Best place to buy the Evo off contract?

[ShoxV]

So, I've heard too many mixed things in like 50 different threads, and can't really make sense of all of them, so I thought I'd just make a new thread.

What is the best place to buy Evo off contract?
Certain places like Wirefly don't sell off contract, others like Amazon apparently don't either.
Places like Best buy and radio shack seem to have a higher off contract price ($549).
Sprint's online store seems to be the most obvious choice, but then we get stuck with Tax (which for california is nearly 50$ dollars)

So, has anyone done their research and figured out what place will be best, and why?

 

[p00kienrayray]

check on ebay or craigslist from a private party.

 

[robg2008]

best buy is 600 for the phone full price. go into a BB and see for yourself.

if you are paying full price like i am
IMO...you only really have two options..
1. buy from sprint for whatever they charge for the phone full price (i have heard may mixed opinions on this but the range has been 450-550)
2. go to BB or RS add a line (for me no deposit idk if you would have one or not) buy the phone for 200 close the line later and pay the 200 termination fee.

again thats my opinion

 

[ShoxV]

Hm, It didn't occur to me to do the add a line thing. Is there a time limit for cancelling the line or can I just buy the phone, go home, cancel the line? Also wont I be stuck paying for the first month of service?
Anyone else done this before?

 

[ImmaSlave4U]

Sprint store, website, or telesales would be your best options. It would be the least expensive, most reliable.

 

[BigRick10]

Hm, It didn't occur to me to do the add a line thing. Is there a time limit for cancelling the line or can I just buy the phone, go home, cancel the line? Also wont I be stuck paying for the first month of service?
Anyone else done this before?

Wait after the 30 days is up

 

[ShoxV]

Wait after the 30 days is up

Dont think I could wait an extra 30 days or carry around 2 phones for a month haha.

 

[whiteusmc75]

Kinda pissed about the off contract pricing from Best Buy. When I preordered my EVO 3 or so weeks ago, the mobile phone ppl at Best Buy told me they believed the price would be $450, in which I agreed was the same price I saw. Just called Best Buy today (Wednesday) to see if I could get a confirmation on the price for my EVO, and after being redirected 4 times, I got someone on the phone that looked it up and told me $599. W.T.F!!!!!!! Now Im as excited as anyone else to get the phone Ive been drooling about for 6+months, but I wasnt expecting to pay $600 for a phone that Ive seen in a Sprint advertisment for $449. Long story short, Im going into BB on Friday with the ad from Sprint showing the $449 price, and a copy of their price match guarantee, if that one doesnt work....Ill show them the ad I printed from RS that shows a price of $499 unactivated price. Cell Phones from RadioShack Wish me luck!!!

 

[zcarman]

Sprint has the $449.99 price posted as the 'retail' price based on the 2 year pricing formula that was released. At official Sprint Corporate stores, you will be paying $449.99 for the device.

3rd party Sprint locations that have the device set their own pricing and cut their own deals. In Washington, InTouch Wireless is the primary 3rd party Sprint provider. They have let me know they don't plan on having any devices for 'retail' sale for the first 30 days.

That's just the area north of Seattle though...?

 

[Dose]

The Person at My Best Buy specifically told me, that she would price match, just as long as the store had it in stock. Im also going to be paying retail price...but I need to get it from best buy because I have gift cards that I have been saving, and I plan on trading in my Hero...The only problem is....Will Best Buy have an Evo for SALE...I have a bad feeling they might not...

 

[cabbie]

I'm buying off contract and going to a sprint corporate store and was told I'd be paying $449.

A best buy told me they'd price match but by that time their pre-order for the 4th was over and they weren't expecting more till a couple weeks after that. And frankly I don't trust them to price match based on a couple stories I've read on here

 

[robg2008]

Hm, It didn't occur to me to do the add a line thing. Is there a time limit for cancelling the line or can I just buy the phone, go home, cancel the line? Also wont I be stuck paying for the first month of service?
Anyone else done this before?

you can close the line when you get home from whereever you are buying your phone.
they will try to get you to return the evo so you dont have to pay ETF

tell them you no longer need to have the additional line but you want to keep the phone so you will just pay the ETF. this way you dont have to pay for a first month.

 

[marctronixx]

bestbuy will price match. make sure there is a sprint store in the area. bestbuy will call the store and verify stock and price.after thats confirmed, you get the handset at the reduced cost.. if your upgrading or adding a new line, then price matching is moot...

 

[Dose]

bestbuy will price match. make sure there is a sprint store in the area. bestbuy will call the store and verify stock and price.after thats confirmed, you get the handset at the reduced cost.. if your upgrading or adding a new line, then price matching is moot...

Yeah thats What I was told. She did say that the other retailer has to have it in stock

 

[ShoxV]

you can close the line when you get home from whereever you are buying your phone.
they will try to get you to return the evo so you dont have to pay ETF

tell them you no longer need to have the additional line but you want to keep the phone so you will just pay the ETF. this way you dont have to pay for a first month.

Thanks!
Any idea how this will affect the activation fees?

The way I'm calculating it -

Phone straight up from sprint online - $449 + tax = 500$ roughly

Phone from BB getting a new line - $199 + tax + 200 ETF + activation fee = 480$ roughly

Any other options?

Does anyone know about Studentrate? What if I got a new line from student rate which has 75$ in discounts, which would mean 125+tax+ 200 ETF = 375$ IF they let me ETF through them without screwing me..

 

[Quakerwildcat]

Wirefly is $169.99 with contract, $479.99 without, plus you get automatic $50 Bing Cashback for each phone, if you start by searching for Wirefly at Bing.com.