More Samsung LoopPay: Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 for $149 (YMMV)

While we don’t usually post hard-to-find clearance deals, we did post one a few weeks ago that had the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 down to $199 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge at $399 at many stores. It appears that Walmart is continuing to clearance out some of the older Samsung phones: a user on Slickdeals reported finding the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S6 bundled with a Samsung Level Box Mini Bluetooth speaker for $149. The Galaxy S6 will work with Samsung Pay / Loop Pay. This means you could essentially get 3X almost everywhere with the US Bank Altitude Reserve. Read more about how Samsung Pay / LoopPay works.

This phone is available without a contract — you should just be able to buy the phone without activating it (no need to get a service agreement). Note that not all stores will have this price. However, it looks like many stores do.

Note that this bundle includes the Verizon version of the phone. I’m not a cell phone expert and I’m not sure if this one is unlocked and/or works on T-Mobile or AT&T, so please do your own due diligence to be sure it gets the bands you need in your coverage area if you’re considering using it on another network.

Is it a good price?

The Galaxy S6 is a couple of years old at this point. The main consideration in whether or not the price is good is whether or not you mind using a phone that has been on the market for a couple of years. Personally, I have no problem with that — for my use, I don’t need every one of the latest bells and whistles. You might feel differently. However, the price compares favorably to the price of the phone alone on Amazon:

The bluetooth speaker is worth another thirty bucks or so:

I’d say the pair is definitely well worth $149.

How to find it

As stated above, not all stores have the same item at the same price. Clearance pricing varies greatly by store, and some stores may not have this on clearance / have it bundled like this. However, quite a few do. You can use Brickseek (<–link) to look for stock in your area by entering your zip code:

Enter your zip code and click “search” Here are the first three store results when searching for zip code 90210:

As you can see, all of the stores above are charging $399. However, keep scrolling the list and you’ll hit the jackpot if you can take a ride from Beverly Hills to Torrance, CA:

Important things to know about Brickseek and Walmart clearance

Three important things to know about Brickseek before you hop in the car and speed off to Torrance:

1. It’s not always accurate. The store price is almost always accurate (though not 100%). However, quantity on hand is a major question mark. I don’t know exactly how they get inventory quantities, but I think Brickseek is updated once a night sometime around midnight. Between midnight and the time you arrive, someone may have beaten you to the store and bought all six. There’s just no way to know.
2. If Brickseek only shows 1 or 2 available (or a yellow “Limited stock” icon), the store may not actually have any available for sale. A quantity of 1 often means the floor model. Some stores will sell that and some stores will tell you it is corporate policy not to sell it. I don’t think there is really any such corporate policy (I’ve bought floor models from Walmart before), but know that some stores won’t budge on that.
3. Sometimes, employees won’t be able to find an item like this that isn’t out in the open on a shelf. I usually try to scope out an employee who I think won’t give up easily.
4. It may seem tempting to call the store ahead of time to ask if they have it in stock and what the price is, etc. Doing so runs the risk of alerting an astute employee in the electronics area to a hot deal. He or she may buy it before you get there. That’s not to say that I’ve never called, but it’s generally not in your best interest if you want to get a clearance deal.

Availability looks decent

Here are results in just a few zip codes I searched:

Not all stores have it, but there appears to be stock somewhere when searching zip codes in many different areas.

What if my store still shows full price?

You have a few options. First, you can keep checking back every day or two. Sometimes, your store will drop its price in a week or two. Another option you can try is return-and-rebuy. This doesn’t always work, but it may. You may be able to buy the phone at full price at a store with stock and then bring it to a store that shows the $149 price on Brickseek. Customer service may be able to let you return the phone and then rebuy it (perhaps you want to change your payment method?). When they scan the barcode to ring you up again, it may come up at that local store’s price ($149 if you chose one of those stores). I personally haven’t done this at Walmart — but I’ve had success with other stores in the past. Don’t go overboard on this — too many returns and a store could ban you from shopping there. But it might be worth a shot if you really want this bundle and can’t get it otherwise.

Final Word

This is a good deal if you can get it. It isn’t everywhere and it isn’t for everyone — but if you’re passing by a store with stock and you’re looking for a phone, I think it’s hard to go wrong at this price. One more thing to know — in past Walmart clearance deals (like the one linked at the top of this post), some stores have refused to sell a phone without a contract. I believe that if you ask them to process through WARP (Wireless Activation Retail Portal), they should be able to scan it and sell it. I don’t know what that means, I just know that many people reported that this suggestion worked on that previous deal. Best of luck snagging this deal!

H/T: Slickdeals

Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.