AT&T to offer credit or iPhone 4 trade-up for recent iPhone 3GS buyers

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
AT&T this week is sympathizing with customers who made the unfortunate decision to purchase an iPhone 3GS in the month leading up to Monday's iPhone 4 announcement, offering those customers a monetary credit or the option to trade up to the fourth-generation device when it's available.



Customer Price Protection



The "one-time Customer Price Protection" policy was outlined in a set of internal documents obtained by modmyi. It specifies that customers who purchased iPhone 3GS 16GB/32GB through an authorized dealer from May 7, 2010 until June 7, 2010 will be allowed to receive a bill credit for the difference in the Manufacturer?s Suggested Retail Price in May 2010 and the new Manufacturer?s Suggested Retail Price plus sales tax.



"This special one-time credit from AT&T will be provided to customers of Dealer regardless of what price the customer actually paid for their iPhone," the exclusive U.S. iPhone carrier wrote. The terms of the offer stipulate that:

Customers who purchased iPhone 3GS May 7th through May 14th will have until June 14th to visit the original location of purchase and receive this one-time bill credit

Customers who purchased after May 14th will have 30 days to complete their price protection transaction by returning to the original location of purchase

The Price Protection Credit applied to the customer?s account will equal $50 for the 3GS 16GB or $100 for the 3GS 32GB.

Return/Exchange Policy



Alternatively, customers who purchased and iPhone 3G/3GS through an authorized dealer from May 7, 2010 until June 7, 2010 can also exchange their handset for an iPhone 4 and pay the price difference. Authorized AT&T dealers are instructed to "inform these customers that they can continue using their iPhone 3GS until iPhone 4 is available and they will be given a full refund for their iPhone 3GS less the 10% Restocking Fee (if applicable)."



Full details and a series of questions and answers regarding the policy can be seen in a copy of the documents on the next page.



















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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,209member
    Considering it will cost AT & T very little but gain them a large contract I'm sure it was a no brainer decision.



    It is a nice gesture since they didn't have to do it.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    swingeswinge Posts: 110member
    So my GF's Blackberry died on June 8th, she's hated the thing and wanted an iPhone...she's traveling extensively next week and needed a phone immediately... She got a 3GS on the 8th... Why in the world wouldn't they extend this deal right up until the release of the phone?? Any thoughts?
  • Reply 3 of 21
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by swinge View Post


    So my GF's Blackberry died on June 8th, she's hated the thing and wanted an iPhone...she's traveling extensively next week and needed a phone immediately... She got a 3GS on the 8th... Why in the world wouldn't they extend this deal right up until the release of the phone?? Any thoughts?



    Can't you just let her borrow a regular phone and she can return the iPhone within 14 days and buy a new phone when it comes out? Just wondering...
  • Reply 4 of 21
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by swinge View Post


    So my GF's Blackberry died on June 8th, she's hated the thing and wanted an iPhone...she's traveling extensively next week and needed a phone immediately... She got a 3GS on the 8th... Why in the world wouldn't they extend this deal right up until the release of the phone?? Any thoughts?



    Because anytime you buy a phone, you always have a 30-day return/exchange policy. Pre-order the new iPhone 4 on the 15th, and return the 3GS when it comes in, pay the 10% restocking fee that everyone else pays, and you're fine. Short answer: They already have a policy in place to take care of you in your situation.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    ghostface147ghostface147 Posts: 1,629member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hittrj01 View Post


    Because anytime you buy a phone, you always have a 30-day return/exchange policy. Pre-order the new iPhone 4 on the 15th, and return the 3GS when it comes in, pay the 10% restocking fee that everyone else pays, and you're fine. Short answer: They already have a policy in place to take care of you in your situation.



    Bingo. I called ATT and confirmed this memo.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    Does it apply if you bought it an an Apple store between those dates?
  • Reply 7 of 21
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,949member
    We paid $199 for a replacement for a two month-old water damaged 3GS last week. Since we paid the full price I am hoping they will honor that transaction as though it were a new phone. But I doubt it. First of all, there's no way of knowing whether or not it was a refurb--I suspect it was because it came in a mini box with no charger or headphones. This was done at an Apple Store. Any thoughts?
  • Reply 8 of 21
    riderrider Posts: 31member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    Can't you just let her borrow a regular phone and she can return the iPhone within 14 days and buy a new phone when it comes out? Just wondering...



    check ATnT's 30 day return policy
  • Reply 9 of 21
    swingeswinge Posts: 110member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hittrj01 View Post


    Because anytime you buy a phone, you always have a 30-day return/exchange policy. Pre-order the new iPhone 4 on the 15th, and return the 3GS when it comes in, pay the 10% restocking fee that everyone else pays, and you're fine. Short answer: They already have a policy in place to take care of you in your situation.



    You're right!! THANK YOU!! I was so ballistic, I didn't even think of the obvious!
  • Reply 10 of 21
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Rider View Post


    check ATnT's 30 day return policy



    Just did... good to know!
  • Reply 11 of 21
    oxygenhoseoxygenhose Posts: 236member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot View Post


    Considering it will cost AT & T very little but gain them a large contract I'm sure it was a no brainer decision.



    It is a nice gesture since they didn't have to do it.



    It costs AT&T the difference between $199 and $599. They lose the price they have to pay Apple to subsidize the phone cost and any potential revenue/profit (their employees don't work for free).



    I wouldn't just dismiss it as "the mighty evil AT&T is just throwing a cheap bone casually my way". That's a pretty steep per 'iPhone switching customer' hit they are taking to keep you happy. They heard the concerns and are doing what it takes to keep you happy. Those in your position should be super stoked, not everybody is so fortunate.

  • Reply 12 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post


    We paid $199 for a replacement for a two month-old water damaged 3GS last week. Since we paid the full price I am hoping they will honor that transaction as though it were a new phone. But I doubt it. First of all, there's no way of knowing whether or not it was a refurb--I suspect it was because it came in a mini box with no charger or headphones. This was done at an Apple Store. Any thoughts?



    $199 isn't full price. Full price is $499-699

    When you got the replacement phone, you didn't sign a new 2 year contract.

    It did not affect your upgrade eligibility.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    arklabarklab Posts: 37member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Robin Huber View Post


    We paid $199 for a replacement for a two month-old water damaged 3GS last week. Since we paid the full price I am hoping they will honor that transaction as though it were a new phone. But I doubt it. First of all, there's no way of knowing whether or not it was a refurb--I suspect it was because it came in a mini box with no charger or headphones. This was done at an Apple Store. Any thoughts?



    I think the AT&T and Apple stores can / do have different return policies, just as they can different incentives to buy from them.

    Example: Buy an iPhone from Apple or Apple store and get MobilMe for $60.

    But from AT&T and it's $90.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by swinge View Post


    So my GF's Blackberry died on June 8th, she's hated the thing and wanted an iPhone...she's traveling extensively next week and needed a phone immediately... She got a 3GS on the 8th... Why in the world wouldn't they extend this deal right up until the release of the phone?? Any thoughts?



    Because the 4G iPhone was announced on the 7th.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    OK, so there already is a return policy in place, making this story somewhat redundant, though maybe it was extended back a bit. It seems to me that people would benefit waiting, Apple has a clear release pattern, the fact that a new phone was probably going to be released at the end of June shouldn't be a surprise at all to anyone. Heck, I was eligible for a subsidized upgrade last December and I waited six months to get a better model.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    Gazelle is offering $191 for an iPhone 3Gs (16GB) in good condition. And will lock in that price for 30 days.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    nchianchia Posts: 124member
    Sounds like a really nice (and probably very rare) gesture. Good on you, AT&T!
  • Reply 18 of 21
    This is a very gesture on behalf of AT&T (they're doing everything in their power to continue strong support for the Apple iPhone).
  • Reply 19 of 21
    bushman4bushman4 Posts: 858member
    This was not AT&Ts decision, APPLE made the decision as they are taking back those 3GS phones with a RMA
  • Reply 20 of 21
    tripaceztripacez Posts: 16member
    What are the chances they make an exception to me and let me in on thus? I bought my phone 4/17/2010..my girlfriend couldnt wait so we got em..my plan was to sell mine then pay the difference but seing this trade up thing being so close to my buy date.do you think they would let me in on it? Its only two weeks if that..
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