Third party retailers and setup fees not disclosed
lg787
Enthusiast - Level 2

I have always gone to Verizon stores for purchasing new phones.  For a while they never charged activation fees for switching phones and recently I head they started to charge that again, fine.  Before Christmas I went to a new smaller Verizon store and not my usual one, I thought they were all the same.  I bought two iphone 11's with the deal of buy one get one free.  One of the phones he just gave to me (it was for my son), the other he transferred my data, like they always will do.  The salesman told me the charges, which seemed high, and did not break it down.  He told me it included what I assumed to be the activation fees, which were $55 per phone.  However when I looked at my last bill I noticed that the $40 activation fees were included on that.

I have since read that third party retailers can charge such fees for "setting up your phone".  When I was in this store he never gave me a detailed receipt, as he said his printer was broken.  He emailed it to me a few days later.  Verizon, if you read these posts, please address the following:

- How does one know if a store is a corporate one or third party?

- Regardless, how can they get away with charging these fees without disclosing them first?

-Why are they charged regardless of whether they do anything to the phone?  Doesn't the activation fee cover assigning the phone to your line?

I feel like such undisclosed charges borders on fraud and would not hesitate to formally complain to Verizon about this.  If a store carries the Verizon name front and center on its storefront (not Joe's phone sales), then it should abide by the same policies as its corporate owned stores.  I feel completely ripped off by essentially paying $110 for some fee which I was never told about until I already had the phones transferred to my lines.  Verizon you are letting these swindlers ruin your reputation.

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Re: Third party retailers and setup fees not disclosed
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

You can use the filters and the legend to determine whether or not a store is a corporate store or a third party retailer. 

 

https://www.verizonwireless.com/stores

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Third party retailers and setup fees not disclosed
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

You can use the filters and the legend to determine whether or not a store is a corporate store or a third party retailer. 

 

https://www.verizonwireless.com/stores

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

Re: Third party retailers and setup fees not disclosed
lg787
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks for that advice but in the future I am just going to stick with the big stores.  I only upgrade my phone every 2-3 years and every time things change a little.  Maybe in 2 years these types of practices will be outlawed.  In what other industry can you be charged fees like this without disclosing them first?