Want an Eris but not due for upgrade...

[gsxr310]

so i wanted to replace my wifes blackberry cuz the screen is cracked and has had several probs w/ it. she is not due for an upgrade till mid year. where can i look for a deal on this phone? i looked at verizon's site and noticed pricing is only for 2 year/1year/ month to month contracts. is it possible to get pricing for a 2 year contract ($80) by re-newing her current contract? or will i have to pay full retail?

 

[lessit]

Stop by a Verizon corporate store and ask. I've always found them willing to work with you. If you have a busted BB, you're going to have to spend some money anyway.

 

[usedtobeanyer]

Email them and ask if you don't want to stop by the store. I did and got the discount price a few months early.

 

[droidkevlar]

How long have you been a customer for? Ive been with them for 6yrs and I bought a BB Tour 4 months before the Eris came out. I was pissed. I called them up and said how could a friend of mine(A lie) get an early upgrade but i wasnt eligible. He explained that if they had a BB Storm that could be why. I kept my cool the whole time. I asked maybe about 3 times if I could upgrade again, even thought I just did it 4 months ago and he kept saying no. I finally said, it be sad for a long time member to leave because of something so small to them. He said hold on for a sec while he talked to a manager and came back 5mins later with the good news that I could upgrade again.

Try your luck. My theory is that if you want to upgrade to an Android phone, they are more willing than before. Good luck. And coming from an ex BB lover, BB aint got nothing on the Eris.

 

[hallstevenson]

Call their customer service number. I wasn't due for an upgrade for 11 months but got the Eris for $229 - $100 rebate or $129 (after the rebate). They can do it... If the rep can't or won't, call back and get a different one.

 

[truelove79]

When I was getting my Eris I wasn't due for an upgrade either. I called Verizon and stopped into several stores and they all told me the same thing. You have to pay full retail. No one was willing to work with me on any discounted pricing even if I was willing to renew my 2 year contract. If you're not due for an upgrade, you're probably going to have to pay full retail. It's sad but true. Do what I did if you can. Find someone else, a family member or friend, who doesn't care about getting new phones and is due for an upgrade and use their upgrade.

 

[droidkevlar]

Call their customer service number. I wasn't due for an upgrade for 11 months but got the Eris for $229 - $100 rebate or $129 (after the rebate). They can do it... If the rep can't or won't, call back and get a different one.

This is nothing special. You can upgrade your phone with rebates at your 13 month mark(2yr contract). Which is what you are saying, right? You just dont get your new every 2 discount.

When I was getting my Eris I wasn't due for an upgrade either. I called Verizon and stopped into several stores and they all told me the same thing. You have to pay full retail. No one was willing to work with me on any discounted pricing even if I was willing to renew my 2 year contract. If you're not due for an upgrade, you're probably going to have to pay full retail. It's sad but true. Do what I did if you can. Find someone else, a family member or friend, who doesn't care about getting new phones and is due for an upgrade and use their upgrade.

Dont go into the stores first. Waste of time. I tried 5 different locations even after i was told I could do it. Its all up to their managers and most of the time they dont want to do it. I believe its because they dont make that much profit off it for the store numbers, but I could be wrong. If you are on a family plan, just sign up for a 1yr contract and it only costs you $10 a month to add that line, so 120$ total. And that is more than what you would save if you paid full retail.

 

[Jlopcpa]

My wife is in a similar situation, in October I got her the BB Storm and in December we replaced it due defective touch screen. Now fast forward to this week and she is still having problems with the phone, so I called VZW and asked about my options including getting a different phone all together. I was told, I could get a replacement BB Storm, as I am still in the Mfg warranty of 1 year or I could get a different phone, but would have to pay the 1 year contract price. Seeing that I did not want to spend extra money her 3rd BB Storm arrived yesterday.

 

[droidkevlar]

My wife is in a similar situation, in October I got her the BB Storm and in December we replaced it due defective touch screen. Now fast forward to this week and she is still having problems with the phone, so I called VZW and asked about my options including getting a different phone all together. I was told, I could get a replacement BB Storm, as I am still in the Mfg warranty of 1 year or I could get a different phone, but would have to pay the 1 year contract price. Seeing that I did not want to spend extra money her 3rd BB Storm arrived yesterday.

From what I was told and what I heard from a friend that actually had the OG BB Storm, VZW reps each told us that phone was a f-up. So to make you happy, they will let you upgrade early. For free, not going to happen unless there is a promo going on then for a free Eris/Droid. But my friend did upgrade early as he was only 10 months into his contract and he was able to get the 2yr contract price as I did too when I upgraded after just 4 months of previous upgrading. Its all about who you talk to. One thing I have learned about Big Red is that you can get what you want if its reasonable and you have time because you are going to have to call back a few times to get that person that gets you what you want.

 

[hallstevenson]

I agree about going into stores. They work on commission and IMO, tend to play "dumb". It's full-retail-price for everything and "only the manager can do discounts".

 

[hallstevenson]

This is nothing special. You can upgrade your phone with rebates at your 13 month mark(2yr contract). Which is what you are saying, right? You just dont get your new every 2 discount.

When I was logged in at the VZW website and selected my phone for the upgrade, I was only given "month-to-month" pricing, i.e. $549 for the Eris. My wife, who was due for an upgrade, could choose 1-year, 2-year, or month-to-month pricing.

End price of $129 --- I'm happy !

 

[droidkevlar]

When I was logged in at the VZW website and selected my phone for the upgrade, I was only given "month-to-month" pricing, i.e. $549 for the Eris. My wife, who was due for an upgrade, could choose 1-year, 2-year, or month-to-month pricing.

End price of $129 --- I'm happy !

I should have mentioned that you have to do it over customer service or in store. I've done this for the past 6 yrs. But for once, I wont this time. I love my Eris too! Best phone ever!!!!

 

[Blue_Fedora]

I was not due for a "new every two" upgrade until 9/30/10... I went in on 1/29/10 and wanted to upgrade but was told I'd have to pay full retail if I did it that day. If I waited until the next day I would be eligible for an "early upgrade" and could upgrade if I paid a $20 fee. No brainer. I came back the next day and got my Eris Droid for the $179 price. Only extra was the $20 early upgrade fee... and of course the tax on the full retail price of the phone (which pissed me off more than the $20 early upgrade fee, personally).

Hope that helps!

 

[Jlopcpa]

From what I was told and what I heard from a friend that actually had the OG BB Storm, VZW reps each told us that phone was a f-up. So to make you happy, they will let you upgrade early. For free, not going to happen unless there is a promo going on then for a free Eris/Droid. But my friend did upgrade early as he was only 10 months into his contract and he was able to get the 2yr contract price as I did too when I upgraded after just 4 months of previous upgrading. Its all about who you talk to. One thing I have learned about Big Red is that you can get what you want if its reasonable and you have time because you are going to have to call back a few times to get that person that gets you what you want.

Well we will see what happens...hopefully third time is a charm, if not then I will be a different phone, perhaps when the N1 comes out, I will give her my ERIS and get the N1 for me...or what ever the better new Android phone is at the the time