After reading through so many posts about these same issues with Trade-ins, I can see that this is a pattern with Verizon and feel strongly that the FCC and/or my State Attorney General needs to look into this. I consider it a deceptive business practice to entice new customers with trade-in credits and then NEVER send the required trade-in kits (even after repeated requests), and then when the customer finally mails them in without the kit - the trade-in value credit is only a FRACTION of what was promised.
Here is what happened to me: I am a new customer and traded-in four Iphones. The promised value of the trade-in credit was $2400 ($400 + $400 + $800 + $800). When the new phones arrived, the shipment was supposed to come with the trade-in kits (the bubble envelope and mailing label for EACH phone), but it did not. I called and used the chat function and used the online request THREE additional times to report the problem and request new trade-in kits and they were never sent. Each time I requested I was feeling more and more panic that I would miss the 30 day deadline. I even offered to drive the phones to a physical store, but they said that was not allowed. I was told they noted my account with a "documented promise" to assure that I would receive the original quoted trade-in values and not to worry about the 30 days. They assured me that the 30-day deadline was not a problem, and I would be credited full quoted value once they were received. They verified my address each time (also, the address clearly worked to send the new phones - so there is no excuse for the trade-in kits to not arrive correctly). Finally, they instructed me a way to request a mailing label that I needed to print myself. There were big warnings on the Verizon trade-in page that you MUST use the trade-in kit, but the representative assured me that the printed mailing label would be perfectly fine even though that contradicted their own website. Note that I have all this documented in a chat.
So, I got all my phones packed up and shipped (with a photo of all phones powered on and operating next to each mailing label). I paid for my own shipping envelopes. UPS sent "proof of delivery" that all four phones were delivered to Verizon.
After a week or so I started receiving e-mails from Verizon that "we updated your trade-in value". Here is what I have received so far:
Iphone 8: $400 - no acknowledgement - UPS shows it was delivered on 9/19
Iphone 8 Plus: $400 has been updated to $71.00
Iphone XR: $800 has been updated to $95.00
Iphone XR: $800 has been updated to $47.50
So, basically, they are only giving me a little more than $200 of the $2400 they promised and one phone is unaccounted for.
Clearly I am not alone in this behavior by Verizon based on the number of complaints here and elsewhere. It is a pattern of either negligence or willfully discouraging trade-ins by never providing trade-in kits - and then grossly discounting the trade-in value if the customer miraculously finds a way to send the phones without the kit. I have spent hours on the phone and chat trying to solve problem, to no avail. Each time the customer service rep assures me that this is very unusual, and they will resolve it for me and "not to worry", that I will be credited the full amount of the promised trade-in. I am exhausted and frustrated.
I am waiting one more day before I submit my complaint to both the FCC and WA State Attorney General. I encourage others who experience similar problems to do the same.
