ATTENTION - anyone who wants to pre-order from Best Buy but has been told they will not accept a Samsung exclusive color device as a trade-in:
You absolutely CAN trade in a Samsung exclusive color device to Best Buy! Initiate a chat with a Best Buy online agent (either on the website or in the app) and tell them you want to pre-order an S26 device. They will likely ask for your name, phone number, and email address. Before you provide that information, let them know you have a Samsung exclusive color device that you'd like to trade in, and you need confirmation that it will be accepted as a trade-in. Hopefully, you will get someone who is familiar with this process. If you don't, keep trying until you do.
The agent I was fortunate enough to work with knew that the exclusive colors probably wouldn't show up as trade-in options in the store. The most important details are the device model and storage capacity. Specify in the chat exactly what you want to trade in. The agent should generate a Case ID for you to reference when you go to the store to pick up your new phone and trade in your old one. Make sure this happens before ending the chat!
Here's a screenshot of part of my chat (it was a long one):
The more explicit guidance you can get from your agent, the better. Be sure to take a screenshot of the chat when you've finished! You will then be able to pre-order your new phone. I physically went to my local Best Buy to confirm everything and placed the pre-order on site. You may wish to do the same.
I know there are other community members out there who also have exclusive color devices they want to trade in. I hope this helps you. Good luck!
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