[IvanAMANation]

I've been to Staples and Best Buys and they have the PB displayed nicely an all next to Android and the iPads, but there is a major problem. No one knows how to 'turn on' the Playbook with the bezel gesture. Its just some 'new all black tablet from Blackberry' that doesnt even turn on. So I've seen people touch it and struggle to turn on, and simply move on to the Galaxy and iPad tabs'.

If people would only see it while it was turned on, they would love it, and compared to those galaxy tabs, it makes it look like a super computer, and a serious competitor to the iPad. I know for a fact that almost all Blackberry users and business folks looking into a tablet would want to purchase the PlayBook.

Has anyone notice this?

[ridesno159]

I've looked at the PlayBook at both Best Buy (2 different stores) and Staples and they all had some demo thing playing on it. All I had to do was touch the screen, it came on, and I was able to play with it.

Maybe the stores you've been to just don't know how to set it up for displaying it properly...

[howarmat]

hmm i have seen it displaying the demo video or demo mode most places i have seen it (best buy, staples). I did notice that no one asked to help me or tell me about the product though. the customer was left to "play" on their own and figure things out kinda.

[IvanAMANation]

Damn, I'm in NY, and I went to these stores 2 times each in one week, same thing all black screens. I guess the reps have no love for blackberry.

[OniBerry]

Sears in Toronto (Eaton Centre), had one unit, black screen, no staff available to help.

Best Buy downtown (Dundas & Bay) has all PBs and periphs in the tablet section and they were stocking shelves with RIM items (Just not much selection)

Future Shop (Yonge & Dundas) had many staff on hand, not very knowledgable. Asked my friend if she needed a case or wanted to buy extended warranty. Nothing else was discussed. She left the store with a 32Gb.

[Laura Knotek]

hmm i have seen it displaying the demo video or demo mode most places i have seen it (best buy, staples). I did notice that no one asked to help me or tell me about the product though. the customer was left to "play" on their own and figure things out kinda.

Damn, I'm in NY, and I went to these stores 2 times each in one week, same thing all black screens. I guess the reps have no love for blackberry.

I guess it depends on the reps. I visited an AT&T store a couple weeks ago. I was the only customer in the store, and I asked to try an Atrix. The rep put a SIM in it, turned it on and let me play with it for 45 minutes. When I was done, I just gave it back and said thanks. He didn't even ask me if I wanted to buy it.

It's probably like that with any product, depending on the sales reps at a particular store.

[howarmat]

i agree it does differ depending on the rep....sometimes they let you play since you appear to know what you are doing and dont really need help. But i did expect them to atleast ask if i needed any help. Some are just lazy too which is no excuse really

[djpua]

they dont know how to set it up. there is an option in the settings to display the demo when it goes in standby

[Laura Knotek]

i agree it does differ depending on the rep....sometimes they let you play since you appear to know what you are doing and dont really need help. But i did expect them to atleast ask if i needed any help. Some are just lazy too which is no excuse really

I actually walked in a Mazda dealership once, and nobody even approached me. I walked out after looking at the cars and waiting for somebody to approach me. I wasn't going to hunt them down. It sure wasn't anything I ever experienced at any other car dealership.

[Clarkee]

If someone is in the market for a tablet and spending $500+. They will test out and research a product. In other words, they will find out how to turn on the tablet to demo it to help with their purchase. A tablet purchase isn't an impulse purchase.

Don't blame the retail stores, blame RIM's advertising team.

[X04D00]

I actually walked in a Mazda dealership once, and nobody even approached me. I walked out after looking at the cars and waiting for somebody to approach me. I wasn't going to hunt them down. It sure wasn't anything I ever experienced at any other car dealership.

I'd prefer this situation. When I want something I make sure I know everything about it before I go to a store. I don't like people making suggestions for me.

[cmcichon]

The Best Buy I played with one at stuck their anti-theft alarm device on the top bezel, just a few inches to the right of the camera. So you couldn't even use the "swipe to wake" gesture, which was really annoying!

The clerk did come by when I started playing with it, and asked if I had questions. I said I was all good - Crackberry taught me everything I needed to know She went to say if I had a BlackBerry I could bridge it, but I smiled and said I had already done that in the first few minutes of having it.

So, while they put the alarm in a bad spot, at least the clerk was ready to help me out!

[X04D00]

The Best Buy I played with one at stuck their anti-theft alarm device on the top bezel, just a few inches to the right of the camera. So you couldn't even use the "swipe to wake" gesture, which was really annoying!

Swiping from the bottom to top works also.

[Gucci33]

My guys at bb could not figure out the home button. These sales people should be fired. All he talked about was how awesome the xoom was lol

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Laura Knotek]

I'd prefer this situation. When I want something I make sure I know everything about it before I go to a store. I don't like people making suggestions for me.

I would have at least wanted a salesperson to offer to let me test drive a car.

I ended up getting a Honda. The salesperson was not pushy, but did let me test drive it (alone, not accompanying me).

[DaedalusIcarusHelios]

The Best Buy in my area had absolutely no PlayBook anything. Not a display, none on a shelf, and no accessories. I was floored that the guy I asked said they had no accessories. After walking around the store I realized there was not a trace of the PlayBook anywhere. The sales guy said I was the only person he knew of that bought a PlayBook. Not hard to see why there.

I actually had bought my PB at Office Depot in the same city. When I returned looking for accessories, they had a mostly bare shelf with a few cases and such in total disarray, with a small PlayBook sign. There was no PlayBook set up nor any in boxes. The bottom shelf was empty except for some disconnected shelving pieces and their confidential display setup guide. They obviously didn't bother.

Another Best Buy that was closer to my job about an hour away actually had a setup with accessories. That's where I bought my charging dock from.

So I'm disappointed in the lack of retail presence.

[timhorton]

Here's what I want to know. Why did RIM choose Best Buy to be the official launch partner or whatever they call it, and what did the deal entail (can't just be money)?

Both of the Best Buys I visited at launch (one on HiTech in Richmond Hill and one at the Galleria Mall in Buffalo) had the Playbook with weak, inconspicuous displays burried with almost no accessories to speak of (local Future Shop too).

...And then there was Staples (one in Richmond Hill, ON on HiTech and one in New Castle, PA). Both had really nice big displays with shelf talkers and information on the "initial OS update" etc and most importantly at the very front of the store (tech section at least). At the Staples on HiTech they even wore "PlayBook", bright yellow T-shirts with balloons hanging and everything (no cake though). I was really disappointed in the treatment from Best Buy and Future Shop.

Finally, I get all of my knowledge here so I can't comment on whether the staff had any knowledge or not, I didn't need to ask them anything.

[southlander]

Swiping from the bottom to top works also.

and side to side as well.

[howarmat]

all the staples got a devoted endcap i think. most had it setup 2 weeks in advance with no actual unit though. The best buys just had them sitting next to the dell, samsungs and 1 other one. There were no accessories right there either.

[drethos]

we need to load all the demo units browser with crackberry.com and put it on kevins pb video pages. then stand around helping people, at the end of the day demand a paycheck for all your hard work. if they deny it start lighting things on fire. or just every chance you get load crackberry on the demo's. remember most sale guys are dim witted, i knew more then the guys in bestbuy.

[blackcaneaddict]

Their was 3 good videos posted by a iphone user on this site the day the PB came out. Filmed on his phone, but still getting all the basic PB features down. Dude sold at least one PB with thoses videos and I know they would help sell a ton me to the undecided out there.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jrmtz85]

i agree it does differ depending on the rep....sometimes they let you play since you appear to know what you are doing and dont really need help. But i did expect them to atleast ask if i needed any help. Some are just lazy too which is no excuse really

yeah, it really is about the rep. went to the bb near my place (5 mins away) last friday to ask about the 64gb playbook. rep told me (without checking his computer) that they had none in stock, that it hadn't even released yet (!!!) and that i should try next week.

Called a bb store thats like 20mins away. they had it in stock, i asked for one to be held for me, and an hour later i was back home with my awesome 64gb playbook. that rep at the first bb should be castrated

[IvanAMANation]

that rep at the first bb should be castrated

Haha, ur crazy..

We'll my wife bought mine for our anniversary, on the 19th, she called about 5 BB's and they all said there was none in stock until APRIL 28TH! can you believe that?? She went on line and saw on BB website that there was one in stock at a certain location in Queens, she called them, and they said "No, we dont have any until the 28th" My wife flipped out an said she was gonna sue for false advertisement because the Best Buy Website said it was in stock. The rep said "okay ma'am we can hold one for you, but you must pick it up today".

Thus she purchased my PB on the 19th, before any one else had it in the city

Also, the BB stores that I went to after had a few accessories but where sold out on most of them. IDK if they had a limited supply or they sold a lot of them.

[jeffmik]

The Best Buy in Deerfoot Meadows Calgary had a Playbook on display with a huge metal security device stuck to the back that covered the camera. Also, they had not activated it yet so it was stuck on the wifi setup screen. The guy I talked to was an 1diot (really? you can't say *****?). This was on launch day and there were two other people looking to buy but I was the only one who ended up doing so.

[Sonic77]

I think its the price and size that will slow sales.