[A_Aviator_A]

They don;t care about selling you one device, they care about the inventory of mass-produced popular phones that Rogers must move through the channel. If they're sitting on 100K Samsungs and 500K I phone X's...why would they recommend the Keyone to people, if at most they're sell 5-10 of them? Realistically their boat floats with whatever popularity tide is in the market.

We're WAY past the carriers acting as brand ambassadors to Blackberry.

[jmzed]

Unfortunately the BlackBerry name has suffered from a bad image over the years and with that comes baggage. I'm not sure the brand will ever recover.

and now the final nail in the coffin by becoming a 'clone phone' with a keyboard, a very poor keyboard to boot, combined with poor build quality, lousy reception, volume of notifications, dreadful media speakers, an 'inconvinience' button that serves no real purpose...... etc., etc... no wonder they don't want to recommend 'the great pretender'....

[BriniaSona]

if you could make an extra ten bucks for selling a samsung or iphone would you not do that? Why turn down free money? If BB shelled out money and told people they'd make more commission seeling the KEYone and Motion than they would the iPhone and Samsung, then they'd sell more easily because the employees would want the extra cash.

I could never be a phone salesman. I would recommend people devices based on what they need and I wouldn't make commission.

Want to text and do email. BB

Draw and art: Note 8/5

Media consumption: S9

Easy to use with minimal errors and long os support: Pixel/iPhone

Best feature phone: Nokia 3310.

[bitek]

My wife Keyone fell on the kitchen floor, screen broke apart; clearly first batch of Keyone with no glue. Took it to local Rogers store for repair. The very friendly salesperson told us flat out "every time a customer ask about BlackBerry I tell them to buy another device."

TCL sold 850,000 and likely prevented a higher number of units sold based on that type testimonials from these employees who do not want customers coming back screaming at them because of poor built quality. First impressions tend to last forever...of course, TCL has since addressed the issue. However, that employee is not convinced.

people who want phone with keyboard will buy phone with keyboard. they will not be asking if they should buy blackberry.

[nucks26]

and now the final nail in the coffin by becoming a 'clone phone' with a keyboard, a very poor keyboard to boot, combined with poor build quality, lousy reception, volume of notifications, dreadful media speakers, an 'inconvinience' button that serves no real purpose...... etc., etc... no wonder they don't want to recommend 'the great pretender'....

I was talking about BlackBerry the brand not BlackBerry the product. I still enjoy BlackBerry's products, including the KEYone. Although they didn't make the hardware, they are still doing the software. Therefore, it is still a product of BlackBerry to some extent. The brand is tarnished, for sure. But the KEYone is an excellent device and I must say I disagree with you there.

[anon(10404428)]

I work for sprint, and I get to pick any phone I want with free service at a 50% off full price on any phone and when I told my manager I wanted the keyone he said "are you sure? you can get the iPhone x or galaxy." other coworker don't like to recommend or try to showcase the keyone to people. I really feel bad for BlackBerry of how bad their name has turnout to be. basically an old piece of technology. I do love my keyone and plan on getting the black one too!

[Bbnivende]

Do you have any idea how many phones they'd have to sell to pay to keep a store open, much less initial costs? Even Samsung doesn't have their own stores.

It's a nice concept, but it's just not practical. It also wouldn't solve the problems of build quality or software issues (both reasons why the carriers are reluctant to sell BB phones).

What really needs to happen is that BBMo and BB need to solve those problems and build a solid track record of quality devices that are well-supported (but need relatively little support) so that the "problems/returns per phones sold" ratio is way, way down. THAT is what will get carriers more interested in BB-branded devices.

Carriers don't really care what devices they sell as long as those devices sell service contracts and as long as they cause minimal problems for the carrier. BB phones over the last 5 years or so have done the opposite: relatively few customers and a higher problem-per-phone-sold ratio than other brands. That's how you get CSRs who recommend against your brand.

We have six Samsung Experience Stores in Canada. Like an Apple store but really really small.

[ThatGuyUSA]

8 years... Built quality was much better then.. for now she's back on her trusted well built reliable Q10..

Much better.......is ok........working now. That’s the issue, people want a phone that works. As much as I hate to say it, that’s why Apple is Apple........it just works.

[ThatGuyUSA]

if you could make an extra ten bucks for selling a samsung or iphone would you not do that? Why turn down free money? If BB shelled out money and told people they'd make more commission seeling the KEYone and Motion than they would the iPhone and Samsung, then they'd sell more easily because the employees would want the extra cash.

I could never be a phone salesman. I would recommend people devices based on what they need and I wouldn't make commission.

Want to text and do email. BB

Draw and art: Note 8/5

Media consumption: S9

Easy to use with minimal errors and long os support: Pixel/iPhone

Best feature phone: Nokia 3310.

It’s really much more than the commission. The big carriers want the least issues. Blackberry has a bad reputation with quality control. Screen lift is just one issue that spans multiple builders. I also think they went with the wrong builder this time. Instead of going with Samsung or someone with a good reputation. They went with TCL, one with a a reputation of building cheaper phones.

This really is just marketing, would you buy a Cadillac type car made by Yugo or one made by Cadillac?

[Troy Tiscareno]

We have six Samsung Experience Stores in Canada. Like an Apple store but really really small.

In the US, Samsung has purchased space inside of Best Buys, but as far as I know, has no standalone stores.

[krazyatom]

I work for sprint, and I get to pick any phone I want with free service at a 50% off full price on any phone and when I told my manager I wanted the keyone he said "are you sure? you can get the iPhone x or galaxy." other coworker don't like to recommend or try to showcase the keyone to people. I really feel bad for BlackBerry of how bad their name has turnout to be. basically an old piece of technology. I do love my keyone and plan on getting the black one too!

You should get iphone x and sell it. You may end up getting a keyone for free.

[stlabrat]

TCL/BBMo should learn from screen fall off fault: - material and process is more important than marketing. the fault get rid of at least half million profit by scare away customers and black mark on the brand. it will take years to vindicate TCL/BBMo (since the test unit doesn't have screen fall off issue, I believe their standard production MFG process over looked something... - the only way to explain how they can passed carrier qual but got field failure). a learning process to be name brand product... need to get back to the bold build quality with attention to details transfer from design to standard production... no short cut and no material cost cutting after qual and minimum change of process (change with extreme care). IMHO.

[ThatGuyUSA]

In the US, Samsung has purchased space inside of Best Buys, but as far as I know, has no standalone stores.

When I was in NY I ran into s stand-alone store on LI. I asked about it the manager told me it was the first of many, that was four weeks ago.

[Troy Tiscareno]

When I was in NY I ran into s stand-alone store on LI. I asked about it the manager told me it was the first of many, that was four weeks ago.

I guess I'm not surprised given that Best Buy is doing poorly, and that Samsung has all kinds of products it can sell in a retail store (phones, tablets, computers, appliances, TVs, etc.). But, still, it's a fairly new development.

[bb10adopter111]

I guess I'm not surprised given that Best Buy is doing poorly, and that Samsung has all kinds of products it can sell in a retail store (phones, tablets, computers, appliances, TVs, etc.). But, still, it's a fairly new development.

It might make sense to put a company-owned flagship store in a place like NYC to gather market data directly and test out the viability of different retail models. But that doesn't mean that Samsung is retreating from its traditional distribution strategy. (NM, I just reread that the manager said Samsung was opening more.)

Also, I thought Best Buy just surprised on the upside with strong sales.

Posted with my trusty Z10

[ThatGuyUSA]

I guess I'm not surprised given that Best Buy is doing poorly, and that Samsung has all kinds of products it can sell in a retail store (phones, tablets, computers, appliances, TVs, etc.). But, still, it's a fairly new development.

100 percent correct. They are going to open a few more and see how it plays out. My guess is it will be a smart move and pay off to get away from the bigger stores and go more personal.

[Troy Tiscareno]

100 percent correct. They are going to open a few more and see how it plays out. My guess is it will be a smart move and pay off to get away from the bigger stores and go more personal.

Well, sure, that's always the dream - it's just not practical for most companies, because you have to sell so much product, and sell it consistently for years - in order to make it work. But Samsung has gotten big enough, with enough sales, and enough variety of products, that they can still pull it off. Even Apple wouldn't have survived if all they had was phones, even though phones generate most of the profits. There's a lot of non-iPhone stuff to buy in an Apple store.

[Carjackd]

Every once in a while you get an educated sales person on the carrier level, otherwise it's * Do you want fries with that smartphone?

[krazyatom]

BlackBerry is unique and we don't need carrier supports! BlackBerry should start doing invite system like oneplus.

Posted via CB10

[Chuck Finley69]

BlackBerry is unique and we don't need carrier supports! BlackBerry should start doing invite system like oneplus.

Posted via CB10

LOL

[stlabrat]

you mean oneplus does not have carrier support? hahaha... Invite is great for Tesla unique config user car... based on pre-order number... Not bad if you ship 800 per week or so. Cell phone is a bit different. What oneplus invite provide you? pre-order with discount? or region specific config (APN for example... oh, that still have to come from carrier... app? that defeat purpose of flexibility of droid... must be something I missed).
As for store, the cost is really not that high compare to the marketing dollar (should not expect to be cash positive, just as marketing box for showcase and user support... add as fix cost for every phone... and come from marketing budget if no tax implications). here is how much cost for store in Toronto... from kijiji...
"Profitable Cell phone business for sale
City of Toronto20/01/2018
part time work, full time income Profits 2017 - $50,000 after deducting rent ($1030/m) & wages ($1200/m) Hi, I'm selling a cell phone booth When I bought these booths, my sale was under $200.00 a day and now we average $750-1000/day (real numbers, serious buyer can verify by working at the booth & also I have invoices showing roughly purchases of roughly $300,000 over period of 2 years) I've established this business over the last couple years. Strong customer base. This is a preferably 2 ..."

[idssteve]

Can't count how many Verizon sales floor associates have told me "Blackberry is going out of business... Droid is the future!" ... For SOoo many years after Storm!

Many factors at play but just goes to show... Wonderful as raw cookie dough can be, selling "half baked" electronics is a sure recipe for reputation destruction. Calling Storm 1 "half baked" is far too generous. Some might argue that batter wasn't even stirred! Lol. AND, as if seeking to "optimize destructiveness" of THAT epic failure, releasing "cookie dough" PlayBook and Z/Q10 while omitting obvious ingredients made for an indelibly bitter tasting "cookie dough". Lol.

When rebuilding reputation, every action MUST be well measured, well mixed, well baked, well delivered... "Well" being synonymous with BEST. No room for "good enough" while undergoing recovery. Imo.

On a comparatively microscopic scale, I claim responsibility for three startups and one turnaround. I'd rather do thirty startups than one turnaround. TCL has it's work cut out for them. Niche seems about the only space available under current market saturation but resuscitating BB name leaves Zero room for "cookie dough" dev. Imo. Fwiw.

To their credit, TCL seems to have "bellied up" and possibly learned their lesson with screen lift issue. I'm generally encouraged with signs of position awareness. Edge of seat for KeyTwo!

[asvab7]

best buy in albany, new york has a keYone on display, no power, in the wrong section and they have zero accessories to sell with it! a total mess!

[Chuck Finley69]

best buy in albany, new york has a keYone on display, no power, in the wrong section and they have zero accessories to sell with it! a total mess!

Still better than AT&T stores because online sales only and Verizon doesn't carry the phone.

[misterabrasive]

Every once in a while you get an educated sales person on the carrier level, otherwise it's * Do you want fries with that smartphone?

What a great idea! I'll take some fries!