Verizon Wireless / cell phone activation fees?

[starry_solo]

Does anyone have any promo codes or know how to get activation fees from cell phone providers (preferably Verizon) waived?

I remember a few years ago, they used to waive them if you bought phones and service online, during the weekend, but do they still do that?

I plan to switch over but for 4 lines, activation fees of $35 each = $140 = eek!

Thanks!

 

[Swimalie]

Are you a Costco member? If so, they wave the fees at their kiosk and you get an extra package.

 

[starry_solo]

Are you a Costco member? If so, they wave the fees at their kiosk and you get an extra package.

I am not a Costco member I have Sam's Club But hmm, maybe it would be worth it to join Costco at $55 to save $140?

 

[Swimalie]

I am not a Costco member I have Sam's Club But hmm, maybe it would be worth it to join Costco at $55 to save $140?

Sounds like it might be worth it. Does Sam's have a cell phone kiosk where you can get Verizon?

 

[Fire14]

Sounds like it might be worth it. Does Sam's have a cell phone kiosk where you can get Verizon?

I know my sams club oes but I never pd much attn to what you got there. At Costco I got free activation Phone case, charger and wired head set. If you do join costco you could always cancel membership later if you find it doesn't work for you.

 

[starry_solo]

I know my sams club oes but I never pd much attn to what you got there. At Costco I got free activation Phone case, charger and wired head set. If you do join costco you could always cancel membership later if you find it doesn't work for you.

They do but I seem to recall that they (Sam's Club) don't offer free activation or any of the deals that Costco does. Question, though, at Costco, do you actually get to take the phone with you at the warehouse or do you have to wait for it to be shipped? I am looking at Costco online and they seem to have more phones available than I have seen before.

 

[starry_solo]

Forgot to ask, do you have to pay for the activation fee up front and then get a mail in rebate? Or is it automatically waived?

 

[pixiewings71]

I've never had to pay an activation fee for phones....I've got 4 lines on my Verizon account, they tried to charge me once when we got the girls phones but when I called they took them right back off. Just ask them to waive them, see what they say.

 

[scrapquitler]

Does anyone have any promo codes or know how to get activation fees from cell phone providers (preferably Verizon) waived?

I remember a few years ago, they used to waive them if you bought phones and service online, during the weekend, but do they still do that?

I plan to switch over but for 4 lines, activation fees of $35 each = $140 = eek!

Thanks!

They advertise that there is an activation fee, but I've never actually had to PAY it. I think they usually routinely waive it, unless your credit is not good. At least that has been my assumption based on the people who I know that HAVE been charged an activation fee.

 

[Fire14]

They do but I seem to recall that they (Sam's Club) don't offer free activation or any of the deals that Costco does. Question, though, at Costco, do you actually get to take the phone with you at the warehouse or do you have to wait for it to be shipped? I am looking at Costco online and they seem to have more phones available than I have seen before.

I walked out of Costco with working new phone.

 

[Swimalie]

They do but I seem to recall that they (Sam's Club) don't offer free activation or any of the deals that Costco does. Question, though, at Costco, do you actually get to take the phone with you at the warehouse or do you have to wait for it to be shipped? I am looking at Costco online and they seem to have more phones available than I have seen before.

I've done both. The last phone I got there was an order only. But they usually have quite a few phones in stock. If so, you walk out with a working, new phone.

 

[mama2ella]

I worked there for 2 years (in a call center). Keep in mind that if you buy from a Costco/Sam's they are considered an "indirect agent" and will not have the same deals you will see at an actual Verizon store or on-line (and often times have more fees). Also in my experience they often times would promise things to people and then never take care of it. Then the customer would call us and expect us to waive fees but we really couldn't. I personally would not use an indirect agen--they are paid on comission and more worried about sales then treating the customer right). By ordering online you get instant rebates (meaning you don't have to pay out of pocket and submit the rebate forms and then wait for thw card) plus customer service can do more for you if you have an issue.

 

[starry_solo]

Great, thanks so much for all your help. I'm waiting to hear back from Sprint about cancelling my service without the ETF based upon this thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2888275

I had Verizon before I went over to Sprint and want to go back!

 

[starry_solo]

I worked there for 2 years (in a call center). Keep in mind that if you buy from a Costco/Sam's they are considered an "indirect agent" and will not have the same deals you will see at an actual Verizon store or on-line (and often times have more fees). Also in my experience they often times would promise things to people and then never take care of it. Then the customer would call us and expect us to waive fees but we really couldn't. I personally would not use an indirect agen--they are paid on comission and more worried about sales then treating the customer right). By ordering online you get instant rebates (meaning you don't have to pay out of pocket and submit the rebate forms and then wait for thw card) plus customer service can do more for you if you have an issue.

That's what I thought too. Then I went to Costco.com and found out that they have the LG Extravert for $19.99 (their retail price is considered $69.99), the LG Cosmos 2 for $0.01 (retail price is considered $49.99) and the LG Revere for $0.01 (retail price is considered $49.99). So, I would pay tax on $169.97 (retail price).

On Verizon's website, their retail prices for those 3 phones are $209.99 (discounted to $79.99), $189.99 (discounted to free) $219.99 (discounted to free). So, I would have to pay tax on $$619.97 (more than 3 times the retail price at Costco.com [which, of course, uses an outside vendor]).

According to Costco.com, you are charged the activation fee first and then you get a billing credit after 2-3 billing cycles.

**I had also looked at Samsung Intensity 2 when it was on Costco.com, but it's not there anymore** (it was free with Costco.com and $29.99 on Verizon's site)**

I also wonder if Costco has some type of guarantee that if their vendor doesn't refund the activation fee, whether they will do so.

BTW, if purchased in the warehouse, is it the same? That you have to pay the activation fee first and then get it refunded through Verizon?

 

[Fire14]

That's what I thought too. Then I went to Costco.com and found out that they have the LG Extravert for $19.99 (their retail price is considered $69.99), the LG Cosmos 2 for $0.01 (retail price is considered $49.99) and the LG Revere for $0.01 (retail price is considered $49.99). So, I would pay tax on $169.97 (retail price).

On Verizon's website, their retail prices for those 3 phones are $209.99 (discounted to $79.99), $189.99 (discounted to free) $219.99 (discounted to free). So, I would have to pay tax on $$619.97 (more than 3 times the retail price at Costco.com [which, of course, uses an outside vendor]).

According to Costco.com, you are charged the activation fee first and then you get a billing credit after 2-3 billing cycles.

**I had also looked at Samsung Intensity 2 when it was on Costco.com, but it's not there anymore** (it was free with Costco.com and $29.99 on Verizon's site)**

I also wonder if Costco has some type of guarantee that if their vendor doesn't refund the activation fee, whether they will do so.

BTW, if purchased in the warehouse, is it the same? That you have to pay the activation fee first and then get it refunded through Verizon?

I don't remember paying Activation fee, if I did it was credited to my Verzion bill.

 

[adventure_woman]

We just signed up online last night. It said there would be a $35 act fee per line (2 lines)..so I am hoping it won't be there or I can call to get it removed....

 

[mossy1]

Last time I was looking for phones, I realized you could get them at Amazon Wireless with out the activation fees as well as some other websites. I have also used Wirefly in the past without a problem, however I noticed with some of their "free" phones you have to sign up for more than the base number of minutes for say 6 months to get the deal. Obviously if you use either of these places you would have to wait for the phone to arrive.

 

[starry_solo]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I ended up at the Verizon company store where, with the discount/employer that we had, we ended up with waived activation for all 4 phones. 3 phones free with $50 rebate and 1 phone for $50 with $50 rebate (charged us $100 for 1 phone, $50 for 3 phones, + tax on the original retail price). Basically, the Verizon company store matched the online price with a mail in rebate, rather than an instant rebate + gave us free activation.

It ended up being about $30 more than Costco but (1) we don't have to wait 4 months for a rebate for the activation fees; (2) we do have to wait 2-6 weeks for the rebate for the phones; (3) we didn't have to sign up for Costco membership.

Should be okay, I think. They did tell us to come back if Verizon corporate charged us the activation fee and they would take it right off, so hopefully that works out okay!