When I was ordering this phone I was told by the rep that the phone with and without the keypad were the same price... they just didn't have any Versas with the keypad in stock.
They ended up sending me the Versa phone, then noting in my account that I was due a free keypad when the keypad was available (in stock) as a separate accessory. I had to call back and ask if they had them in stock and told them to mail it to me, no problem and no charge.
Though, if you read my first thread on this forum, I had a bit of a fight with verizon which probably made them more willing to do what they did.
Should be here tuesday.
now when i got my phone i was told something completely different. he said when it first came out the price was 249 (or so) with the keyboard and then they dropped it to 170 and sold it without. maybe he was just being a salesman and trying to push me out the door with a 30$ keyboard i didnt actually need to buy

I was told by the in-store VZW that LG was no longer shipping Versas with keypads boxed, it was becoming a separate accessory from their vendor (LG) and hence it was becoming an accessory through Verizon... but that's just the VZW in-store people being the jerks that they usually are. My situation was weird, I was renewing my 2 year contract, so after all discounts applied, the phone rep told me the phone's the same with or without. I don't know how it works, nor do I really care TBH, either way I'm getting a free keypad for a phone I paid 50 dollars for.
If you're nice about it VZW phone support will do anything you want them to within reason. Calling upset gets you places as long as you're respectful and not screaming/swearing up a storm and actually have a sensible argument.
All the phone reps I talked to seemed to be pretty unfamiliar with the QWERTY keypad as separate accessory, all of the reps I've talked to about it had a hard time locating it in their inventory, to check pricing/stock levels, etc.
Just don't ask for any favors from VZW retail locations; I despise them all.