Best Buy Sells Verizon Wireless Cheaper Than Verizon

For the last year I've been using a BlackJack on AT&T's network. My last phone (an E815 with Verizon) was still active through my parents family plan and sitting in my closet. It was cheaper for me to not use any minutes, and pay the 9.99 additional line fee to them than to sever the contract early.

I ran into a financial bump and as my parents never touched the majority of their minutes, I decided I could save some money by discontinuing my AT&T phone and going back to my old one.

Sadly, the phone wouldn't turn on. I troubleshoot broken crap for a living, but without anything coming out of the battery and continuity in the charger I'm fairly stuck until I can rule out the battery.

So I take it along with me when I go to town and pop in to the Verizon store to ask some questions. I go into an official Verizon location not an authorized dealer.

Me: "Hey, my phone's died."

Verizon employee 1: "Oh hum... well let me take it in back and see what's up!"

After taking the phone behind closed doors with someone else he comes back out and swims over to a couple. They're looking at a phone and he quickly sells them a new package with powerful, expensive handsets.

15 minutes later.

Verizon employee 1: "Well, they tried a brand new battery and a brand new charger and no luck. Looks like it's dead. Should I look into warranty and protection plan information for you?

Me: "It's almost 2 years old and I declined protection. Why don't we see if I can upgrade? We're ready to renew soon anyway I believe."

He pawned me off to customer service by telling me to log into their elaborate digital "Take a number" system. I wait for about 15 minutes and I'm called to the desk. I should note here that when my dad signed up for this plan, he added me for full account privileges, and gave me his password to maintain it for him.

Me: "okay... apparently my phone's dead, I thought it was just the battery but I'm told it's fried... I was hoping that I'm eligible for an upgrade so I can get a working phone today."

Verizon employee 2:

Me:

Verizon employee 2: "Okay, you're good to go then. Which phone did you want?"

Me: "Oh whatever free one's available right now is fine. I don't need anything fancy."

Verizon employee 2: "We don't have a free phone. You'll have to look out on the floor to find which one you want and purchase it. You do get it at the new two year agreement price though."

Me: "Get outta town..."

Verizon employee 2: "Come let me know when you've found the one you want okay?"

Then he calls the next name!

I was about to ask him what the cheapest one was, but whatever, I'll just go look. I was further shocked to see the cheapest was nearly $60 bucks!

Defeated, I walk upstairs to the section I parked. I head through best buy and see in big bold whopping letters "Free Razr!!" with appropriate flair and whatnot under a Verizon sign. In twenty minutes I was walking to my car holding my new fully functional Razr with my same old number.

Their prices weren't made up or anything... I mean the guys IN the store weren't trying to bone me but i can't imagine how it benefits Verizons business to make me go outside their store for better deals...

Now THAT'S customer service.

Those guys following Verizon customers around in the commercials must be after their wallets.