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Trump phone preorder chaos: Users report website fails and incorrect charges after attempting to buy

Trump phone preorder chaos: Users report website fails and incorrect charges after attempting to buy

Economic Times4 days ago

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A User Tries to Preorder Trump Mobile And Gets Glitched
No Shipping Address, No Full Payment, Still a Confirmation?
Donald Trump Jr. Promises 'America First' Phone
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What was meant to be a patriotic launch of a sleek, all-gold smartphone touted as "Made in America" quickly turned into a frustrating mess for early buyers, as per a report. The Trump Organization 's new venture, Trump Mobile , which unveiled the T1 Phone and mobile service plan this week, is already facing backlash after users reported website crashes, incorrect credit card charges, and a confusing order process, according to 404 Media report.Joseph Cox, an investigative journalist and co-founder of 404 Media, was one of the first to try and pre-order the T1 Phone, as per a report he wrote on his website. He intended to pay the $100 down payment and evaluate the device for privacy, security, and hardware integrity, but instead of a smooth transaction, Cox encountered a broken checkout system, a wrong charge of $64.70 to his card, and no clear indication if the order was successfully preordered, according to Cox' report on 404 Media.The co-founder said, "I received a confirmation email saying I'll receive a confirmation when my order has been shipped, but I haven't provided a shipping address or paid the full $499 price tag," quoted 404 Media. He added that, "It is the worst experience I've ever faced buying a consumer electronic product and I have no idea whether or how I'll receive the phone," as quoted in the report.After Cox's potential pre-ordering of T1 Phone, the confirmation email said, "I could log into TrumpMobile.com to make changes to my account. I did that, changed my password as prompted, and then hit another error page. I have not been able to log into the site," Cox wrote on 404 Media.While, the Trump Organization launched Trump Mobile with bold promises, and US president Donald trump's son, Donald Trump Jr. called it a game-changer, saying, 'Trump Mobile is going to change the game, we're building on the movement to put America first, and we will deliver the highest levels of quality and service. Our company is based right here in the United States because we know it's what our customers want and deserve,' quoted 404 Media.The full retail price is listed as $499. Preorders were supposed to require a $100 deposit.Users, including a journalist from 404 Media, reported website errors, incorrect charges, and no confirmation of completed orders.

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And a mock-up of the planned gold phone on the company's website shows Trump's "Make America Great" slogan on the front screen. According to the company, Trump Mobile's 47 Plan will include unlimited calls, texts and data through partner carriers, as well as free roadside assistance and telehealth services. It also says the new phone, called the "T1 Phone," will be available for $499 in August - but notes that this device won't be designed or made by Trump Mobile. Still, the company emphasized that these phones will be built in the U.S. Experts have since shared skepticism about that being possible in two months. And beyond the future T1 Phone, others stress that a monthly cell service fee of just under $50 is pricey compared to other MVNO options today. "It's not actual lower pricing. It's really trading on the fan base, if you will, of Trump," said Bentzin. SmartLess Mobile and Mint Mobile, of course, don't carry these same political ties. 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Beyond a high-profile name, quality of service and what consumers can afford is also critical. "The competition battleground here is brand and price," Bentzin said. Still, if the marketing is right and product meets consumer needs, experts like Garcia Granados note that MVNOs can be a profitable business, for both the brands that start them and the telecommunications giants - like T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T - offering this "wholesale" access to their infrastructure. As a result, he said, such high-profile ventures become "a catalyst for others to follow." (AP Business Writer Bernard Condon contributed to this report from New York.)

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