BB Buy Back v. Verizon 1-YR Contract

[Filinator13]

After holding onto my TMO G1 since launch day, I am thinking about making the plunge to VZW and getting the Tbolt.

I hear VZW is doing away with early upgrades and I typically don't like to be stuck in a 2 year contract. And with technology changing so fast, I don't think I want to go another 2-3 years before upgrading my phone again.

I am debating on whether or not I should try for the Free Buy Back program through BB (depending on when the Tbolt comes out) or sign a 1-yr contract through VZW. I know the 1-yr contract will mean a higher price upfront (supposedly $329?).

What I don't know is, at the end of the 1-yr, what type of pricing will I be eligible for (if any)?

I'm also not completely sure how the Buy Back program works. I believe it is off the original retail price. So if the retail price is $749.99, according to their site calculator I could be eligible for about $300 in 6-12 months.

Now I realize that I always have the option of selling the handset on Clist or eBay, but I figure the Buy Back Program, if free, could be a nice thing to fall back on.

Just curious as to others thoughts on this, thanks!

 

[GFA]

I can't answer your BB questions but as for the 1-yr Verizon you would be eligible after 10 months for a new upgrade. This means that you would not have to pay full price but would then be able to choose between a 2yr and 1yr again. For example you would be eligible to buy a Thunderbolt for 2yr $249.99 or 1yr $329.99 (if those prices are even right).

 

[ridobe]

^Right. While the buyback is a nice feature you will be on the hook for retail of a new phone at that time. So, even if you get $300-$350 back you will still have to come up with $400 or so depending on the prices in the future. Free buyback is worth hanging on to or falling back on as you say, but the more I think about it I think I'm going to give up my place in line at BB and go with the 1 year.

 

[bttfpromo]

As an employee at Best Buy, Buy Back is a program where you save anywhere from 50% to 10% of the full retail price of a phone (in this case, $749) based on when you bring it back. Now, if you are concerned about which one to go with, you could do a one year contract AND do Buy Back, but just remember that Buy Back is $70 unless you get a protection plan. In which case, it would be $35.

And yes, we at Best Buy retail stores have wondered if someone could use their upgrade and sell their phone back a month later for quick cash. The answer is yes.

 

[Filinator13]

Now, if you are concerned about which one to go with, you could do a one year contract AND do Buy Back, but just remember that Buy Back is $70 unless you get a protection plan. In which case, it would be $35.

I thought I couldn't do a 1-YR contract unless I went to a VZW corp. store?

 

[ridobe]

As an employee at Best Buy, Buy Back is a program where you save anywhere from 50% to 10% of the full retail price of a phone (in this case, $749) based on when you bring it back. Now, if you are concerned about which one to go with, you could do a one year contract AND do Buy Back, but just remember that Buy Back is $70 unless you get a protection plan. In which case, it would be $35.

And yes, we at Best Buy retail stores have wondered if someone could use their upgrade and sell their phone back a month later for quick cash. The answer is yes.

How could you do both buy back and 1 year plan? No one year plans at BB.

 

[bttfpromo]

Hmm, I don't work in the Mobile department, but I'm pretty sure that they've been able to. I might be wrong. I would ask your Best Buy for that answer.

EDIT: Oh wait, that's right. I apologize. They can't, but the option is in the system (no discount given is the problem).

 

[Great1]

With ever changing tecnology 1yr (10mths) is the way to go.

 

[GFA]

With ever changing tecnology 1yr (10mths) is the way to go.

Agreed. 20 months is way too long to wait with how quick the turnover rate is for technology now. $80 more to not have to wait 10 more months on a phone and you will have higher resale value with a 10 month old phone versus a 20 month old phone so really that $80 isn't even that bad.

 

[lamoglinsgal]

I wonder if all of the people switching from two-year to one-year would eventually persuade them to bring back the annual upgrade?

 

[rdubbs007]

I wonder if all of the people switching from two-year to one-year would eventually persuade them to bring back the annual upgrade?

No because they will enjoy making the extra $70 per customer per year.

 

[lamoglinsgal]

True, but they could also end up with more people switching carriers for the next best thing a year sooner. My annual bill way exceeds that $70.

 

[project.in.process]

i'm in the same predicament---1yr VZW or BB Buyback--but honestly i think you're pretty safe either way.
alot of the discussion here is assuming that you'll be buying your next phone at full retail price, whereas you could purchase it at used price off of the same forums (craiglist/ebay) on which you're selling the TB. for some, used isn't an option. but for me, if it saves me $400, i'm for it.

for instance, if i go 2yr @ VZW for $249 (rumored, i know), doesn't mean i'd get any less money when i sell the phone to someone on Craigslist in December for $300-400 and then purchase a used "next generation" smart phone from someone else who didn't want theirs around that time for about the same amount. i haven't lost any money.

The one downside to BB BuyBack is that it's only a gift card, meaning you have to buy a phone from BestBuy at full retail price (assuming you're a 2 yr contract) and that means
(assuming you sell it back in 6month for 50%)
TB=749.99/.50%=$374.99
whatever the next-gen phone is, assuming it's the same price point $749.99-$374.99 buyback= $374.99 out of my pocket in cash.
in this scenario, i might as well sell it on Ebay/Craigslist for $300-400 and find someone looking to sell their next-gen phone for something relatively pricey.
BuyBack is a cool feature, but it pretty much locks you in to buying a phone @ FullRetailPrice

sadly, my only option is actually a 2yr (sprint to VZW for the add a line pricing) but like i said--i'm not worried. in 8 months, i'll still sell the phone for $300-$400+ and buy a slightly used next-gen smartphone off someone else in the same boat.

 

[lamoglinsgal]

i'm in the same predicament---1yr VZW or BB Buyback--but honestly i think you're pretty safe either way
alot of the discussion here is assuming that you'll be buying your next phone at full retail price, whereas you could purchase it at used price off of the same forums (craiglist/ebay) on which you're selling the TB. for some, used isn't an option. but for me, if it saves me $400, i'm for it.

for instance, if i go 2yr @ VZW for $249 (rumored, i know), doesn't mean i'd get any less money when i sell the phone to someone on Craigslist in December for $300-400 and then purchase a used "next generation" smart phone from someone else who didn't want theirs around that time for about the same amount. i haven't lost any money.

sadly, my only option is actually a 2yr (sprint to VZW for the add a line pricing) but like i said--i'm not worried. in 8 months, i'll still sell the phoen for $300-$400+ and buy a slightly used next-gen smartphone off someone else in the same boat.

I agree with your BB/VZW scenarios. I'm going to go ahead and do the two-year through VZW (instant discount online vs mail-in) and cross my fingers the value of the TB holds up as well as most other high-end Android devices. Then my plan is if I can't hold out for 20 months, I can sell and buy out of contract. Then I should be good to go for the remainder of my contract and re-sign on a one-year.

 

[Filinator13]

sadly, my only option is actually a 2yr (sprint to VZW for the add a line pricing)

Can you not do a 1-YR if it's an add a line?

I was looking to start a family plan with the gf (who already has VZW)

 

[jhsu123]

I agree with your BB/VZW scenarios. I'm going to go ahead and do the two-year through VZW (instant discount online vs mail-in) and cross my fingers the value of the TB holds up as well as most other high-end Android devices. Then my plan is if I can't hold out for 20 months, I can sell and buy out of contract. Then I should be good to go for the remainder of my contract and re-sign on a one-year.

I'm slightly confused. If you buy through VZW, do you have to do a mail-in to get the rebate (discount)? That's what I thought was the difference between going directly with VZW vs. BB. Would VZW have a 1 year contract for the TB? Thanks.

 

[project.in.process]

Can you not do a 1-YR if it's an add a line?

I was looking to start a family plan with the gf (who already has VZW)

you can only do a 1yr Add-A-Line if the primary line on which you're looking to jump is @ the end of their contract into the month-to-month portion and looking to renew.

that's, at least, what i was told by a rep...
so...i'll take that with a grain of salt at this point

 

[lamoglinsgal]

I'm slightly confused. If you buy through VZW, do you have to do a mail-in to get the rebate (discount)? That's what I thought was the difference between going directly with VZW vs. BB. Would VZW have a 1 year contract for the TB? Thanks.

I'm not sure about the add-a-line, but if you go into a VZW store, it's a mail-in rebate (if applicable.) Generally, on Verizon's website, it's an instant rebate. There are a few exceptions to that, but for the most part, instant rebate.

 

[project.in.process]

I'm slightly confused. If you buy through VZW, do you have to do a mail-in to get the rebate (discount)? That's what I thought was the difference between going directly with VZW vs. BB. Would VZW have a 1 year contract for the TB? Thanks.

Verizon has yet to confirm a 1yr option for the Thunderbolt (aka the device no one in the company apparently knows exists )

 

[Filinator13]

Verizon has yet to confirm a 1yr option for the Thunderbolt (aka the device no one in the company apparently knows exists )

Yeah I'm going on 2 assumptions here:
1- That they will offer a 1-yr contract
and
2 - That the phone actually does exist!

 

[liquid ice]

I'm in the same situation as you - I even have a T-Mobile G1 that I am dying to replace (how is it that the battery can go from 98% charged to less than 50% charged just from browsing 1 website?).

I started off thinking about doing the BB buy-back program but more and more I am leaning towards the one-year contract. For one thing for me -- if the phone comes out on the 24th, I will be out of town and can't get my phone until the 28th -- after the BB free buyback program ends. But also, if you think about it -- after the 1-year is up, you can still sell your Thunderbolt. If you can sell it for more than $100 you'll pretty much be ahead of the game.

The way I figure it :

2 year from BBY:
$250 for TBolt from BBY on a 2-year contract. Sell it after 1-year, you get 40% back - $300 gift card. Replacement phone from BBY $749 = $449 out of pocket. Total out of pocket for your 2-year contract: $699

1 year from VZW:
$329 for the Tbolt from VZW on a 1-year contract. Sell it after 1-year, you get $100 back (or more). Replacement phone from VZW $329. Total out of pocket = $558 or less if you can sell the phone for more than $100.

Plus after 1-year, if you wanted to switch from Verizon, to someone else - you can!

 

[jhsu123]

I'm in the same situation as you - I even have a T-Mobile G1 that I am dying to replace (how is it that the battery can go from 98% charged to less than 50% charged just from browsing 1 website?).

I started off thinking about doing the BB buy-back program but more and more I am leaning towards the one-year contract. For one thing for me -- if the phone comes out on the 24th, I will be out of town and can't get my phone until the 28th -- after the BB free buyback program ends. But also, if you think about it -- after the 1-year is up, you can still sell your Thunderbolt. If you can sell it for more than $100 you'll pretty much be ahead of the game.

The way I figure it :

2 year from BBY:
$250 for TBolt from BBY on a 2-year contract. Sell it after 1-year, you get 40% back - $300 gift card. Replacement phone from BBY $749 = $449 out of pocket. Total out of pocket for your 2-year contract: $699

1 year from VZW:
$329 for the Tbolt from VZW on a 1-year contract. Sell it after 1-year, you get $100 back (or more). Replacement phone from VZW $329. Total out of pocket = $558 or less if you can sell the phone for more than $100.

Plus after 1-year, if you wanted to switch from Verizon, to someone else - you can!

Thank you for clearly illustrating the options financially. BTW, the Buy Back program runs through 2/28. I talked to the BB people yesterday (2/20) and that's what they told me. So you could still get the Buy Back program for free on that day.

If you sell your phone after 1 year, I take it you are selling it on Craigslist or Ebay. What safeguards are in place about selling the phone? Plus, you need to calculate the shipping costs, etc. I've never done that before and it seems like a hassle. If you could enlighten me (how to ensure your personal info doesn't get transferred to the new person in the process, etc.), that would be great. You can pm me if you want. Thanks.

 

[short/y]

Personally, I want to give the industry a chance to settle down. Tablets, dual-cores, quad-cores, Gingerbread 2.3/2.4, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich -- with the surge of interest in Android, a lot of things are changing very quickly and the phones that are HOT now could easily be NOT HOT in 6-8 months. I want a new phone now because the internal storage of my current phone (a Nexus One which I bought on launch day) is crippling me. Even with apps2sd, the load time for apps is beginning to make many of them unusable. So, to address this, I intend to buy a new phone now and upgrade in 8-10 months. I've been weighing the options and if I can buy from VZW on a 1-year, I think I will -- I'm willing to pay a $70 or $100 premium for the phone if that means I can upgrade AT UPGRADE PRICES in about a year. If there's no 1-year option then it'll have to be BB.

 

[Filinator13]

If you sell your phone after 1 year, I take it you are selling it on Craigslist or Ebay. What safeguards are in place about selling the phone? Plus, you need to calculate the shipping costs, etc. I've never done that before and it seems like a hassle. If you could enlighten me (how to ensure your personal info doesn't get transferred to the new person in the process, etc.), that would be great. You can pm me if you want. Thanks.

Usually there is some sort of master or factory reset that erases everything.

 

[lamoglinsgal]

Thank you for clearly illustrating the options financially. BTW, the Buy Back program runs through 2/28. I talked to the BB people yesterday (2/20) and that's what they told me. So you could still get the Buy Back program for free on that day.

If you sell your phone after 1 year, I take it you are selling it on Craigslist or Ebay. What safeguards are in place about selling the phone? Plus, you need to calculate the shipping costs, etc. I've never done that before and it seems like a hassle. If you could enlighten me (how to ensure your personal info doesn't get transferred to the new person in the process, etc.), that would be great. You can pm me if you want. Thanks.

I have sold many phones on eBay and have never had an issue. There are safeguards in place via eBay as well as PayPal, and if you go the eBay route, you can also close the auction from low feedback rated members.

As for protecting your identity when selling the phone, once you do a factory reset on an Android device, it will only go by the information given when you sign in with your email address. So as long as you factory reset and leave as is, you're good. I generally charge $8 for shipping in my phone listings, and that just covers the cost on my end. There are seller fees associated with selling on eBay vs Craigslist, but I feel safer going through eBay.

I've also always gotten more than expected when selling on eBay.