So Sprints 14 Day Satisfaction Guarantee aka 14 Day Exchange Policy is quite a tricky little SOB. I exchanged a DEFECTIVE Samsung Galaxy Note 2 under the 14 day policy on the 14th day. I was told by the Sprint rep on the phone to go to a store and simply swap it out rather than have them send me a new one online where I bought it. However I received another device with different problems. An so began the worst experience of my life with Sprint.
First I was told they would send me another one, which was shot down immediately under the excuse that I swapped it in the store and Sprint.com is no longer responsible. Of course I found out shortly after that the store is also not responsible since I bought it online originally. Well I later called up to clear up the situation. I was transferred to a rep, and after they reviewed my account I was transferred to TEP Asurion?!! Wait a minute, I dont have insurance, I would never make a bad purchase like that. So I hang up and call back, and thats when I find out Sprint added insurance to my line on their own, for my protection. Gee, thanks but no thanks. I call back and have it removed and begin over again with my situation, and the lady says they will send me a new device since I am within 5 days of owning the phone, and sends me to Sprint Orders over the phone. The Order employee gets on the line, I explain Im just being transferred to get my replacement device. He says I cant get a device because I am out of the 14 day policy. After talking to him I am given to a manager, they tell me I can get a new device at a store, and here is the address and they will give you a new one. I go to the store the next day. The store says we are not a corporate store, you have to go online or call Sprint. I am aggravated, and I call back. Again I am transferred to a rep, then a manager, then to Sprint Orders, where I am told they cannot give me a new device. I explain again that they replaced my device with a defective device, and that I just want a new one, or at this point a refund, whichever is easier. After an hour of arguing with the gentleman he tells me I am stuck with the device I just paid $750 for despite it not working properly. I said I have had enough, so please send me to retentions as I plan to cancel my service immediately. I am transferred to retentions and I proceed to cancel my primary line and have the other 3 prepped for transfer to Verizon. Additionally I would simply file a small claims case which costs only $20 for me to do, and because they have stores in my state I can file it here and they must appear. Finally before completing the act, the rep asks why I am doing this. I explain the situation for what seems like the 20th time ( unknowingly this will not be the last time I explain it ). She apologizes deeply, checks with her manager, and tells me how sorry she is non stop and offers me a new device or a refund. I told her I will gladly take the new device. That is after all, all I wanted. A working Galaxy Note 2. After verifying my mailing address, and confirming my order, she passes me to her manager to ensure that I have been taken care of. I say of course. This all takes place over 2 hours as I sat outside the store that would not help me. I head home, eat dinner and grab some needed rest.
The next day, I feel great about finally having been able to get rid of this dud of a device. I notice a voicemail, and I check it. Oh its the Sprint rep from last night who verified my order. She now says they can not send it, and I need to get it in the store. She calls me back later, and starts calling stores to arrange for me to pick up a new device. I am on hold for 15 minutes, and she hangs up on me. I never hear from her again. I call back and get a new person, and I begin explaining yet again what happened, and this time a rep named Kenny assures me that she did take care of my account, as it shows that I am not in the 14 day exchange policy again, and I should just head to the store and they will swap it out. I head to yet another store this time finally feeling better that this is going to be all over. I hand my device to the employee, explain the story briefly, show him a few of the defects that are easier to demonstrate, and await my device. The first employee is already preparing to swap my device, when another one comes over and asks to see what he is doing. He says I cant get a new device. I ask him to please read the lengthy notes on my account as the previous employee did. He says I cant give you a new device, regardless of what they said on the phone, that he does not have the STOCK for that type of exchange, only for sales. I am furious, and he calls the Sprint back office and puts me on the phone after talking with them. They again tell me I cant get a new device since I am out of the 14 day period. I explain for the 100th time that I was leaving Sprint and retentions had offered the new device to keep my service. They dont care, because that was later rejected the next day by some manager. I tell the rep on the line I guess I will just go back to dropping my lines and filing a lawsuit as that was my previous intentions. He asks me to hold. I talk to the store clerk and he is appalled at their behaviour. 15 minutes later he comes back and transfers me to his manager, she will assist me. She asks me to hold while she reads all of the notes on my account. I am on hold for no less than an additional 20 minutes, on a phone in a Sprint store. Suddently someone finally answers the line. Its a new rep, asking me how he can assist me. He doesnt even know who I am. I once again START ALL OVER, and even the Sprint employee cant believe how they are treating me and he informs me to not give up because it is ridiculous what they are doing. After another 30 minutes, and ANOTHER manager, I am told they will send me a replacement device and since they dont have refurbished devices they will have to send me a new device, but want to charge me $35. I am more than happy to pay $35 at this point. I am later told it is backordered because their warehouse is empty ( something doesnt sound right to me at this point but I continue ). I give my address etc and confirm once again I am getting a brand new device. The next Monday ( this last took place on a Saturday ) I receive confirmation that I missed first pickup of the delivery. Wow! That was fast, so much for backorder!! Excited I check my email and get the tracking number via text message from Sprint. I see that it says they sent me an Advanced Replacement Phone. I dont like the sound of that. I send a message to find out if this is a new phone. Tuesday the device comes, and this time the UPS delivery man leaves everything on the porch, so I am unable to refuse delivery. I open the box, and confirm my fears later with the email from Sprint. This is a device someone returned to the store, and it is guaranteed to only "be in good physical condition". Terrific, a refurb. I try it out and can immediately see it is sluggish. I film it compared to my device ( my device runs good, but has flaws with the S Pen, WIFI, and massive battery drain that even the original device didnt have ) so I can document how crappy this device is. I cannot believe what I have gone through up until now, and I know I will be fighting to get the 15$ they have charged for TEP and the $35 charged for this replacement removed in addition to my lawsuit that I will file Friday or Monday depending on the holidays.
The moral of the story? Take a full refund within the 14 day policy. Take your refund and buy the device from Best Buy using price matching. Their insurance covers everything, and they hand you a new device right out of the box right in the store. Sprint has lost all of my loyalty and I have every intention of leaving them once I settle on a plan with Verizon. I will even be getting the same phones I have now with a few exceptions that they cant provide. On top of all that, dont forget to factor in the reduced coverage I have had for the last few months since Hurricane Sandy hit and they cant seem to fix the towers fast enough, and you will see why I have given up on them....
Sincerely,
William Sheridan aka Ex Sprint Loyalist...
First I was told they would send me another one, which was shot down immediately under the excuse that I swapped it in the store and Sprint.com is no longer responsible. Of course I found out shortly after that the store is also not responsible since I bought it online originally. Well I later called up to clear up the situation. I was transferred to a rep, and after they reviewed my account I was transferred to TEP Asurion?!! Wait a minute, I dont have insurance, I would never make a bad purchase like that. So I hang up and call back, and thats when I find out Sprint added insurance to my line on their own, for my protection. Gee, thanks but no thanks. I call back and have it removed and begin over again with my situation, and the lady says they will send me a new device since I am within 5 days of owning the phone, and sends me to Sprint Orders over the phone. The Order employee gets on the line, I explain Im just being transferred to get my replacement device. He says I cant get a device because I am out of the 14 day policy. After talking to him I am given to a manager, they tell me I can get a new device at a store, and here is the address and they will give you a new one. I go to the store the next day. The store says we are not a corporate store, you have to go online or call Sprint. I am aggravated, and I call back. Again I am transferred to a rep, then a manager, then to Sprint Orders, where I am told they cannot give me a new device. I explain again that they replaced my device with a defective device, and that I just want a new one, or at this point a refund, whichever is easier. After an hour of arguing with the gentleman he tells me I am stuck with the device I just paid $750 for despite it not working properly. I said I have had enough, so please send me to retentions as I plan to cancel my service immediately. I am transferred to retentions and I proceed to cancel my primary line and have the other 3 prepped for transfer to Verizon. Additionally I would simply file a small claims case which costs only $20 for me to do, and because they have stores in my state I can file it here and they must appear. Finally before completing the act, the rep asks why I am doing this. I explain the situation for what seems like the 20th time ( unknowingly this will not be the last time I explain it ). She apologizes deeply, checks with her manager, and tells me how sorry she is non stop and offers me a new device or a refund. I told her I will gladly take the new device. That is after all, all I wanted. A working Galaxy Note 2. After verifying my mailing address, and confirming my order, she passes me to her manager to ensure that I have been taken care of. I say of course. This all takes place over 2 hours as I sat outside the store that would not help me. I head home, eat dinner and grab some needed rest.
The next day, I feel great about finally having been able to get rid of this dud of a device. I notice a voicemail, and I check it. Oh its the Sprint rep from last night who verified my order. She now says they can not send it, and I need to get it in the store. She calls me back later, and starts calling stores to arrange for me to pick up a new device. I am on hold for 15 minutes, and she hangs up on me. I never hear from her again. I call back and get a new person, and I begin explaining yet again what happened, and this time a rep named Kenny assures me that she did take care of my account, as it shows that I am not in the 14 day exchange policy again, and I should just head to the store and they will swap it out. I head to yet another store this time finally feeling better that this is going to be all over. I hand my device to the employee, explain the story briefly, show him a few of the defects that are easier to demonstrate, and await my device. The first employee is already preparing to swap my device, when another one comes over and asks to see what he is doing. He says I cant get a new device. I ask him to please read the lengthy notes on my account as the previous employee did. He says I cant give you a new device, regardless of what they said on the phone, that he does not have the STOCK for that type of exchange, only for sales. I am furious, and he calls the Sprint back office and puts me on the phone after talking with them. They again tell me I cant get a new device since I am out of the 14 day period. I explain for the 100th time that I was leaving Sprint and retentions had offered the new device to keep my service. They dont care, because that was later rejected the next day by some manager. I tell the rep on the line I guess I will just go back to dropping my lines and filing a lawsuit as that was my previous intentions. He asks me to hold. I talk to the store clerk and he is appalled at their behaviour. 15 minutes later he comes back and transfers me to his manager, she will assist me. She asks me to hold while she reads all of the notes on my account. I am on hold for no less than an additional 20 minutes, on a phone in a Sprint store. Suddently someone finally answers the line. Its a new rep, asking me how he can assist me. He doesnt even know who I am. I once again START ALL OVER, and even the Sprint employee cant believe how they are treating me and he informs me to not give up because it is ridiculous what they are doing. After another 30 minutes, and ANOTHER manager, I am told they will send me a replacement device and since they dont have refurbished devices they will have to send me a new device, but want to charge me $35. I am more than happy to pay $35 at this point. I am later told it is backordered because their warehouse is empty ( something doesnt sound right to me at this point but I continue ). I give my address etc and confirm once again I am getting a brand new device. The next Monday ( this last took place on a Saturday ) I receive confirmation that I missed first pickup of the delivery. Wow! That was fast, so much for backorder!! Excited I check my email and get the tracking number via text message from Sprint. I see that it says they sent me an Advanced Replacement Phone. I dont like the sound of that. I send a message to find out if this is a new phone. Tuesday the device comes, and this time the UPS delivery man leaves everything on the porch, so I am unable to refuse delivery. I open the box, and confirm my fears later with the email from Sprint. This is a device someone returned to the store, and it is guaranteed to only "be in good physical condition". Terrific, a refurb. I try it out and can immediately see it is sluggish. I film it compared to my device ( my device runs good, but has flaws with the S Pen, WIFI, and massive battery drain that even the original device didnt have ) so I can document how crappy this device is. I cannot believe what I have gone through up until now, and I know I will be fighting to get the 15$ they have charged for TEP and the $35 charged for this replacement removed in addition to my lawsuit that I will file Friday or Monday depending on the holidays.
The moral of the story? Take a full refund within the 14 day policy. Take your refund and buy the device from Best Buy using price matching. Their insurance covers everything, and they hand you a new device right out of the box right in the store. Sprint has lost all of my loyalty and I have every intention of leaving them once I settle on a plan with Verizon. I will even be getting the same phones I have now with a few exceptions that they cant provide. On top of all that, dont forget to factor in the reduced coverage I have had for the last few months since Hurricane Sandy hit and they cant seem to fix the towers fast enough, and you will see why I have given up on them....
Sincerely,
William Sheridan aka Ex Sprint Loyalist...
