Who knows what will happen when the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre launches on Saturday? But it’s becoming clear that Sprint (NYSE: S) and Palm are understandably nervous about the device’s reception. Just in case the hype surrounding Palm
Palm And Sprint: Pre’s Success Is “Not A Line Out The Door”
Summary:
Who knows what will happen when the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre launches on Saturday? But it’s becoming clear that Sprint (NYSE: S) and Palm are…
Oh, really???
If Sprint is actually trying to prevent lines in stores so they can spend time with each customer, then why aren't they allowing customers to reserve a device, pay in advance or be on a wait list? And what about limited quantities and no word
about when the next batch will show up?
Maybe the best way to prevent lines would be to allow customers to pay in advance and sign up for specific blocks of time to go to the store, pick up the device and get their training session!
This is better technology
I was waitiing for something like this for a long time
The controlled launch of the Pre allows Sprint to improve its retail presence and store support. But the "in-store tutorials" imply that the Pre is complicated. The iPhone's legacy is no instruction manual and take it out the door to discover. More importantly, Sprint's statement about "no lines" relegates the Pre to a business device like old-time handhelds. In recent times, there has not been a handset winner without "mass-take" at launch. Mass acceptance is vital to play in the phenomenon of mobile networking and sharing. Incremental acceptance succeeds in the business segment, but the economic timing is bad for 2009. Store exit surveys will probably show that customers not buying the Pre are going to wait for the next iPhone model. Sprint is building demand for future Apple innovations. Palm's "comeback" could be fostering Nokia's return in the U.S. market and Sony Ericsson's focus on high end.
Sprint's afraid to make a mistake. CEO Dan Hesse's strength has become a weakness. Boldness is required in competitive battles.
Come on people that is a bailout worse than capital hill. "We don't want lines"!!! Yea right. No, you just understand now that the iPhone following and app store is to much to go up against and now you are trying to save face. Anybody that knows about business knows that your biggest window of money is always with the first release of a product and if that doesn't suceed then there is little chance you have at selling any better later on. You don't have to have every person in line end up with one but you do have to have enough people line up that shows interest in the product so that those people will leave searching for other ways to get your products or return to get the products on next shipment. The real truth is that lines show the real interest in a product. No lines= no interest! Simple really.
I stood in line for the pre at 5:00am. When the store opened at 8:00am there were about 50 others waiting as well. After I walked out of the Sprint store an hour later (had to wait for my cousin, was having trouble with ATT porting his number from the iPhone), the line was too long to count. I'm in Michigan where the economic climate is probably worse than anywhere else in US. Needless to say I was surprised.
IMO, Sprint and Palm are smart for creating hype for this device through the internet and celebs instead of spending all the advertising $'s. That's why the Pre launch was no where near as huge as the first iPhone launch. But, I am extremely impressed with this device. I am a former iPhone user and this device is not only saving money (Sprint vs. ATT rate plan), but also offers more functionality. I don't need to review the phone here, you can find that anywhere.
What I'm trying to get at is this: They didn't spend the huge amounts of money advertising because they didn't want the NEGATIVE customer reviews from people who can't easily figure out how to use this phone. My cousing for example is for all intents and purposes a technophobe. He loved his iPhone because a brain dead monkey could figure out how to use it. He wants to return his pre.
Palm and Sprint targeted this launch at a specific group of people, Us! The people who look to the internet for their news and not the TV; The people who post comments on blogs like this about phones like this.
My experience at the Sprint store was excellent. They had plenty of people and plenty of time to spend with you. It started with the actual purchase of the phone, then you went on to transfer your data and contacts, then you went to another station to get a brief tutorial on the basic gestures. The onboard help feature is excellent as well in learning gestures. All around it took about 25-30 mins from beginning to end. Also, they only let 10 people into the store at a time to ensure better customer service.
Listen, we understand the want-a-be marketing genius behind the launch of the new pre, but let's be real. For the customers who were really excited about the pre…well, that excitement is gone!!! We want to get our hands on the phone. I remember being in St. Louis at the Gallaria Mall when the Iphone was launched and the 200 or so people gathered at the Apple store. It was exciting to the point I wanted to be part of the crowd. Unfortunately, was already a Sprint customer. I know Apple was prepared for the large crowds. I'm wondering, if the pre launch was about the customer, then why do so few of us Sprint customers have one…and we can't even find out when they will be available again! REDICULOUS!!! No matter how you analyze it. It just doesn't make sense. It makes folks feel like paying the extra for the data plan and switch to ATT. Come on, the explanation given to me when I call the stores or even the telesales dept. is so lame no one could begin to choke it down. No one at Sprint even seems to know what the hell is going on. What, their own reps don't even have any information? Mysterious? or just plain STUPID. There is no real viable consideration as to whether or not the pre can compete with the Iphone-it's an Apple. I am by no means an Apple fan. Quite honestly, I could care less. With the exception that I am a Sprint customer and have been for nine years, and feel like the launch for the pre could have come out much more intelligently. By the way…to date no one knows when it will be available again. I'm on a waiting list at one of the corporate stores out of Chicago-2 hours from me; in assumption that Sprint is servicing their larger markets sooner. We'll who really knows…I may have one before the Iphone 3 Gs.