The launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has been about the closest you can get to a literal hot mess in the mobile industry. Nobody’s terribly surprised when a new phone or two makes headlines by going up in flames a few days after launch, but the Note 7 racked up record numbers of exploding devices, then ended up being recalled. When users traded in their units, many washed their hands of the Galaxy Note 7 altogether. The faithful were rewarded with more exploding phones, and at that point, even Samsung had enough of the Galaxy Note 7. As far as getting rid of any units they may still have, many who bought through US carriers have a limited window to return their phones, and under strict conditions, but things are a bit easier for Sprint customers.
The Now Network is allowing customers to get rid of their Note 7 units and get any other phone in exchange, with only a few stipulations. Customers can make an appointment online, or walk into their local Sprint store to start the process, which means that they’ll have to wait in line. Customers simply hand over their Note 7, no matter what condition it’s in, when they bought it, or what other normal stipulations the return policy would use to rain on their parade. From there, customers can choose a cheaper device and get a refund for the difference, or throw a bit more cash on top to get something fancier than the Note 7. Availability allowing, customers with a Note 7 and enough cash to cover the difference can get their hands on any Sprint device that they wish for.
Interestingly, customers that choose to go with a Samsung Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge get any requisite difference refund on price, as well as a $25 bill credit. Whether this obvious attempt at damage control is a homegrown effort from Sprint or is coming out of Samsung’s coffers, however, was not disclosed in Sprint’s press release. Whatever course of action customers may choose, all of the usual fees that are in the process will be waived, such as restocking fees, upgrade fees, and activation fees. The press release did not state whether customers could simply get a refund of the full price of their Galaxy Note 7.