BlackBerrys phones conspicuous by their absence.

This is my opinion, I'm not a fan boy nor a hater.

Today I thought I'd go and have a look at the Z30 as I need to buy a phone for an employee and I've got the Z10 and thought I'd hand it down and get a new toy for me! I really like the Z10 and it knocks spots of my friends Iphones and androids though I quite like the Windows phones.

So off I toddled to Norwich, UK and visited numerous phone shops in search of one. Eventually I found one on a retail park outside Norwich (Carphone Warehouse) that I had to drive to. No other shops had them, I didn't see the Keyboard BlackBerry and only a couple of shops had the Z10. Some of the staff said they didn't sell well so they didn't stock them, others looked at me as if I had bubonic plague and one said he really liked his but changed it for a Samsung anyway. Perhaps everywhere had sold out of Z10/30's but I fear not.

I have to say after my shopping experience I came away quite depressed and feeling BlackBerry are dead in the water and just waiting to sink. I can't see how they expect to sell phones if people don't get to see them and the general consensus of the sales staff is that they are doomed.

I liked the z30 a lot but was too despondent to buy it - and I set out to do so this morning. I couldn't find one easily, and I encountered sales staff who's conversation would certainly put a casual buyer off BlackBerry so is there any hope for BlackBerry? I hope so, but like Video 2000 and betamax, having a good product (or even then best product) doesn't assure you of success.

Depressed of Norwich!





Posted via CB10

I think that eventually BlackBerry's "niche" market will be selling BlackBerry phones online only, unlocked and direct from BlackBerry. And a lot of people will be OK with that.

Posted via CB10

I had a similar experience in Boston, Massachusetts. No phones on display. Had to purchase on line. I believe the carriers play a big part in swaying a buyer's purchase. It is so sad because BlackBerry 10 is fabulous.

Posted via CB10

Just bought my z10 last night. The sales staff put the hard sell on me to get an I Phone or DROID. This is my first BlackBerry and although the BB10 devices are stellar, BlackBerry is losing the war in the trenches. I think part of the issue is that the sales people are uneducated about the devices and genuinely dont understand what BB10 brings to the market. This lack of awareness by the sales people on the floor and the general public is on BlackBerry to fix.

Posted via CB10

I agree that BlackBerry interest is diluting at a rapid pace. The said, here in Canada near Toronto, Costco, Rogers store and Walmart still have the Z10, and Q10 on display front and center. Others may as well bit those are the places I've seen over the last 4 days.

Posted by Dr. Emmett Brown from my Google iBerry Cranial Implant

In Toronto Q10's and Z10's can be found at Futureshop, Best Buy and Bell stores too. I see a number of them on Kijiji and Craigslist.

Q10 & 9900 on Bell Mobility

My dad was saying how last weekend at the mall he walked into a Telus store where there was a blackberry display with a blackberry rep there. He wasn't being a pushy annoying salesman. I live in Waterloo. We need more of this.

Posted via CB10

Originally Posted by Actn_Jksn

In Toronto Q10's and Z10's can be found at Futureshop, Best Buy and Bell stores too. I see a number of them on Kijiji and Craigslist.

Q10 & 9900 on Bell Mobility

Yea but the Z30 is a lot harder to find, even if you ask if they have one stock to show :(

Posted via CB10

This is a all too common theme I hear. Besides major marketing issues, lack of consumer and carrier education perception is a major thing that needs to change if BlackBerry 10 is ever going to gain back ground.

Thankfully I never had any of these issues purchasing over the phone. The girl never questioned me and when I went into a Bell Store the rep I talked to had a Q10 and said he liked it. If they would have given me grief about a educated purchase decision they would have got an earful.

CB10 - Z10 -10.2.1.1055

I noticed the same thing years ago, back when BlackBerry first started to go under after the launch of the S2. I worked a half block from a retail store in downtown SF, so whenever I had a problem or just wanted to check things out, it was pretty convenient to pop in. Long story short, I got tired of sales reps pushing me to get a DROID and move away from bb. Seriously, they would badger me like my 4 year old son badgers me when he wants a piece of candy.

I no longer set foot in any retail store. There's no need. I already know that BlackBerry offers the highest quality devices of any manufacturer and I don't see that changing any time soon.

Posted via CB10