{verizon} Is this allowed?

[Vulcan1600]

If the Droid X is full retail $600 and they're selling on eBay for $600 never activated, what is the purpose? Whoever wants to buy a $600 Droid X can go into the store themselves and buy a $600 Droid X full retail price and save all the middlemen.

600 bucks was just a guess number, Im sure itll sell for more than 500 though...still letting me pocket a few hundred.

You have 30 days to activate the phone. So, instead of that $200, you'll get a chargeback for the full retail price. I'm not sure you're going to be making out on the deal then. I'm absolutely positive about this as I worked for Big Red for over 2 years.

 

[kodiak799]

You aren't locked into the data plan, just the contract on that line. There are no contracts on data, just requirements that so long as you're going to use a 3G enabled device on VZW's network, you're going to pay to use data for every day it's active (through pro-rated and normally scheduled monthly data charges). But nothing, I repeat nothing, forces anyone to pay for data.

I know this is a fact, because I can give you an example that will show you.

If you have two lines, a husband and a wife, and the husband and wife both have flip phone on VZW. Wife is eligible to upgrade, but wants to keep her flip phone and the husband wants a new phone, he can use his wife's upgrade on her line, then activate the phone upgraded via her line onto his line and she can keep her flip phone. But the data is charged to HIS LINE, not HER LINE, even though the upgrade came from her line.

It works the same way if you just have a single line. If this guy uses his upgrade, he can switch back to a flip phone or non-data phone the same day and basically pay no data charges and pocket the Droid X and do whatever he wants to do with it. If he doesn't activate it (there's a way to do that - via telephone - to acknowledge the 2-year agreement but NOT activate the phone) then whomever he sells the phone to can get insurance and warranty on the phone, and he can make a huge chunk of $ on selling that brand-new, in-high-demand device.

Doesn't sound right to me at all. In your first example, they are just switching the charge-to account. Your second example not only doesn't make sense (VZW is subsidizing your Droid to the tune of @$360, that's why they lock you into a data plan) but it is a direct contradiction to what I was told when I purchased (not that reps always know or would tell you otherwise).

 

[Vulcan1600]

I believe you could do this.

New and used Droids were going for $300 or so a few weeks ago on EBay. The Droid X I'm sure could get $600+ (unfortunately, probably don't have the irrational android fan boys willing to fork over $1200 like for the IPhone4).

But your only real option would be to buy one of those Droids on EBay. Most other places you could go would require a contract for the Droid, and I don't know if and when the price on the Droid retail will come down.

Um. Or Craigslist. I just sold my like-new Droid for $150 on Craigslist.

What this guy is doing is VERY smart. Paying $200 for Droid X, selling for $600+ = $400 in his pocket. Buying used Droid for $200ish on Craigslist/Ebay = still able to pocket $200.

Worth it!

Good luck man. What you want to do is very legal, and if you want a regular Droid, burning an upgrade at a time like this is perfect if you a new phone for free (essentially) and be able to stick some $ in your pocket.

And to the poster above, it doesn't appear he's "trying to put one past Big Red" - they don't care all that much. They want guaranteed revenues for a certain period of time (12+ months) and contracts get them that. They have ETF's to shield against abuse of the system that is set up.

You are the only one to fully grasp what I am trying to achieve lol...

This is exactly why I asked if I had to use the droid x for 2 years if I use my 2yr upgrade to buy it.
As you stated, even though I want the original droid, using my 2 year now to upgrade to a 1 yr old phone didnt seem too smart...so I thought of this method and judging by everyones reply, it seems like its going to work.

I totally understand what you want to do, but it won't work. You'll get the phone for the 2 yr. discounted price, BUT in order for anyone to be able to use it you'll have to activate it on the line you committed to it. If you don't do that and sell it on eBay for $500, $600, or whatever, you'll not make out because you'll be charged full retail for the phone because you didn't live up to the terms and conditions - you didn't commit to the 2 year contract extension. So you really didn't make out.

 

[kodiak799]

You have 30 days to activate the phone. So, instead of that $200, you'll get a chargeback for the full retail price. I'm not sure you're going to be making out on the deal then. I'm absolutely positive about this as I worked for Big Red for over 2 years.

He would have to activate the phone, but he can then spin around and sell it as "brand new, barely used". He then just has to tell VZW to release the sim# or whatever it is because he sold it. So because it's not brand spanking new, it would sell at some discount to full retail, but if there is a shortage or wait you could make out (like I said, people paid a premium to get the IPhone4 NOW).

I don't believe the actual phone is tied to your line. You buy the contract and get a discount for the phone. As long as you honor the contract, it shouldn't matter what phone you use (in theory, you could have a dumb phone and just continue to honor the data plan).

 

[vex321]

If the Droid X is full retail $600 and they're selling on eBay for $600 never activated, what is the purpose? Whoever wants to buy a $600 Droid X can go into the store themselves and buy a $600 Droid X full retail price and save all the middlemen.

600 bucks was just a guess number, Im sure itll sell for more than 500 though...still letting me pocket a few hundred.

You have 30 days to activate the phone. So, instead of that $200, you'll get a chargeback for the full retail price. I'm not sure you're going to be making out on the deal then. I'm absolutely positive about this as I worked for Big Red for over 2 years.

hmmm so does that mean that I have to use the droid x for 2 years if I used my 2yr renewal to get the droid x?
if that is the case, there's nothing I can do...
But I remember when my old phone broke 1 yr into my 2 yr contract and instead of getting the same phone, I bought some crappy 20 dollar phone on ebay and had no trouble activating it.
If I go by what you said, that means I HAVE to get the same phone as I was using before right??
This is so confusing now lol

 

[Vulcan1600]

You have 30 days to activate the phone. So, instead of that $200, you'll get a chargeback for the full retail price. I'm not sure you're going to be making out on the deal then. I'm absolutely positive about this as I worked for Big Red for over 2 years.

He would have to activate the phone, but he can then spin around and sell it as "brand new, barely used". He then just has to tell VZW to release the sim# or whatever it is because he sold it. So because it's not brand spanking new, it would sell at some discount to full retail, but if there is a shortage or wait you could make out (like I said, people paid a premium to get the IPhone4 NOW).

I agree with you, but he was saying he did NOT want to activate it at all, so therefore not committing to the 2 year extension of contract on his line, therefore he will get a chargeback for the full retail. If he does accept the terms and conditions and sells the phone, then that's a different story. The ESN would then be unlocked.

 

[kodiak799]

I agree with you, but he was saying he did NOT want to activate it at all, so therefore not committing to the 2 year extension of contract on his line, therefore he will get a chargeback for the full retail. If he does accept the terms and conditions and sells the phone, then that's a different story. The ESN would then be unlocked.

You are exactly right. Missed the part saying he wasn't going to activate it.

 

[vex321]

You have 30 days to activate the phone. So, instead of that $200, you'll get a chargeback for the full retail price. I'm not sure you're going to be making out on the deal then. I'm absolutely positive about this as I worked for Big Red for over 2 years.

He would have to activate the phone, but he can then spin around and sell it as "brand new, barely used". He then just has to tell VZW to release the sim# or whatever it is because he sold it. So because it's not brand spanking new, it would sell at some discount to full retail, but if there is a shortage or wait you could make out (like I said, people paid a premium to get the IPhone4 NOW).

I agree with you, but he was saying he did NOT want to activate it at all, so therefore not committing to the 2 year extension of contract on his line, therefore he will get a chargeback for the full retail. If he does accept the terms and conditions and sells the phone, then that's a different story. The ESN would then be unlocked.

I get it now..
Whether I have to activate it first and THEN sell it and try to sell it without ever activating it doesnt matter to me at all.
I had no idea how verizon contract works so I had no idea what my game plan was before starting this thread.

To sum up what I am going to do....

1) stand on line on 15th to buy a Droid X
2) activate it once I get it and as soon as I come home, reactivate my old phone.
3) List the droid x on Ebay as a activated for 5 minutes but never used phone and hope that it sells for more than 300 bucks
4) buy a used or new original droid off craigslist or Ebay for less than what my droid X sold for.
5) use whatever profit to buy accessories for my new but old original droid...

Now does that make sense or do I still need to change something?

 

[Vulcan1600]

He would have to activate the phone, but he can then spin around and sell it as "brand new, barely used". He then just has to tell VZW to release the sim# or whatever it is because he sold it. So because it's not brand spanking new, it would sell at some discount to full retail, but if there is a shortage or wait you could make out (like I said, people paid a premium to get the IPhone4 NOW).

I agree with you, but he was saying he did NOT want to activate it at all, so therefore not committing to the 2 year extension of contract on his line, therefore he will get a chargeback for the full retail. If he does accept the terms and conditions and sells the phone, then that's a different story. The ESN would then be unlocked.

I get it now..
Whether I have to activate it first and THEN sell it and try to sell it without ever activating it doesnt matter to me at all.
I had no idea how verizon contract works so I had no idea what my game plan was before starting this thread.

To sum up what I am going to do....

1) stand on line on 15th to buy a Droid X
2) activate it once I get it and as soon as I come home, reactivate my old phone.
3) List the droid x on Ebay as a activated for 5 minutes but never used phone and hope that it sells for more than 300 bucks
4) buy a used or new original droid off craigslist or Ebay for less than what my droid X sold for.
5) use whatever profit to buy accessories for my new but old original droid...

Now does that make sense or do I still need to change something?

Yes, that makes total sense. Glad you finally understood what I was getting at.

 

[tkimball00]

when i first got my droid i was at the verizon store and i got the droid and droid eris buy 1 get 1 deal they had awhile back, but anyway my girl wanted to keep her alias, i thought we werent gonna be able to do it cuz of that but i was able to get the buy 1 get 1 and sell the eris on ebay and activate my droid and her alias. (at the verizon store) and the guy new we were gonna sell the eris on ebay. so there you go

 

[vex321]

I agree with you, but he was saying he did NOT want to activate it at all, so therefore not committing to the 2 year extension of contract on his line, therefore he will get a chargeback for the full retail. If he does accept the terms and conditions and sells the phone, then that's a different story. The ESN would then be unlocked.

I get it now..
Whether I have to activate it first and THEN sell it and try to sell it without ever activating it doesnt matter to me at all.
I had no idea how verizon contract works so I had no idea what my game plan was before starting this thread.

To sum up what I am going to do....

1) stand on line on 15th to buy a Droid X
2) activate it once I get it and as soon as I come home, reactivate my old phone.
3) List the droid x on Ebay as a activated for 5 minutes but never used phone and hope that it sells for more than 300 bucks
4) buy a used or new original droid off craigslist or Ebay for less than what my droid X sold for.
5) use whatever profit to buy accessories for my new but old original droid...

Now does that make sense or do I still need to change something?

Yes, that makes total sense. Glad you finally understood what I was getting at.

Thx dude.... I am pretty slow sometimes...my mom dropped me a few times as a kid or something

 

[kodiak799]

Now does that make sense or do I still need to change something?

You also will have to tell VZW to unlock the ESN for your buyer. Not sure of the exact terminology or process.

 

[VitsDroid]

wow so much misinformation!

Some true and some false!

Call and talk to a rep and you will get the right info!

 

[Vulcan1600]

wow so much misinformation!

Some true and some false!

Call and talk to a rep and you will get the right info!

I have given 100% accurate info about this. If you disagree, I'd love to hear what it would be. I worked in a VZW call center as a senior rep for 2-1/2 years.

 

[sic0048]

That is a whole lot of effort for $200. Plus you will be buying a fairly used Droid and selling a brand new DroidX. So any difference in price is really tied to the depreciation of the phone more than anything else - ie it isn't really a deal.

Don't forget ebay fees when calculating your "profit".