Complaint Review: Affordable Portables - Cingular Wireless - Costa Mesa California

My Phone broke so I go into this quality store to exchange it for a working one. I was a Long time customer....even before they became a cingular dealer well over 4 years; ever since I have had a Phone, it's been through them and i didn't mind paying a little extra because the staff was really nice and always found a bunch of rebates for me.

I bought the new Motorola phone SLVR7 to replace my broken phone. It cost me $250.00 after taxes. It's a really nice phone... except the one i got seems to be possessed. It starts randomly turning off and on, it takes pictures when no one is around, it sends random text messages. Literally, possessed.

Obviously, I take it back to Affordable Portable Cingular wireless store and talk with Dayse, who coincidentally was the same person I bought it from. She took the phone and said "no problem." Then, she spent a while examining the phone... which is understandable. She checked for water damage. It was fine. She checked for the battery contacts. It was fine.

After a little while (maybe 50 seconds of close examintation), she discovered a scratch on the top of the phone. I didn't even notice it and couldn't even see it when she first pointed it out. It was so miniscule, it even took her a while to find it. It's only in the plastic casing and is barely fingernail deep. It's not even anywhere near any electronics or hardwiring.

Nope, she calls it a dent and therefore I physically abused my phone and voided my right to return a screwed up phone. What are you supposed to do wrap your phone in bubble wrap for 30 days till you know for sure it works? I couldnt believe that I just spent $250 on something that doesn't work and I cant return it because there is a barely existent scratch on it?

Don't take my word for how small the scratch was...I'll give you Cingular Corporate's word. I go to the Corporate owned Cingular store a couple of blocks away becuase Affordable Portables tells me I can supposedly exchange a brand new working phone(which is what I originanly purchased) right now instead of the fed-exing, warranty, and getting a refurbished phone a couple days later.

After waiting in line at the Cingular Corporate store for 2 hours, they where ready to switch my phone out. No problems...no scratch...he didn't even notice it until I pointed it out to him! They got my new phone ready to go and they pull out my receipt. But, in order to exchange a defective phone at that store, you have to purchase it there. Which makes sense, but why did Affordable Portables send me down there and waste 3 hours (2 hours waiting, 1 hour talking) of my time?

I tell them my prevouis story at Affordable Portables and the guy starts laughing. He cannot comprehend why they refuse to accept the phone back. He gives me his business card from Cingular Corporate and sends me back to Afordable Portables and says I should have them call him if they still want to hassle me.

I go back to the Affordable Portables store and same thing of giving me the run around. She allegedly calls the Cingular Corporate and claims they're not answering. She then calls her regional manager (she was the Assistant Manager...manager gone for 2 weeks..blah blah you know the same old story you always hear) and describes the "damage" over the phone to him.

Now this is a direct quote: "The Dent is less then an inch deep..." The phone is the thinnest phone available it's literally as thin as a CD case....I mean DUH! The scratch is less than an inch deep because the phone is not even near an inch thick.

The Regional Manager denies me over the phone and now I have to hassle with the warranty. In the meantime, I have no phone. What did I pay $250 of my hard-earned money inside a store for if I have to wait a week for it anyway? I could have bought it off the internet and not have to sign a contract. I would have even saved money! But, I needed a phone immediately since my old one had broken, not a week later.

Needless to say, Affordable Portables is a disreputable company only after your money and doesn't care about repeat customers. Because I am definitely not going back there ever again.

Paul

Costa Mesa, California
U.S.A.