LetsTalk talked me into a cell phone
Written: Jun 17 '02 (Updated Jun 17 '02)
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I’m not really a Luddite, but I have been very slow to join the cell phone revolution.
I simply didn’t want one of the things. I don’t like being tied to a telephone and much prefer that my friends just drop in on us or leave a message on our machine. However, this summer my husband is living in actor housing while performing for the Michigan Shakespeare Festival and I wanted to be able to stay in touch with him. (This is the first time in 10 years of marriage that he’s been away without me; I’m usually the one doing the traveling—and I’m finding that I miss him terribly.)
So once we decided to get a cell phone, we started the research of figuring out which plan and which phone. It was then we discovered how very little we knew and that even most of the advice made little sense to us because we hadn’t been following cell phone services and what they offered. So we read reviews at Epinions, we asked questions of folks at the Epinion Addicts forums, and we talked to our friends.
We then were on information overload. We had a lot of advice, much of which conflicted with each other.
Finding a Store
Although we wanted to walk into a store and simply have all our questions answered live by a salesperson, our schedule simply wasn’t going to let us do that. So I began shopping online. As always, I started at MyPoints and they sent me to LetsTalk.com.
I’m glad they did.
Data That Makes Sense
I was a little leery about shopping at a company that disdained the use of apostrophes, but I tried not to let my pedantry get in the way of my purchasing.
The first and most important thing that LetsTalk.com did for me was help me fulfill my information need. We were able to line up different services and then compare with simple clicks on drop-down menus different phones and plans. Each cell phone provider had a multitude of phones and plans. I especially liked that LetsTalk.com included all of the rebates and discounts available right on the cost comparison. There was a lot of information provided in a simplified format—just what we needed after all the information overload.
LetsTalk.com also had product reviews for each phone, but for that, we went with Epinions reviews. What I found more useful was the immediate cost comparisons between all the phones and the plans.
Sorting Out the Charges
Once we decided on a phone, ordering it was as simple as could be. The plan and phone could be ordered at the same time and LetsTalk.com provided easy to follow instructions for setting up an account. They also separated out the charges according to whom they would be going to—themselves and AT&T. As part of the promotion they had going on at the time, we received both free shipping and a mail-in rebate that was equal to the cost of the phone.
Receiving Our Order
We placed our order on Wednesday and our order tried to arrive on Friday. We were not home to receive the order, so we didn’t get it until the following Monday, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of effort on LetsTalk.com’s part.
What I was uneasy about was the contract that they mailed as part of our cell phone package. It was the AT&T contract, but it was a two-year contract. I double-checked our receipt, and the receipt matched my memory: that we had ordered a one-year contract. I read the small print on the contract and it said that if we signed and returned the contract, we would be held to a two-year contract no matter what our other promotional material might say.
At first I was concerned that either AT&T or LetsTalk.com was engaging in bait and switch behaviors, but upon calling AT&T, they said that I was listed as having a one-year contract and that there was need for me to send them any further paperwork.
Overall, my shopping experience at LetsTalk.com was an excellent one. It fulfilled my need for simplified information and helped me wade through the wealth of information in a way that was meaningful for me. The order process was quick and I had the product in hand quicker than I expected. I will certainly shop there again, even though I don’t plan on needing another cell phone at any point in the near future.
Accessories, on the other hand, are another story.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Redlass
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Bridgette
Location: Lansing, Michigan
Reviews written: 526
Trusted by: 482 members
About Me:
I have many loves: family, books, theater, writing, and the many communities I belong to.
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