Comments on: Wirefly — the good, the bad, and the ugly http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ News, Tips and Resources for Online Bargain Hunters Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:50:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: curious and desperate http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-57206 curious and desperate Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:56:58 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-57206 Okay, here's my deal. I am currently with Alltel and have been since like 2001 or something. I've added two phones to my plan over the years. I currently have a Motorola Razr. It's on the fritz and will probably not be working at all soon. The soonest any of the phones on my plan will be due for an upgrade will be in late August. I've begged Alltel reps to give me an early upgrade but they refuse. I CANNOT make myself pay the ridiculously high price of a new phone without upgrade discounts. I stumbled across Wirefly today and started to key in all of my information. Found a good deal on a phone and I was just too nervous to go ahead and place the order! If I order the phone through Wirefly and I am not due for an upgrade through Alltel yet, will they come back and charge me the full price of the phone later??? How does a contract extension work through Wirefly if you are not due for an upgrade through Alltel yet? If there is someone out there who can tell me how this all works, it would be greatly appreciated! Okay, here’s my deal. I am currently with Alltel and have been since like 2001 or something. I’ve added two phones to my plan over the years. I currently have a Motorola Razr. It’s on the fritz and will probably not be working at all soon. The soonest any of the phones on my plan will be due for an upgrade will be in late August. I’ve begged Alltel reps to give me an early upgrade but they refuse. I CANNOT make myself pay the ridiculously high price of a new phone without upgrade discounts. I stumbled across Wirefly today and started to key in all of my information. Found a good deal on a phone and I was just too nervous to go ahead and place the order! If I order the phone through Wirefly and I am not due for an upgrade through Alltel yet, will they come back and charge me the full price of the phone later??? How does a contract extension work through Wirefly if you are not due for an upgrade through Alltel yet? If there is someone out there who can tell me how this all works, it would be greatly appreciated!

]]> By: Anon http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-55101 Anon Fri, 15 May 2009 07:28:21 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-55101 Thanks for all the tips everyone. My Att contract ended a few months back and I am going month to month with them, so I thought I would use Wirefly to get a good deal on a free phone. Well, all the best deals are only for NEW customers, people like myself out of contract and going month by month are considered "Upgrades" and we get a lousy selection of free phones, while the new contract people get the best ones. So I called Wirefly to ask them about this, and suddenly, after waiting about 20 minutes for my call to be answered, I was in an Indian version of the Twilight Zone, except nobody gave me any yummy curry to munch on. I could literally hear the Bollywood music as I tried in vain to get my questions answered by a thick accented indian person -bless their hearts for having to do this crappy work and mine for putting up with it. After spending countless minutes not really getting a straight answer, and not even getting to do one of those funky Bollywood musical dance numbers, I just told the rep "thanks" and hung up. It was only when I called another carrier and asked them about this did they tell me the commissions for new contracts are much better than for "upgrades", so that would explain my bad phone selection. Another thing that really annoyed me about Wirefly is that while yes, you may be getting a great free phone, when your checking out, they usually require you to sign up for some messaging/internet bundle for an added expense for a minimum of 6 months -just add these fees up and there goes any true savings you might have had with that free phone. Not to mention they usually do not list all the cheapest plans offered by a carrier, therefore you might end up having to choose a bigger plan than you need. More things to NOT make me want to use their service. Thanks to everyone for reporting the rebate problem, not that I would pay for a new phone anyway, because quite frankly these companies are making boatloads of money off us so there should be no reason why we should pay them for these cheaply made phones. Thanks for all the tips everyone. My Att contract ended a few months back and I am going month to month with them, so I thought I would use Wirefly to get a good deal on a free phone. Well, all the best deals are only for NEW customers, people like myself out of contract and going month by month are considered “Upgrades” and we get a lousy selection of free phones, while the new contract people get the best ones. So I called Wirefly to ask them about this, and suddenly, after waiting about 20 minutes for my call to be answered, I was in an Indian version of the Twilight Zone, except nobody gave me any yummy curry to munch on. I could literally hear the Bollywood music as I tried in vain to get my questions answered by a thick accented indian person -bless their hearts for having to do this crappy work and mine for putting up with it. After spending countless minutes not really getting a straight answer, and not even getting to do one of those funky Bollywood musical dance numbers, I just told the rep “thanks” and hung up. It was only when I called another carrier and asked them about this did they tell me the commissions for new contracts are much better than for “upgrades”, so that would explain my bad phone selection.

Another thing that really annoyed me about Wirefly is that while yes, you may be getting a great free phone, when your checking out, they usually require you to sign up for some messaging/internet bundle for an added expense for a minimum of 6 months -just add these fees up and there goes any true savings you might have had with that free phone. Not to mention they usually do not list all the cheapest plans offered by a carrier, therefore you might end up having to choose a bigger plan than you need. More things to NOT make me want to use their service.

Thanks to everyone for reporting the rebate problem, not that I would pay for a new phone anyway, because quite frankly these companies are making boatloads of money off us so there should be no reason why we should pay them for these cheaply made phones.

]]> By: Ripped off - twice http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-54609 Ripped off - twice Wed, 06 May 2009 16:03:25 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-54609 I don't trust WireFly / Inphonic further then I could push them over a cliff. I am one of those ripped off customers ($500) in rebates that never came.. THEN, I was on the law suit and told I would be getting my money, and THEN, Inphonic used the law to get out of even that. In the end NOBODY got their money except the executives of Infonic. Nobody went to jail, Wirefly is still in business, and still jerks people around with messed up orders and rebates. Nothing has changed, except now Wirefly knows ahead of time how to get around the law suit thing. Buyer Beware - - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And a FREE $600 phone is too good to be true! Today, I take my chances with EBay and move my SIM Card. less risk and less hassle! I don’t trust WireFly / Inphonic further then I could push them over a cliff.

I am one of those ripped off customers ($500) in rebates that never came.. THEN, I was on the law suit and told I would be getting my money, and THEN, Inphonic used the law to get out of even that. In the end NOBODY got their money except the executives of Infonic. Nobody went to jail, Wirefly is still in business, and still jerks people around with messed up orders and rebates. Nothing has changed, except now Wirefly knows ahead of time how to get around the law suit thing.

Buyer Beware – - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And a FREE $600 phone is too good to be true!

Today, I take my chances with EBay and move my SIM Card. less risk and less hassle!

]]> By: Jonelle http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-53528 Jonelle Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:44:57 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-53528 I have always used WireFly with Sprint being my carrier - I have always received my rebates and never had an issue until yesterday. We ordered the Motorola Q (until the Blackberry Curves came back) and there was an issue with my husbands phone - they said it couldn't be upgraded until 2010 - and instead of calling me to tell me about the issue they shipped the one phone and I told them that I do not want just one phone and that I want a refund of my shipping cost. The rep whom I was chatting with Bosco - told me that shipping is non-refundable. I told them that I will not do business with them in the future. But except for this experience and not being able to actually CALL someone - they are pretty good! I have always used WireFly with Sprint being my carrier – I have always received my rebates and never had an issue until yesterday. We ordered the Motorola Q (until the Blackberry Curves came back) and there was an issue with my husbands phone – they said it couldn’t be upgraded until 2010 – and instead of calling me to tell me about the issue they shipped the one phone and I told them that I do not want just one phone and that I want a refund of my shipping cost. The rep whom I was chatting with Bosco – told me that shipping is non-refundable. I told them that I will not do business with them in the future. But except for this experience and not being able to actually CALL someone – they are pretty good!

]]> By: Tired Shopper http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-52477 Tired Shopper Sat, 11 Apr 2009 04:18:59 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-52477 Mike, that's it. Mike, that’s it.

]]> By: Mike http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-52457 Mike Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:37:39 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-52457 Yan, I know it's two years later, but I'm looking to use Wirefly to upgrade. I'm already an AT&T subscriber. I don't mind extending my agreement by two years. Do I just need to select my current plan and enter my current At&T phone number to "port" to the new phone to just keep going as I was with a new phone? Yan,

I know it’s two years later, but I’m looking to use Wirefly to upgrade. I’m already an AT&T subscriber. I don’t mind extending my agreement by two years. Do I just need to select my current plan and enter my current At&T phone number to “port” to the new phone to just keep going as I was with a new phone?

]]> By: Yan http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-36994 Yan Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:23:00 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-36994 Rob, I would think the carrier pays WireFly commission for each customer they bring to them Rob, I would think the carrier pays WireFly commission for each customer they bring to them

]]> By: Rob http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-36990 Rob Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:40:50 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-36990 I have a simple question about a deal my wife is looking at through WireFly.. if the phone is free (with rebates) and the service plans cost the same as the carrier how the heck does WireFly make money?? It is very suspicious not to know how a business makes money. I guess I can surmise that AT&T for example provides phone services at a reduced rate to WireFly so they make money there. Is it as simple as that? I have a simple question about a deal my wife is looking at through WireFly.. if the phone is free (with rebates) and the service plans cost the same as the carrier how the heck does WireFly make money?? It is very suspicious not to know how a business makes money.

I guess I can surmise that AT&T for example provides phone services at a reduced rate to WireFly so they make money there. Is it as simple as that?

]]> By: Big Boy http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-30824 Big Boy Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:24:10 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-30824 I went to a kiosk tonight in the mall that said Sprint/Nextel. I talked with the rep. for about 30 min.s and he never disclosed to me that he was working for a third party company called Wirefly. All of what I am hearing sounds suspicious. I was impressed about the price of the phones, but the one I liked has a mail in rebate. Every phone that I looked at had a mail in rebate. I went to a kiosk tonight in the mall that said Sprint/Nextel. I talked with the rep. for about 30 min.s and he never disclosed to me that he was working for a third party company called Wirefly. All of what I am hearing sounds suspicious. I was impressed about the price of the phones, but the one I liked has a mail in rebate. Every phone that I looked at had a mail in rebate.

]]> By: Michael http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/comment-page-1/#comment-26092 Michael Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:57:24 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2007/04/25/wirefly-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comment-26092 Wirefly does offer several deals for phones that don't require a mail in rebate. That have several deals that offer instant discounts and customers pay nothing up front. Even better they have deals where customers actually make money. I recently reviewed there top deals and there were a few that customers that paid nothing up front to get the phone and they had $70 or $80 in mail-in rebates. It seems like some people have had a bad experience with them, but most have a great experience and get a really good deal on a phone. Wirefly does offer several deals for phones that don’t require a mail in rebate. That have several deals that offer instant discounts and customers pay nothing up front. Even better they have deals where customers actually make money. I recently reviewed there top deals and there were a few that customers that paid nothing up front to get the phone and they had $70 or $80 in mail-in rebates. It seems like some people have had a bad experience with them, but most have a great experience and get a really good deal on a phone.

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