Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

oldsoul333 t1_iy8roay wrote

For the not accepting all equipment: It’s because not all Verizon Stores are corporate owned - many are franchises/authorized retailers. I also had an issue when I went to buy a phone a few years back and the non-company store charged me an additional $150 in activation and related fees. Went to the Verizon company store the next day and they refunded me and strongly recommended only to visit stores that are “Verizon Company Stores”.

31

JVorhees t1_iy8tkh4 wrote

Well that explains the disconnect between what the store and the verizon phone reps were trying to tell me.

8

jodyhighrola t1_iy8z8jg wrote

I also learned this the hard way a few years ago. Since then, I make damn sure I'm going to a corporate location if buying a phone.

7

FalloutRip t1_iy9qupd wrote

Yep, ran into this years ago living in VA Beach. We always had horrible service and staff at the Verizon Store nearest my house. Come to find out they were a franchise. Started going to a different store that was corporate owned and the difference was night and day. We went from 2 seconds away from dropping Verizon everything to happy customers ever since then.

3

geekitude OP t1_iy8uswb wrote

Nothing is said about any of that on their websites, and the upgrade process cheerfully extols how simple it is to return your old VZ stuff to "any VZ store!" The simple act of returning used equipment to complete a contract should be streamlined at this point. Glad UPS is an option. I didn't find out that it was an option from the upgrade instructions, but from a net search in the parking lot on Forest Hill. Hope I've saved someone some moments of annoyance.

1

dalhectar t1_iy8xyv4 wrote

https://www.verizon.com/stores/ tells you which authorized resellers stores accept equipment returns. The issue though is that Forest Hill is one of those stores, but they denied you anyway. I have returned equipment to the John Rolfe Parkway authorized retailer.

Or you can go to a Company Store.

Or you can return it to a UPS Store.

5

geekitude OP t1_iycm2tf wrote

Unfortunately, I didn't go and do a broad search for all VZ stores in the area on that page. Nice how the 'no equipment returns' line is in fine print. What happens is going through their upgrade process steps, I was given instructions that include "any VZ store" as ok for returns. Looking through that page, return acceptance is only at 4 places in the greater RVA area. The Forest Hill store does take equipment, but they have no practice of sorting out incoming customers by need or complexity of issue. There should be a sign or a person to say "here is where you return equipment" but instead, you wait in line behind people who are doing complicated transactions that could take half an hour apiece. When all that's needed is to hand a box to someone who can key in the return code and wave bye, waiting an hour is not on my calendar.

2