Google compensates Pixel 2 buyers who overpaid at pop-up stores
Its sales partner was charging an arbitrary premium.
If you rushed out to buy a Pixel 2 at one of Google's pop-up stores on October 19th, you probably got a rude surprise: the Verizon reseller handling your purchase, Victra, was charging customers an extra $30 on top of the normal price. Unless you knew enough to haggle it back down, you paid a premium to walk out of the shop with a phone in hand. However, Google isn't having any of it. The company informed The Verge that it's reimbursing the difference for customers who overpaid for the device, and it'll contact you if you haven't already heard back. "This is an error, which is now fixed," a spokesperson said.
Victra was willing to price match for shoppers who drew attention to the discrepancy, but that just underscores the arbitrary nature of the price hike -- it had no connection to the actual price of the phone. This wasn't meant to cover activation fees, taxes or the other usual charges, either.
The remedy is coming quickly, but the incident underscores the risks of tech giants running stores where they don't have full control. Google may have given the impression that it was the one charging extra, which would undoubtedly have left a bad taste in your mouth. As it stands: if you're ever worried about the possibility of price gouging, it's usually wise to buy either online or from a carrier's official stores.
