This is owned and operated by Inphonic Inc. According to Wiki:
“The company’s central online storefront, Wirefly.com, has received a number of Internet awards, including Forbes magazine’s “Best of the Web” for 2004 and Keynote System’s “Best In Overall Customer Experience” in 2005.”
Apparently they know their business well. Like all other websites in this category, Wirefly.com offers large mail-in rebates with many nice phones. However, watch out for a $9 “processing fee” when you checkout. 2nd day shipping is free.
I like these guys the best. You can make your cell phone deals sweeter using a combination of Ebates.com and Letstalk.com. Ebates.com is offering a $30 discount if you go through them to Letstalk.com to sign a new contract. In addition, Letstalk.com usually offers great deals on cell phones when you sign a new contract with any of the listed service providers. It is not unusual to find some nice free phones with $100 mail-in rebate after activation. The website doesn’t charge any processing fees. Also offers 2nd day free shipping.
These guys act like agents (I think) for Letstalk.com and Wirefly.com. However, the deals found on Cellularchoices.net are not the same as those found on the two websites. Also, currently it’s running a $25 Mastercard gift card promotion till Jan 31st on all it’s phones. Surprisingly, even though it places the orders through the Wirefly.com (Inphonic Inc) infrastructure, it does not charge the $9 processing fee that Wirefly.com charges. Free 2nd day shipping.
Cellularchoices.net orders are fulfilled by Letstalk.com or Wirefly.com/Inphonic;
Easycellphones.com orders are fulfilled by Letstalk.com;
Younevercall.com orders are fulfilled by Wirefly.com/Inphonic;
Freecellularphonedeals.net orders are fulfilled by Wirefly.com/Inphonic;
There are some things you should remember before you get into this:
- There is mail-in rebate involved.
- Usually with these deals, activation fee is charged (approx. $30~$35), so some part of your free money is lost. Make sure you account for that.
- Read your terms and conditions carefully if you want your rebate.
For example, here is an excerpt from the “Rebates Terms and Conditions” on On Letstalk.com:
NOTE: Your rebate submission must be postmarked between Dec 1, 2006 and Feb 1, 2007 or we will be unable to process your rebate request.
…and an excerpt from Amazon.com:
Your price paid includes an equipment discount of $250 that has been provided to you by Amazon.com for activating a new line of service with T-Mobile and maintaining this new line of service with the selected rate plan in good standing for a minimum of 181 consecutive days. If these conditions are not met, you herein agree to a $250 reimbursement to be paid to Amazon.com.
- Also, you might have to wait for quite some time for the rebates to get in your bank. ALL websites will have clauses like these:
Letstalk.comYour rebate submission will be processed and any check mailed by the later of 150 days after your order activation / ship date OR ten weeks after receipt of a properly completed rebate form.
- Usually for maximum mail-in rebates, 2-year contracts are common. The rebates are lesser for 1-year contracts. At times, it helps to call them and persuade them to give you maximum mail-in rebates on 1-year contracts…if you are lucky they might just agree.
- During checkout, watch out for those default “Yes” to options like “Add a charger for $19.99″. You need to switch them to “No” before you confirm the transaction. Not many of those listed above will do that, but watch out just in case.
- Read #1 again.
My personal experience
I recently ordered phones through Letstalk.com and it worked well for me. I usually don’t go for mail-in rebates (why?), but this deal was one of the few exceptions that I allow every once in a while. We went with a T-mobile family plan (two phones) and the total distribution was like this: Mail-in Rebate(+$200); Ebates discount (+$30); Activation fee(-$70); Total 200+30-70=+$160. Not bad :).
I should also mention here that I also had a very good experience with Letstalk.com as far as their customer service is concerned. Initially, I got two Motorola phones (I think they were both V195 models) and both had trashy reception. Sent those back and got two Samsung phones in return. All this was made really easy by Letstalk.com. They were not like those PITA-customer-service guys I usually encounter….and no sir, this is not pay-per-post ..or any such thing.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
My phone is from Letstalk.com. So far no issues. I got my 170 50 170 50=$440 rebates now, though it took 5 months since I purchased those phones. So those who don’t like mail-in rebates, should consider this.
Letstalk sounds like a great deal. Its too bad I just renewed with Cingular for 2 years.
Watch out for Wirefly.com. I bought 2 cell phones from there December 2005, and I still have not received my $300 in rebates.
I used Amazon last time.
Wirefly is know for problems with rebates. Heard about it many times on forums.
FWIW, Yan, I’ve read a lot of reports lately suggesting Wirefly is moving away from big rebates, so any problems they may have had in the past are becoming moot. So I’ve heard.
I did something like this with cellphoneedge.com.
It was incredibly easy and I have NO complaints.
Here is a new site called Get Wireless For Less where I found some good cell phone deals with rebates and cash back on certain plans. This site helps you pick out the best cell phone,carrier,and wireless plan in your area.They are a lot of free cell phone deals from many carriers that they offer too. They even let you switch your carrier and keep the same number. I think that this something you should check out. The website address is http://www.getwirelessforless.com
DO NOT purchase from Cellular Choices. They are scam artists. You will not get what you’re promised. I never received the promisted rebate and I followed the directions to the letter! DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. Find another vendor. Cellular Choices is a SCAM!
WATCH OUT! CellPhoneEDGE, Wirefly, etc. all subsidies of InPhonic are NOT paying rebates.
They filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection in November 2007.
I was ripped off for my little $50 rebate (phone purchased through CellPhoneEdge.com in November 2007).
After months of lies that my rebate was approved and about to be sent, I have turned it over to my state Attorney General’s office. Since then, I received notice of the bankruptcy filing.
In the meantime, they are still doing business and offering rebates. Where might they get money for rebates? Oh - that’s right, they don’t pay them.
Michael, I would like the chance to speak on behalf of CellphoneEdge. Bankruptcies hurt, as our company can attest; we didn’t receive any pay for three months of sales and monies spent on advertising.You never contacted CellphoneEdge about your problem until after the bankruptcy. You mention our current rebates, which are paid by thye carrier. Please do some research before slandering - I understand how getting less than you deserve feels, but picking on the wrong party only coontinues the injustice. InPhoin has been reorganized, has new leadership, and new rebates. CellphoneEdge is still the stalwart advocate for the consumer that we have always been. We go above and beyond for our customers — but if we don’t know you have a problem how can we be blamed for not doing more? I urge those with complaints to contact us so that we may offer the assistance that they are not receiving from the ‘big guys’. The prices we offer are as low as the biggest websites, but our service is unmatched.
http://CellphoneEdge.com
1-877-EDGE-USA
George,
The fact is, he got ripped off for $50.00 that he was counting on getting back because your website advertised that he WOULD get it back. Its not slander. Its based on FACT. The FACT is that cellphoneEdge caused many people to get ripped off. The only reason you defend them is because you ARE THEM. Being on the inside you knew what was coming down the pipe before the rest of us. The day you missed your first check, people were still signing up for rebates they wouldn’t be getting. What did you do? You kept right on selling, thats what you did. Don’t berate Mike for being angry and warning others because if it weren’t for him (doing what you should have been doing) sounding the call, me and others like me would have bought into the lie and lost our money too.
Thanks Mike
George,
Try spell check next time you post something defending your company.
no MOQ, one year warranty, PayPal
to get your unlocked cell phones here.
http://www.onthesource.com/cell-phones-mobile-phones/
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