Captivate on sale for $9.99 - WTF???

[myrv]

I got mine for free and they paid me another $175 to keep it.

Please elaborate. I am interested in some money back

 

[baddress]

Please elaborate. I am interested in some money back

I had to exchange my phone several times to get one that worked, and they didn't want to lose a customer.

 

[mwxiao]

the big deal is that many people, like me, just paid 199 + upgrade fee etc.. for this phone while it's being sold all the way down to 10.

I'm glad I'm seeing posts like this so I can return/rebuy before my 30 days are up.

When the first gen iPhone dropped like $200, everybody was crying out loud. This is no difference.

 

[Max Tempest]

I got my Captivate for $25 w/2-year contract renewal on release day through Letstalk. It would have been free if I had selected the $25 data plan. It definitely pays to shop around independent dealers. It is true they get incentives for signing new customers and to a lesser extent, renewing current customers, so they can offer phones at discount. Iphones are offered only through Apple and AT&T and have always been price-locked by them. Iphones are established, well-known, in high demand globally, but not available everywhere, thus the high resale value. In some countries, Iphone 4's are being sold for $1200 or more.

 

[Vanquishx]

If you think $9.99 is drastic, the samsung vibrant is only $0.01 on amazon. Perhaps samsung just wants more galaxy s phones out there.

 

[St_G]

I assume it's a combination of the SGS phones not selling as well as Samsung had hoped and the fact that Samsung really wants the Galxaxy S series to gain a foothold, to get established as a go-to name in mobile tech like HTC and Motorola have become. You can't do that if no one has your phone.

Now, whether or not this hardware catches on with the masses...I don't really care. I haven't seen a handset before or since the release of the Captivate that I like nearly as much. That's all that matters to me.

 

[SixthStreet]

The reason is not that Samsung is wanting to flood the market with phone, but rather that independent dealers are allowed to set their own pricing on the phone, and like has been said many times in the thread, the real scratch for the dealers is the contract. The dealers aren't interested on getting paid on the handset, just the contract.

This rapidly depreciated pricing will happen on all handsets that are allowed to be sold by independent dealers.

If you don't like it, and care to preserve the value of handset for resale value or another reason, and you are with AT&T, you have one choice. You know what it is.

 

[kidsavior]

The reason is not that Samsung is wanting to flood the market with phone, but rather that independent dealers are allowed to set their own pricing on the phone, and like has been said many times in the thread, the real scratch for the dealers is the contract. The dealers aren't interested on getting paid on the handset, just the contract.

This rapidly depreciated pricing will happen on all handsets that are allowed to be sold by independent dealers.

If you don't like it, and care to preserve the value of handset for resale value or another reason, and you are with AT&T, you have one choice. You know what it is.

? Not sure what choice you

 

[qwertyaas]

The only problem with Wirefly is you don't have the AT&T warranty, which is the main reason I would buy it from AT&T directly.

 

[sremick]

The only problem with Wirefly is you don't have the AT&T warranty,

There's their horrible customer service as well as their additional early-termination fee (on top of AT&T's) too. So there's a lot more at stake than warranty.

 

[qwertyaas]

There's their horrible customer service as well as their additional early-termination fee (on top of AT&T's) too. So there's a lot more at stake than warranty.

All the more reason to stay away from them. I always figure I'm buying the phone from whoever provides the service.

AT&T maybe trouble in some areas, but they really do well with the 1 year warranty.

 

[drzacharyus]

They prey on the uninformed.

 

[JDM9499]

The iphone's price will drop quite substantially once it is no longer 'exclusive' through AT&T. As soon as the contract between the two expire, Apple will go with other carriers as well, unless another crazy contract for exclusivity is made between either AT&T or another carrier. Exclusive = high price. Galaxy S? Non-exclusive. It's all business. This does NOT mean one phone is better than the other, because of it's current price. There is ALWAYS a reason for high prices and low prices, so investigate, please.

 

[vapor311]

its 9.99 for a NEW contract 99.99 for a renewal or add a line and its a special. its not going to last. I raised hell at 611 and got a 60$ credit over it. Took an hour to do so.

If you like the phone u paid what u paid, if within your 30 days go return it and buy from elsewhere but that 9.99 is only for a new line on a new account.

 

[Android_J]

Wirefly has the Droid X for $179.99 and the Droid Incredible is still $99. Both of these phones have been on the market longer than the Captivate. The EVO is still $199 at most places. The Captivate/Vibrant are the only "high end" phones that have dropped in price this much in 30 days. This is not normal and is unusual for a supposed high end phone. I can understand a drop in 3 months or so but not 30 days.

As for the phone being available for free or thereabouts on launch day, I don't recall seeing one person posting that they got the phone for that cheap (neither Captivate nor Vibrant). There were a few claiming the phone was being sold for cheap but the price changed and/or orders were voided due to pricing mistakes.

 

[Ph8]

Wirefly has the Droid X for $179.99 and the Droid Incredible is still $99. Both of these phones have been on the market longer than the Captivate. The EVO is still $199 at most places. The Captivate/Vibrant are the only "high end" phones that have dropped in price this much in 30 days. This is not normal and is unusual for a supposed high end phone. I can understand a drop in 3 months or so but not 30 days.

As for the phone being available for free or thereabouts on launch day, I don't recall seeing one person posting that they got the phone for that cheap (neither Captivate nor Vibrant). There were a few claiming the phone was being sold for cheap but the price changed and/or orders were voided due to pricing mistakes.

There are plenty of people who got it for free on the 1st day that letstalk was doing the promotion. THe big "debacle" was over the non contract of $229. As its been said before if ATT was selling this for free OR $50 then the argument could be valid, but these are resellers that can price the phone at whatever price they choose. They may be getting a better comission for selling the captivate with a plan which is why they are pushing the price down. Also, the actual price for the phone hasnt changed with them, if you look at the non contract price its still 599. The only thng you are seeing a fluctuation on is the price that THEY make the most money off of (on contract and new sign ups).

Again people this is jsut a reseller trying to make money off the plans. Just becasue other phones are not priced that way right now, doesnt mean they wer enot priced thsat way after they were released. The phone on Wirefly\Amazon\LetsTalk has fluctuated up and down so there is no telling why they are doing it. These are not reliable places to go by for price they have no bearing on the actual price of the phone. You may ask how I kow this, lets just say I know someone that is a reseller of a particular phone service and they told me they can price the phone at whtever they want depending on how much money thell make off the plan.

 

[mrcamp]

Yeah. I agree. If you like the phone it should not matter.

 

[PhantomZen]

If I add a line(it is an at&t prepaid account) to an existing plan would an at&t store match an online price?

 

[ewingr]

The only problem with Wirefly is you don't have the AT&T warranty, which is the main reason I would buy it from AT&T directly.

So the 1 year warranty is AT&T, not Samsung?

I've seen several posts asking about how well it goes purchasing from Wirefly, and havne't seen any negative responses to them. Interesting...

 

[Max Tempest]

As for the phone being available for free or thereabouts on launch day, I don't recall seeing one person posting that they got the phone for that cheap (neither Captivate nor Vibrant). There were a few claiming the phone was being sold for cheap but the price changed and/or orders were voided due to pricing mistakes.

I've posted a few times in this forum that I got my Captivate for $25 from Letstalk right around launch day. Here's a photo of my invoice: http://i35.tinypic.com/24xh102.jpg
I excluded the top portion and hid under the tissue where it contained my info.

I'm so glad I got it at such a bargain! I wish everyone here had gotten the same or similar deal that I did.

My previous phone was a Nokia clamshell dumbphone and I was considering getting the Samsung Mythic featurephone which AT&T was selling for $180. Wirefly, Letstalk, etc sell the Mythic for free with contract. Thankfully news of Galaxy S leaked before I decided.

I think the Captivate is a great phone, not perfect or the best, but pretty awesome. When the contract is up in 2 years, I can move on to next latest and greatest superphone. Hopefully it will only cost $25 again, haha.

 

[baddress]

7/10 - not too bad - Wirefly (simplexity.com) - wirefly.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

4/10 - in the toilet - Let's Talk - letstalk.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

 

[Android_J]

I've posted a few times in this forum that I got my Captivate for $25 from Letstalk right around launch day. Here's a photo of my invoice: http://i35.tinypic.com/24xh102.jpg

I stand corrected. You got a great deal. I bought mine Sunday launch day at 11am, right when the store opened. Guess it doesn't pay to be impatient. lol.

 

[ewingr]

7/10 - not too bad - Wirefly (simplexity.com) - wirefly.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

4/10 - in the toilet - Let's Talk - letstalk.com - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

Interesting. In another post I just read of yours you indicate how bad Wirefly's customer service is. Did you have a bad experience or something?

Also, I'm still interested in hearing about people's experience with warranty. Some earlier in this thread complained about it but no elaboration. Maybe it wasn't personal experience.

 

[Ph8]

Interesting. In another post I just read of yours you indicate how bad Wirefly's customer service is. Did you have a bad experience or something?

Also, I'm still interested in hearing about people's experience with warranty. Some earlier in this thread complained about it but no elaboration. Maybe it wasn't personal experience.

Taking a look at the 1 check remarks some of it are for things people should know already....I can understand some of the complaints (showing in stock, but actually no stock).

For me personally I went with LetsTalk though Walmart and havent had an issue with my Phone so I havent needed a replacement yet. The ordering was smooth and communications about my order were proficcent.

I always take it like this, I could have paid more for the phone and been able to exchange it at an ATT store without any hassle, but I chose the different route and was aware of the "troubles" I may face by getting the phone for cheaper from an online reseller. Also, for the most part people never comment online when they are not having issues, forums like these and other places are ALWAYS goign to be dominated by those actually having issues, so its always going to slant towards the negative IMO....

 

[baddress]

Interesting. In another post I just read of yours you indicate how bad Wirefly's customer service is. Did you have a bad experience or something?

Oh yeah, I had two really bad experiences with them trying to buy a Blackberry for "Free" and another time trying to get a "Free" htc aria. Both times I cancelled the sale due to their inability to not screw up my order and/or at&t account. If you're getting a new plan, they can understand it. If you're getting a plan renewal, they screwed it up both times then gave me the runaround trying to tell me the phone was not in stock, or not available for free anymore, or I would have to upgrade the plan, or them trying to put two data plans on the same line for some reason, and finally the last straw was them saying they couldn't port the number and I would have to get a new number. You wait on hold forever for their customer service, who barely understands english, you need to talk to a manager for anything, and their online "chat" support disconnects you if you hit the backspace key at any time. The at&t store had none of these problems. It cost a little more at the store but I can actually return the phone without a problem in the first 30 days. Wirely's return has to be received by them before the return window is up, with rma approval first, and less than 30 minutes talk time. So you're without a phone during that mailing time. Also if you don't keep your AT&T plan exactly the same for 120 days, you get an ETF from wirefly.

Too many gotcha's with Wirefly for me to give it another try.

Let's Talk sucks worse apparently, but through Walmart they are a little less sucky - walmart insists they use english-speaking support and they answer the phone quick. If you do Lets Talk make sure you do it through Walmart.