Related
Probably old news, but I thought i'd mention it anyways for those who don't know.
HTC is giving a rebate for trading in your old PDA and getting a tilt 2 (or Pure).
I jsut sent in my old kaiser and should be getting a $100 rebate shortly.
$50 for the phone and $50 for getting the tilt2
Not abad deal.
Here is a link: http://www.htctradein.com/att/
yeah i posted this about 4 months ago when i got my tilt2. I think they extended it because i remember the deadline being mid february and now it says May.
I have an old HTC Wizard laying around that i've been meaning to trade in but the screen is marked up so badly that i'm afraid they won't take it.
What do you think, should i take the risk?
I wouldn't bank on a quick response. I sent my Kaiser in the last week of January and still haven't gotten anything yet. They say something like 8-12 weeks?? My kaiser was in perfect condition, so if I don't hear anything I'll be royally pissed.
Got Mine yesterday
Got my check yesterday, Ordered my Tilt on 12-15-09 and sent the rebate in within 3-4 days of getting it.
It's one of the few rebates i've ever actually gotten back! I cannot tell you how many i have sent in (not for phones) that i have never recieved!
Glad to hear they do actually send out the check, even if they do take their sweet time about it.
always keep coppies of everything and call them. dont be surprised if you complain to them and some how end up getting double rebates out of nowhere. its happened to us a few times.
ANYWAYS, i would send in the tilt for trade but they wont give me a dime since the water mark in the battery compartment is turned red, although the phone is fine.
As included in your initial rebate email, you can use the following link to check status:
https://www.recyclerebates.com/HTCS...ry.do?fetchType=htcSmartphoneWebTradeupStatus
Be warned that if any of the information is wrong (phone, email, voucher ID), the page will just refresh with no indication of an error or which field is wrong. If you have everything correct it will proceed and display status. The phone number is the phone number you entered on the submission form, not necessarily the phone number that the rebate phone was using.
Peter
I am about to send a kaiser in. Would it be wise to flash back to stock rom and remove hard spl?
tufyuma said:
Got my check yesterday, Ordered my Tilt on 12-15-09 and sent the rebate in within 3-4 days of getting it.
It's one of the few rebates i've ever actually gotten back! I cannot tell you how many i have sent in (not for phones) that i have never recieved!
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Click to collapse
Wife and I got our T-Mobile TP2s about the same time you got your Tilt...and our checks just came this week. Yes, they still sent 2 to the same household. I got $50 for my old Nokia 6263, which I was surprised they would take.
Thanks for this! I was almost past my 30 days. Tilt will be sent off tomorrow morning. They didn't ask if it was scratched but only if water damage, hinge damage and working.
My TILT, about a month after I got it, it fell out of the belt holster and I drop kicked it face down the asphalt street. Didn't scratcht he screen but the buttons and rim were not so nice anymore. Works perfectly but I would never get 100 bucks for it on ebay.
Rip off - don't expect a rebate
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
http://www.htctradein.com/
WHAT?? so who has done this and gotten the rebate? You say they declined your rebate? Did they at least send the phone back?
I may wait to send the package in until I get your reply. I dont want to loose a working phone. At least I have it as a fall back if flashing the TILT2 ends up bad some time.
lguser said:
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
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Click to collapse
I got my rebate on Friday.. for the full $100.
Make sure you have a fully charged battery, copies of all paperwork and you should be ok. I sent in a HP 6315 and they accepted it.
Here is my status:
Your Trade-In has been received on 02-12-2010 and inspected on 03-04-2010. Your phone has : Passed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $100.00.
I sent mine in..I wonder why that one guy didn't get his? Maybe battery was dead.
Will they send the phone back if rejected???
Did they send it back?
lguser said:
This is what you most likely will get.
Your Trade-In has been received on 01-19-2010 and inspected on 01-19-2010. Your phone has : Failed power up tests, no screen damage, no liquid damage, proof of purchase was received. Your total credit will be $0.00.
I have screen shots of the IMEI and working screens. I was using it before I sent it in. So all they have to claim is is did not power up and then they can decline the rebate. WHAT A SCAM. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BYE A PHONE FROM HTC. What an unethical company.
Click to expand...
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kb9nvh said:
I sent mine in..I wonder why that one guy didn't get his? Maybe battery was dead.
Will they send the phone back if rejected???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't believe so. I am fairly certain the rebate website mentions there is no guarantee you'll get the full $100, and if your phone fails their tests you do not get it back.
Well, that would stink since I would have just kept it as a back up if there was a chance of just losing it. How can they just keep it..I would be willing to pay shipping to get it back. Wish I hadn't sent it now. Well, wish me luck!!
epoh said:
I don't believe so. I am fairly certain the rebate website mentions there is no guarantee you'll get the full $100, and if your phone fails their tests you do not get it back.
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Looks like this is a pretty risky venture if your phone isn't perfect. If I had read this first I wouldn't have done it. I met all the criteria but since the buttons are scratched I'm sure they will lower what they pay me.
The Tool will reflect the value of a used phone based upon the manufacturer, model and condition of the phone ("Trade-Up Value"). The Tool will generate a receipt which includes an acknowledgment by the you that (1) you understand you are selling the phone in consideration for the Trade-Up Value; (2) by accepting such Trade-Up Value, you are giving up full ownership rights to the phone; (3) you understand the phone will not be eligible for return; (4) you are responsible for removal of all personal information before relinquishment of handset; (5) you have been advised of any return policy regarding the purchase of a new handset or accessory with the coupon; and (6) you are responsible for deactivating the used phone and ensuring you retire any outstanding balance. Limited-time offer expires April 30, 2010.
Trade-in phones must meet minimum criteria in order to qualify, as outlined on the website www.htctradein.com/htc-att . To receive the minimum $100 credit for the phone you trade in, you must purchase and activate a new HTC TILT2 or HTC PURE and mail in the trade-in handset with a valid proof of purchase (copy of UPC and invoice or receipt) and post marked by May 30, 2010. The check will be mailed via regular United States Postal Service within 60 days from receipt of both the trade-in handset and required paperwork. Your new phone must be activated and remain in service for 60 days to qualify for the promotion. You may trade-in one used phone for each new phone you purchase. Used handsets that are sent in that do not qualify either because a) the model of used phone is not eligible or b) the device is not in the condition stated will not be eligible for the trade-in promotional incentive and will be recycled without any payment. Check you value before sending in your used phone as all trade-in transactions are final; after you mail-in your used handset, you cannot get it back, even if you return the merchandise you purchase with amount received.
To receive your full redemption value, you must accurately state the condition of the used phone. An inspection will be performed by The Wireless Source upon receipt of your used phone. The used phone must power up, and be fully functional, with no liquid damage or mechanical damage and no missing parts. In order to receive your credit, The Wireless Source must first receive your used phone and the printed redemption form supplied by the tool upon acceptance, which form has been signed by you. If the used phone's condition differs materially from that which you described, The Wireless Source reserves the right to unilaterally re-price your transaction quote based upon the current Trade-Up Value for the condition of your used phone. In the event the used phone does not meet the Trade-Up requirement, The Wireless Source will make an adjusted payment based upon the condition and eligibility of the trade-in phone.
Update:
2/16/2011: Issues Resolved
Appears that these issues have been resolved. ChiChi Tech Co./hTC Express has finally responded to my many emails (Google Checkout was most likely the catalyst for the responses I received, as I notified them of the issues,) and ChiChi Tech Co. apologized for the errors that the system generated, which included phantom orders, emails confirming additional charges and orders.
No reasons given for the lack of timely and accurate responses early on, but no matter as I consider these issues resolved.
I have withdrawn my Dispute filed with Google Checkout.
In addition, ChiChi Tech has offered to ship a charger gratis.
I just had a very bad experience, or rather I am in the middle of a very bad experience with hTC Express/Chichitec, the suppliers of the 1800mAh batteries in addition to other accessories.
This company does not >
1) correspond to emails in a timely fashion, or with accurate information, if they even take the time to correspond
2) does not look up information regarding your order
3) replies with generic responses
4) places orders without Authorization
5) charges your account without Authorization
6) Ships orders 2 days later, even if you cancel the order within minutes of placing it
This company is one of the most horrendous companies I have ever dealt with.
I placed an order for (2) 1800mAh batteries, and then canceled the order minutes later because I was going to place the order with Amazon.com as I thought I may have better recourse in case I needed Customer Service to intervene regarding the order or product after receiving it.
I sent numerous emails and placed a call to customer service and left a vmail regarding the cancellation of the order within minutes of placing it.
I also put an item in my cart but did not place the order.
2 days later, I was sent an email that the original order was charged for, and the order was shipped.
I then received another email that a 2nd order (which was never placed) was charged for and also shipped.
I sent emails again regarding >
1) the shipment of a canceled order
2) the charge for and shipment of a 2nd order which was never authorized by me.
I received a response that if 2 orders were shipped, I can refuse 1 order, and that I would be credited for it.
You cannot refuse a USPS 1st class delivery as it is shipped with the general mail.
HTCExpress never looked up the information regarding these supposed orders, and gave me a generic response. They didn't even take the time to research this Issue. Unauthorized charges are a Very important Breech in my book. I sent them another email regarding refusal is not possible and I need them to take the time and look up my account information to tell me specifically what has occurred. Because at this time I have no idea.
I notified Google Checkout to get them involved as I was not getting any help from the Seller.
It appears that hTCExpress is located in China or Taiwan or thereabouts even though they say they ship the batteries from California. They sent the email at 1:30a, and their lack of response and lack of the English language make me believe they are located outside of the USA. If I would have known this, I definitely would have never attempted to place the order from them in the first place.
You never know how reputable a company is until you have an issue. Any company can take your money and ship an item. The way a Company handles and resolves Issues is very important. And so far hTCExpress/Chichitec has failed miserably.
I will see how this is eventually resolved. So much time wasted so far, and I am not even done yet.
if they charged your credit card or debit card just call the card company and tell them you didnt authorize the charge and they will reverse the charges.
At this point, I have no idea what exactly is going on due to non accurate response from the seller.
I received email notification that the 1st order was charged for and shipped. This was the order I canceled within minutes of placing it, that was shipped 2 days after I canceled it. Yet I don't see charges on Google Checkout.
The 2nd unauthorized order was placed, charged and shipped without my Authorization. I also received email confirm of this, and I see this order charge on Google Checkout.
I will have to call my credit card company to see what charges were put through.
hTCExpress is very unresponsive without any accurate information.
Google checkout appears to not have any protection for their customers as PayPal does. No wonder hTC Express is using them. I still have filed a complaint with Google Checkout even though the info page says to file a complaint with the seller. How do you do that when they don't respond??
As you say, I will get my credit card involved to let me know what was charged for and what was not, as the Seller is of no help.
The bad part is that hTC Express has these 25% restock policies etc. But that is why I canceled this order days before it was shipped. Yet they shipped it, or rather USPS was notified of shipment, but it was not shipped yet. That is why all this should not even be an issue. But hTCExpress is most likely located overseas which is one of the reasons for their non handling of this issue.
They can take an order and charge for it, and make unauthorized charges, yet they cannot cancel an order.
yes, you can refuse a first class usps shipment. as long as its not opened. just write return to sender on it. gotta say it sounds like you are a bit to blame on this one. also just because all your seeing is usps was notified does not mean it hasn't been shipped yet, i ship out about 100 packages a day and quite often usps misses scans or has delayed tracking info.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
i'm going to have to disagree~... i placed my order on thursday last week, and recieved both them on monday~... i mean fast!!!.. both batteries work like they should, and as expected... were even 60% charged when i put them first in~.... ..so i got them last night.. charged to 100... then pulled off at 755pm.... and went to bed..as im writing this post.... with btooth, and gps running...... it is a work phone, so i use it throughout the day... i'm sitting at 66% left with 12hrs 9 mins in~....
sorry you got a lemon of a deal~..
@ OneStepAhead
"gotta say it sounds like you are a bit to blame on this one."
??
Hmm....
The Only thing I am to be blamed for is placing the order in the 1st place. I canceled the order within minutes of placing it.
Htc express >
- did not respond to my emails in a timely fashion
- responded to my numerous emails generically 3 days later without looking up the info of my original order (order placed 2/10, generic response received 2/13)
- ignored my cancellation emails
- sent me a confirm email stating that the original order was charged for and shipped 2 days later.
- sent me a confirm email that a phantom 2nd order was charged for and shipped
After notifying Google Checkout, htc express (within an hour) finally researched my account history. This was part of their response >
"After search our system, we could confirm your credit card has been charged one time only. You placed order on Feb.10th, but our system sent you a notice on Feb 12th right after the order has been shipped. This is a system error and it would not affect to your original order"
They continued and ask me "to please cancel the dispute with Google Checkout as soon as soon as I can."
- They did not explain why a 2nd order was put through.
- They did not explain why I received an email that a 2nd charge was put thru
- They did not explain why I received an email that the 2nd order was shipped
- They did not explain why my cancellation requests immediately after placing the 1st order were ignored
- They did not explain why it takes an email to Google Checkout to get htc express to get off their arses to do what they should have done in the 1st place.
- htc express is a failure as a Company when it comes to responding to Customer emails regarding cancellations of orders immediately after placing them
- htc express is a failure as a company when it comes to responding to any customer queries in a timely and accurate fashion
- htc express is a failure as a company when they put through orders that were never Authorized
- htc express is a failure as a company when it comes to researching a customer's account history
- htc express is a failure as a company when it comes to explaining important issues that are raised like confirmation emails of unauthorized orders and charges.
And only when Google Checkout is notified, do they than respond, which is what I thought would happen when I contacted Google Checkout.
I have dealt with many Online and Brick & Mortar companies, and hTC Express is at the top of the list as one of the Worst companies I have ever had the displeasure to deal with. Right up there with HP (Hewlett Packard)
I am also in the telecommunications business and deal with customers all the time, and Customer Service is Top Priority.
As I said, a Company is only as good as their Customer Service. Usually a Customer never has to deal with the Customer Service Department of a Company, as usually an order is placed, charged for and shipped. The customer receives the product and usually everything is good to go.
It is when there is an issue, can you tell the true worth of a Company regarding how they handle and respond to the issue.
I had a similar issue with them. I just disputed the transaction through paypal and they fixed the problem pretty quickly.
apfrost said:
I had a similar issue with them. I just disputed the transaction through paypal and they fixed the problem pretty quickly.
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The only option at checkout for me was Google Checkout.
When I clicked on Paypal, nothing on the screen. I tried it 3x, but the only payment option was GC. Wonder why?
I should have stopped right there
Btw, similar issues with www.fommy.com
I confirm an item description via email and phone conversation. And the item on the web has a picture as per description and verification. BUT low & behold, when I received the item, the P/N is different. What a surprise!
fommy apologizes and asks me to ship item back at my expense for a refund. I do, but have yet to hear a response of receipt of item or credit back to cc after 2 emails.
A link.........yeah, maybe. Don't deal with overseas companies from China/Taiwan, at least when it comes to smart phone accessories.
I know better, but the shipping from the USA threw me off, as it sounds like they are based in the US.
The kicker is I have items shipped from Oversea like the Netherlands, Taiwan and GB without issues. And the Customer Service is Fantastic! But those purchases are for Flashlights (cpf, cpfmp) and such, by smaller companies or individuals who take pride in not only their Work, But their Customer Service regarding any issues that may arise. And their Communications are excellent regarding responses, shipping, etc...........
I posted the thread about Bell and Virgin taking pre-orders the other day and I'm the one that is supposed to receive the phone for $235. But Bell called me 36 hours after the deal had been made to try and tell me they couldn't do it.
I've spoken with a few reps and 2 supervisors and now I'm waiting for a manager call back.
A little background:
I called early, was offered a data discount of $415. The rep checked and double checked just to be sure and the order was put through.
Then later on in the day, the option to get the phone off contract had disappeared along with the option to get it on a 1 or 2 year term. So I entered into a chat with a live online rep, and he also double checked and reassured me I was eligible for the discount and able to get the phone. All systems go.
Now yesterday, after work they called me. Telling me they couldn't authorize it. So now, like I said, I'm waiting for a call from a manager.
My main argument is that they entered into a verbal contract with me. I understand their employees made a mistake, but that isn't my fault. I was just there to capitalize. Help me!
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Tjotte said:
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I decided not to save the online chat I really really should of. But I have another one stating my ability to get the phone on no contract on the day of release.
Did you not receive confirmation of the pre-order? Surely they have to honour it, after checking three times and saying it was OK?
Neville.Holland said:
Did you not receive confirmation of the pre-order? Surely they have to honour it, after checking three times and saying it was OK?
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Click to collapse
I would hope so. But no, I didn't receive an email or anything because the phone was set to go on my bill. But as I stated, there are several notes on my account confirming that I was to get the phone for the discounted price.
This doesn't really surprise me. I've heard people say a lot of bad things about Rogers, but I'm starting to reconsider switching to Bell for the Nexus. As I mentioned in your other thread on Monday, they actually refused to sign me up as a new Bell customer... and now you're having these problems... maybe I should just wait for Rogers to get the Nexus in January...
I just called a Bell store yesterday and asked if I could reserve a handset. They said that wasn't a problem and they just require my name and number. I told them clearly i was going to buy if off of contract and he said that is fine. I proceeded to ask him how many devices I can buy and he said they do not have a per client cap on device sales.
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
Goat_For_Sale said:
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
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and selling it to people in the US for a since profit
Goat_For_Sale said:
I just called a Bell store yesterday and asked if I could reserve a handset. They said that wasn't a problem and they just require my name and number. I told them clearly i was going to buy if off of contract and he said that is fine. I proceeded to ask him how many devices I can buy and he said they do not have a per client cap on device sales.
Needless to say I will be at the bell store at 10am on the 8th and buying a few Galaxy Nexuseseses =)
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Click to collapse
Thats all lovely, I just really want them to honor the price they offered. Fingers are crossed.
Tjotte said:
Verbal contracts are as binding as written, only harder to prove, if you have a logg over your online chat, copy it and keep it!
Sent from my X10i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is a massive misconception. Verbal contracts are *NOT* binding in the same way that written contracts are. Don't believe everything you hear on television.
Secondly, verbal contracts, irrelevant of their legality, can be broken very easily, when it comes to commerce. If the party providing the service (Bell, in this case) decides they don't want to provide the service for the price agreed upon, they can cancel the entire contract. What this means is you would have the right to cancel the transaction (assuming the price has actually changed from the time you agreed upon it) and walk away without penalty.
Now, do you have no assurance at all, in writing, that you were purchasing the phone for that price? Don't you have a pay stub, credit card transaction, or anything? They can't "force" you to buy the phone for the full price if you agreed upon a lower price. Legally, they *do* have to give you the option of cancelling the transaction (once again, if the final price was different from the agreed-upon price).
Now, on to the "verbal contract" misconception. There are 3 parts of a contract, both verbal and written (let's see if I remember their names). Offer, Acceptance, and Consideration.
Offer: Someone offers something. In this case, Bell offers you service for a certain price.
Acceptance: The offer is accepted. In this case, you accepted the offer by agreeing to purchase the item.
Consideration: Something must be exchanged. In this case, it was most likely a charge placed on your credit card. Usually it's a downpayment of some kind, or sometimes just a promise/contract that it'll be paid.
Sounds like only 2 of those have been met...which makes this *not* a verbal contract. Even if the third had been, when the contract terms change (the price), the accepting party has the right to opt out.
hotleadsingerguy said:
That is a massive misconception. Verbal contracts are *NOT* binding in the same way that written contracts are. Don't believe everything you hear on television.
Secondly, verbal contracts, irrelevant of their legality, can be broken very easily, when it comes to commerce. If the party providing the service (Bell, in this case) decides they don't want to provide the service for the price agreed upon, they can cancel the entire contract. What this means is you would have the right to cancel the transaction (assuming the price has actually changed from the time you agreed upon it) and walk away without penalty.
Now, do you have no assurance at all, in writing, that you were purchasing the phone for that price? Don't you have a pay stub, credit card transaction, or anything? They can't "force" you to buy the phone for the full price if you agreed upon a lower price. Legally, they *do* have to give you the option of cancelling the transaction (once again, if the final price was different from the agreed-upon price).
Now, on to the "verbal contract" misconception. There are 3 parts of a contract, both verbal and written (let's see if I remember their names). Offer, Acceptance, and Consideration.
Offer: Someone offers something. In this case, Bell offers you service for a certain price.
Acceptance: The offer is accepted. In this case, you accepted the offer by agreeing to purchase the item.
Consideration: Something must be exchanged. In this case, it was most likely a charge placed on your credit card. Usually it's a downpayment of some kind, or sometimes just a promise/contract that it'll be paid.
Sounds like only 2 of those have been met...which makes this *not* a verbal contract. Even if the third had been, when the contract terms change (the price), the accepting party has the right to opt out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, you're most likely correct. I just have to bank on the good will of the manager I'm going to talk to. I will report back once I've spoken with them.
HideYoKids said:
Unfortunately, you're most likely correct. I just have to bank on the good will of the manager I'm going to talk to. I will report back once I've spoken with them.
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Click to collapse
lol not to be self-indulgent, but I'm not just *most likely* correct
Unfortunately, all they were willing to give me was $100 bill credit and 2 free months of my voice plan, for a total of $150. Instead of the $415 I was originally offered.
i know there are a couple of phone insurance threads floating around already but i felt like there needed to be a separate one strictly for the people that bought it through the play store...it falls under different warranty and its a different circumstance
for anyone that has/will buy insurance for this phone please list the company, rate (yearly or monthly) deductible, waiting period and if it excludes anything major that we may need (for example some policies dont cover loss only theft)
PLEASE ONLY post if you already own the insurance or have spoken to a rep directly...no speculation or assumptions...it may give people wrong information
i will start first:
i havent bought it yet but i spoke to a carrier rep that told me the nexus from the playstore is now considered "local" since google is selling it directly to the US which is why they will insure it properly
company: ensquared
rate: $58.99 1 year or $99.99 2 years
deductible: $75
waiting period: 30 days, claim can be filed on 31st day
Insurance
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
bigmike75 said:
I purchased my policy through Worth Ave Group. They are just a reseller (broker) as the policy itself is underwritten by The Hanover Ins. Group out of Worcester, MA.
Details:
Cost: $43.25
Term: 1 year
Waiting period: 1 day (bought coverage yesterday, in effect today)
Deductible: $50
Limit: $399 (per event, not aggregate) What this means is that you could theoretically file a claim for a phone that was spilled on, have it paid for and then a few months later drop it and have it paid for again ($50 deductible each time).
A few things to note:
Does not provide coverage if you simply lose your phone, it must have been stolen and a police report must be filed, if so. Also, if the phone was stolen from your car, there must be evidence of force-able entry: i.e. taken from a car with unlocked doors or open windows = no coverage.
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Click to collapse
i looked into worth ave group..best price by far...2 reasons why im hesitant to go with them
1. no loss protection (as you mentioned)
2. i was reading the claims q&a and it says for damages you have to bring it to a store first to get it evaluated and it seems like if you can get it repaired they will send you a check for the amount of necessary...and if its beyond repair they will need a letter stating so from the store... all this nonsense instead of being able to simply ship a broken device to them and pay the deductible...are you aware of that?
also...did you ask you them specifically about the device? my main concern is that they say they cover it, then when the time comes they give you a comparable replacement because its an overseas (unlocked) phone
Worth Ave Ins
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
bigmike75 said:
Yeah, I am not too concerned about the non-coverage for loss as I am pretty good about keeping my phone with me at all times. For the repair issues, I am aware of that disclosure and can live with that, especially when factoring in the cost of the insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
Worth Ave
I'm not too worried about that. I actually prefer getting money for the phone instead of a replacement anyways. There could be a better model/phone available at the time of making a claim which I could then buy.
jdiddy_ub said:
i just called them...are you aware that they don't supply you with a device...when you file a claim (and it gets approved) they mail you a check and you have to purchase a new device on your own
not a fan of that procedure
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I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
ra990 said:
I haven't decided who to go with yet. But, I do prefer this procedure. If they just send me a check for $399 instead of replacing my Galaxy Nexus, then a year down the line, I can get the best phone available for $399, which I'm betting won't be the Galaxy Nexus. Think about that!
EDIT: Bigmike beat me to it, but yea, same point - completely agree with you bigmike.
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agreed...but i feel like since they are handing out money instead of a device they are going to make you go through hell to get it...no one likes to hand over money
2ndly...i have double and triple checked ensquared...they definitely cover the international nexus...i made it a point to distinguish the verizon model and stated that i dont want a SG2 or comparable phone as a replacement because i already have that and thats why im making the switch in the first place..he told me that comparable devices are only given if the customer is rushing them to locate a device ,if its been discontinued or if its not a popular device and you bought it from a small market company or carrier...which google obviously is not...i even got the reps name and a direct line (which i called)
im going to go with them...$59 for 1 year and it covers damage, loss, theft and many other things...sweet deal with a $75 deductible...beats my $7.99/mo and $130 deductible with tmobile
I went through MDPA, it was $70 for the year. No deductible.
http://www.mobiledeviceprotection.com/
No clue on how they are to work with, giving them a try over asurion this time.
Thanks for the info. I was thinking about getting insurance for my Galaxy Nexus but wasn't sure if Google offered any. When you sign up for the insurance through Google, do you have to call up or can you sign up online? Thanks!
Since this thread comes up in a quick Google search, I figured I'd give my .02 cents while I'm in the middle of a claim with Worth Ave Group.
My phone dropped and has a cracked screen as of Sunday. I filed a claim via the website and waited 24 hours. No response. Monday: I sent an email through their website. No response. I called later and got a representative that said they received the claim. After the phone call, I got a reply to my initial claim. Tuesday: I get a 2nd response from the email I sent from their website. My first issue is not only are they not 24x7, but they also take 24-48 hours to respond. The customer service rep says we should wait 2-3 business days for a response. My previous claims with Asurion had a new device on my doorstep by the next day, so this is stark contrast in customer service.
I was instructed to get a quote from a local repair shop. Even though Worth Ave instructed me to go to a specific repair shop, they didn't seem to be aware of Worth Ave's policy. I was not able to get a written estimate nor did they send me the follow-up email they promised me. I still sent an email back to Worth Ave's claim department with the amount quoted. Most likely, I'll have to wait another 24-48 hours for a response on what I can expect next (maybe a repair of my device). If they agree to pay for the repair, reimbursement can take up to 2 weeks.
TL;DR: Don't go with Worth Ave Group if you expect to get a quick turnaround in case of an event. Time is money. Pay a little more for 24x7 service which will ship you a replacement.
I recently had warranty service on my Note 4 through AT&T. The process turned out to be considerably more difficult - and potentially financially risky - than I expected. There are a lot of things that I know now, that I wish I had known at the beginning of the process. Therefore, I'm writing this summary to help prepare other AT&T customers who need service for their Samsung (and probably other) products.
If you don't care about the back story, just scan for the bolded TAKEAWAY lines below, or skip to the SUMMARY section at the end.
THE ISSUE
I bought a new (not refurbished) Note 4 a few months ago. From the moment I got it home, away from the blazing fluorescent lights and full screen brightness in the AT&T store, I noticed the dreaded pink tinted screen issue. The effect was minor at first, but grew in intensity over the subsequent weeks. It was bad enough within just a couple of days that I couldn't see the right-most digit of my alarm clock app at all when I had the brightness turned way down for nighttime (this would be at the top of the screen, they way it sits horizontally on my stand).
Having had a similar, but more severe, screen issue that rendered my Galaxy S4 unusable, I was particularly sensitive to screen quality and resolved to get this fixed.
MY OPTIONS
I had two primary options for fixing the problem (probably in addition to purchase protection on my business credit card):
1. Samsung warranty: Covers manufacturer defects for one year
2. AT&T insurance policy (well, 3rd party policy that AT&T sells): Covers virtually any kind of defect, damage, or loss, after paying the deductible
I decided to pursue Option 1, for two reasons. Firstly, the problem was clearly (to me, at least) a manufacturing defect. Secondly, the insurance policy had a $200 deductible. So, I stopped by the AT&T store in my local mall to get the phone fixed under warranty. No problem, right? I mean, my parents have had like a half-dozen iPhones fixed or replaced at the Apple store in their mall just by walking in off the street...
AT&T'S PROCESS
I learned my first lesson in the threshold of the door to the AT&T store:
TAKEAWAY 1: AT&T RETAIL STORES DON'T PROVIDE WARRANTY SERVICE FOR THE DEVICES THEY SELL
Huh? Given the aforementioned problem with my S4, I was shrewd enough to ask about the warranty before buying the Note 4. The AT&T person told me that it had a 1-year, manufacturer warranty. This was entirely correct. My mistake was interpreting this to mean that I could go back to the store where I had just bought the phone a few weeks prior and have it fixed under warranty. That's not the case. Instead, the person at the store handed me a business card with the toll-free number for AT&T Wireless support.
I went back home and called the number on the card. The person who helped me was prompt and professional. She logged the details of my issue, and explained the next steps to me as follows:
AT&T sends a new phone body
I swap my battery, SIM card, S Pen, and back cover to the new phone
I repackage my old phone body in the same box and mail it back to AT&T, postage pre-paid
So far, so good. But...
An AT&T person receives and evaluates the old phone
If the problem is deemed to be a manufacturer defect, the process ends for me here, and AT&T ships the broken unit back to Samsung
If the problem is deemed to be caused by physical damage, AT&T ships the old phone back to me, charges me the full retail price of the replacement phone, and I keep both phones!
Say what?! I asked what would happen in the unlikely case that the phone left my hands undamaged, but was damaged during shipping. She confirmed that AT&T would send the broken phone back to me and that I'd be stuck with both the old and new phones - and would have to pay for the new phone.
Dumbfounded, I asked for a way to mitigate the risk of my getting stuck with two phones. She recommended that I go back to my local store and have an AT&T employee inspect the phone, and add notes to my account stating that the phone is not physically damaged. Then, if it arrived damaged at the warranty center, they'd know that it had to have been damaged in shipping. She said that she'd leave my case open in her computer system, and that the next person I spoke with could complete the process after I returned from the store.
That sounded reasonable (enough). So, I went back to the retail store, an AT&T person looked at the phone, concluded that it was not physically damaged, and annotated my account accordingly.
I returned home, called the toll-free number again, and picked up where I left off. The person I spoke with this time reiterated the process to me, and confirmed that if the old phone arrived damaged, AT&T would send it back to me and I'd be stuck with it, stuck with the new phone, and charged for the new phone. "Except in this case", I added, "because the notes in my account said that the phone isn't damaged, right?"
Wrong.
If the old phone arrives damaged, I own both phones. "Why did I just go to the [email protected]#$ing store then?" He said that I shouldn't have, and that the previous customer service rep shouldn't have told me to do so. He said that I might damage the phone after leaving the store, before I ship it back to them, and therefore that the notes in my account meant nothing. He's right, of course.
After a spirited discussion, he made another good point - the warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T. AT&T provides warranty service as a "courtesy" to its customers. For phones with defects, AT&T can send them back to Samsung and get reimbursed. For physical damage, though, Samsung won't accept the phone under warranty. Therefore, AT&T needs some way to guard against getting stuck with a broken phone. Before proceeding, let's pause for another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 2: AT&T DOES NOT WARRANTY SAMSUNG PHONES, SAMSUNG WARRANTIES SAMSUNG PHONES
This makes perfect sense, and I definitely see the problem from AT&T's point of view. Still, the original unresolved issue persists. So, I asked the guy what I could do to protect myself against the possibility of the old phone getting damaged in shipping. He offered that perhaps the manager at my local AT&T retail store could pack and ship the old phone for me. I agreed to that, and asked what would happen if it arrived broken due to shipping damage. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
Flabbergasted, I stated that I was willing to assume the risk of damage during shipping, and changed topics.
Next I asked what would happen if the phone arrived at the AT&T service center intact, but that the person assessing the problem concluded that the pink screen problem was due to damage, rather than a manufacturing defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before.
I asked how to determine, definitively, whether the issue was manufacturing-related or damage-related, prior to sending the phone back to the AT&T service center and starting the inexorable process that may lead to me getting stuck with two phones. After all, the person in the retail store who annotated my account said that it was a manufacturing defect? He said that AT&T retail employees are not qualified to distinguish between manufacturer defects and physical damage. Another takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 3: AT&T RETAIL STORE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT QUALIFIED/TRAINED/AUTHORIZED TO ASSESS WARRANTY-RELATED ISSUES
(Makes all you AT&T store employees out there feel valued by your employer, eh?)
Fortunately, the guy on the phone was trained to make these types of assessments. Based on our call so far - and never having seen my phone in person - he says that the pink screen was most likely due to physical damage. With steam coming out of my ears, I told him that I wasn't even going to debate whether the issue with the handset was a defect or damage, but rather would stick to trying to understand the Kafkaesque service process.
Specifically, I said that the previous phone rep who I spoke to said that she thought the issue was due to a defect. So, regardless of who is right and who is wrong, the dilemma is that two different AT&T people made two different assessments about the root cause of my phone's problem. In one case, I could get it fixed for free. In another case, I end up spending over $1,500 for two phones, one of which is broken.
Naturally, I asked what my recourse was if the AT&T warranty center person determined that the issue was due to physical damage, but that I still thought it was a defect. He said I'd get stuck with both phones, same as before. I asked if there was an appeals process. No, there isn't. Next takeaway:
TAKEAWAY 4: IF AT&T SENDS YOU A NEW PHONE UNDER WARRANTY AND YOU SEND THE OLD ONE BACK TO THEM, THE PROCESS WILL RESULT IN ONE OF TWO OUTCOMES, AT AT&T'S SOLE DISCRETION:
A) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE TO BE A DEFECT, AND YOU KEEP THE REPLACEMENT PHONE FOR FREE
B) AT&T DETERMINES THE ISSUE IS DUE TO DAMAGE, THEY SEND YOU YOUR OLD PHONE BACK, CHARGE YOU FOR THE NEW PHONE, AND YOU KEEP BOTH.
Period. End of story. No appeal. No recourse. Just roll the dice and pray that the AT&T warranty person who you've never met and never get to talk to ends up looking at the phone and coming to the same conclusion as you.
Unconvinced that a company as big and mature as AT&T didn't have some reasonable solution, I inquired, yet again, about options. There were two remaining:
1. Send the phone to Samsung for warranty service by mail
2. Take the phone to an AT&T Device Support Center for in-person service
The first option would leave me without a phone for a week or two. But, Samsung wouldn't stick me with an extra phone the way AT&T would.
TAKEAWAY 5: YOU CAN SEND YOUR PHONE DIRECTLY TO SAMSUNG FOR WARRANTY SERVICE, WITHOUT INVOLVING AT&T IN THE PROCESS
I don't know how easy or hard it is do work with Samsung, or what their process is if you think there's a defect and they think there's damage, etc... I'll leave that for someone else to explain.
But, this second option sounds good - an AT&T Device Service Center. As it turns out, this is what I was looking for all along! It's a real building, with real AT&T employees, who are qualified to assess warranty issues, and able to repair/replace defective phones. Perfect! The closest one to me is 225 miles away (which took the phone rep 10 minutes to find, because their system is only set up to offer this option if the Center is within 50 miles), but I GLADLY drove down there to get my phone fixed. The person there looked at my phone, immediately judged the issue to be a defect that was covered by warranty, and in 2 minutes had me set up on another Note 4 with a spectacular screen. So:
TAKEAWAY 6: YOU CAN TAKE YOUR PHONE TO AN AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTER FOR IN-PERSON WARRANTY SERVICE
TAKEAWAY 7: THERE ARE VERY FEW AT&T DEVICE SERVICE CENTERS, SO YOU MAY NEED TO TRAVEL A LONG DISTANCE TO GET TO ONE
SUMMARY
To summarize the preceding dissertation, AT&T customers with Samsung (and possibly other) phones who need warranty service should know:
The phone's warranty is from Samsung, not AT&T
AT&T provides in-person warranty service, on behalf of Samsung, through Device Service Centers only, not through retail stores
AT&T Device Service Centers are few and far between, so be prepared to travel
Warranty service by mail through AT&T is not a viable option, because you can get stuck paying for two phones, at AT&T's sole discretion, and have no recourse
Oh, and two more:
The pink screen issue is for real - and really obvious when it happens; folks who are adamant that it's imaginary, that we're looking at our screens crookedly, or that we're otherwise obsessing over something minor are just lucky enough to have units with good screens
A good Note 4 screen is AMAZINGLY good - if you have the pink screen issue, go through the hassle to get it replaced; you won't regret it
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store. And a one year manufactures warranty is just that, the manufacturer is responsible for the warranty, so you can go through samsung or you can go through att except for Apple products, anything past the 4s is handled by Apple exclusively. With that being said as long as you don't send a device with signs of phisical or water damage you won't be charged for warranty by either company. The nice thing if you're close to a service center is you can get a new phone same day, regardless of which way you go, att or sammy, if you mail it out expect to wait for a phone. Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults. The only phones att takes responsibility for are the unbranded att phones we sell l, but again that's not in store, unless it's a service center, otherwise there is too much overhead to hold that much inventory reserved for warranty issues.
Here is a link where you can find device service centers for AT&T, its near lower down on the page and will list places by state http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB91429
It will download a pdf with the locations
thanitos said:
Some AT&T stores do provide warranty right on sight, for instance I work at one that doesn't have warranty on site but two hours away there is another AT&T that handles all warranty in store.
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QUESTION: Is this second store considered a "Device Service Center", or is it just a regular, retail AT&T storefront?
According to 1) the guy at my retail store 2) the first customer service phone rep and 3) the second customer service phone rep, only the Device Service Centers are able to do warranty service. Perhaps some are co-located with retail stores, but they were pretty clear to me that retail stores, per se, couldn't service warranty issues.
thanitos said:
Just remember, manufacturer does not mean att, verizon, sprint and t mobile are responsible for the issue, they will do an exchange by mail as a courtesy, not because they promise the device will work with no hardware faults.
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Understood. But, when I buy a drill from Home Depot, they don't send me to Hitachi for service when it breaks. They don't make me drive three states away to an authorized Home Depot service center to have it fixed. I go to the store where I bought it, with my receipt, and they fix or replace it. Same with my tablet from Best Buy, auto recall at the car dealer, rotten fruit from the grocery store, everything I buy from Amazon, even stuff from eBay where I haven't reached an amicable settlement with the seller. They all honor the manufacturers' warranties in-house, or provide equivalent service for the products they sell in the infrequent cases that they prove to be defective.
My concern with AT&T is that they don't have my back - especially as a small business owner. I buy a new phone - the most expensive phone that they had in the store, mind you - and as soon as they swipe my card, that store is out of the picture. Subsequently, I have to follow this Rube Goldberg process to fix the problem if something goes wrong 5 minutes later.
I re-read the insurance policy during this whole process, as well, and I have the same concerns there. I haven't been through the insurance claim process, so I can't say first-hand whether it's easy or hard. But, the language definitely doesn't give me the impression that I can just walk into the store where I bought the phone, pay my deductible, and walk out with a new one. Maybe I'm wrong; if you know how the insurance claim process works, I'd be interested in hearing about your first-hand experiences as an AT&T employee.
To conclude, don't take my preceding comments the wrong way. I'm not some hater; on the contrary, I've been an outspoken advocate of AT&T because they've treated me so well. I've had generally excellent experiences with AT&T over the years and, consequently, I've recommended AT&T to many, many friends, family, and colleagues. Based on this experience, though, I'm looking at switching carriers - certainly when my current AT&T NEXT term is up, and possibly before (U.S. Cellular has a deal right now where they'll pay off my existing contract. I had them previously and loved them as a carrier). Having a cool new phone and lots of LTE coverage is great, but what's most important to me is the security of knowing that when something goes wrong, it'll get fixed promptly. That wasn't the case this time, and I don't have confidence that AT&T will be there for me the next time.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to provide some feedback. Have a good day.
If you need to file a claim for insurance, it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I've done lots of warranty exchanges by mail with att over the last 13 years and I've never had an issue.
Honestly, I have AT&T and have had my a Note 4 replaced 2 times already. One due to charging just stopping at 35% and the other was a combo of the pink tinted screen and dead pixel in the top left. I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing. I went out and picked up a cheap ass Go Phone and activated that while Samsung had my devices. They even offer over night shipping if you want to pay for it. AT&T is just a horrible provider and I've only stuck with them since they were Cingular because they ALWAYS got the top brand phones. Now it seems T-Mobile and Sprint are getting the top brand phones more and more now so after this contract its time to say goodbye.
TL;DL
Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
DamageSource said:
I went directly through Samsung. Their support is amazing...Always use Samsung warranty over AT&T warranty. More professional and less phonecalls/headaches.
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I'm glad to hear that Samsung is this good about supporting their hardware. They're definitely not interested in hearing what customers have to say about their software (I have a thread on that topic somewhere around here). If this new Note 4 needs warranty service, I'll definitely call Samsung, in addition to AT&T, to see who has the better support option at that point in time. Honestly, I didn't even really consider calling Samsung for support this time around, because the phone was so new and I just assumed that AT&T would support the products that they sold in their stores.
From looking at the Samsung support site, they only have seven service centers in the whole U.S. I thought AT&T Device Support Centers were sparse, but I'd have to get on a plane to get to a Samsung one. All else being equal, I'd prefer to have in-person service for my devices. Especially for something like the pink screen issue - which drove me crazy, but that my wife could care less about - I think it's important to be able to demonstrate the problem to the service person face-to-face and explain how/why it impacts me. To that end:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
I'm asking about service per the manufacturer warranty, not the type of paid extended warranty that Best Buy typically offers on their electronics (though the latter might be an alternative to the AT&T insurance). I'd actually stopped by the local BB to shop for the Note 4, but they said that they couldn't add it to my AT&T business account (despite my having called BB customer service first and confirming that my local store did service AT&T business accounts. Sigh...). Back to the point, I'd be interested in buying from a real store, with real product in-stock, who is willing to provide warranty service right from the retail location.
Anyway, I'm going to be upgrading another phone on this account soon, and I'm open to recommendations about where to buy the hardware (even if it means switching carriers). It probably won't be another Samsung, given the quality control issues I've had with both of my Galaxy products. But it might be. I'm open to alternatives. Thanks for your feedback.
mcmannion said:
QUESTION: Has anyone bought a phone from somewhere like Best Buy, Radio Shack, Costco, etc. and been able to get in-store warranty service/replacement?
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My brother only buys from Best Buy and he says that they replace the unit in store right there if it's in stock and if not you can go to an alternative location and pick it up if it's close by for you.
it is done online or over the phone. You do not do in person at an att store.
I can tell you from experience that Costco does replace phones. It is a 3rd party company that runs the phone kiosks in Costco warehouses and Costco themselves paid for a phone exchange for me because when I exchanged my S3 it was not on sale at the price it was on a Black Friday when I purchased it.
I have had AT&T phones for over 10 years & have exchanged defective units by phone/mail through AT&T too & never had a problem. AT&T normally sends a refurb rather than a new unit but as long as it works I'm satisfied.