A promotional offering often seen involves a major retailer, such as Walmart, providing a store credit, specifically a gift card, when a customer purchases a particular smartphone, namely an iPhone. The value of this store credit can fluctuate and is usually tied to specific iPhone models and carrier activation requirements. For example, a consumer might receive a \$200 Walmart gift card upon buying a new iPhone 15 and activating it on a Verizon or AT&T plan through the retailer.
These promotions are strategically designed to attract customers to both the retailer and the mobile carrier. For consumers, the attractiveness lies in the potential to offset the cost of the iPhone itself, or to purchase accessories or other goods at the retailer using the provided credit. The historical context reveals that such offers are frequently deployed during key shopping periods, like Black Friday or back-to-school season, to maximize customer acquisition and drive sales volume for both the iPhone and associated services.
