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Deals on smartphones on Black Friday

maderemark

By maderemark
in 2012

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rianistar

rianistar

Posted
Posted
All 4 carriers?! Ok, now I have lots of questions! Will it be available from all 4 in Ohio, or just WI? If so, can I get 2? (My husband and I are both up for renewal, but he won't be with me) How do I do the two-year-contract thing - do you do it in the store, or can you wait? Also, I am not a Sam's club member, but my mother-in-law, who is shopping with me, is. Can she buy this for me, or is this something I'd have to buy myself because of the contract? TIA!
Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted
All 4 carriers?! Ok' date=' now I have lots of questions! Will it be available from all 4 in Ohio, or just WI? If so, can I get 2? (My husband and I are both up for renewal, but he won't be with me) How do I do the two-year-contract thing - do you do it in the store, or can you wait? Also, I am not a Sam's club member, but my mother-in-law, who is shopping with me, is. Can she buy this for me, or is this something I'd have to buy myself because of the contract? TIA![/quote']

 

I'm not sure about the SAMs Club membership thing but whoever has the contract has to do the upgrade. If the contract for both phones is in your name then your good. If one or both is in you husbands name then he would have to be with you. Unless your service is in your mothers name then she can't buy it for you.

 

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Marcster

Marcster

Posted
Posted

The cell phone store inside Sam's Club sublet their space from Sam's Club. You do not need a membership to Sam's to buy a cell phone from them -- just tell the person at the door that you are there to look at cell phones.

 

Also, the pharmacies at the Sam's Clubs do not require membership (just that not every Sam's has a pharmacy).

rldelo

rldelo

Posted
Posted (edited)

ETA 11/16/12, 9:40am: I called back to the same Reynoldsburg Sam's and this morning got a different story. The manager of the cell phone department said the person I talked to last night was mistaken. She says that we can come in with one membership and get phones for anyone on our Verizon plan. So, there are two of us on the one plan, and I just need to show up with my membership and can purchase two phones.

 

So, the stories continue to evolve! I'd say the best bet is to call or go talk to your local store's manager before the event and get the story. Take names and notes and hope that it works out for you!

 

I also confirmed that I can come in up until they close on Sunday at 6pm to purchase an upgraded membership and be allowed to to come to the event on Sunday night at 8pm.

 

Also, I felt a bit better after asking the question, "Can I get a full refund for the membership if I wait in line and actually don't get a phone?" and was told yes. I suppose you could do the same thing even if you were successful but didn't care about the membership (ethical decision for you - I wouldn't).

 

So, as dejected as I was last night, this morning I'm feeling better about the deal!

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Original Post:

 

I just called our SAMs for the info, and here is what I was told:

 

-yes, will need a SAMs membership in order to purchase a phone.

 

-1 phone PER MEMBERSHIP. So, for the two of us to buy our phones, even thought were in the same household and same shared plan, we have to buy 2 memberships in order to buy two phones.

 

-they are giving vouchers for the phones, so you can purchase it and then come back within some period of time to get everything transferred over to the new phone, that is if you don't want to stand there and wait to do it.

 

I don't think it's worth it. That's now $80 in membership cost to MAYBE get the phones on Friday, or $200 for the plus membership to MAYBE get phones on Sunday. Well see, but I don't think we will play that game. Someone will do a B1G1 or something during the holidays that will involve less risk and standing in line time. Bummer.

 

The store I called was in Reynoldsburg, OH.

Edited by rldelo
Ripn

Ripn

Posted
Posted
The subletting might be store dependent. In my local WI Sams, Radio Shak used to run the cell phones, but no longer. This changed about 1 year ago. Now, Sam's employees are running it. I was told that Sam's decided to cut out the middle man, as they get all the profits this way.
Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted

I just called our SAMs for the info, and here is what I was told:

 

-yes, will need a SAMs membership in order to purchase a phone.

 

-1 phone PER MEMBERSHIP. So, for the two of us to buy our phones, even thought were in the same household and same shared plan, we have to buy 2 memberships in order to buy two phones.

 

-they are giving vouchers for the phones, so you can purchase it and then come back within some period of time to get everything transferred over to the new phone, that is if you don't want to stand there and wait to do it.

 

I don't think it's worth it. That's now $80 in membership cost to MAYBE get the phones on Friday, or $200 for the plus membership to MAYBE get phones on Sunday. Well see, but I don't think we will play that game. Someone will do a B1G1 or something during the holidays that will involve less risk and standing in line time. Bummer.

 

The store I called was in Reynoldsburg, OH.

Well that sucks. I'm going to ask my store tomorrow. I have to renew my membership anyway. Worst case Sprint has my GSIII for $50 on BF so that would be my next step.

 

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Ripn

Ripn

Posted
Posted
I was told a little bit different story about those vouchers. They said vouchers would be handed only out to those in the store between 8-10 if (and only if) the store had phones left and couldnt get the activations done that night. The voucher would allow you to get it done (at the 96¢) at a later time.
rldelo

rldelo

Posted
Posted

I called back to the same Reynoldsburg Sam's and this morning got a different story. The manager of the cell phone department said the person I talked to last night was mistaken. She says that we can come in with one membership and get phones for anyone on our Verizon plan. So, there are two of us on the one plan, and I just need to show up with my membership and can purchase two phones.

 

So, the stories continue to evolve! I'd say the best bet is to call or go talk to your local store's manager before the event and get the story. Take names and notes and hope that it works out for you!

 

I also confirmed that I can come in up until they close on Sunday at 6pm to purchase an upgraded membership and be allowed to to come to the event on Sunday night at 8pm.

 

Also, I felt a bit better after asking the question, "Can I get a full refund for the membership if I wait in line and actually don't get a phone?" and was told yes. I suppose you could do the same thing even if you were successful but didn't care about the membership (ethical decision for you - I wouldn't).

 

So, as dejected as I was last night, this morning I'm feeling better about the deal!

Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted

Ok just went to SAMs, had to renew my membership anyway, they said yes you need plus for the VIP event and it would be $100 vs $35 for regular. Not worth it to me. I will try and get them on BF for the $.96 if not ill pay the $50 each from Sprint. Still a good deal in my book. :)

 

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siillyy2000

siillyy2000

Posted
Posted

Ya I posted about this a couple days ago. Hopefully who ever was looking for T-Mobile has seen it.

 

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Just to let you all know about the T mobile, it is a mail in rebate to get the phone for free. They will charge you 200 and then you MAIL in the rebate for a refund. I just talke to them. Nope sorry I don't do rebates

bluebear

bluebear

Posted
Posted

Just to let you all know about the T mobile, it is a mail in rebate to get the phone for free. They will charge you 200 and then you MAIL in the rebate for a refund. I just talke to them. Nope sorry I don't do rebates

Rebates are a pain, but I have done lots of rebates with T-Mobile and I always get them with no hassle.

Got one to do this weekend actually... And probably will have 3 more before Christmas, as it seems most of their deals include them. Oh well.

Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted

i have an invitation to the vip event sunday night at sams and i am not a plus member.

Is it the actual invitation or just an email telling you about the event? I've got like 3 emails telling me about it but haven't got an invitation.

 

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Ripn

Ripn

Posted
Posted

I received an invitation, and am only an advantage member. I got my phone tonight :)

I upgraded last week...I got my 3 phones on friday. I showed up tonight at 7:55, went to service desk, got my 3 price matched, walked out of there, home by 9. Only worry was when they had to call a manager to ask IF they could do a match. Store manager said NO. I had to tell them to call the tech manager (who on Friday quietly told me I had 30 days to match this price), he said yes, do it...and all was good :)

They scanned my card in line outside, told everyone only card holder plus 1 guest plus kids allowed in. I went with a friend and his wife. She walked in video taping the line and was asked what she was doing, her response "people watching" . They laughed and let her just walk in.

Obviously their "rules" for tonight were very loose.

rianistar

rianistar

Posted
Posted
I stood in line at Sam's club last night from 8:30-11:00 and haven't gotten my phone. :( They had about 100 people in line, only two people setting up the phones, and insisting on activating everyone. Eventually I had to make an appointment and will get my phone tomorrow at 1:30. I also had to join Sam's club :( Oh well, $41 is still a good price for the S3!
Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted (edited)

I wish I had tried to get one with my regular membership now. :P

 

Went to SAMs tonight. Last nights VIP event was for Plus AND Business members. Sh!t! :P

 

I'm so mad!!!

 

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Edited by Jen8112
dgleason

dgleason

Posted
Posted

I wish I had tried to get one with my regular membership now. :P

 

Went to SAMs tonight. Last nights VIP event was for Plus AND Business members. Sh!t! :P

 

I'm so mad!!!

 

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I think each Sam's had different entry requirements. Ours last night they came down the line 3 times before opening to verify everyone had the invitation and had the plus membership card.

ajosiah

ajosiah

Posted
Posted

I think each Sam's had different entry requirements. Ours last night they came down the line 3 times before opening to verify everyone had the invitation and had the plus membership card.

I went to Sams at 5:45 PM and there was at least 15 people in front of me. They verified your membership it had to be the plus or business and you had to be the member and the phone had to be in your name. I was out of there by 10:30 PM and I was the 9th in line to get the cell phone. There was so many folks behind be that they starting making appointments for the others to get their phones. I was shocked that they only had 2 people to process the cell phones it took them 2:15 minutes to process 8 people. I also noticed that they were not strict on how many folks you could bring in.
biomajor

biomajor

Posted
Posted

Is the S3 at Sams .96 for all carriers? The ad says check price for Verizon.

It was for all carriers on Sunday. At my Sam's, they were only checking for invitations if you had a regular members card. I was willing to upgrade if I needed to in order to get my phone, BUT luckily I didn't have to

Lorinjer

Lorinjer

Posted
Posted
What time do you think a person would need to be in line for this deal on Friday? I think I'm just going to buy mine at radio shack today or tomorrow. With my phone trade in, it's not too bad of a deal
Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted

What time do you think a person would need to be in line for this deal on Friday?

I would like to know this too. I was wondering if 6am would be early enough? I'm hoping most people will be shopping at other stores. Lol

 

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Jen8112

Jen8112

Posted
Posted
I think I'm just going to buy mine at radio shack today or tomorrow. With my phone trade in' date=' it's not too bad of a deal[/quote']

 

Don't forget Sprint is going to have them starting online Thurs for $49.

 

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llist

llist

Posted
Posted
I'm wondering what time I should plan on getting to the sprint store on Friday. DH works thursday night into friday morning so there's no guarantee that he'll be home by 8am which was when I was planning to go out. Hopefully everyone else is still shopping elsewhere lol
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