Verizon has announced a new program that, depending on when (between 11/26/2010 and 01/10/2011) and what type of phone that you may have recently purchased from them, could be a great way to get a $200 off the full retail purchase price of an iPhone 4, but, also could be a complete and utter rip off.
Here is the deal as outlined on Verizon’s FAQ page…
I just purchased a new smartphone during the holiday season, but if I knew that iPhone 4 was going to be available soon I would have waited. What are my options now?
Current Verizon customers who purchased and activated new smartphones, feature phones or certified pre-owned phones between 11/26/2010, and 01/10/2011, are eligible to receive up to a $200 Visa debit card when they purchase an iPhone 4 at full retail price by 02/28/2011 and return their existing phone. Note: This offer is only available on consumer accounts with five lines or less, who are purchasing iPhone 4 through Verizon Wireless retail stores, telesales, or through verizonwireless.com.
Let me start off by stating that if you bought another phone on Verizon within the last 30-days, this deal is not for you. You should return your device and just go back to using your old phone until the iPhone 4 comes out, then get it subsidized. If you don’t have an old Verizon phone to go back to borrow one, or, even buy a cheap used one off someone just to hold you over for 3 weeks.
If you bought a smartphone on Verizon and want to swap it out for the iPhone, but, are beyond the 30-day return window, check to see if you can sell your device on ebay, to a friend, on Gazelle, etc. and see if you can’t get more than the $200 that Verizon is offering. If you got a good phone and it is still in out of the box condition, you probably can do better than $200.
If you bought a feature phone, that was completely, or, almost completely subsidized and are beyond the 30-day window, this deal probably isn’t that bad. Just remember that you are paying full retail less $200 on the iPhone 4.
[Source Verizon via Simple Mobile Review]
This offer is a sham… I just bought a Droid X about 10 days before Christmas. It is in mint condition and all Verizon will give me for it is $200. The retail is $569. Honestly, I don’t even know if I would want to switch cause I’ve already spent like 30 bucks on a case and another 15 on games…
I bought a Droid X as well, and to be honest…since Verizon just announced the Iphone4 but it is not running on their 4GLTE network, why would you get the Iphone now? Wait 6 months or however long until the Iphone comes out on the 4G network….
I bought a Droid Pro the Monday after Christmas and I returned it last week the day after I heard that the iPhone was coming to Verizon. Fortunately, I still had my BlackBerry Tour which I reactivated until I can get the iPhone…
People are saying how much their device is worth, but honestly ask yourself how much did you pay for it. If you got the phone from Vz for $200, of which they ate the rest of the tab, why do you expect them to pay you more for the phone they sold to you for $200 – $250? It is you who wants the iPhone in its place. If you trade in a car, you don’t get the price you can sell it for on free market nor what you paid.
I don’t have a lot of sympathy for folks who buy a phone, then, get upset because they want a new phone that comes out months later and their carrier won’t just give it to them for free. Folks are paying, however, much more than $200 or $250. They are signing a contract worth a couple of grand over 2-years so I am all for trying to get as much as you can for you device that you no longer want if you are about to shell out retail price for the phone you now want.
I purchased a Droid Pro from Best Buy during the time window mentioned. Since they are a qualified Verizon agent, do you know if the trade in deal will still apply?
Not sure (don’t think so), but, even if it is, you would be much better off selling your Droid Pro, as you could easily get more than $200 for it if it is mint condition.