- Report: #1182096
Complaint Review: Walmart Family T Mobile - Nationwide
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Walmart Family T Mobile
Nationwide, USA
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Walmart Family T Mobile T Mobile, Walmart Family T Mobile Worst decision of my life to get T Mobile phone and phone service from Walmart Nationwide Nationwide
Walmart ad description for cell phone service seemed great, $30 per month for unlimited text, talk and internet. Ad also said they had a great phone selection. Whole thing is just a massive ripoff.
This was my first 'smart phone,' I'd vowed never to own anything but phone that only allowed talk and text. But this ad sounded so great, I bought in.
The salesman recommended a Samsung model phone for $80 "on sale." I only found out later that, at least in this Walmart, the staff in the electronics section are posted there; they are not trained to have any real knowledge about phones.
With the phone, the SIM card and various 'fees,' total price was $147. But hey, I could stop it whenever I wished. I bought a warrany on the phone.
The following is not just my story, but there are hundreds AND HUNDREDS of similar complaints about Walmart cellular service. Search key words "Complaints Walmart cell phone service family plan.
First, the phone never worked properly. There was NO customer support from T-Mobile or Walmart. I only found out when I tried to get online that the Walmart dude who sold me the phone had not coded in internet access.
Took it back, none of the clerks could even find the problem. Finally, they figured out that the net access code had not been installed. None of them knew how to code it in. Much later, someone was found who did know how to program the phone. The whole thing took nearly two hours. I've learned this is commonplace.
The phones being touted by Walmart are way overpriced. The one sold to me had been discontinued in 2012, so their 'new' phone was last manufactured two, nearly three, years ago.
The phone malfunctioned twice and stopped working three times. The third time, I found a phone number for T-Mobile. It turned out to be for a kiosk selling actual T-Mobile phones, plans, and pre-pay at a local mall. The salesman said to bring in the phone and he would fix it if possible. Which he did. They had a new (2014) and many-featured phone for $99, and a plan as good as Walmart's. I went back to Walrmart to cancel and get my money back. To make a long story short, I got every excuse in the book as to why they weren't going to return my money, mainly because my purchase was then two days over the 13-day period in which phones can be returned. 13 days?
Walmart counts on people giving up easily and going away unhappy. But I stood there arguing. There was only one clerk. People were walking away from the line. The tactic eventually worked. But they gave me the refund in the form of a gift card---which can only be used at Walmart.
I took the gift card, but went straight to Customer Service and asked for a manager, waited till one (eventually) came. She tried to find out what the $147 credit on the card was for, but no one could tell her. I'm still insisting, constantly, on a full refund. Which finally, I received.
Walmart is selling their phones at a much higher 'sale' price than other retail outlets that also sell phones and service.
With the multitude of complaints about phone service from Walmart, it's surprising that some state Attorney General hasn't taken notice and begun investigating Walmart's consumer abuses. My experience is very common among those who buy phone service OR phones from Walmart. My advice: Don't ever buy cellular at Walmarts.
