about the same price, your bill could possibly go up a few dollars.

Finally, the rumor of Verizon taking Unlimited data way is just that, a rumor. Nothing that store employee says makes it anything more than a rumor. Verizon has not announced anything, and store personnel are usually one of the last few in the company to find out about any plan changes, especially in this case seeing as she does not work for Verizon.

And let's put aside the fact that Verizon has told all of its unlimited data subscribers they can keep unlimited data if they pay full retail price, they didn't put an expiration on that offer, so I personally am not concerned about losing my unlimited data plan Smiley Happy

*edit*

Verizon also has a couple data plans for unlimited data subscribers called "Verizon Max" if you go to a corporate store, they may be able to get you on one of those plans and upgrade you at contract renewal pricing, they start at 6 GB for $30, or 8 GB with tethering for $50.

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
Not applicable

If only corporate stores existed I would have to drive 60 miles to go to a Verizon store. One of the biggest reason why Verizon is far ahead of at&t where I live because the nearest at&t store of any kind is 60 miles away. People here appreciate that there is Verizon store here even if it's not corporate.

As far as your situation it's been known since June of 2012 that unlimited data customers can only upgrade their phones if they pay full price. Also you bill will tell you exactly how much data you use each month. I can't fathom people not being aware of their data usage.

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
hayhaygwynne
Newbie

Yes, thank goodness you have a franchise Verizon to take your money and information and sell you phones at a higher price than advertised by the company. I don't care what you can't fathom, personally. You're laying it on a little thick, and it's easy to see through your "Verizon good at&t bad" rhetoric.

It's despicable that a company would allow franchises to raise the prices upon their own discretion, and I think it's even more questionable that it happens to be the only Verizon store in a semi-rural area where it is the only option for most people with Verizon here.

Finding out about the change in data policies was a shock considering I wasn't made aware in 2012 about it and having the desk worker tell me it wouldn't matter in June. Why would she completely fabricate that if she hadn't been informed that there would be no more unlimited data in June?

I know these aren't really specific questions, but I wanted to let people in the Verizon community aware that their local-small-town Verizon may be over-charging them for phones that come at a standard lower price and for no reason other than their location and they should ask if their store is a franchise or an actual Verizon store. Obviously I'm not talking about five or ten dollars, I'm talking $100 difference which is a lot for me, even if it's not to some.

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

hayhaygwynne, we want to ease your frustrations and address all of your concerns. When upgrading to a new device with promotional pricing, you would be moved to a currently offered data plan as UNlimited data is no longer available. However, you do have the option of purchasing a new LG G2 device at full retail pricing, which is $499.99. This option allows you to keep your UNlimited data plan since you're not changing your current contractual agreement.

Moving forward, let's make sure that you're on the right plan by analyzing your average data usage here: http://bit.ly/1g1CHed and then comparing that usage to the MORE Everything plans that we currently offer: http://vz.to/W24dla

LasinaH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

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Re: Non-Corporate Verizon Stores shouldn't exist...
aztec7777
Newbie

I couldn't agree with you more.  I have had a nightmare experience having purchased both an iPhone 5, the extended warranty for the phone,  and a Verizon Wireless Landline phone device from a non-corporate Verizon store.  I didn't even know that any of these Verizon stores out there are not owned and run by Verizon.  Each time I have had a problem (with my phone, Landline device, warranty) I am always told that either I have to deal with the non-corporate store, who always tell me that either they can't help me (with my iPhone technical problem) or help me understand why the Landline device I thought was a one time $35 charge turned into a $20/month charge with a 2 years contract.  I was so furious I paid $170 fee to get out of the contract completely.  Now they won't even refund me the $35 dollars for the Landline device.

These non-corporate stores are sharks who treat the customer (who like me spends $1000 or more a year) as if we are nuisances once the sale is made.  Verizon might have good phone coverage but I feel so abused by this non-corporate Verizon store I am seriously considering leaving Verizon at the end of my contract.  Verizon should make it crystal clear when you enter a non-corporate store you are buying from a third party, even though the store looks exactly like all the other corporate Verizon stores out there.  It is a shame that the positive experiences I've had with the corporate part of Verizon has been ruined by these third party stores who only care about making a sale instead of supporting the customer through the lifetime of your Verizon product ownership.

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