Verizon — Local services in San Diego

• Find and go to a Verizon corporate store. A corporate store has more tools in their box to solve problems than an authorized retailer.*

Title is the short version. My experience below if you have the patience and feel the need to read this novel. Most of this story would not have happened if the Rep Brittney would have had the tools to stop an existing order for an online trade in(x2) and take my trade in phones at the store.

-I attempted to switch service providers to Verizon from T-mobile on Verizon’s website. I failed it. So I decided to go into the Verizon store the next day. But first I called several stores, including 10754 Westview pkwy in search of a corporate store. Once on the phone with the stores I got the same run of the mill reply at all of them ”We can do everything a corporate store can.” There was definitely unwillingness to tell me which stores were corporate. Victra clearly wanted to make the sale.

At this location the associate entered my incorrect address resulting in a multiple hour standoff with Verizon’s customer service on the phone. My credit application was approved but later flagged for an incorrect address. Not 100% her fault as my drivers license had an out of date address. But she didn’t bother to ask, and I wasn’t aware at the very crucial moment she was entering this information.

Mid-way through the process she got frustrated and lost her professionalism. Customer Service was asking her for a utility bill from me. I had an electric bill PDF in my email. Both of our email accounts were acting up, causing progress to stall. Another representative temporarily jumped in with solutions and saved the transaction.

At the time(07/21/2020) I was eligible for this $850 off promo on the iPhone 11 Pro. I was buying Two of them.

But here’s the upsetting part......Since I initiated the trade in’s online and failed, she couldn’t take custody of them in the store and therefore also couldn’t apply the promotions to the account. This all conveniently came up after I took delivery and payed for the new phones in the store. I had to continue the mail-in process and get the promos applied after the trade-in phones were received/ inspected at the warehouse at a later date.

Cool whatever, but it gets worse. The next day, only 1 of the trade-in kit arrives at my house complete with tracking numbers/and email notifications that the box is on it’s way. Not any information on the second one. So then it took 3 phone calls (roughly 2 hours each) for customer service to finally send me the second trade in kit.

-Meanwhile within the time frame of those first 3 calls, before the initial problem was solved I decided to revisit the store and see if I can get help with obtaining the second trade in kit. The representative available that day gets easily irritated with my question and with his voice raised in annoyance tells me “You need to go to a corporate store.” Mentions the name of the location but offers no address. So what happened to the “We can do anything a corporate store can do” attitude? Doesn’t seem like they can do much more than simply sell you a phone and connect it. If any problems arise it must be handled at a corporate store or dial 611 after you purchase your phone.

It took an additional 3 calls to Verizon to get the promo codes applied to the account after the trade-in phones arrived at Verizon’s warehouse in Fort Worth, TX. All is good now, but all 6 of those calls totaled somewhere between 10-12 hours on the phone with Verizon’s customer service total. Customer service experience was full of plenty of empty call back promises, and it all took place between 07/22/2020 through 08/09/2020 nearly 3 weeks. Just to be told by Verizon’s customer service in the end, a corporate store would’ve been able to cancel the online trade-in transactions and accept your trades in store. This would’ve avoided all the frustration this Authorized Retailer who supposedly could do it all,...

BUYER BEWARE

The short version: this is not a cooperate Verizon store. This means they can charge you extra fees for things you normally won't pay for at the official Verizon stores. Save money and just go to a cooperate store.

be careful with words like "included" or "package". This implies free but ITS NOT. they'll charge you for every accessory they claim is INCLUDED with your purchase.

Also They won't tell you up front but there is a SEPARATE "SET UP FEE" (for each device) they charge on top of the" activation fee" from Verizon. Set up fee was $40 for my phone (I didn't know until after I asked for an itemized sheet). The set up fee does nothing. They just charge you just because they can, but they won't tell you that. It's also confusing because "set up fee" and "activation fee" sounds similar so it appears to be the same thing.

The long version:

They didn't lie to me outright but was pretty darn close and definitely deceptive. When to buy a new phone, and the rep(Brenda) told me that the purchase of my phone "INCLUDED" a screen protector, charger and case. she even told me which specific cases were "INCLUDED" with my purchase. INCLUDED gives the impression it was free.

Nothing was free. Here's what I got and what I got charged for $65 for the screen protector $40 for the lense protectors $35 for the charging brick ONLY $45 for the case $40 set up fee (this is NOT the activation fee Verizon charges you. It's just one of those "because we can" fees. ) $25 set up fee ( for the tablet that I also got)

She even told me which cases were "included". (Once again implies it's a promotion or free item).

She never mentioned I was paying for any of it. She kept on saying it's part of my package. I didn't think anything of it because "included" or "part of your package" doesn't trigger you to think they're charging you for it. She never gave me a break down of what i was paying for. She just told me the total and I thought the total was just taxes for the phone so I didn't bother asking. She seemed nice and trustworthy. She never broke down all the items I was paying for before she took my card.

I was promised a receipt sent to my email but never got one. I had to go back into the store the next day just to get it. Once I saw why I was charged so much I was shocked. I asked for a refund on the accessories and she refused and said she wasn't able to help until her manager came into the store. After pleading my case further she decided to return the accessories I gave her, even though she told me her manager was the only one who issues refunds. I couldn't return all the accessories because of they're return policy(i.e. screen protector). Although I was able to get $60 backs I still feel cheated that I was charged a bunch of fees and wasn't told anything. She almost expected me to know what I was paying for. Brenda was definitely nice and kind but she failed to disclose all of these details. If I'd known the total wasn't only taxes I would've went to a cooperate store to save money on those charges.

I don't blame her for doing me wrong. I just think it was the lack of training she was given to make sure the customer knows what they'd getting into...

CUSTOMERS: PLEASE READ BEFORE GOING TO THIS STORE

I am ANOTHER victim of this Victra Verizon store location. I came here to upgrade my wife's device from a Galaxy S21 to Galaxy Flip. The store rep advised my plan would need to be changed in order to qualify for the upgrade. So I did.

The rep also sold me on a home internet gateway. She convinced me to try it out, telling me it was risk-free in case the service didn't work or if I am unsatisfied, I could return it and get a refund. I walked out with a new phone, my existing phone and a home gateway device.

Fast forward two weeks--I have some serious issues.

First off, my next statement says that I have FIVE lines on my account. Mind you, I have two phones and a home gateway. Where did these other two lines come from?

Second, the home internet gateway didn't work. So I brought it back to the store and was told they do not process returns. They would order a return kit for me, to be sent to my home address. Almost three weeks later, it arrived, then I packed the home internet device and sent it away. When I called Verizon to get a confirmation and ask for a refund, they said home internet gateways must be returned within a certain number of days for a full refund. Hmmm, did the store delay sending my return kit so I would go over the time frame to get a full refund?

Third issue--when I called Verizon customer support to try and resolve these charges, they said that my plan DID NOT need to be changed in order to get the device upgrade. I was blatantly lied to.

These issues and the money I've been charged have brought me a great amount stress. It's one thing to feel like you've been taken advantage of, manipulated or ripped off. It's another when you've been lied to. The WORST feeling of all is seeing other peoples' testimonies of being ripped off at this store. It only shows the staff and management of this store clearly know what they are doing. They are corrupt. I remember asking about a certain promo, and being told "we are a third-party, we are not Verizon, but we sell Verizon's products." They are an authorized retailer which means they are not real Verizon employees. After visiting another store and getting helped by an actual Verizon employee, the difference is night & day. If anyone at Verizon corporate sees this, please be aware this Victra store location is staining the name of your company!!! What a shame!

I took the time to write this long essay in an effort for other people not to be victimized by this store. Especially other members of the Mira Mesa community. THE SALESPEOPLE HERE HAVE AN AGENDA AND HISTORY OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE!!! And when you come back here for help, trust me, they will find a way to refuse help and send you out their door. Please take my advice and GO TO A REAL...