Verizon phone buyers can get a $40 credit via Amazon

Buyers of various Verizon phones can get a $40 credit if they purchase through Amazon and sign up for Verizon's Share Everything plan.

by Lance Whitney

August 1, 2012 9:21 AM PDT Follow @lancewhit

(Credit: Screenshot by Lance Whitney/CNET)

Amazon is offering a $40 credit to smartphone buyers who opt for any one of several Verizon phones.

To qualify for the deal, customers must activate a new qualifying smartphone and choose the new Share Everything plan with unlimited voice and texting but limits on data. The $40 credit is automatically applied to your phone bill, though Amazon cautions that it could take up to three billing cycles for the credit to count.

Interested buyers also need to act fast. The offer, which kicked off Monday, ends Thursday.

But Verizon spokewoman Brenda Raney told CNET that the same deal will soon be offered by several physical retailers, including Best Buy, Costco, Target, Wal-Mart, and RadioShack.

Some of the Verizon phones included in the deal are Samsung's Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S III, RIM's BlackBerry Bold 9370 and 9930, Motorola's Droid 4, HTC's Rhyme and Rezound, and LG's Lucid and Spectrum.

Updated at 4:15 a.m. PT August 2 with more information from Verizon.