[tmleafs26]

Im enjoying my coffee and going through the flyers that all came out yesterday.
I just went through both BEST BUY and FUTURESHOP flyers that are valid from April 15 - 21st, 2011.
On the cover of the Futureshop flyer taking up almost the entire page is, the one and only................the.......................XOOM !?!? WTF??? Also listed on the cover is Harry Potter DVD, a Fido phone, a laptop, and on the bottom right corner there (1" x 1") is a tiny blurb that I actually missed the first time, and just caught it to write this email, it says "The Playbook is coming April 19, preorder now and get it first."
As I open the Futureshop flyer there is another huge page dedicated to the Motorola XOOM and XOOM accessories, and thats it - not one picture of the PB, no pricing, nothing. I believe this is a huge #FAIL on either RIMS part or Futureshop/BESTBUY's part - as they are both owned by the same corporation I believe or last I heard. Heck there is a black and white e0book reader that gets a 2.5" x 2.5" space in the flyer, but absolutely nothing on the Playbook, and its 3 days till launch, and the flyer runs through the period of the launch - again I ask - WTF??? That what the Futureshop flyer.

Now the BESTBUY flyer which will now be reffered to as the BB flyer of crapola
The front page of the BB flyer is some movies, Harry Potter, a TV, and an old Ipod talking about trading up program, inside its various electronics, one full page to Harry Potter - and on the last page, half the page dedicated to the Motorola XOOM and accessories, and this flyer is from April 15-21st as well.
Now tell me this, you're launching one of your landmark items in RIMS history, a first for RIM, its 3 days till launch, and the 2 biggest distributors of your product have ZERO mention or pictures of your Playbook - Am I missing something here? I'm confused

I just hope this doesn't mean that there is a last second delay coming down the pipe.....I mean there is ZERO advertising for the Playbook and tons for the XOOM which has been out for a while now.

Anyone have a valid and sane explanation.
If Playbook sales suck as I anticipate they will, this will be a HUGE factor IMHO

Peace
TMl26

[Cozmik]

No valid and sane explanation. Its a bit puzzling as to why the 'preferred' vendors are not advertising the PlayBook the week of launch. But they sure are pushing the Xoom this week. Go figure.

And yes, Future Shop and Best Buy are under the same corporate umbrella. If you look at the PlayBook for example you'll see both stores have the same webcode for it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Smiley88]

But but stores have actual PBs in stock.

[sunocoz]

They are just trying to unload Xooms before the Playbook goes on sale, because once its in stores, no one will want a Xoom. ;-)

[jetstreamblue]

My wife was going through the flyers, and she (knowing I'm all into the PlayBook and it's releasing soon), looked at the Futureshop flyer saw the Xoom and said "Look PlayBook advertising!", before reading it and got all confused because it was some sort of Motorola thing.
Staples does have the PlayBook on the front flap of its flyer this week.

[Invader3K]

They are just trying to unload Xooms before the Playbook goes on sale, because once its in stores, no one will want a Xoom. ;-)

I've heard there is tons of Xoom inventory right now. Probably why they are pushing it so much.

[Innerchild]

I truly do not understand if RIM was going to drive business to Best Buy on its own website that there was not some plan in place as to how the rollout would happen. Totally mismanaged on both sides!

This doesn't detract from my wanting the PB, but seriously, show some professionalism in a very competitive market!

[tmleafs26]

Exactly!
You'd figure, were so close to launch date, there will be so many (as has been always) comparisons to iPad 2 and Apple and other tablets, etc.....
Why wouldn't corporate or the advertising people or the marketing people make sure that this is their biggest project of the year to get the PB out there into the hands of every man woman and child, offer deals at BestBuy and FS, push it hard, instead launch week is here and the 2 biggest electronic stores have nothing in their flyers about one of RIMs biggest releases, their next "step".

Sad to say, and I hate Apple, but they would never allow this to happen.

TMl26

[Smiley88]

I've heard there is tons of Xoom inventory right now. Probably why they are pushing it so much.

i think FS/BBuy had lowered the xoom by $100

the rim demo guy said that staples will probably do better with the PB than FS/BBuy