Why You Should Read the Fine Print on Verizon’s April 5 Big Deals
Here is the deal (s). There is a lot of talk in the press about the upcoming Verizon promotion . Starting tomorrow, Verizon has some interesting deals that you can take advantage of to get your hands on a cheap flagship smartphone. However, they may not be the best suggestions for your particular situation. That’s why.
Verizon’s insane April 5th deals
Starting tomorrow, Verizon is allowing you to buy old phones to get up to 50 percent off your new device . We have written this proposal deliberately vague because Verizon’s statement is deliberately vague. The company is promoting the deal as a way to get half the discount on the Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, but hides this information by the end of its press release :
“For a limited time, you can get up to 50% off the Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 + and other top-of-the-line phones with ***** trading rights.”
What is the “best phone”? We’ll come back to this a bit later. First, if you’re not the type of person who regularly reads the fine print for anything, you’ll definitely want to follow the dots – in this case, the five asterisks – because that reveals an important aspect of Verizon’s promotion:
“Requires payment per device up to $ 999.99. Less up to $ 499.99 for replacement for accounts over 24 months; the loan ends when the balance is paid or the line is closed; 0% per annum. Trade-in goods must be in good working and cosmetic condition “
In other words, you’ll have to stick with Verizon for a full two years – and use a trade-in credit spread for that time frame – to benefit from the promotion. It might not matter a lot to some people, but if you’re hesitant about the switch or expecting to get a new smartphone straight away for half the price, this deal suddenly looks a little less compelling.
Or, as one Slickdeals user put it , “Bill Balla. GTFO “.
What smartphones can you get? What can you trade?
The “before” phrase in promoting Verizon is important because the carrier isn’t going to give you a huge discount if you bring a crappy (or older) smartphone. Here is a complete list of options you can buy and trade, according to the BGR catalog:
What smartphones can you buy with a discount:
- Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL
- Apple’s iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S9, S9 + and Note 8
- Moto z2 force
- LG V30
Easy, right? Then things get more complicated.
To get 50% off your iPhone 8, Galaxy S9, Pixel 2, or Moto Z2 Force, exchange for:
- Apple iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, 7 or 7 Plus, or 6S Plus
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, GS8, GS8 + or Note 8
- Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, or Pixel 2 XL
- LG G6 or V30
- Moto Z2 Force or Z Force.
To get a 35% discount, exchange for:
- Apple iPhone 6, 6 Plus, or 6S
- Samsung GS7, Note 5, GS6, GS6 Edge or GS6 Edge +
- LG G5 or V20
- Z Droid by Moto or Z2 Play
- HTC 10
To get 50% off iPhone 8+, Galaxy S9 +, Pixel 2 XL, or LG V30, buy:
- Apple iPhone X (ha!), IPhone 8 or 8 Plus, or 7 or 7 Plus
- Samsung GS8, GS8 + or Note 8
- Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL
- LG V30
- Moto z2 force
To get a 35% discount, exchange for:
- Apple iPhone 6S or 6S Plus
- Samsung GS7 or GS7 Edge or Note 5
- Google Pixel or Pixel XL
- LG G6 or V20
- Moto Z2 Play or Z Force
- HTC 10
To get 50% off your iPhone X or Galaxy Note 8, exchange for:
- Apple iPhone X or 8 Plus
- Samsung GS8 + or Note 8.
To get a 35% discount, exchange for:
- Apple’s iPhone 7 or 7 Plus or iPhone 8
- Samsung GS8
- Google Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL
- LG V30
Uf. Before heading to your local Verizon store, the usual caveat remains: you should research third-party exchange or reseller sites to check the estimated cost of your old smartphone . If you can get more out of selling your device to, say, a Craigslist customer or Amazon exchange program, the Verizon deal doesn’t make sense to you.
Otherwise, Verizon’s deal is n’t too bad (if you don’t mind the credit aspect). Plus, Verizon adds a free Google Home Mini, Google Chromecast, and two months of free YouTube TV if you catch a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, which could make that bill a little less. A little bit.