Found Evo Shift for $345 - is this a good buy?

[Kenneth196]

I came across 3 Evo Shifts for $345 each. Brand new, clean ESN, everything in the box.

HTC Evo Shift 4G (Sprint) - eBay (item 280630920851 end time Feb-18-11 19:21:30 PST)

Looks legit?

 

[EarlyMon]

Define legit - it says the price is good for new Sprint customers, when new Sprint customers pay $149, less on sale.

Without being new or qualifying for an upgrade, with rebate, I _think_ the most you'll pay is $299.

So - buyer beware.

 

[Kenneth196]

Hmm... $350 upfront on eBay, or $400 with $100 mail-in rebate on Sprint... never thought about it that way.

Edit: By legit I meant like it doesn't look like something that would work 1 day then break the next? I guess there's no way of telling that by looking at it but just going by the price.

 

[EarlyMon]

Yeah - I don't know how other purchases work such as eBay - but if you buy from someplace with humans you know - Sprint store, Radio Shack, Best Buy - or someone with some kind of track record for standing by what they sell, such as Amazon - it would seem to me if you do have some unfortunate trouble, you'll have recourse.

 

[jkmasi]

Hmm... $350 upfront on eBay, or $400 with $100 mail-in rebate on Sprint... never thought about it that way

When you pay full price for a phone from Sprint or Best Buy, do you get the mail in rebate?

 

[Kenneth196]

I can't say for Best Buy but with Sprint, yea. I checked the Sprint webste to verify that. So you save $50 in the long run if you buy thrugh Sprint but you have to wait for the rebate. With eBay you save $50 in the present but pay $50 more in the long run.

Edit: corrected a few typos.

 

[shellyevo4g]

I got the new HTC Evo Shift 4G and started ordering all the accessories. Received the supposedly "new" out of package 16GB SD card from eBay and installed it. WHOAAAA, what's all that data? It has data, pdf's and pictures up to a year old from some guy in Michigan.

I want my upgrade, first thought was to accept it, format and start loading my personal stuff. BUT it's not what I was told I was getting, it's used and this seller is unscrupulous!

What would you do?

 

[Medion]

It's not a moral dilemma. The guy advertised it as new, and sold it used. Therefore, he mislead you into paying more than what you would have paid for a known used product.

Send him an email, let him know that you intend to leave a negative feedback and go through Ebay's fraud resolution department unless the seller corrects the issue.

If it were me, he'd have to do more than just issue a refund and have me send it back, as he also wasted my time.

 

[jkmasi]

I can't say for Best Buy but with Sprint, yea. I checked the Sprint webste to verify that. So you save $50 in the long run if you buy thrugh Sprint but you have to wait for the rebate. With eBay you save $50 in the preset but pay $5 more in the long run.

I thought that you had to be activating a new line to get the rebate, but I will be happy to learn that I am wrong.

 

[EarlyMon]

Merged a thread here from the Android Lounge - seems pretty topical to me.

shellyevo4g - Welcome to the forums! - Sorry for the circumstances.

I agree with Medion's advice 100%

A few curiosities - was just the phone new, but not the SD card? Both used?

Did you buy from the link at the top of this thread?

 

[shellyevo4g]

I sent him an email asking for a 50% refund. I will keep the card, reformat, and ensure the persons data is gone forever (he can't sell it to someone else). This gets some of my money back and I don't have to find another card. I want to get my phone set up. I still plan on leaving negative feedback as a warning to others.

Just another warning to all who upgrade/sale their old devices...be sure to wipe all your data! You never know who will end up with it.

 

[Medion]

A few curiosities - was just the phone new, but not the SD card? Both used?

He/she bought the phone from the carrier, and started ordering accessories separately. The MicroSD card was purchased through Ebay, and that's what he/she is having issues with.

 

[shellyevo4g]

Merged a thread here from the Android Lounge - seems pretty topical to me.

shellyevo4g - Welcome to the forums! - Sorry for the circumstances.

I agree with Medion's advice 100%

A few curiosities - was just the phone new, but not the SD card? Both used?

Did you buy from the link at the top of this thread?

Being a newbie to the forum, I thought I lost my thread and then see the moderator merged it here...glad I found it! LOL I did get the phone from Sprint and it was a good buy with the rebate. They are also one of the few with good service (not 4G) in my area. Plan is reasonable with all bells and whistles using my employers discount. Accessory prices are rediculous, so I hit up eBay and I'm happy with most received so far....waiting on seller to respond on the SD card issue now.

PS. I love this phone. Used the battery process to increase life and it works! Using SDMove/SDWatch to move stuff to SD and finding all kinds of useful apps. Open Source is awesome!

 

[Kenneth196]

Hearing positive feedback like that about the phone makes me more excited to get it also. I've never rooted a phone before but I've read a lot about it & I plan on doing it with the shift also (I haven't read the permaroot thread yet so I don't know how difficult it is for a newbie).

 

[Kenneth196]

I thought that you had to be activating a new line to get the rebate, but I will be happy to learn that I am wrong.

Hey jkmasi,

I apologize, I think you're right. I went to the rebates part of the sprint website - Sprint Nextel | Mail-in Rebates from Sprint & read but I assumed it was for new, upgrading, or existing customers but I believe you're right. So $400 new from sprint or taking a chance and going with $345 through eBay (for anyone that is thinking about purchasing one. Best deal I found on eBay with these phones.)

 

[shellyevo4g]

Kenneth, Are you an existing customer? Rebates do still apply dependent on your months of service/eligability:

- Sign up for a 2 yr. contract (for new and upgrading customers).
- If you are buying one of the following devices...includes HTC EVOTMYou'll need one of the following plans:
Simply Everything or Simply Everything Family plan
Everything Data or Everything Data Family plan
Business Advantage Messaging & Data
Everything Business plan (Business customers only)
BlackBerry Web and Email plan (Business customers only)

I have the rebate form which also states other rebate options. My husband upgraded also and called online sales customer service. If you have some time, might be worth checking with them directly.

I switched from Verizon so got the full rebate. Besides cost of the phone, be sure to consider cost of plan long term. The cheaper Sprint plan will pay for my phone over time.

 

[Kenneth196]

I recently signed up for a 2 year plan with sprint in december, but yea I'll take a look!

 

[vagilik]

Yeah - I don't know how other purchases work such as eBay - but if you buy from someplace with humans you know - Sprint store, Radio Shack, Best Buy - or someone with some kind of track record for standing by what they sell, such as Amazon - it would seem to me if you do have some unfortunate trouble, you'll have recourse.

i qualified for a partial upgrade, no rebate and it was still 325