A week after Kyle got Verizon FiOS installed in his new apartment, he saw an ad for a new subscriber deal that was $15 cheaper per month than the two-year contract he had just signed. No problem, then: just call them up and see whether they could price match their own deal. Sure, they could: but only if he canceled his new service, returned all of the equipment, and had the installers come out again to turn the service back on. Well, that’s efficient.

When deciding on a cable company for my new apartment, I wanted the best deal and the least amount of hassle. Comcast turned out to be a huge hassle, asking my girlfriend and I to show them our lease and both of our social security cards. So we called up Verizon. They were fast, friendly, and we were up and running with FIOS internet, tv, and phone the very next day.

Signing a 2 year contract always makes me a littler nervous, but at 99/month it was already less than our previous Cablevision service. A week later I see a promotion that new subscribers can get the triple play for 84.99/month. I called to see if they would price match it. They wouldn’t. I asked the girl, “What if I cancelled my service because it has been less than 30 days, and the signed up again under the new promotion?” “That would work,” she said. “but you would have to return your equipment and get a new install appointment.”

So wouldn’t it be easier for both parties to just give me the new promotional price? Isn’t it fairly standard practice in retail situations to honor sale or promotional prices if they happen within a week of purchase? How can I shame them into honoring the new price for a customer who is willing to send them money every month for at least 2 years?

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