Since there's still some controversy about how this holiday return policy works, I thought I'd chime in with some thoughts.
It's clear that different verizon reps are saying different things. I myself have heard two different things from two reps as I mentioned in my earlier (and first ever) post. Below is from the transcript I had with an online rep.
CSR: If you return the phone in the 14 days you can get the upgrade back .
me: ah,great. this is helpful. i thought i saw somewhere a deal verizon was running where you have until jan 14 or some date around then to return phones. i don't remember the details exactly. do you happen to know which deal I'm talking about?
CSR: Okay, you are referring to the holiday return policy .
me: so how does that work? because if we buy a phone now? do we have until january 14th to return? not 14 days from now?
...
CSR: Yes this is correct , if you order a phone today you will be able to return it by Jan. 15 2012.
me: does it matter whether i activate it or not?
CSR: Yes this is correct, if you activate the device you can still return it .
me: ... ok this is my last question, just so i can make sure i haven't missed anything
me: 1) i buy, for example, a razr today, signing up for the double data deal and also using an upgrade i have available. 2) i use this phone and assuming the nexus launches sometime between now and jan 15, i return the razr, pay a 35 dollar restock fee. 3) i use that same upgrade to buy the nexus, and i remain on the double data plan
CSR: Yes you can get the upgrade back if you return the phone by Jan 15 , I currently do not no if the promotion will still be on for double the data .
me: oo wait, but if i buy the razr now, dont i already get on the plan? so i would just be switching the razr for the nexus, not my plan.
CSR: Yes this is correct , you will still get this data package .
But it's also true that when I went into my local corporate store to buy the phone, the in-store sales rep mentioned I had 14 days from activation and that the holiday return date was for unactivated phones.
Based on this and the disagreement that seems to be raging on the board, we can all agree that different reps are saying different things. So that said, here are some things maybe worth considering.
First, a post a while back, someone mentioned that sales reps have an incentive for people not to return phones (something about how returns indicate that they didnt let the customer leave with the right phone?). I don't recall the exact logic, or incentive structure, but if something like this is true (and anyone more in the know please let us know!) that might help explain why some sales reps insist on 14 days from activation. They don't want to encourage you returning the phone! If this reasoning has any merit, it could also imply that a different rep wouldn't have any particular interest in refusing a return. Indeed, he or she is probably incentivized (via commission) to accept the return if you explain you plan to just immediately pick up a nexus.
Second, in my judgment, just looking at the text of the holiday return policy, it seems to mean that you have until Jan 15, full stop (no caveats about activation). (btw, this very text is reproduced on the receipt of the rezound i purchased today).
Third, that said, fine print isn't just small, it's normally tricky. So I don't rule out that in a sneaky legalistic way, the exact wording of the policy somehow leaves open not letting us return past 14 days. If anyone on the board can clearly spell out how this might be the case, I'm sure it'd be greatly appreciated.
Fourth, even assuming that we get in writing/get a note in our accounts from one rep that says we can return the phones up until Jan. 15, there is no guarantee that we won't be met by an arbitrary rep/manager who just refuses to honor it. I haven't had personal experience with this kind of thing at verizon myself, but as some people have said above, this kind of thing is certainly not unheard of at verizon. Maybe if it comes to this, you might just try a couple of different locations.
Finally, so given all this, I don't think there's some definitive answer as to what to do. As with most things, the best move is to weigh all the considerations and see what comes out on top all things considered. There's definitely risk. and on the other side of things, it's certainly not the case that you have 14 days from activation to return
and you are so screwed if you try to "rent" is the correct answer as some posters have seemed to suggest.
hope this helps!