Complaint Review: Verizon Wireless - Nationwide

I have been a Verizon customer for more than a decade.  There are four individual on my plan, my wife, two children and myself.  In June 2015, just before Fathers' Day, I purchased three NEW Droid Turbos.  The retail price for these cell phones is $480.00 per.  On Tuesday, August 18, 2015, one of the devices just shut down and would not power up.  On Wednesday, August 19, 2015 I attempted to return the phone to the store where it was purchased. After patiently waiting for over an hour, I was finally provided assistance by a Sales Associate named Marcus.  He took my device and worked with it for about half an hour, to no avail.  He told me that Verizon would provide a placement.  I thought that meant that a new one would be provided there on the spot.  No, he told that I would receive a replacement device within 24 hours, by 8:00 PM on Thursday, August 20, 2015.  I specifically asked Marcus if it would be a new device or a refurbished one.  He told me that it would be a NEW one, that Verizon doesn't do such things.   I questioned why I could not just get one from their inventory and was told that they were sold out.  The replacement device did not arrive the next day as promised but arrived on Friday, August 21, 2015 and it was a certified pre-owned, a USED device.

I called the 800 number that was included with the refurbished device, 1.888.881.2622.  I explained that I felt cheated, ripped off, because my NEW device, just about two months old, was being replaced with a USED one.  Does it make sense that I pay for a NEW device, and yet have to settle for a USED one that is half the cost.  I explained this to a Verizon Representative, whose name was Ebony.  While she understood my plight, she said that it was Verizon's policy.  She even made a call to Motorola on my behalf but to no avail. She escalated my call to her manager, Chris Buttner.  Chris told me that it was company policy not to provide new devices after 14 days, although my device was still under warranty and I had purchased replacement insurance also.  He stated that nothing could be done, just accept the refurbished (USED) device.  I was not satisfied with his response and asked that this matter be escalated. He refused to escalate my call and when I questioned him about his refusal, he stated that I had no further recourse.

If that is Verizon's policy, then that is unacceptable.  Why should a customer have to pay the cost of a NEW device when refurbished ones are selling for half the price.  Even more disturbing is the fact that this phone, this device, should die in 60 days.  It is real crap and Verizon's policies and customer service are just as crappy. The battery life is extremely short and the device is not user friendly.  

I reviewed all of my paperwork in relation to my purchase.  It showed that I have a one year Mfr. Warranty and no where does it state that it is policy that my new cell phone would be replaced with a refurbished (USED) one.  In fact, the literature is silent on equipment malfunction.  In one of the many disclosures it was stated that I have 14 days to return my equipment but even this section does not address equipment malfunction.  Based upon what I read, it appears that it is arbitrary for Verizon to replace a new cell phone that died after only two months of light usage with a refurbished (USED) one.  And, if my Droid was of any acceptable quality, it certainly would not have crapped out in two months.  Verizon, being the crappy business that they are, will find a way to wiggle out of their responsibility and put the screws to the customer.