What Happened ?!?

I don't understand. I can't tell you how much I searched for prepaid phones online. I can't recall how many times I've visited Amazon.com to check if they had prepaid phones. I've typed "Prepaid Phones"....nothing. I've typed "QWERTY+prepaid"...nothing. I've typed Tracfone, and beyond the regular Tracfones seen many times before, there was nothing new. Now, after purchasing an ugly (neon green) prepaid phone from AT&T, I received from Amazon.com an email with the tag line "someone who has searched for cell phones" that included a link to... -- get this... a line of prepaid cell phones. Including a grey and black phone just like the ugly green (refurbished) one I purchased.

CHEAPER!!!

On the AT&T site, my (refurbished)phone was offered for $299 with a $200 (online)discount making the purchased price $99(with a $25 prepaid minutes card). At Amazon.com the same phone (better color) is being offered for $74(with a $50 prepaid minutes card)... no mentioning of a discount, but with a MSRP$99 with accessories not shown on the AT&T site.

What Happened?!?

I should be angry, but strangely, I'm not. Annoyed Yes, but not angry. I already know I'm not the smartest or the quickest. My first impulse was to order from Amazon.com and return the AT&T phone unopened. But, with the green phone arriving tomorrow, and the Amazon phone not arriving until Jan. 5th at the earliest, I'm going to stick with the green. I don't like the green color, but it really isn't as ugly as I'm suggesting. Besides, I'm happy with being able to carry over my Tracfone phone number (which has been my "official" phone number for the last 4 years). I can't tell you how many applications and documents with "my phone number" I have completed in the last 4 years, I have no desire to backtrack to find out or update. As long as the phone arrives early and works well, then I'm happy. Besides, I don't mind the idea of upgrading to a fancier model on this new system. Tracfone has been a good company but their phone selection suck! Besides, I'm someone who doesn't like change. If Tracfone even suggested that they might have "QWERTY" phones in the near future, I would have probably stuck with Tracfone. I'm someone who gets (too quickly) set in my ways and routines.

If this green phone doesn't measure up, I have no problem going out and buying a newer (fancier) model. Although, knowing I'm eager to buy a new phone when the green one breaks or gets a scratch, this green one will probably last much longer than I want it to last. That's how my luck works.

Lesson learned? Being impatient is costly.

Post Date - Tuesday, December 29, 2009 12:50PM