[Edward in Toronto]

One store in every major city. It would be great advertising, people walking by could see that they haven't gone bankrupt, and they would be able to walk in and play around with the new BB10 OS. Die hard fans like us would also benefit from having a place to try out phones and get help with problems.

If they have turned the corner on restructuring, and are now building the company back up, then please, at least build back up a few token stores.

[howarmat]

tried and failed.....no need to try again IMO

[BigBadWulf]

I can appreciate what you are saying, but that would render them bankrupt in short order.

[blackmoe]

So have you done a cost analysis and ROI study or is this just something you are assuming?

Corporations can't make decisions based on hunches.

[Troy Tiscareno]

That would be a good idea... if BB was trying to sell phones to consumers. They aren't - they fought that battle and lost, and Chen himself has said more than once that they aren't after that market anymore. They are focusing on enterprise sales, and enterprises don't go to retail stores to choose which phone they want to buy for their corporation.

You are a CONSUMER, and thus are not the customer that BB is trying to sell to.

[blackmoe]

That would be a good idea... if BB was trying to sell phones to consumers. They aren't - they fought that battle and lost, and Chen himself has said more than once that they aren't after that market anymore. They are focusing on enterprise sales, and enterprises don't go to retail stores to choose which phone they want to buy for their corporation.

You are a CONSUMER, and thus are not the customer that BB is trying to sell to.

And even if they were after consumers there is still no guarantee it would pay off to have retail locations.

[notafanofyou]

That would be a good idea... if BB was trying to sell phones to consumers. They aren't - they fought that battle and lost, and Chen himself has said more than once that they aren't after that market anymore. They are focusing on enterprise sales, and enterprises don't go to retail stores to choose which phone they want to buy for their corporation.
You are a CONSUMER, and thus are not the customer that BB is trying to sell to.

Chen is smart enough to know that the consumers are not allowed to buy BlackBerry. I am glad he is focusing on sectors of the market that BlackBerry will be allowed to sell to like enterprise, governments and health care. BlackBerry will never be allowed to ever enter the consumer market plus the damage has been done via big brother and the masses are now well conditioned to believe BlackBerry just isn't good. That will not change. BlackBerry only and best bet is to focus on where they are allowed to go and that part of the market is huge.

Posted via CB10

[dbmalloy]

Simply cost.... Chen is of the mind... does it pay.... Bricks and Mortar building do not.... as for advertising,.. do not look for a lot. at least in the consumer market.... best BB is looking for is peripheral sale from the consumer market... people really need to start looking at it as a niche company for now... and that niche is Enterprise.....

[bakron1]

I think folks have made some good points about BlackBerry focusing on the business and enterprise market. The most important mission for Mr Chen at the moment is to stop the bleeding of cash and increase the revenue stream, which in the end will provide stability for the company.

If they can do that, the company can still release their niche products and sell enough of them to their loyal fanbase, which for me as a loyalists, I can live with that.

Nobody can predict the future in this highly competitive smartphone market. But, smart management and the ability to deliver products that the customer has asked for will insure they will be around for a while. Just my two cents.

Sent from my lovely passport on T Mobile USA

[Edward in Toronto]

Do they not still have a shop in Dubai?
BlackBerry

They could open up a token 3 or 4 more world wide. Perhaps London, Berlin, Toronto and New York.

[olisg]

The only brick and mortar BlackBerry shop is in Dubai Mall

Posted via CB10

[early2bed]

This is the part where someone usually suggests kiosks.

[MobileMadness002]

Chen is smart enough to know that the consumers are not allowed to buy BlackBerry. I am glad he is focusing on sectors of the market that BlackBerry will be allowed to sell to like enterprise, governments and health care. BlackBerry will never be allowed to ever enter the consumer market plus the damage has been done via big brother and the masses are now well conditioned to believe BlackBerry just isn't good. That will not change. BlackBerry only and best bet is to focus on where they are allowed to go and that part of the market is huge.

Posted via CB10

Where did you come up with that drivel?

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

BlackBerry needs to maybe improve their online store....

Or they need to better partner with existing carriers to improve their in store presences. But as others have stated.... BlackBerry is no longer a general consumer device. If you want a BlackBerry that's fine, but most people don't. And without a long term solution to the ecosystem, I doubt it ever will be. So stores and kiosks would only be a waste of MILLIONS of dollars, that BlackBerry can not afford to waste.

[JRM1014]

a small kiosk in some shopping malls would do wonders....and wouldnt cost much, even if its a temporary thing

[early2bed]

It seems like Blackberry needs to be more innovative, here. How about having hot dog, falafel, and other types of food cart/food truck vendors display promotional material and give demos. They always have prime locations where busy people congregate. In exchange, the vendors could get free service plus any commissions from selling boxed devices that people can quickly activate via the web.

[birdman_38]

It's not 2013 anymore, when BlackBerry was pursuing the consumer market. New stores would cost upwards of $2 million a piece to open, plus the cost of operation. Leasing in a significant traffic location plus payroll not only in stores but in the entire retail hierarchy would be significant. It would take a long time to make money. Also take into account that consumer demand for the brand is at an all time low. And BlackBerry would have to support those stores with consumer marketing, which isn't going to happen anytime soon. While the increased exposure would be nice, it makes absolutely no business sense for BlackBerry to have a chain of brick-and-mortar stores.

[m1a1mg]

Where did you come up with that drivel?

EDIT:

Sorry.

[BigBadWulf]

Just read his posts. It's the funniest thing you'll do today.

Lets not get personal now, please.

[TGR1]

I read the title as "Brick and Mordor shops".

We just don't walk into those kinds of places.

[ubizmo]

I read the title as "Brick and Mordor shops".

We just don't walk into those kinds of places.

I did the same. I was thinking it would only work if they can get Sauron to run Marketing.

[Ment]

I could see BB putting up pop-up stores in selected cities during the holidays or for product launches but not permanent Apple type stores, thats way too expensive.

[World War Z30]

The only reason Apple, Samsung and Sony have full out stores is because they sell tons of different products from phones, laptops and TVs. BlackBerry just have that much product or name power to do so.

It's probably easier for them to send out a salesperson to individual companies looking to buy BES12 or to hook up employees with new phones.

Posted via CB Z30

[Rello]

Chen is smart enough to know that the consumers are not allowed to buy BlackBerry. I am glad he is focusing on sectors of the market that BlackBerry will be allowed to sell to like enterprise, governments and health care. BlackBerry will never be allowed to ever enter the consumer market plus the damage has been done via big brother and the masses are now well conditioned to believe BlackBerry just isn't good. That will not change. BlackBerry only and best bet is to focus on where they are allowed to go and that part of the market is huge.

Posted via CB10

If that's your opinion that's fine but word it different please....there is absolutely nothing stopping people from buying a BlackBerry device. Trust me....im a consumer and no magical or unseen force stopped me from getting my lovely white Z10. BB10 simply isn't on peopled minds and all they really have to sell as far hardware is phones. You don't need actually stores when you don't have much to sell and most people don't care about what you do have to sell. That's the sad truth

Posted via CB10