Hype

I'm totally one of those people that buy into the hype of a product. Okay, sure it took me a REALLY long time to get a CD player. As a matter of fact, it took my dad getting it for me to finally convert. I mean, I loved those tape decks! You could make mixes and tape things like yourself singing or performing a Christmas act with your brother, or The Mickey Mouse Club, and bring them any where you wanted. Even in the car with you. They were great, in my mind. And then there was the ipod. Again, I was so far behind in getting an ipod, my parents even had that before me. That's quiet the accomplishment, if you ask me. And my first one I bought was off ebay and even that was one of the old school ones with the buttons you have to push instead of just the wheel. But nothing will compare to the desire I have in my soul for an iPhone. I see people all over the place with these miracle contraptions and I just salivate while I stare at them whooshing things all over their screens, or playing magical games, or using one of their extremely creative aps. I even dragged my friend Erin into an Apple store with me, and she already has one, for 45 minutes talking to a guy about all of the magic that is inside these phones. I want one so bad I can taste it. It's like one of those things you just know you are meant to have, but don't, and can't really think of a good reason why you shouldn't go buy one except for the fact that you already 1.) have a phone, 2.)have an ipod, 3.)have a camera, 4.)can't really justify spending $300 on a phone and most important 5.)I LOVE VERIZON! I have been holding out on the iPhone so long b/c I was hoping that Steve Jobs would throw a sister a bone and maybe open the magic world to the rest of us Muggles to maybe increase his sales? But I'm sure, b/c he is about 1 gazillion times smarter than me, that there is a method to his crazy madness. So in pure defiance and almost against everything I actually want, except the service, I have been looking through what Verizon has to offer. I mean, their little Droid commercials are cute. I'm not into robots or anything, but again as much as I would love to sit down and have beers with Luke Wilson, I'm not interested in him calling me b/c his coverage sucks. So it is what it is. Plus it's just a phone, right? Well since I know nothing about these phones, except for what the talking picture box has shown me, I decided to take a stroll into the local Verizon store to see what they had to say. Number one rule of heading into a wireless store, don't go on a Saturday afternoon. I wouldn't say that to everyone b/c then they might start invading the other times that the store is open, but unless you're Mother Teresa incarnate, I wouldn't suggest it. I haven't actually set foot in one of these stores in so long, I completely forgot, until I walked in. And since I was already committed I decided to type my name in and wait. I mean, I did drive all this way from my parents house to talk with these people, leaving now would be fruitless. So I wait, and I go around and I play with some of the phones. I even find a few more that I find worth talking about. I have no idea what goes into them or what I get with it, so I just root around. As my name is called I head over to the desk to find a sweet lady looking eager to help me.
ME: "Hi, I'm not sure I qualify to upgrade, but I wanted to learn more about some of your phones."
HER: "Okay, let's see if you do qualify"
Important note. I don't actually own my account so I knew what I was getting into when I walked into the store. I just wanted to know about the phones. Just to see my options.
HER: "Ummm, well your name isn't on here. It's own by a company"
ME: "I understand that, I just wanted to see about your phones. Just learn more about your phones"
So, we walk over to the Driod. She shows me the screen, shows me the slide out keyboard (nice touch), shows me the price. They we walk over to another phone which is similar, but honestly looks like the old Zack Morris phone in bulk, but it was almost $100 cheaper.
ME: "What's the difference in the two phones?"
HER: "$100"
There are some times I know that God has a sense of humor when he sends me these lovely people. I do wonder to myself if these people actually think I'm this stupid or they are that clueless.
ME: "Yeah, I got that, but technically, what is the difference"
HER: "That one" pointing to Droid "has a faster internet. But other than that, just the size of the phone and the price"
ME: "so as a Verizon customer, what is the price to me"
HER: "but you're not."
Another important note, before my company took over my account, I was a Verizon customer for a number of years. Haven't left them. Very loyal.
ME: "Okay, let's say that my company transfers the bill back to my name. What is the cost then"
HER: Looking at the little price card "That phone" Droid point "it's $599, but you could probably get one for $270."
ME: "Wait, WHAT? You just told me the price was $149 after the rebate. What happened to that?"
HER: "That's with a new 2 year deal"
ME: "Okay, I've been a Verizon customer for over 10 years now, I don't think that another 2 years will kill me."
HER: "But you're not"
This little game of Who's On First could have continued for another 30 minutes, but I was already feeling dumber for coming in so I bid Carol adue and went on my way. Not having any more information than when I walked in. Only now I know never to go back to that Verizon store if I want to keep my sanity.
So, cue a little more time later and now I'm on the Verizon website. There is a little CHAT NOW link that allows you to speak with a Customer Representative. I figured, this person HAS to know more about these phones. I explain to the lady my inquires and immediately she is helpful and actually shoots me in a different direction, of a completely different phone. It's just like the iPhone, but it's not the iPhone. I'm sold! I want to know how I can get this phone and how I can get this phone now. She explains to me that that particular phone is $523 dollars. I thought my fingers were going to light on fire from shock. I'm sorry, what?!?!? This is for a phone, right? Or am I also paying my first 9 months of bills? Will it do my taxes for me? Or go home at lunch and walk my dog? Or make me dinner? Or be my dinner? Or is this just for the phone? She tells me that this is just the phone price. I tell her thank you very much for her time, but I'm not in the business of spending anywhere near that on a phone. Back to research. I go and look at some reviews of phones, but now that she has this particular phone in my head, it won't leave me. So I look on ebay and overstock and amazon to see if there are any ones that are cheaper and get back on the Verizon site b/c I have a thought. New rep, new day. Hey Brittnay, got a question. Do you guys have any previously owned phones? They sure do, but not in the one that I want. It's too popular. I ask if I should check my local distributor to see what they have. She says yes and I'm sold again. But now, I know what I'm going to run into. So against everything I wanted to do last night, I head into the Verizon store to ask my options. To my utmost surprise, Slappy was really helpful. He tells me that all I need is xxxx and xxxxx and I can get the phone. The price is $199 after the $100 rebate. xxxx comes in here all the time and does it. I'm like, really? Well okay then. And that's it? That's all I need? Yup, but that phone is so popular, it won't be here until the middle of Jooo lie, so I'd wait 'till then. I say this very rarely, but will say it with pride today. God bless you The South. God bless you!