Best Buy vs Sprint Store

[jennn]

My phone is on a business account. I currently own the Samsung Epic Touch Galaxy S2 or whatever you want to call since October 2011 and I'm already eligible for an upgrade somehow. Sweet! Since my phone is through a business account I normally this go to a Sprint store to buy my phones. Are there any advantages going to Best Buy though? One note, if at all possible I want the new phone to be billed directly to our account, which is what I THINK I did last time.

Also, I am looking at the SIII and LTEvo - I can't decide. I'm kind of thinking over the Nexus. Doesn't Best Buy have a longer return policy? My question is though, how many times can I swap? If I get the S3 then try the LTEvo can I go back to the S3 if I decide I like that better?

edit: Or maybe even Radio Shack? edit 2: Radio Shack doesn't do business accounts. However, they are about $50 cheaper at the moment

 

[drexappeal]

My phone is on a business account. I currently own the Samsung Epic Touch Galaxy S2 or whatever you want to call since October 2011 and I'm already eligible for an upgrade somehow. Sweet! Since my phone is through a business account I normally this go to a Sprint store to buy my phones. Are there any advantages going to Best Buy though? One note, if at all possible I want the new phone to be billed directly to our account, which is what I THINK I did last time.

Also, I am looking at the SIII and LTEvo - I can't decide. I'm kind of thinking over the Nexus. Doesn't Best Buy have a longer return policy? My question is though, how many times can I swap? If I get the S3 then try the LTEvo can I go back to the S3 if I decide I like that better?

edit: Or maybe even Radio Shack?

If upgraded through Best Buy, it can't be billed to your account.

Usually, my reasoning for going through Best Buy was because they always seemed to have better deals than going through Sprint (not always "better", but never worse and they do seem to have a lot more promotions...take for instance, the promotion they were having for the LTEvo pre-orders). Best Buy does have a longer return policy, but I don't know how that works in conjunction with the Sprint 14 day policy. No matter what, I think you're locked into a 2 year agreement, once the 1st 14 days passes. I don't know if Best Buy will allow you to "trade," as long as it's within their 30 day return/exchange policy. For Silver Premier members, it's actually a 60 day return/exchange. Again, I want to re-iterate that I'm not sure how it works in conjunction with Sprint's 14 day, so it'd probably be better to ask Best Buy directly.

I can't decide between either the SGS III or LTEvo either (and I'm also waiting for the other superphones to be released, prior to making that decision). Only real reasons to consider the G-Nex are Vanilla Android UI, Jelly Bean, and unlocked bootloader. All of them have their "good qualities." It just really comes down to the features that are most important to you. Go with the one that you feel would suit your needs the best. You really can't go wrong.

I've never upgraded through Radio Shack, but I have heard of their having promotions as well (similar to Best Buy) and I have had a price match done at Best Buy, just so I wouldn't need to go to Radio Shack. Thing is, I prefer Best Buy over Radio Shack (especially when it came to pre-orders) because if, for whatever reason, I decided not to get a phone, I'd always be able to find something to use the pre-order downpayment on. Since you aren't necessarily pre-ordering, they might be an option for you as well.

There are so many 3rd party retail avenues you can take to upgrade your phone. Amazon has had some great deals recently. Wirefly has had some great deals as well.

 

[jennn]

Do you know what other phones through Sprint will be coming out? I don't need to upgrade as my S2 is fine, for the most part. In fact, I'm quite surprised I am eligible for an upgrade and I figure it's some type of computer glitch or something.

 

[MissJennell]

Neither sprint or best buy can bill the phone to your account.

edit: If you go to a preferred retailer then you can get it fdt'd and it then can be billed to the account.

 

[drexappeal]

Do you know what other phones through Sprint will be coming out? I don't need to upgrade as my S2 is fine, for the most part. In fact, I'm quite surprised I am eligible for an upgrade and I figure it's some type of computer glitch or something.

Subscribe to this thread:
http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?t=459326

That's an on going discussion about upcoming phones on sprint, including rumored phones.

 

[jennn]

Took a look at the rumor thread. Nothing there seemed to peek my interest so I'm still at S3 or LTEvo and possibly Nexus. Ahh decisions decisions.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Took a look at the rumor thread. Nothing there seemed to peek my interest so I'm still at S3 or LTEvo and possibly Nexus. Ahh decisions decisions.

Stop by a sprint store and have them look up your discount eligibility.

Every business is different, you may get discounts you are not even aware of.

Glad to help ya with this if you are local to the Dallas area. p unlikely I know, but hey..ya never know)

 

[jennn]

I already know what my discount is. It's the regular $150 upgrade plus any of the instant savings if I re-sign for 2 years. Which is odd considering my last update was on 10/2011. Less than a year and I already get a full upgrade.

And thanks, but I'm a mid west girl

 

[drexappeal]

I already know what my discount is. It's the regular $150 upgrade plus any of the instant savings if I re-sign for 2 years. Which is odd considering my last update was on 10/2011. Less than a year and I already get a full upgrade.

And thanks, but I'm a mid west girl

More than likely, it was an error where the rep that handled your last upgrade, didn't adjust your upgrade eligibility properly. You didn't by any chance have to return the 1st ET4G, did you? I've noticed that happen to me in the past, with some other phones, where I needed to return one of the phones I got because it was defective...and somehow, that kept my eligibility open.

Had you checked to see if your eligibility status ever changed, since you got your ET4G? I'm just curious. Really doesn't matter because their system says that you're eligible, so it is what it is.

Good luck with the decision! The final decision could be different for you, but for me, aside from the phone specs and looks, I always take into consideration 1) accessories, 2) support, 3) reliability and reputation, 4) future proof-ability.

Hope that helps.
drex

 

[jennn]

Oh, good point ... interesting. I swapped out my ET4G for another ET4G because of a temperature issue. Wonder if that did it. This is the first time I checked my eligibility since getting the phone and only did that to find out what month I bought it in. Their accounts are showing I bought my phone in 10/2011 and that my contract is up in 10/2013 but I was eligible for the full upgrade as of 7/1/12 (it didn't default back to 10/2011).

I've talked to 2 sales rep from the main customer service support line for business accounts and they both said I should be fine in upgrading. I talked to a rep from our regular store we work with (which has switched over to being a 3rd party preferred retailer of Sprint) that is familiar with us and he said if I take the chance and go with the upgrade it'll come back to bite me in the butt and eventually end up getting charged for the full price of the phone. And that even if someone from Sprint says I will be fine, I won't. He's seen it happen. One of the sales rep from the main support line said he was full of it though, she's never heard of that and that's why she doesn't recommend 3rd party. Oh, the drama.

I'm pretty sure I'm going with the S3 over the LTEvo now. Although I know come roll out time for Jelly Bean I'll be cursing Samsung. So now trying to decide on color. And the case thread for this phone is unbelievably long.

 

[drexappeal]

Oh, good point ... interesting. I swapped out my ET4G for another ET4G because of a temperature issue. Wonder if that did it. This is the first time I checked my eligibility since getting the phone and only did that to find out what month I bought it in. Their accounts are showing I bought my phone in 10/2011 and that my contract is up in 10/2013 but I was eligible for the full upgrade as of 7/1/12 (it didn't default back to 10/2011).

I've talked to 2 sales rep from the main customer service support line for business accounts and they both said I should be fine in upgrading. I talked to a rep from our regular store we work with (which has switched over to being a 3rd party preferred retailer of Sprint) that is familiar with us and he said if I take the chance and go with the upgrade it'll come back to bite me in the butt and eventually end up getting charged for the full price of the phone. And that even if someone from Sprint says I will be fine, I won't. He's seen it happen. One of the sales rep from the main support line said he was full of it though, she's never heard of that and that's why she doesn't recommend 3rd party. Oh, the drama.

I'm pretty sure I'm going with the S3 over the LTEvo now. Although I know come roll out time for Jelly Bean I'll be cursing Samsung. So now trying to decide on color. And the case thread for this phone is unbelievably long.

LOL...Sprint reps just trying to make sure they get the business directly vs. going to a 3rd party. If you want to be 100% sure you'd have no problems at Best Buy, you can check the eligibility online:

https://upgradechecker.bestbuymobile.com/mini/

 

[MissJennell]

Oh, good point ... interesting. I swapped out my ET4G for another ET4G because of a temperature issue. Wonder if that did it. This is the first time I checked my eligibility since getting the phone and only did that to find out what month I bought it in. Their accounts are showing I bought my phone in 10/2011 and that my contract is up in 10/2013 but I was eligible for the full upgrade as of 7/1/12 (it didn't default back to 10/2011).

I've talked to 2 sales rep from the main customer service support line for business accounts and they both said I should be fine in upgrading. I talked to a rep from our regular store we work with (which has switched over to being a 3rd party preferred retailer of Sprint) that is familiar with us and he said if I take the chance and go with the upgrade it'll come back to bite me in the butt and eventually end up getting charged for the full price of the phone. And that even if someone from Sprint says I will be fine, I won't. He's seen it happen. One of the sales rep from the main support line said he was full of it though, she's never heard of that and that's why she doesn't recommend 3rd party. Oh, the drama.

I'm pretty sure I'm going with the S3 over the LTEvo now. Although I know come roll out time for Jelly Bean I'll be cursing Samsung. So now trying to decide on color. And the case thread for this phone is unbelievably long.

I see people get bit in the butt by this all the time. I have had a bunch of people curse at me for it. Even though it is not my fault.

 

[jennn]

Yes but it's not the customer's fault either if Sprint is the one telling them they are eligible.

I went back to a corporate store today and the rep there called in. Something about the business account having some type of change that made me eligible early but once I get a new phone it goes back to 2 years again.

That makes 3 different reps over the phone confirm. So I'm going to go for it.

 

[drexappeal]

Yes but it's not the customer's fault either if Sprint is the one telling them they are eligible.

I went back to a corporate store today and the rep there called in. Something about the business account having some type of change that made me eligible early but once I get a new phone it goes back to 2 years again.

That makes 3 different reps over the phone confirm. So I'm going to go for it.

Biggest thing to understand here is that, Tier 1 level representatives are really only given the bottom baseline amount of information. It' neither the customer nor the rep's fault. Truth of the matter is, none of the Tier 1 reps really have the "authority" to say that "you'll be fine with your upgrade." All that they have the "authority" to do is tell you what's showing in the system, so when they tell you "you should be fine," it just means that they're regurgitating exactly what is showing on the screen.

Like I said, if it says in the system that you're eligibile, then you are. No harm done if you try to upgrade and somehow the glitch doesn't translate upwards, especially if you're happy with your E4GT.

Ultimately, when it comes to situations that are actually in your favor, I find it better to just not ask too many questions and go with it.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Biggest thing to understand here is that, Tier 1 level representatives are really only given the bottom baseline amount of information. It' neither the customer nor the rep's fault. Truth of the matter is, none of the Tier 1 reps really have the "authority" to say that "you'll be fine with your upgrade." All that they have the "authority" to do is tell you what's showing in the system, so when they tell you "you should be fine," it just means that they're regurgitating exactly what is showing on the screen.

A good thing to remember before directing your "wrath on Sprint" over the phone, too.

IME with IT tech support, the first person you usually get is a minimum wage employee with explicit directions to not deviate from the script on their computer monitor. Pity them, because even if they know it's BS they don't have much choice if they want to continue to indulge their addictions to food, clothing and shelter.

It's always acceptable to ask for a supervisor, or to escalate your case to the next level tech. A kind thing to say is "trust me, you don't want to have to deal with this" or something similar. It won't kill you to thank them, even if they didn't do much that was helpful.

Remember, they're at the bottom of the corporate food chain.

 

[drexappeal]

A good thing to remember before directing your "wrath on Sprint" over the phone, too.

IME with IT tech support, the first person you usually get is a minimum wage employee with explicit directions to not deviate from the script on their computer monitor. Pity them, because even if they know it's BS they don't have much choice if they want to continue to indulge their addictions to food, clothing and shelter.

It's always acceptable to ask for a supervisor, or to escalate your case to the next level tech. A kind thing to say is "trust me, you don't want to have to deal with this" or something similar. It won't kill you to thank them, even if they didn't do much that was helpful.

Remember, they're at the bottom of the corporate food chain.

Exactly. I really do feel for tier 1 reps, whether general c.s., tech, or sales (which sometimes translates the same in some companies, especially outsourced c.s.). They have a very difficult job trying to resolve issues, while knowing that there may be questions thrown at them that they either aren't allowed to answer or aren't given the information to answer. Even if you get a rep that goes above and beyond, to where they're doing research on their own and answering questions that aren't in the corporate handbook, they may be going against corporate policy, just to get a customer a completely truthful and thorough answer. What sucks are those a-holes that belittle the tier 1 reps, when they don't get their way. Too many people take the "entitled" stance with tier 1 reps, when there's nothing more they can do.

Regarding escalation, I wish more people would go about escalation in a kind and considerate manner and at least put themselves in the tier 1 rep's shoes.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Exactly. I really do feel for tier 1 reps, whether general c.s., tech, or sales (which sometimes translates the same in some companies, especially outsourced c.s.). They have a very difficult job trying to resolve issues, while knowing that there may be questions thrown at them that they either aren't allowed to answer or aren't given the information to answer. Even if you get a rep that goes above and beyond, to where they're doing research on their own and answering questions that aren't in the corporate handbook, they may be going against corporate policy, just to get a customer a completely truthful and thorough answer. What sucks are those a-holes that belittle the tier 1 reps, when they don't get their way. Too many people take the "entitled" stance with tier 1 reps, when there's nothing more they can do.

Regarding escalation, I wish more people would go about escalation in a kind and considerate manner and at least put themselves in the tier 1 rep's shoes.

Is ot true most tier one reps don't even work for the company ypu are dealing with...sometimes not even tier 2