-
I didn't get a call, but I got the e-mail it's on the way. Only in America.....Have not received an email from Shop BlackBerry and my account shows order status as received, but I just got a call from FedEx with a tracking number and a reminder that someone over 21 needs to be home to sign for the package. WOO HOOOOO!!
01-03-12 06:24 PM - Dec 31st was the last day of the last offer (before all models went to $299 on Jan 1st). I purchased the 32GB for $249 on Dec 31st on store.shopblackberry.com. So when I figured out that the 64 GB version has gone down to $299, I purchased that today afternoon (Jan 3rd). I checked my Amex "pending charges" and both the $249 as well as the $299 were listed as pending.
Then I called the 866* number to cancel my 32GB order I placed last Saturday, Dec 31st. I thought since the order status is still "received", they should be able to cancel it. But I was told that in the back-end the order shows being sent to "shipping" and thus couldn't be cancelled (only returned after I receive it). So I asked her (CSR) for the status on my new order for the 64GB that I had placed half hour earlier. She said that one was "caught" in their system as a problem order. She told me that it was not my card (same card used) but their system that had an unknown issue.
So I asked her to cancel the 64GB order which was "caught" or "flagged" in their system.
I then logged into the store (after it came back up about half an hour ago this evening), and checked the status. The 32GB is still in "received" status. The 64GB is in "cancelled" status. Amex still shows both charges pending (and I expected that because its only an authorization and will not go away unless the merchant settles the charge. If the merchant doesnt settle the auth in the auth validity period, it will drop off when the auth expires, which is 7 days for Amex).
So then, I went ahead and placed another 64GB order And now I have ANOTHER $299 authorized on my card (in the Pending list) along with the other two
Long story short, their e-store is able to authorize the card transactions and are procuring the auth code from the card processing platforms (for Amex its their own CAPN platform) but the e-store workflow seems to have a glitch that "catches" or "flags" individual transactions.
And I have a suspicion what the glitch is, but will be sure only when I find out what happens with my second 64GB order. The 866* # was closed for business by the time I called....
Well, we'll find out tomorrow...
I know a little bit about RIMs systems because I provided some consulting to RIM Web Dev team on their global credit card processing engine a few months ago.
UPDATE: This is not essentially an update on the order status but just a clarification on my post. I already own a 16GB PB that I bought after Thanksgiving for $189 (with the $10 off coupon). Including my present 16GB PB, the only one in possession, I now have a total of 4 PB order on the SBB store with one delivered - 16GB, one cancelled - 64GB, and two open - 32 and 64 And I am not sure what am gonna do with these but I love the PB and I think its an investment (they will be great gifts to give)
Order Status Update: So I called the 866* # this morning and confirmed that my most recent (second) 64GB order is in "shipping". That confirms my hypotheses on their e-store glitch. Its the check-box for using same billing address as shipping. You check it, then select "home" from the drop-down to populate the address fields, and then the check box goes unchecked by itself. At this point, do not check it again - just proceed to check out. I also believe that their estore middleware does not use AVS or CID for card authorizations (only expiration date).
That now leaves me with 16 (189), 32 (249), and 64 (299). Let me know if anybody wants the 32GB.Last edited by fj_cruiser; 01-04-12 at 09:36 AM.
01-03-12 08:38 PM - No question Amazon understands the value of content. However I'm surprised to hear that they are generating $ 100 of 'profit' from the sale of content within 90 days.
What is your source for this claim?
Even assuming that their COGS on their content is relatively low (say 30%, they are not selling proprietary content, but reselling someone elses -books, music, videos, games, etc.) leaving a profit margin of 70% that means they are selling ~ $ 145 of content at retail value in 90 days on average to each and every Kindle fire owner. That's a lot of books, music, videos and games in such a short period of time.
I really doubt that is happening.
If it is true, then it is a simply brilliant strategy that will be quickly copied. Why wouldn't Apple, the other master at selling content (via iTunes) simply drop their prices substantially for as long as necessary to totally crush any and all comers?01-04-12 01:06 PM - Admittedly, $100 was a SWAG. But I think we can agree that Amazon recovers the $100 in say, a year. $15 per Kindle book?No question Amazon understands the value of content. However I'm surprised to hear that they are generating $ 100 of 'profit' from the sale of content within 90 days.
What is your source for this claim?
Even assuming that their COGS on their content is relatively low (say 30%, they are not selling proprietary content, but reselling someone elses -books, music, videos, games, etc.) leaving a profit margin of 70% that means they are selling ~ $ 145 of content at retail value in 90 days on average to each and every Kindle fire owner. That's a lot of books, music, videos and games in such a short period of time.
I really doubt that is happening.
If it is true, then it is a simply brilliant strategy that will be quickly copied. Why wouldn't Apple, the other master at selling content (via iTunes) simply drop their prices substantially for as long as necessary to totally crush any and all comers?
Or ten years.
One one hundredth the time it would take RIM to recover their loss if someone purchased all the content RIM sells every time they purchased a playbook.
My point is, Amazon has figured out a way to profit from the sale of a reader at a loss, and is doing it. RIM might have a PLAN to do it, which is not the same as having a history of doing it.01-04-12 02:46 PM
