Help Screen Scratch; phone 1 week old

[Neocamel]

Hey everybody,

Just to those people that say the Evo 4G screen is unscratchable, I was sitting in my car today with my phone on my knee. It slid off my knee and slid down by my feet. I picked it up and now there's a 1" scratch in the center of the screen. Fantastic. I've had the phone for 6 days.

My question is, is anyone familiar with Sprint's return policy? I just penned a 2 year contract with them 6 days ago, so I'm still within their 30 day money back guarantee, but everything I've read says "Return phone UNDAMAGED".

I'm wondering what my options are as far as getting the phone fixed. Any magic words I could say that would get them to replace/repair it for me without my paying the $100 deductible? I'm not really trying to cheat Sprint or anything, it just doesn't seem fair. It's not like I was playing catch with the phone or anything, and now my brand new device has a scratch, dead center screen.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lesawag]

I never believe anyone when they say a screen is unscratchable. I got the Zagg screen protectors from day one (front and back). My understanding is that you could return the phone for any reason during the first 30 days. I believe you can get a new screen put on for under a hundred dollars. Ive also heard that if you put a screen protector on it makes the scratches less noticeable. What do you have to lose by going in and saying you need a replacement? Maybe your phone gets too warm or it seems slow. Has it done anything that you dont think is usual? If so tell them that. Im not saying to lie to them, that goes against my beliefs, but is there anything else wrong with your evo? You have nothing to lose by going in and telling them you want to replace it.

 

[Neocamel]

Thanks for the reply.

Overall I like the phone. I don't really have any issues with it that I can think of, other than the scratch of course. Are there any issues I may not be aware of?

 

[bvbull200]

What doesn't seem fair about it? The screen is rather resilient, you just made a mistake in how you handled it. Own up to it. Telling Sprint there is something else wrong with it just because YOU scratched the screen is called fraud. If you have a shred of decency, you won't do that.

I dropped mine recently, shattered the screen, and brought it to a Sprint store and showed/told the guy there what happened. 10 minutes later, I walked out with a brand new screen with no money out of my pocket. I don't know what sort of coverage I have as far as insurance and I don't know if/how I got lucky, but at least I didn't have to make any false claims.

 

[Neocamel]

Well what did you say to them exactly? I'm not really interested in making up some reason for them to replace my phone, but to spend $100 on a deductible for a phone I just shelled out $400 for seems a bit ridiculous no?

 

[PSkeptic]

Well what did you say to them exactly? I'm not really interested in making up some reason for them to replace my phone, but to spend $100 on a deductible for a phone I just shelled out $400 for seems a bit ridiculous no?

No, that's the deal with insurance. Would you consider paying a $500 deductible on $20K car due to a collision you had 6 days after buying the car "ridiculous"?

That being said, most stores, in the spirit of "making happy customers" will work something out with you (since you bought it only 6 days ago). They can just mark it "factory damage", and return to the manufacturer.

This is not to say that they will. And, you could always try another store, if the first one doesn't work with you; or call customer service.

 

[akazabam]

You only pay $100 if you have insurance and they need to replace the phone, entirely due to you destroying it or losing it. If you have insurance, and they can fix what you have, it's free. Without insurance, it's $35. That being said, if you go in and ask them to replace the screen, they might tell you it's just cosmetic or they might replace it for you. Just don't lie about it. If they replace the screen, though, with insurance, it's free. No $100 deductible for that.

 

[ScorpDX]

/edit...guess I'm a few seconds late

Do you have the $7 insurance on the phone from Sprint? If so I read they'll replace the screen for free. If not I think it's $35.

 

[Neocamel]

I didn't elect to buy the insurance. I had an iPhone (GASP!) for 2 years without a case and it still doesn't have a scratch on it (the back does, but not the screen). If a screen replacement is $35, that's a lot more reasonable than 25% the cost of the phone. I'll probably take it in to the sprint store tomorrow and see what they can do. If you guys have any other advice please keep it coming!

 

[sitlet]

Or, since you are still within the first 30 days, you can just add the insurance, wait a few days, then go in and get the screen fixes for free.

 

[bvbull200]

Well what did you say to them exactly? I'm not really interested in making up some reason for them to replace my phone, but to spend $100 on a deductible for a phone I just shelled out $400 for seems a bit ridiculous no?

I said, "I got out of my car last night with my phone on my lap. It dropped face first on the concrete and shattered. What are my options?", which is precisely what happened. 10 minutes later, I had a brand new screen added to my phone. Launch day Evo, rooted, with a custom ROM (not that it affects hardware) and they didn't hesitate to repair it.

 

[bvbull200]

Or, since you are still within the first 30 days, you can just add the insurance, wait a few days, then go in and get the screen fixes for free.

Fraudulent.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Fraudulent.

Borderline. Sprint does offer the 30 day grace period

 

[scanman]

Hey everybody,

Just to those people that say the Evo 4G screen is unscratchable, I was sitting in my car today with my phone on my knee. It slid off my knee and slid down by my feet. I picked it up and now there's a 1" scratch in the center of the screen. Fantastic. I've had the phone for 6 days.

My question is, is anyone familiar with Sprint's return policy? I just penned a 2 year contract with them 6 days ago, so I'm still within their 30 day money back guarantee, but everything I've read says "Return phone UNDAMAGED".

I'm wondering what my options are as far as getting the phone fixed. Any magic words I could say that would get them to replace/repair it for me without my paying the $100 deductible? I'm not really trying to cheat Sprint or anything, it just doesn't seem fair. It's not like I was playing catch with the phone or anything, and now my brand new device has a scratch, dead center screen.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I didn't elect to buy the insurance. I had an iPhone (GASP!) for 2 years without a case and it still doesn't have a scratch on it (the back does, but not the screen). If a screen replacement is $35, that's a lot more reasonable than 25% the cost of the phone. I'll probably take it in to the sprint store tomorrow and see what they can do. If you guys have any other advice please keep it coming!

Huh? Either you did or didn't make up your mind.

 

[bvbull200]

Borderline. Sprint does offer the 30 day grace period

The warranty is meant to cover a new, fully functioning device. The spirit (and almost certainly the language) of the grace period is to give customers the option to add the coverage to a "like new" device.

It really isn't a grace period, though, it is just a paperwork exchange to add the coverage. Within 30 days, you could theoretically return your entire purchase, then repurchase it, only adding the warranty this time. The grace period just replaces all of that extra unnecessary time and effort. In reality, if you were to scratch your phone in 7 days, Sprint would be within their rights to deny you a return or charge you a restocking fee, no?

 

[Mr. Ed]

They could. I had a device that was scratched out of the box. (back when the instinct came out)

I took it back in on day two and asked them to exchange it. The manager refused to do anything about it. ( I had insurance but did not elect to go that route) when she continued refusal I said fine...I elect my right to return the device as I am within the 30 days. They exchanged it. Slightly different situation but she never mentioned a restocking fee. The restocking fee is used at the store manager discretion.

In the end it is as simple as the op taking the phone in...paying $ 35 and having the screen replaced and then having the insurance added to his plan.

In spirit and in literature are two different things. People are going to takes advantage of loop holes in literature (if they exist) we can't change that.