[keepthetorch]

The title speaks for itself. I am referring to stores and carriers. Do they actually even push Blackberry at all? From what I am hearing, unless someone specifically asks to see a BB device, they will not even mention it. You can't sell something you do not even push or maybe being told not to push by the other types. Full disclosure here - I have been a BB user for several years and plan on keeping my Torch since US Cellular won't be offering the newer ones any time soon. At this time I am not interested in switching to Verizon as USCell has been good. The BB phones are absolutely awesome but I am concerned that it will hard to remain viable if people are not even being offered a look at them. When my local rep said that they have sold maybe 5 devices in one year, that is either to people already are BB owners or Android/Iphone people maybe wanting to switch to something else. Am I missing something? Are stores and carriers in your areas different than here?

[RADEoN1337]

When I bought my bold 9700, the t-mobile guy talked to me like i was literally ********. Then I broke it with sweat, and went and got an S2 (or 3, can't remember), didn't like the touchscreen, so took it back and stuck with the qwerty style 9900, and the t-mobile ****** said "you realize you're trading an android based device for a dated blackberry 7 device, right?", and i informed him that if i wanted his uneducated, commission biased opinion, i'd have asked for it, now either kindly grab me the phone, or i will return this phone and promptly switch carriers.

got 100 bucks off.

[sedalia066]

In my family we research our phones and go in with a defined purchase in mind. No longer do we even offer the sales staff any chance to discuss our ideas. Sell us a phone or off we go. I am tired of all the hype and conversation when we are a BlackBerry family for what seem to be very good reasons. The phones work for us and make our lives better. What more could we ask for any handheld device?

[pantlesspenguin]

When I bought my bold 9700, the t-mobile guy talked to me like i was literally ********. Then I broke it with sweat, and went and got an S2 (or 3, can't remember), didn't like the touchscreen, so took it back and stuck with the qwerty style 9900, and the t-mobile ****** said "you realize you're trading an android based device for a dated blackberry 7 device, right?", and i informed him that if i wanted his uneducated, commission biased opinion, i'd have asked for it, now either kindly grab me the phone, or i will return this phone and promptly switch carriers.

got 100 bucks off.

You got flack for buying a 9700??? Wait, was this at launch or a year or so later?

I had the same experience on Verizon (one of the things that prompted me to end my 4 month "experiment" with them). On Verizon when you want to switch between devices, it isn't as easy as sticking your SIM card in like on T-mo. You actually have to call to get your service transfered over (or you could do it online but that option never worked for me for some reason). I called to transfer service from my HTC Rezound to my 9930 and I got absolutely BERATED. The rep was like "Why do you want to do that???" I explained that I wanted something a bit more portable and durable for outdoor activities during the summer (The Rezound was a great phone, but battery life was horrible and I had to use an extended battery/battery door combo which made the phone a tank). She started frantically telling me to just get a case! It was like she thought I was threatening to leave Verizon, not just transfer service to a different phone!

[Jedi_Blackberry]

In my family we research our phones and go in with a defined purchase in mind. No longer do we even offer the sales staff any chance to discuss our ideas. Sell us a phone or off we go. I am tired of all the hype and conversation when we are a BlackBerry family for what seem to be very good reasons. The phones work for us and make our lives better. What more could we ask for any handheld device?

I am the same way. I handle all cell phone research for my family. The wife doesn't like anything blackberry (I have no explanation) and my kids are at the age where basic phones or androids suit them better. When I walk in to a cell store I don't give them the opportunity it to up sell me or change my mind.

Posted via CB10

[l90f03z31]

Bb should bush their carriers harder cause most customers rely quite heavily on stuff's recommendation especially when signing a contract

[FlashFlare11]

I've never had the experience of going into a carrier store and purchasing a phone. I've bought every phone I've ever owned online. I think the next phone I buy, though, will be in-store (since I end up having to go into a store for one thing or another anyway right after a purchase).

I've never had any bad experiences with carriers and their attitudes toward BlackBerry. I've always gotten the help I needed without any side comments. The only experience of note was my most recent trip to an AT&T store two days after getting my Z10. I wasn't getting LTE despite being in an LTE coverage area (Philadelphia). When I took it in, the manager, a WP user, said that because I had bought it off contract, I wouldn't get LTE as it's the price I pay for buying off contract. I know, it's pretty ridiculous. Even the other associates thought so.

[shingi_70]

I just got a new phone (nexus 4) from T-mobile this past Saturday.The sales rep didn't try to push me toward any phone despite carrying a Z10 herself. She asked me what phone I would want and they had no windows phones so she told me to look around which I did for around 15 seconds before asking for the nexus 4.

I really liked the Z10 but if I weren't going Windows Phone I was going to stay with Android where all my purchases would still be useful and my microsoft stuff (outlook, smartglass) could be used without a huge problem. If tmo didn't have the nexus 4 i would have considered the z10 even more.

[keepthetorch]

I appreciate the replies. It is the deer in the headlights look from the sales people when I bring up BB. Almost if you own one or considering BB they are almost annoyed. I just think BB deserves a fair shot and platform with the other phones. Even if US Cellular starts selling the new OS10 phones, the sales people won't even mention them. "Nobody buys those" which is what I heard today from a store. I just want BB to be around for a very long time and not fall victim to lack of open-minded sales staff. Is BB partially to blame here by not effectively training and promoting their phones to stores? I don't know but the attitude is disturbing. Bottom line you have to sell phones to remain a force and get continued app developer support. I have no intention of switching from BB but that decision might be out of my control if something doesn't change.

[Deathcommand]

I used to know specs and features of almost every phone, when I sent to get my 9650, the guy recommended the Evo 3D, he told me about it's higher RAM, 1Ghz Processor, bigger screensize etc.

I told him its 1.2 ghz and taught him about the other phones before buying my 9650.

Posted via Dec Alpha C

[FunGuyLover]

Frankly, I don't give a f a r t what they say. I love my Z10. I like BBM. I like the hub. I greatly appreciate QNX and the smooth, seem less experience it provides. I enjoy knowing that certain communications are truly private.

If people disagree, WTF do I care! They don't know. Forgive them, for they are ignorant and insecure. As they might say on their kiddie keyboards, "Srsly!"

Der...

Trust me, folks, BlackBerry is like rock'n'roll: here to stay. I don't give a whit what the haters say.

Posted via CB10

[FunGuyLover]

Haha! "Seem less" above should be "Seamless."

Funny how the Z's keyboard seems to have a healthy self-deprecating sense of humor!

Posted via CB10

[BlackBerry Guy]

I have no idea. Usually when I go to a wireless dealer, I tell them what I want. Easy sale for them.

I have run into salespeople who after seeing me buy a BlackBerry, express their own enthusiasm for them.

[Vurhan]

I keep seeing more of these bb reps with bb branded shirts emblazoned with "ask me for a demo". I've asked 5 from different malls, and they were pretty knowledgable about the Z10s they were holding.

Only one of them knew anything about STL though.

[johnny_larue]

I bought my Z10 at Future Shop. I told the CSR that I wanted to get a Z10 and she sold me one without any argument.

[keepthetorch]

I agree with you on how outstanding BB is with security and seamless control of things. Believe me I am in your camp. Many other people posting on this site feel the same way too. The issue is selling them beyond the people walking in and wanting one from the start. The other people don't "hate" them as that is impossible when probably 98% of them have never tried one. They are led in like sheep toward everything but BB in most cases. From what I hear, overseas sales have been very good and the US market has to pick up. It is just frustrating to see such a excellent phone not get the accolades it deserves. Will be keeping my Torch for a while until most all the bugs are worked out of the z10 as my contract comes up in a few months. Unfortunately I will have to switch carriers as US Cellular will not be offering the OS10 phones - at least that was confirmed on another thread. Here's to many more years of BB!

[Linda9600]

In my family we research our phones and go in with a defined purchase in mind. No longer do we even offer the sales staff any chance to discuss our ideas. Sell us a phone or off we go. I am tired of all the hype and conversation when we are a BlackBerry family for what seem to be very good reasons. The phones work for us and make our lives better. What more could we ask for any handheld device?

Wish my friend was as firm as you. He went into the store intending to get Androids for his family, but the sales person was pushing him to get iPhones instead, so he caved.

Just like you, I already know in my mind that I'm going to get a BlackBerry. No sales person introducing the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S4 to me will change my mind. Besides, I don't feel like giving them the satisfaction that their sales pitch worked on me.

[Linda9600]

I highly suspect that the reason US carriers don't care about BlackBerry is clearly evidenced by the T-Mobile guy. They have a bad reputation in the US. It's good in other parts of the world, just not in the US.

Last year, I still had my Bold 9700. This was when iPhone was the only smartphone everyone carried and Samsung was just rising. My friend commented that I replied to his e-mail really quickly. I pulled out my BlackBerry and said yeah, I'm on it all the time. He goes, "You still have one of those?"

These may just be two examples from a country of millions of people, but also reading comments from the public to many articles about BlackBerry, I believe this theory is true.

I am willing to bet anyone that the reason why the Z10 has barely made a splash in the US is because of the image that BlackBerry has here. They are still old and outdated and irrelevant and so far, nothing has changed their mind yet.

[kevinnugent]

Same here in Australia. Most carriers don't advertise them and some don't even carry them anymore. I think market share here is less than 1%. It's embarrassing sometimes.

[BB-Marcus]

In the UK, Day before the Z10 release I went into all the main carrier shops in town, EE, Vodafone, Virgin, O2 and Three, plus Car phone warehouse and Phones 4 u.
EE and CP warehouse seemed well up to date. Virgin told me they were not going to stock as they had bad experiences with previous BlackBerry touch screens, Voda knew nothing about release dates and similar response with the other carriers who tried to push other devices.
Release day I went to EE and got the deal I wanted. But overall it was really noticeable the lack of advertising and when the posters did appear in the various shops, they didn't stay up long.

EE actually had a dedicated BlackBerry salesperson which incidentally was an avid iPhone user but having seen this person recently it seems the IPhone is no longer flavour of the month. I have heard since from others that this person has been promoting the Z10.

I can't help think that if BlackBerry had their own shops things would change, end of the day they are still reliant on the carrier to do the main marketing who in my opinion have sales staff with their own personal preference or no doubt commission driven.

Posted via CB10

[nikki778]

When I heard about the z10 coming out I knew that I needed to check it out. I had BlackBerry for years until the storm and then switched to an Iphone so I was very excited to try this new device. I have Verizon and when I went to the store the guy told me that the the z10 was the "Worst phone out there and that the OS was Garbage". I asked if he had any returned and he informed me that they hadn't sold any yet (big surprise with his marketing technique). He tried to push me towards some Samsung device that was as big as my head and I ended up walking irritated. I went to a different retailer and they just simply didn't know anything about it but the had a live one so I sat with it for awhile and decided to go for it. I love this phone - the more I use it the more I love it!! It makes me sad that blackberry is not being represented properly at the stores though.

Posted via CB10

[BBFanatic4Life]

Well I'm in the business of selling phones. I will usually ask why they are wanting a certain phone and see if something else will suit their needs better. I obviously always recommend BlackBerry but there are times when an iPhone or even an android phone will suit their needs better.

I must admit though there are people that just aren't informed about all the different phones/operating systems out there and people sell what they know. I've sold many Z10 and Q10 phones and the overall experience has been great. Some of my co-workers haven't had the same experience or don't know the full potential of what BB10 can do and it's really too bad, but that's the world we live in.

I'd love nothing more than for BlackBerry to become a dominant force in the smartphone industry, and it very well may happen slowly over many years, but BB10 isn't for everyone. BlackBerry knows this to be true and they are building their phones for their target demographic, which is about 30% of the smartphone market.

The way I do my job is I inform and help educate people and if i can convert some people that were looking at an iPhone or Android device, then I consider that a successful day. It's going to be a slow grind but if BlackBerry keeps being innovative people will start to notice and you'll see more people with BlackBerry 10 phones in their hands.

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[pantlesspenguin]

This is why I desperately wish they'd revamp their advertising. They keep going with these concept commercials (glowing bikes, people tumbling into different scenes) instead of showing what the phone can do. And in the few that do, they get it wrong. For example, the tools not toys commercial gives an example of days taking pics with their fans and uploading them to twitter, like phones haven't been able to do that for years. Then there was the lady that answered hundreds of emails every day from her phone. That's great, but for those who are dependent on email. Most consumers are looking for an option for work and play. That commercial made it seem like all she had time to do was answer emails all day so the blackberry was the perfect solution for her.

I wish they'd show relatable people in relatable situations...but showing how the bb10 devices can do the things they already do even better, and showing things they didn't even know they wanted to do in the commercial. That's an area where Samsung is doing great right now. It's time for BB to trump that. No one will buy the devices if they don't know about them!

[BBFanatic4Life]

Yeah I agree. Their advertising is improving but they need to do better. I think they need to present a commercial that people can relate to in their own lives.

I would like to see them have a BlackBerry family and show how each person uses the phone to improve their lives. They could show off the time-shift camera at a family outing or some party, show the parents with a kid or groceries and still being able to communicate efficiently. Have the reader mode for the grand parents. Obviously this would work a lot better if they had a curve line of phones for the kids but the general idea is to show the phones off in real world situations.

They just need to do something that allows people to relate and connect to the devices which I don't think the current commercials do.

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[gregorylkelly]

Deleted. Wrong thread.