Best place to buy Epic...Wirefly perhaps?

[dyh]

Any thoughts on where the best pricing on the Epic will be?

I sent inquiries to Wirefly and Let's Talk about pricing and if they'll be doing pre orders, but I have to wait on replies.

As far as anyone knows, the pricing for Best Buy and Radioshack is $250 but the rebate is included in that price?

 

[Eazail70x7]

Wirefly has the Droid 2 on sale today for 150. And it just came out today

 

[drexappeal]

Any thoughts on where the best pricing on the Epic will be?

I set inquiries to Wirefly and Let's Talk about pricing and if they'll be doing pre orders, but I have to wait on replies.

As far as anyone knows, the pricing for Best Buy and Radioshack is $250 but the rebate is included in that price?

Best Buy and Radio Shack have instant rebates. The price at Best Buy and Radio Shack would already include the $100 that would be a mail-in-rebate for Sprint. Keep in mind, that's not including taxes and fees. In L.A., CA, I have to pay taxes on the FULL retail price at Best Buy, so in the end, the instant rebate I get is only around $70-75.

From what I understand, wirefly doesn't charge tax OR shipping. I was thinking of getting the EPIC for my other line on wirefly, but the thing is that I have a bunch of certificates for Best Buy to use, so it's ultimately the better option for me.

 

[rasstar]

Most of lower online prices are for new line of service not upgrades. Bestbuy charges tax on the retail price and adds an activation fee. Something the Sprint stores do not do so in the long run they cost more.

 

[dyh]

Wirefly usually has the best prices although there can be some downsides.

If I get a response from them I'll post an update.

 

[ragnarokx]

If you buy from Wirefly, how would warranty exchanges work? Could you go through the Sprint store or would you have to mail your phone to Wirefly?

 

[JTAndroid]

Wirefly usually has the best prices although there can be some downsides.

If I get a response from them I'll post an update.

What are the downsides are you referring to?

 

[drexappeal]

Most of lower online prices are for new line of service not upgrades. Bestbuy charges tax on the retail price and adds an activation fee. Something the Sprint stores do not do so in the long run they cost more.

A lot of people that purchased the EVO from Best Buy got the activation fee re-imbursed by Sprint.

I didn't have to worry because I wasn't ever charged an activation fee.

 

[SebastianX]

Wirefly usually has the best deals but be forewarned that they do mess up quite a bit and have been permanently removed from the BBB since 2005. That said some people have ordered from there without problems but I've read horror stories of unauthorized charges and 300 dollar fees if you make what they call an unsuitable change to your account, WireFly's parent company is called InPhonic, Inc to this day they still have a mass lawsuit consisting of thousands of users who have unauthorized charges and since then have tried to change their name and sly themselves away from the InPhonic name.

BBB Site:
BBB of Washington DC & Eastern PA: BBB Reliability Report

Some Reviews:
Wirefly - Reviews and Complaints
http://www99.epinions.com/pr-Online_Stores_Services-Wirefly/display_~reviews/sec_~survey_list/pp_~1/pa_~1

Again just so people don't think I'm coming across as a WireFly hater, I've heard of people who have no problem at all using the service, but I've heard of just as many who do. Ultimately it's up to you, I'd rather just pay the instant rebate amount + tax and get it in person at BB or RS, at least that way I can hop in my car and talk to someone face to face if there's a problem.

 

[rasstar]

A lot of people that purchased the EVO from Best Buy got the activation fee re-imbursed by Sprint.

I didn't have to worry because I wasn't ever charged an activation fee.

Even if the activation is refunded it will still end up costing more since they charge tax on the full price.

 

[darkamikaze]

well.. an alternative to wirefly is letstalk.com.. headsup

 

[latinmaxima]

Wirefly has worked well from my own experiences. I know of others as well. It is hit or miss in some cases but they do have a good deal if you get the phone and keep it how you ordered for 6months. No switching of lines or phone numbers. That is their basic requirement. And they offer pretty good deals for new customers. Upgrades usually better than corporate stores. Insurance depends on if you get it through NCOA (wirefly's offered party) or Sprint. I keep my sprint insurance and you just go to the store and your fine.

 

[drexappeal]

Even if the activation is refunded it will still end up costing more since they charge tax on the full price.

More than wirefly, yes, but not more than Sprint.

 

[kristv]

I'm very curious as to how much Walmart will be selling the Epic for when they do actually start selling it. They currently sell the Captivate for $89, when everyone else is still selling it for $199! Crazy....

 

[ben7337]

I'm very curious as to how much Walmart will be selling the Epic for when they do actually start selling it. They currently sell the Captivate for $89, when everyone else is still selling it for $199! Crazy....

Yeah, but amazon.com, and wirefly and other places have the captivate for $50 with new 2 yr contract. I'd go with amazon personally since according to their site they seem to sell directly, so you get their good customer service, unlike wirefly.

 

[kristv]

Yeah, but amazon.com, and wirefly and other places have the captivate for $50 with new 2 yr contract. I'd go with amazon personally since according to their site they seem to sell directly, so you get their good customer service, unlike wirefly.

Oh, definitely! If I wasn't going with a brick n' mortar store like Walmart/Best Buy, I'd totally go with Amazon. The only problem is, they don't seem to offer number porting for Sprint contracts. I saw last night that Walmart is also selling the T-Mobile Galaxy S phone (Fascinate?) for $89, but it's free after a mail-in rebate! Wow!

 

[ben7337]

Oh, definitely! If I wasn't going with a brick n' mortar store like Walmart/Best Buy, I'd totally go with Amazon. The only problem is, they don't seem to offer number porting for Sprint contracts. I saw last night that Walmart is also selling the T-Mobile Galaxy S phone (Fascinate?) for $89, but it's free after a mail-in rebate! Wow!

Walmart's website or brick and mortar stores? You are making me think that walmart might be the way to go with the EPIC 4g now assuming they get them in and what not. Also I have done some thorough research with amazon and can say that they do porting of sprint phone numbers. Here is the customer service email I got a while ago about it.

"Depending on the carrier, local number portability may allow you to move your number from your current provider to a new service provider.

With Sprint PCS phones and plans, you will need to call the provider to start your service after you receive your phone. You will have the option at that point to port your number from your previous provider.

We recommend you consult with both your current provider and the potential new provider to determine any fees.

For more information on how Amazon.com supports local number portability, visit:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000452751"

Hope this helps you.

Do all walmarts carry all carriers and phones btw? I ask because I will be at school in VT and there is only 1 walmart within like 50 miles of me there, and so if they don't even carry sprint phones then I'd have no hope of using walmart.

 

[kristv]

Well, I know that the Walmart in my area carries Sprint phones, but I suppose every store is a little different. You could always call the store near your school and ask, I suppose? That's what I would do anyway. I just can't believe how cheaply they are selling those phones! The Epic might not necessarily be that cheap at first, but those phones aren't more than a couple months old so maybe the Epic will get the same price treatment from Walmart a month or two after it's on the market? You can get the Hero/Intercept, etc. for way cheaper there than you can at Best Buy or Sprint stores, so I would have to think Walmart will undercut both of them with the Epic as well. That could save me a lot of money...even if they still charge the activation fee!

Thanks for the info about Amazon...I'll keep that in mind!

 

[Wirefly1]

Any thoughts on where the best pricing on the Epic will be?

I sent inquiries to Wirefly and Let's Talk about pricing and if they'll be doing pre orders, but I have to wait on replies.

As far as anyone knows, the pricing for Best Buy and Radioshack is $250 but the rebate is included in that price?

Thank you for considering us for your wireless needs. We are currently taking pre-orders for the Epic on our website. Feel free to let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.

 

[Wirefly1]

Wirefly usually has the best deals but be forewarned that they do mess up quite a bit and have been permanently removed from the BBB since 2005. That said some people have ordered from there without problems but I've read horror stories of unauthorized charges and 300 dollar fees if you make what they call an unsuitable change to your account, WireFly's parent company is called InPhonic, Inc to this day they still have a mass lawsuit consisting of thousands of users who have unauthorized charges and since then have tried to change their name and sly themselves away from the InPhonic name.

Hi SebastianX,

We appreciate your concerns and apprehensions, and welcome any questions that you may have. Allow me to correct a few points:

In 2007, Wirefly.com was acquired by Simplexity, based in Reston, Virginia. The previous owner, Inphonic Inc., is no longer in business. InPhonic was subject to a class action lawsuit regarding rebate claims. Since being relaunched by Simplexity, Wirefly.com has featured straightforward pricing with no rebates, and a new customer satisfaction guarantee, with free shipping and free returns. Wirefly is currently listed by the BBB. Our BBB report includes all of the past history of Wirefly.com, but we have worked to slowly raise that rating from an F in the InPhonic days to a current rating of B, with zero unresolved complaints in the past year. In fact, our BBB track record since 2007 is superior to that of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile. Today, Wirefly is proud to be the Internet

 

[Quakerwildcat]

If you buy from Wirefly, how would warranty exchanges work? Could you go through the Sprint store or would you have to mail your phone to Wirefly?

If you want to return your phone in the first 30 days, you send it back to Wirefly, but beyond that you go to the Sprint store for any warranty issues.

 

[Quakerwildcat]

Yeah, but amazon.com, and wirefly and other places have the captivate for $50 with new 2 yr contract. I'd go with amazon personally since according to their site they seem to sell directly, so you get their good customer service, unlike wirefly.

Nothing against Amazon, but Wirefly actually answers the phone and responds to questions on AndroidForums. Have you ever called Amazon?

 

[rasstar]

Nothing against Amazon, but Wirefly actually answers the phone and responds to questions on AndroidForums. Have you ever called Amazon?

Why would you even need to call amazon? Everything is done online. If you need to return something you click return and they give you a shipping label to print.

 

[kristv]

As a person who has ordered absolutely TONS of stuff from Amazon, I'm pretty confident in their support and return policies. I have yet to have had a bad experience with anything I've bought directly from Amazon. They have always resolved any issues I've had quickly and to my satisfaction. My wife would say the same, and she has purchased just as much (possibly more!) than I have from their site. They are the Walmart of the internet.

 

[drexappeal]

As a person who has ordered absolutely TONS of stuff from Amazon, I'm pretty confident in their support and return policies. I have yet to have had a bad experience with anything I've bought directly from Amazon. They have always resolved any issues I've had quickly and to my satisfaction. My wife would say the same, and she has purchased just as much (possibly more!) than I have from their site. They are the Walmart of the internet.

+1 My experience with Amazon with regards to CS and Returns has been awesome.

In fact, to give a drastic example, I was taking some workout supplements that ended up having a massive recall by the FDA. I had already been taking the supplements for a month and was worried that I'd have issues getting a refund, but Amazon set up the refund with the 3rd party seller without any issues. On top of that, they refunded the FULL amount, plus they gave me a credit covering the amount I spent to ship the product back!