AT&T Store (San Fran) Refuses to Sell me a No Commitment Lumia 920 - FURIOUS.

[hungarianhc]

Okay so I went to the store this morning to look at the phone. Couldn't decide whether to let my yellow preorder come or get the black one there. It's only a five minute walk from my house so I decided to think about it. I walked over this afternoon to grab it. Before I put my name on the list to be helped, I had them verify they had the black Lumia 920 in stock. They did. I waited 30 minutes or so to be helped. I was number 7 on the list. A guy comes to help me, and I told him I wanted the black Nokia Lumia 920 at the full price. He said okay. He went in the back for a while, and he came back out and said he couldn't sell me that phone. He said I could only buy it if I were extending my contract or starting a new one. WTF.

I asked if that was AT&T policy, and he quickly pointed me to the manager.

So the manager comes out, and he tells me that they're only selling these phones to people who are starting / extending contracts.

Me: why?

Him: Because it's a limited stock.

Me: Aren't you in the business of selling phones? I can take one off your hands.

Him: Yes, but the stock is limited.

Me: Obviously... but I want to buy the phone.

Him: We can't do that unless you're extending your contract.

Me: Is it because you get a higher commission when you bring in a new customer or extend a contract?

Him: [awkard pause] No it's just that it's a new phone and it is in limited stock.

Me: What does that have to do with whether or not you will sell it to me?

Him: This is our store policy.

Me: Really? Show me where that AT&T policy is written.

Him: It's not an AT&T policy... this is something that all the San Francisco and Northern California stores do...

Me: You're not going to sell me this phone... are you?

Him: Nope.

I'm really disappointed. I mean obviously nobody LIKES AT&T. But... I like them a little less. I have the specific store name and the name of the manager. I'd like to complain. Rather than complain, I guess I'd rather just have my phone. Has anyone else had this experience today?

 

[Tsaan]

Can you buy it for $99 on contract and 2 seconds later ask if you can cancel your contract and pay the $375 ETF? That would be hilarious.

 

[theeboredone]

You have to understand that new phones generally are not sold full price, especially if there is a high demand for them. It was the same for the Iphones, Note2, and S3. Yes it's true they make more money off of upgrades or new activations, and that's what they are going after. Why sell it to someone who wants to buy it full price, when you can sell it to someone else down the road with a 2 year contract? It guarantees a commitment, and a minimum income of 1980.00 dollars. That's the price of 5 Lumias.

 

[Stadifer]

The AT&T stores are not obligated to sell you a phone off contract... ****, you have to go to Apple to buy an iPhone off contract so what makes the Lumia 920 any different? It isn't so there shouldn't be any surprised that you can't buy an off contract phone in a corporate AT&T store.

AT&T makes significantly more money off the sale of a phone with a contract even at the subsidized price. It's what... Almost $2,000 in monthly contract obligations vs. selling you a phone for under $500.

 

[dkp23]

Same in the Fremont, CA store, waited for a bit chatting with another person getting the lumia as well. . Anyway i was chatting with him about how ATT usually sucks and will screw you in some way, so it was my time in line and i wanted to get a red 920 which was the last in store. The guy i was chatting with was actually one before me and wanted to get a yellow or red in that order, he was nice enough to say he will get a black so i can get a red, i was like what a nice guy. So he gets a black, i ask for a red and they said their manager is no to selling off contract, im raging...s

o had no choice, i went back to the guy and said he can have the red since i couldnt buy. EFF you ATT, but the guy who said he would get a black to let me get the last red ended up getting the red.. what a nice guy, there are good people in this world.

 

[Stadifer]

Verizon won't sell you a phone off contract either.

 

[Gken]

Yeah this makes sense, they didn't have a lot of phones at the stores that I went to in Hawaii. For current customers or customers that want Lumia 920 on contract makes sense to hold out for them. Stores that have limited stock obviously won't sell you them since they make money selling contracts or renewing. Please don't be a dick to them, they just doing the job including the manager who needs to see profits from the store or he loses his job. I know it sucks but it makes sense retail wise. Just order it online.

 

[Xtian.Castro]

I work for att, my first transaction of the day was an off contract 920, granted we had about 15 or so. I think that's really ****ty of the store to do that. You should have been able to to buy it. I bet if you asked to speak with that Area Manager for further "clarification" he would have changed his tune real quick

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

 

[cgooge14]

I had no problem buying one off contract this morning from AT&T...they were really cool about it. My store is in SC....

 

[Tundrok]

Individual AT&T stores have the complete right to refuse sale to those not wanting to purchase off contract. The simple fact remains that they aren't in the business of selling phones; they are in the business of selling the service. If you expect the sale to be treated equal between on-contract and off, you need to buy from a store that doesn't sell the service. That means you should try a Microsoft Store. Don't act so entitled.

 

[theefman]

The AT&T stores are not obligated to sell you a phone off contract... ****, you have to go to Apple to buy an iPhone off contract so what makes the Lumia 920 any different? It isn't so there shouldn't be any surprised that you can't buy an off contract phone in a corporate AT&T store.

AT&T makes significantly more money off the sale of a phone with a contract even at the subsidized price. It's what... Almost $2,000 in monthly contract obligations vs. selling you a phone for under $500.

So how does this apply to someone already with a contract, we are just shafted? Makes sense to make an exception for current customers who aren't eligible for a subsidized upgrade but they basically just say no when I am already paying a monthly fee. At the end of the day they will get more from me with my original purchase AND the additional purchase of an off contract phone so I don't see how their policy makes sense.

 

[JUSTQUAN2]

I work for att, my first transaction of the day was an off contract 920, granted we had about 15 or so. I think that's really ****ty of the store to do that. You should have been able to to buy it. I bet if you asked to speak with that Area Manager for further "clarification" he would have changed his tune real quick

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

Can I bring my black one back and exchange it for another color?? ��

 

[tissotti]

Individual AT&T stores have the complete right to refuse sale to those not wanting to purchase off contract. The simple fact remains that they aren't in the business of selling phones; they are in the business of selling the service. If you expect the sale to be treated equal between on-contract and off, you need to buy from a store that doesn't sell the service. That means you should try a Microsoft Store. Don't act so entitled.

This whole thinking is so weird to somebody living in Scandinavia.
Operators here carry every single phone and it's their business the sell the phones and by law they need to be unlocked.

 

[aljebreensh]

3 different At&t stores in SoCal refused to sell me the 920 off contract. I went to Microsoft and they will sell it off contract. Just bought 2 from them. Same price, no charging pad.

 

[jeremyshaw]

3 different At&t stores in SoCal refused to sell me the 920 off contract. I went to Microsoft and they will sell it off contract. Just bought 2 from them. Same price, no charging pad.

It doesn't matter. One store would sell it to me, one wouldn't. One got my business, and another one will be avoided like the plague.

At any rate, both said the charger pad is only available with a 2 year contract. I don't know if that is full of crock or not. I got it from a store in Northern California. I'm not saying exactly where (just in case if it gets the store in trouble), but whoever made the, "NorCal stores do this," comment is a liar and generally full of it.

 

[jmajid]

when i talked to my local att store here in houston, tx i was told i could get it off contract - granted that was yesterday and not today the day of the actual release.
Also, when the rep was telling me the prices etc. he mentioned to me that i was getting the wireless charger with teh 99USD price, which was a 40USD value.
Now i thought this charger was going to be a little more than that, so if it turns out to be only 40, i will be happy with that.
For the person that bought 2 off contract from the MS store, did they mention anything about having unlocked phones too?

 

[cdd543]

I bought mine off contract today with the free charging plate. I'm in Denver.

 

[palandri]

Individual AT&T stores have the complete right to refuse sale to those not wanting to purchase off contract. The simple fact remains that they aren't in the business of selling phones; they are in the business of selling the service. If you expect the sale to be treated equal between on-contract and off, you need to buy from a store that doesn't sell the service. That means you should try a Microsoft Store. Don't act so entitled.

Not helping a customer get what they want at an AT&T corporate store when it's listed as contract free on the AT&T website is very, very poor customer service. AT&T executives need to read, "In Search of Excellence".

At the very least, the salesperson should have ordered one for him or taken him to an in store computer and show him how to order one online.

 

[eortizr]

I just walked today afternoon to the AT&T here in Irving TX, asked for a black lumia 920 off contract, they just asked me the account phone number, paid the 449.00, got out of the store withing 20minutes..

 

[nokia4life]

You have to understand that new phones generally are not sold full price, especially if there is a high demand for them. It was the same for the Iphones, Note2, and S3. Yes it's true they make more money off of upgrades or new activations, and that's what they are going after. Why sell it to someone who wants to buy it full price, when you can sell it to someone else down the road with a 2 year contract? It guarantees a commitment, and a minimum income of 1980.00 dollars. That's the price of 5 Lumias.

That's not true I purchased my lumia 900 pre order when it came out and paid the 449.00. I also did the same for the 920 and the iPhone 5 so just say that one store but don't blanket it like that's policy because AT&T corp stores sell it period non commit or contract. I'm just saying.... I haven't paid for a phone on contract for 2 yrs


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