[Piedoe]

We just bought a BlackBerry PlayBook last week and love it. It is exceeding our expectations.

We made our purchase at London Drugs, after visiting both Staples and Future Shop to make our purchase.

We had a couple of questions and found that the salesperson at Staples had no product knowledge at all. He was definitely not a fan of the PlayBook.

The Future Shop salesperson informed us that there was a very good reason that the price had come down from $700 to $200 on the PlayBook and suggested that we wait until the next day to see what Apple's new IPad would offer! He made us feel stupid that we were even considering the BlackBerry after we insisted that we wanted to purchase a BlackBerry PlayBook as we liked the size and price. Needless to say, we soon left the store even though we had come in to buy.

We did some more research online and the next day we went into London Drugs, where the salesperson assured us that he had sold many BlackBerry PlayBooks and that everyone seemed very happy with them. It was refreshing to find a knowledgeable salesperson.

It makes you wonder why a sales people only promote the IPad. . . . . .

[EricB1968]

Glad to hear you went somewhere else for your purchase. Who needs those Kanaving brainwashed hustlers ? I sure don't !!

[eds817]

I dont know for a fact but think that Apple requires its retailers to 'know' the product before selling it. Also, there are a good number of sales people who have or had an iPad or used one. There are a lot of people who have an Android device and are familiar with the OS. I would guess that the number of people selling tablets that are familiar with or have used a BB is small.

RIM needs to spend more time educating the retailers sales force.

[Badrush]

I think the best way to fix this is to send in complaints to Best Buy and Future Shop with specific stores mentioned and if possible employee names. Otherwise they might think their "expert" tech salespeople actually know something about anything besides an iPad.

It is very sad for the ignorance of salespeople to be so widespread.

[barkomatic]

Yes, the Staples I originally visited when researching the Playbook suggested I shouldn't get it either. They had received a lot of returns and poor feedback when the device was at full retail and I think that still hasn't worn off. Anyway, totally different story now that its less than half the cost of a comparable iPad. This is mostly RIM's fault.

[Jlodon2012]

I don't care what others say about PB.
I'm very happy with PB.

[[email protected]]

Yes, the Staples I originally visited when researching the Playbook suggested I shouldn't get it either. They had received a lot of returns and poor feedback when the device was at full retail and I think that still hasn't worn off. Anyway, totally different story now that its less than half the cost of a comparable iPad. This is mostly RIM's fault.

It us entirely RIM's responsibility. When Sprint launched the iPhone, there were Apple ee's in the stores explaining the product.

At the BB 6 blocks away. There are Sony and Samsung personnel permanently located in the store.
Maybe my neighborhood is an aberration. Who knows. But RIM had money to spend, its not being spent in all the right ways.

[pshift]

There is only one word why salespeople are 'recommending' iPad over Playbook. COMMISSIONS!

[shemaree09]

At Staples and Best Buy the salespeople couldnt even believe I was interested in the Playbook and kept trying to sale me a Kindle Fire.

At Staples

Salesguy: dont get the Playbook, its dead. Nobody likes these. The Kindle is MUCH better. Why would u want a Playbook???

Me: So, the Playbook and Kindle Fire are the same price and size. The Kindle is an eReader with tablet-like qualities, and the Playbook is an ACTUAL tablet that can ALSO be used as an eReader.

The Playbook ALSO has 2 cameras, 16gb, native email, can run Android apps, and bridge to my phone.....but I should get the Kindle????

Salesguy: well err.......um yeah, the Playbook would be the better choice.....

Me:

[yorkshireman2]

I find the whole love over with all things Apple to be very spooky. It is like Apple have hypnotised the world. I have had an iPhone and still have an iPad, but I think the Playbook is a far better device for my needs, and I figure my needs are pretty similar to most people's. And my Bold 9900 is, at least for me, a much better mobile device for email, phone calls, texts, etc, plus I use it in the gym, listen to music on it, and a whole host of other things.

Hopefully, the world's love affair with Apple will come to an end sooner or later and people will realize there are lots of alternatives, and some of them, such as the Playbook, are superb alternatives.

[yorkshireman2]

I find the whole love over with all things Apple to be very spooky. It is like Apple have hypnotised the world. I have had an iPhone and still have an iPad, but I think the Playbook is a far better device for my needs, and I figure my needs are pretty similar to most people's. And my Bold 9900 is, at least for me, a much better mobile device for email, phone calls, texts, etc, plus I use it in the gym, listen to music on it, and a whole host of other things.

Hopefully, the world's love affair with Apple will come to an end sooner or later and people will realize there are lots of alternatives, and some of them, such as the Playbook, are superb alternatives.

[shemaree09]

I find the whole love over with all things Apple to be very spooky. It is like Apple have hypnotised the world. I have had an iPhone and still have an iPad, but I think the Playbook is a far better device for my needs, and I figure my needs are pretty similar to most people's. And my Bold 9900 is, at least for me, a much better mobile device for email, phone calls, texts, etc, plus I use it in the gym, listen to music on it, and a whole host of other things.

Hopefully, the world's love affair with Apple will come to an end sooner or later and people will realize there are lots of alternatives, and some of them, such as the Playbook, are superb alternatives.

i agree. I think sometimes it just comes from popularity.

Apple is considered "trendy, cool and hip" Its cool to have what everyone else has no matter the function.

I also find it weird how some people are embarrassed to express that they actually like a different brand than Apple or even think ANYthing made by Apple is automatically superior. Some act like there arent ANY options other than the usual suspects lol

I want a mp3 player: get an iPod
I want a new phone: get an iPhone
I want a iPad (name for all tablets lol ): get an ipad
I want a laptop: get a Mac

[Scotter75]

Before I purchased my PB last August, I did my research on the product as well as the Apple product. I entered Staples in Milton, told the salesperson (young man) that I wanted to buy a PlayBook. He began to give me the Apple sales pitch. I left, walked across the parking lot to Wal Mart where I got what I asked for. Nothing irritates me more than someone giving me a sales pitch for something I didn't ask for. BTW my PB has worked without a flaw since I bought it.

[d_pang]

Most salesperson nowadays are apple fanboys or android fanboys. Disappointed to see this happen, they would not be better biased in any way.

[alnamvet68]

We just bought a BlackBerry PlayBook last week and love it. It is exceeding our expectations.

We made our purchase at London Drugs, after visiting both Staples and Future Shop to make our purchase.

We had a couple of questions and found that the salesperson at Staples had no product knowledge at all. He was definitely not a fan of the PlayBook.

The Future Shop salesperson informed us that there was a very good reason that the price had come down from $700 to $200 on the PlayBook and suggested that we wait until the next day to see what Apple's new IPad would offer! He made us feel stupid that we were even considering the BlackBerry after we insisted that we wanted to purchase a BlackBerry PlayBook as we liked the size and price. Needless to say, we soon left the store even though we had come in to buy.

We did some more research online and the next day we went into London Drugs, where the salesperson assured us that he had sold many BlackBerry PlayBooks and that everyone seemed very happy with them. It was refreshing to find a knowledgeable salesperson.

It makes you wonder why a sales people only promote the IPad. . . . . .

If all these haters actually had a clue, then I might be concerned; so far, I try to pay them no mind. I didn't get a couple of post graduate degrees so that I could hang out with, and listen to idjits.

[cdelcampo216]

I purchased my PB @ Office Depot and the Sales people knew very little about it. What they did know was that it was on sale. That's it. I had done enough research to know that it was going to be a great tablet. Especially since I wasn't a big fan of Android tablets, since they aren't really uniform. The iPad was & still is out of my price range. So, I went with the logical choice. FLASH, MULTI TASKING & the quality that RIM was known for.

I love my PlayBook and I'm sure that like many PB owners will tell you... once the bugs all get worked out & the remaining apps/developers come on board it will be SEEN as good as we know it already is!!!

[haveusean]

I brought my pb on London Oxford Street and the guy that sold it me couldn't praise it highly enough!

[kenshaw]

To be honest guys, I think they just don't want to deal with all the returns. I had to go to two Staples and 2 best buys to find a sealed 32GB.

Everywhere I went. all they said is we have it, but all we have is open box returns. My local best buy had 11 open box 16's and 3 32's. That might be the reason they steer people away. Just a thought.

[Spinal]

We made our purchase at London Drugs, after visiting both Staples and Future Shop to make our purchase.

just out of curiosity why would you visit 3 retailers if you were going to buy it anyway? why not just get it at the first one?

The Future Shop salesperson informed us that there was a very good reason that the price had come down from $700 to $200 on the PlayBook and suggested that we wait until the next day to see what Apple's new IPad would offer!

maybe 500-200, not 700-200 i haven't seen a 64gig playbook for 199. and RIM did have a good reason to slash prices, they couldn't sell as many as they wanted.

I purchased my PB @ Office Depot and the Sales people knew very little about it. What they did know was that it was on sale. That's it. I had done enough research to know that it was going to be a great tablet. Especially since I wasn't a big fan of Android tablets, since they aren't really uniform. The iPad was & still is out of my price range. So, I went with the logical choice. FLASH, MULTI TASKING & the quality that RIM was known for.

i find the bolded text interesting. you blame the salesman for not knowing the product (thats fair) but then base your decision off of price, what if the playbook didn't sell for $199 - which tablet would you be getting then? If any tablet at all, as it was priced basically the same as the ipad.

To be honest guys, I think they just don't want to deal with all the returns. I had to go to two Staples and 2 best buys to find a sealed 32GB.

Everywhere I went. all they said is we have it, but all we have is open box returns. My local best buy had 11 open box 16's and 3 32's. That might be the reason they steer people away. Just a thought.

valid point, at the bestbuy i work at we had far more open box playbooks than ipads at any given time, it got to one point where we had so many open box 16 gig playbooks RIM took them all back (there was about 50) as it looked like their product couldn't sell.

i like my playbook but RIM has some serious quality control issues, now they're mostly ironed out (thankfully) but during the first few weeks after launch i've never seen so many returns in my life for a single product.

[ralfyguy]

What I find INSANE is the fact that the dude rather sells NOTHING if he can't talk the customer into an iPhad/out of a PB. That is rather SICK! What on earth has happened to this country? That is so sick and brainwashed, it renders me speechless. I'm starting to get afraid...

[sgt_snacks-64]

I brought my pb on London Oxford Street and the guy that sold it me couldn't praise it highly enough!

Phones4U in Southampton Town center, me and the sales guy got into a conversation about side-loading Android apps etc.

It must be different in the US, because in the UK, sales people seem to "push" the Playbook more

[willcookson]

Yes, the UK does appear a bit different. When I bought mine at PC World they steered me away from android and towards playbook because I had a bb phone, price and functionality. I asked if they had many problems (returns etc) and they said no and that they were selling lots at this price (this was January).

Best buy for ages!! Really happy with it.

[gritzo]

To be honest guys, I think they just don't want to deal with all the returns. I had to go to two Staples and 2 best buys to find a sealed 32GB.

Everywhere I went. all they said is we have it, but all we have is open box returns. My local best buy had 11 open box 16's and 3 32's. That might be the reason they steer people away. Just a thought.

Maybe people were returning them for 64s? I know quite a few have done this..

[kenshaw]

Maybe people were returning them for 64s? I know quite a few have done this..

I didn't ask that, but if your a retailer I'm sure your not happy about it. I know I would never buy an opened product. Even to save a few dollars.

[[email protected]]

I didn't ask that, but if your a retailer I'm sure your not happy about it. I know I would never buy an opened product. Even to save a few dollars.

I believe a factor may have been the holiday shopping season. Two of the PBs that I got off of Craigslist were X-Mas gifts that the recipients decided they didn't want.

Consider that many of these may have been gifts that some thought were cool, but also cheap. This was before the update, when you needed a BB phone to fully appreciate the product.

I can easily see why there may have been a significant number of returns during the busy season that still has some retail sales person a little skittish...

But that's just a theory...