T-Mobile G1 $79.99 at Costco!
| by Rob Jackson on March 12th, 2009 |
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Yesterday we saw the T-Mobile G1 go on sale for $98 at Amazon.com. It’s still there, but that sweet, sweet deal seems to have been trumped by Costco. The coupon is for $100 off the T-Mobile G1 with a bonus bluetooth headset included. A member of AndroidForums.com (webby) sent in images of the coupon, which were sent to Costco members, and when we checked out the “fine print” it all seems to check out:
There you have it. It’s $179.99 at Costco now so $100 off is $79.99. In addition, current customers can get $60 off which is $119.99.
If you’re a new T-Mobile customer and also a member of Costco, I’d seriously consider taking advantage of this!
[Via AndroidForums]
1. Geekcognito wrote on March 12, 2009
Son of a BITCH! I just paid the $180 + 2 year contract extension.
2. look wrote on March 12, 2009
not true go into the store to find out the real price
3. Subie wrote on March 12, 2009
Where can you get the coupon?
4. Rob Jackson wrote on March 12, 2009
@look – not true? haha the coupons are attached. it says prices may vary by store but the member who submitted this said it was priced at $179.99
$179.99 – $100 = $79.99
Last time I checked at least…
5. G1 Lover wrote on March 12, 2009
Oh it’s true!!! AND YOU GET FREE ACTIVATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND A CAR CHARGER!!! IM GETTING IT!!
6. webby wrote on March 12, 2009
“Where can you get the coupon?”
The coupons come in the mail to Costco members. My coupon is pictured, which I received two days ago. When I have lost a coupon, sometimes I have been able to get a replacement by asking at the membership desk of the Costco store, when they have any around.
Free activation for cell phones (it’s a rebate) bought at Costco is normally the case.
7. sharkboy wrote on March 13, 2009
Damn! I just walked in to T-mobile yesterday and asked for a price match to the Amazon price! Ah well…
Oh, and for thee guy that paid full price, they will match the sale if you take in proof. J
8. g2 wait wrote on March 13, 2009
They’re trying to dump the G1 ’cause the G2 will arrive soon and kill it anyway. Imagine the truckloads of G1s they have that nobody bought.
9. DanDan wrote on March 13, 2009
The G2 isn’t coming out for US. Vodafone is the only company with it and that’s in Europe.
10. Nobody wrote on March 13, 2009
@8:
Kill it? Having hardware that is virtually identical except that it LACKS a keyboard? The extra 256 MB doesn’t hurt, but with a minor procedure, apps are on the sdcard anyways, so doesn’t matter. The lack of a proper keyboard is a serious downside for this “htc magic” vs the superior “dream”.
Oh, and of course, your statement very strongly suggests that you have no idea how retail works. Ever heard of a loss leader? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_leader — thats one point. The second point is that you’re stuck with a TWO YEAR CONTRACT over which time you are PAYING OFF THE MORTGAGE ON YOUR PHONE. You know when you buy a house, you usually don’t pay up half a million right out of your pocket, you pay a small down payment, then pay it off for the rest of your life.
11. asking wrote on March 16, 2009
Is anybody getting any luck so far?
12. Julian wrote on March 16, 2009
This is most certainly a case of “too goo to be true.”
I had been looking at getting a G1 for a little while now, and this convinced me to take the plunge. My wife is at a Costco right now, and this is merely the same subsidized price you can get anywhere else. It costs $280, but if you sign up for a two-year contract, you get “$100 off,” putting it at the $180 price point we’re all familiar with. It’s still a slightly better deal than going into a tMobile store or Best Buy or whatever, because they toss in a Bluetooth headset, case, and car charger, but it’s a long shot from the amazing deal it looked like in the coupon book.
You know what the tipoff should have been? There’s no barcode on the back of the coupon like most of Costco’s coupons. With a deal as astounding as this looked to be, wouldn’t you think they’d want tight controls on how many of the things they wanted floating around?
13. look wrote on March 16, 2009
@julian…. the actual price for the g1 is 129.99 for a new line and 169.99 for an upgrade.. the retail price is 229.00
14. Craig wrote on March 17, 2009
Has anyone actually purchased this for $79.99? I visited two Costco stores today and both were selling the bundle for $229, which leaves your purchase price at $129 after the discount.
15. DP wrote on March 17, 2009
The g1 is $99 for new activations on a 2 year contract and 2 year upgrades, or $199 on a 1-year at walmart.
16. Julian wrote on March 17, 2009
@look: Sorry, it was $169.99, not $179.99. The T-Mobile store I had gone into a couple weeks ago was trying to charge $179.99 with a two-year plan, and significantly more with 1-year or contract-free options.
@Craig: They’re not selling them for $79.99. The “coupon” wasn’t a coupon at all, just an ad for their regular price. It’s misleading advertizing, no more no less.
17. asking wrote on March 17, 2009
> The g1 is $99 for new activations on a … and 2 year upgrades,
Can I ask where I can get this deal? Costco?
18. just bought one yesterday wrote on March 22, 2009
Just bought one yesterday for $79.99 We snuck in through the exit at Costco and just asked for a copy of the ad. They gave it to us no questions asked. The price at Costco with the coupon for $100 off for a new line was $129.99. So we took the coupon to T-Mobile, where the list price is $179.99 and they matched the $100 off coupon making our price $79.99
19. GWiZz wrote on March 23, 2009
Has anyone used the coupon and purchased the phone with it yet? Let us know what’s up, I’m available for an upgrade!
20. AN0NYMOUS wrote on March 23, 2009
The price at Costco is 229.99 minus a $100.00 instant rebate leaving it at 129.99 final price. You still get free accesories like a case, car charger, wired headset, and a bluetooth plus waived activation fee for new lines. Also they have a bill credit of up to $85.00 for new lines of service just for signing up at Costco. But please do not get the price mixed up on this promotion.
21. Kirby wrote on March 25, 2009
I just saw this article and went to costco with the coupon. I’m already a tmobile customer and they charged me $169.99 price for the phone.
22. Brian wrote on March 26, 2009
I just went to Costco to get my G1 and oh no, it’s not true. they are giving $100.00 discount, but it’s not $100.00 off of the $179.00 price. They start the price at $229.00 and then mark it down to $129.00. I researched and found that all Costco’s sell at the same price.
23. Floyds wrote on March 31, 2009
I am trying to take advantage of this deal but has it been pretty much confirmed the phone is $120 after the coupon?
Also to the person who said t-mobile matched their coupon – really? I called them and they said they don’t match Costco/Best Buy/Sams coupons.
24. Alison wrote on April 1, 2009
I just went to Costco, and their starting price is $229. With the coupon, the price is $129–but I am already a T-Mobile customer, so I can’t get that, I can only get the G-1 if I pay $169, and that’s with a 2-year contract.
Very frustrating–I’m just about ready to dump T-Mobile and buy an iPhone.
It’s just bait-and-switch.
Does anyone know if the Amazon deal is for new customers only, or if current T-Mobile customers can get that deal?
25. Tim wrote on April 7, 2009
@Alison
How is it bait and switch? Because you don’t like the terms on the advertisement? All you had to do was call to ask for the price. Please don’t soil a thread because you didn’t read the whole thing. I hate ignorant consumers.
Amazon deals are always for new customers.
26. Alison wrote on April 8, 2009
It seems like bait-and-switch if the headline of this webpage says “T-Mobile $79.99 at Costco,” because no matter what, you couldn’t get it for $79.99 at Costco.
Since the “Starting price” at Costco was $229.99, then WITH the coupon, as a new T-Mobile customer, you could get it for $129.99–that’s a big difference from $79.99. And, as mentioned before, as a current customer, even one out-of-contract, the best one could do would be $169.99.
I am not an ignorant consumer–I went to Costco fully expecting a higher price than $79.99. I just think that this page should not advertise that Costco was selling the G-1 for $79.99, because it wasn’t. According to Costco, all cell phone kiosks at Costco have the same prices for the G-1 (don’t know about other phones).
@Floyds–T-Mobile says over the phone that they don’t match prices, but when I went to my local T-Mobile, they offered to match the $169.99 price. Their “starting price” is significantly higher.
27. Kate wrote on April 16, 2009
they say the G1 battery life sux… is that true?
28. janellle wrote on May 11, 2009
please excuse my dear aunt sally
29. Ray J wrote on May 21, 2009
Yo I think that this thing is tight! i know that it is because i have one homies!! yo but really this thing is hooked up. I know y’all will like it.
Peace!
30. Ray J wrote on May 21, 2009
yo i think this thing is tight! it is hooked up! its off the chain man. i know y’all will like it just but one and see for ur self!
Peace1
31. Ray J wrote on May 21, 2009
But rally buy this!
32. Ray J wrote on May 21, 2009
sorry really buy this lol
33. Ray J wrote on May 21, 2009
Buy it! you know u want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!