[dbmalloy]

Almost fell off my chair reading this on BGR this morning....

BlackBerry Z10 launch: AT&T stores did little to promote it | BGR


Buying the new Blackberry Z10 in Manhattan was a chilling experience
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BlackBerry Z10 Launch

mobile March 25, 2013 at 9:27 AM by Tero Kuittinen

To get a sense of demand for the BlackBerry (BBRY) Z10 on its launch weekend, I visited three AT&T (T) stores on Saturday afternoon between 52nd Street and 96th Street. Some of the standard questions I sprinkled between small talk were: “Do you have the new BlackBerry Z10? How is it doing, have you sold many units? What are the best features of the Z10?”

The first shop I visited had one wall for Samsung (005930) phones and another for all other smartphone brands. There was no Z10 on either wall, no banners, no displays. When asked, the sales person whipped out the Z10 from behind the counter. This shop had sold exactly one unit of the Z10 over Friday and Saturday. The sales person described the phone’s best feature as the browser, which is much faster than any other phone can offer, but provided no details on its OS or user interface, even when prompted. There was a Lumia 920 banner above one of the smartphone displays.

Shop No. 2 had the Z10 on the main wall featuring all leading smartphones, but again had no banners, no displays. The sales person was perky and positive about Z10 sales but also extremely vague about the phone itself and provided no details on the phone’s features until she started swiping through the promotional messages on the Z10 display detailing the camera and UI features. She read the messages, but could not explain what was actually special about the photography software. Then she launched into a pitch about buying the new iPad on a special promotion — $100 off if you add mobile network access to family plan.

Shop No. 3 also had the Z10 on the main smartphone display with no banners and no special displays. The sales person at this store was very enthusiastic and informed. He declined to state how many models were sold, but pointed out that there had been a steady flow of buyers. He described key UI features concisely and accurately, demonstrated easy swipe access to unified messaging and gave a rousing run-through of the camera features. This was a real BlackBerry aficionado with an appealing pitch.

All that said, I was surprised that only one out of three sales people in Manhattan could give me such a good rundown. What the **** is AT&T thinking? Why has there been no systematic training of sales people and why are there no window treatments or floor displays? Since they placed the Z10 launch order, why not try to make some noise ahead of the Verizon (VZ) launch? Weirdly enough, Nokia’s (NOK) Lumia 920 launch had a clearly stronger marketing push behind it in these same stores when it debuted three months ago.

This is Manhattan, with a substantial BlackBerry user base in the banking, insurance, advertising and publishing industries. If AT&T is not going to make an effort here, where is it going to happen?

[walt63]

I REALLY hope VZW has really good marketing. They have been supportive of BBRY devices in the past.

[brinklej]

The AT&T Z10 launch wasn't promoted well at all, I remember when the storm can out VZW marketed that phone like crazy there were pictures all around the building inside and outside, there were cardboard cut outs of the storm everywhere and that phone got loads of press from like TV commercials and stuff like that. That morning the storm came out there were people standing in line at 6 in the morning. I know BB doesn't have as much $$$$ as it did in 2008 but if the carriers aren't going to push your devices the company better step it up.

[Dapper37]

Looks like Verizon is the carrier that's ready to push the Z10! Their the ones with the exclusive White launch! Its up to the consumer and 1/3 of the store reps at at&t apparently.

[Bbnivende]

Just a question. What is the incentive for AT&T to push the BB instead of the Iphone ? Can they make more profits in operating a BB rather than the Iphone ? What about the Android? Who is failing here is it AT&T or is it BB. I think BB has to be more creative in getting the word out . Why not a BB stand at the AT&T shop -manned by BB reps. Sales promotions /contests for staff ? Do they offer deals for AT&T sales reps to buy one phone for cost ?

I am with Bell - my wish would be for my carrier to offer a take home a Z10 for a trial run program. I want to try out a sim-less Z10 for a day before I buy.

[Khanhye East]

Come on, lets face it, the dotes working at these retail stores are nothing more but cogs implanted to prevent theft and manage the stores, not much more. The lack of knowledge they have on most of the devices they sell is not much more than one can gather from watching a commercial.

An informed consumer will already know what they want when they enter the store. While the uninformed, will rely on what features the sales rep showcase on a device the uninformed might be interested in.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I REALLY hope VZW has really good marketing. They have been supportive of BBRY devices in the past.

Don't bet on it. VZW is only going to spend money marketing a product IF they see the potential for big returns. And for them that means a device that brings in new subscribers, gets existing subscribers to upgrade to a smartphone or helps to retain existing smartphone users. Of all those only the retain existing subscribers is the most likely possibility. And I'm not sure how well that is going to work. Afraid that you are going to see just as many BBOS7 device sales than Z10 once the launch is over. BBRY has made the switch from OS7 to BB10 a not so easy one. And why they created a management solution that would allow iOS and Android devices and NOT OS7 devices (without an additional server) is beyond me.

[Eric Shapiro]

Its all leading back to what the companies teach their employees. If the employees aren't told to treat all phones as equals, then they're just schilling their own opinions to the people that want to spend their hard earned money on new devices. Its rather appalling, imo.

[independentvolume]

Its obvious that ATT is pushing WP instead of BlackBerry. Verizon might as well because they make more off of a WP device than a Z10.

[agp101]

Whoa holy crap... BGR seriously wrote that?! This guy will lose his job.. I'm almost sure he went behind Geller's back to publish the story.
Man is Geller gonna be pissed when he loses all that Apple advertising money.. Hope the author already packed his stuff and saved himself from "The Big Speech"

[Bbnivende]

Don't bet on it. VZW is only going to spend money marketing a product IF they see the potential for big returns. And for them that means a device that brings in new subscribers, gets existing subscribers to upgrade to a smartphone or helps to retain existing smartphone users. Of all those only the retain existing subscribers is the most likely possibility. And I'm not sure how well that is going to work. Afraid that you are going to see just as many BBOS7 device sales than Z10 once the launch is over. BBRY has made the switch from OS7 to BB10 a not so easy one. And why they created a management solution that would allow iOS and Android devices and NOT OS7 devices (without an additional server) is beyond me.

Are you just referring to the third world markets when you mention continued BB7 sales ? Can't see many BB7 sales going forward here in Canada (not the third world for the info of our USA audience).

[agp101]

Just a question. What is the incentive for AT&T to push the BB instead of the Iphone ? Can they make more profits in operating a BB rather than the Iphone ? What about the Android? Who is failing here is it AT&T or is it BB. I think BB has to be more creative in getting the word out . Why not a BB stand at the AT&T shop -manned by BB reps. Sales promotions /contests for staff ? Do they offer deals for AT&T sales reps to buy one phone for cost ?

I am with Bell - my wish would be for my carrier to offer a take home a Z10 for a trial run program. I want to try out a sim-less Z10 for a day before I buy.

Dude iphone sales have very low margins compared to every other smartphones. Apple is extremely greedy how else you think they have so much money?

[Mr. Dbloo]

Whats even worse is Best Buy, stopped in there Sunday days after launch, no displays, no demo unit. NOTHING anywhere on the Z10.

[lorax1284]

Whats even worse is Best Buy, stopped in there Sunday days after launch, no displays, no demo unit. NOTHING anywhere on the Z10.

That is a shame but not unexpected.

[travaz]

There is no money in the actual sale of a smartphone for the carrier. The money is in the Monthly bill for the next two years. I would think they would see an uptick in revenue from BlackBerry users on Z10 vs BBOS. The Z10 will use much more data than a 99XX. It really doesnt make sense for the carriers not to sell it. Granted you have a whole family of products with Apple you can sell verses 2 Phones with BB.

The BestBuy that I went in had no mention of Z10 anywhere. When I asked the guy looked at me like I just farted in Church

[jay gibs]

Come on, lets face it, the dotes working at these retail stores are nothing more but cogs implanted to prevent theft and manage the stores, not much more. The lack of knowledge they have on most of the devices they sell is not much more than one can gather from watching a commercial.

An informed consumer will already know what they want when they enter the store. While the uninformed, will rely on what features the sales rep showcase on a device the uninformed might be interested in.

^^^ This.