AT&T After Sales Review: Beware of Deceptive Practices

@ibrocast  That store is an Authorized AT&T Retail Store. It is not owned or operated by AT&T nor is it staffed with AT&T employees. Their sole purpose is to sell AT&T goods and services, however they can, and then pass the sale information on to AT&T who has no clue as to what was said and/or promised to the customer. AT&T will only honor what is listed, in detail, on their website regardless of what you were told or lead to believe. Personally I hope that AT&T does not renew their contracts with these retail operators because AT&T has no control over their business practices. Technically you did business with the Retail Store and not AT&T.

AT&T, like all of the other carrier stores, are in the business of selling cellular devices. And, as such, a cellular device needs to have a cellular connection which means another line at usually $10 plus taxes. The automatic payment plan was probably part of the promo or deal and should have been explained to you at the time. All of that should be listed on the receipt you were given and certainly in the TOS that you should have read as well.

All watches purchased from AT &T require a new line and a 36 month installment.

https://www.att.com/buy/wearables/browse/samsung/

If you wanted a Samsung watch not tied to ATT, you should have bought it directly from Samsung.

The customer should do their due diligence and review all information provided on the AT&T website.

@OttoPylot 

While I understand that authorized retailers operate independently, I believe it's still reasonable for customers to expect transparency and accurate information when making purchases. Clear communication regarding additional charges, such as the need for a new line and automatic payment plans, is crucial to ensure customers fully understand the terms of their purchase.

I acknowledge the importance of reviewing receipts and terms of service, and I appreciate your reminder to customers to do so. However, I believe there is still room for improvement in ensuring that customers receive accurate and comprehensive information during the sales process, regardless of whether they are dealing with an authorized retailer or a corporate-owned store.

Thank you for sharing your perspective on this matter.

@skeeterintexas 

Regarding your suggestion to buy directly from Samsung, that's a valid option for customers who prefer a different purchasing experience. However, many customers choose to buy from authorized retailers like AT&T for convenience or other reasons, and it's reasonable to expect transparent and accurate information during the sales process.

I agree that customers should do their due diligence and review all information provided on the AT&T website before making a purchase. However, it's also important for retailers to provide clear and accurate information to customers to ensure a positive purchasing experience.

Thank you for your input on this matter.

Hey there @ibrocast,

Thank you for reaching out to us. Let's work around your concern and get the help you need. We are here to help you in any way possible. However, we will need more information in order to get you the assistance you need.

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@ibrocast  I understand your point but you need to keep in mind that the retail stores are not overseen in any manner by AT&T, which is a shame but that's the way these long term contracts were written. Hopefully they won't be renewed. But until then, AT&T has no authority or responsibility to how these stores operate so transparency is the responsibly of the retail store manager and who ever owns them (Smart Circle in some cases). And, as a side note, the kiosks you see in Target, Costco, Sam's Club etc are also retail outlets, not AT&T.

A Corporate Store is an entirely different manner because you are dealing directly with AT&T, and any issues with the Corp Store can be dealt with directly by AT&T. I personally would never purchase a phone from a carrier store, either retail or corporate. I prefer to purchase our phones directly from the mfr because there are no caveats or gotchas when making the purchase, especially if you purchase an unlocked phone outright.

I have to disagree with OttoPylot on this one.  Per the AT&T store finder, that store is a Corporate AT&T store.

There are other brick and mortar retailers that sell Samsung watches (Target, BestBuy, etc.).  Next time, buy from one of them.

@JefferMC  I based my Retail Store comment on the fact that the OP stated it was a retail store. Using AT&T's Store Locator is usually accurate as to the type of store it is but it's not always 100%, especially if the Corp Store was recently sold to an independent. That's why I always hedge by suggesting that if one goes to a store, ask when you go in to be sure. If it was in fact a Corporate Store, then the OP has a better chance of getting his issue corrected by AT&T, but he may need to go the BBB route.