1. slingxshot's Avatar
    There was no official announcement how many were sold the 1st day, all just speculations. And still to this day, no official numbers.

    Is RIM struggling selling them? What you guys think?

    Thanks!
    05-11-11 01:23 PM
  2. papped's Avatar
    You can't use this as a representation of anything. A lot of companies don't release sales figures for a lot of products, especially shortly after release...

    There are no sales figures for the Asus eee pad even though it's never in stock. BUT that doesn't automatically mean it's selling extremely well just because it's not in stock because nobody knows how many were actually stocked and there are no expected vs actual sales figures...
    05-11-11 01:25 PM
  3. MarketRide's Avatar
    RIM has never announced how many devices they have sold. They will wait until the quarterly results. I don't think they should now becuase if they do it will be compared to the launch of the iPad and no matter what the number it will appear negative.
    05-11-11 01:28 PM
  4. newcollector's Avatar
    I think that the Playbook is going to be a gradual growth in sales item. There was some negativity by some tech reviews (some of which was based on inaccurate information, i.e. that you can only tether to a BB phone), coupled with the lack of commercials promoting the Playbook didn't help to raise consumer awareness. That being said, the people that see mine really like the size and functionality. And recently there have been some reviews that are much more positive. I even "sold one" at the local BestBuy (I don't work there...I was looking for an extra charger) to someone who was looking at other tablets.
    Dapper37 likes this.
    05-11-11 01:30 PM
  5. _StephenBB81's Avatar
    There was no official announcement how many were sold the 1st day, all just speculations. And still to this day, no official numbers.

    Is RIM struggling selling them? What you guys think?

    Thanks!
    I certainly don't think RIM is struggling to sell them, based on the half full accessory shelves I see across the province of Ontario as I always go into places looking for things, I'd say the Playbook is selling very much like a Blackberry product, STEADY.

    Very few company's announce sales numbers, as one never knows how it will effect the stock, you'll hear announcements about unit shipments at the quarterly results call, which is sufficient enough.

    The only good time to announce the sales figures are when you've set a new precedent, or past a publicized goal, neither of those are relevant to the playbook sales
    05-11-11 01:30 PM
  6. papped's Avatar
    RIM has never announced how many devices they have sold. They will wait until the quarterly results. I don't think they should now becuase if they do it will be compared to the launch of the iPad and no matter what the number it will appear negative.
    Yep and most people are too stupid to understand the concept of expected sales and amount stocked. If the ipad expects to sell 500,000 at launch (made up number) it better sell 500,000 + to be a success.

    If the PB expected 50,000 or so, 50,000+ is still a success... They aren't going to sell 500,000+ if they only manufacture roughly enough to sell 50,000 and expect to sell ~50,000.
    05-11-11 01:31 PM
  7. greatwiseone's Avatar
    It's only been 3 weeks since the device is launched and marketing is just starting. If RIM release numbers, they'll be bashed regardless of how many they sold because the sales are always going to be compared to the iPad2...
    05-11-11 01:33 PM
  8. FF22's Avatar
    Amazon does not report Kindle sales and they sell lots apparently.
    05-11-11 02:08 PM
  9. falconeight's Avatar
    I would like to know the figure of how many returned them.
    05-11-11 02:29 PM
  10. rj160202's Avatar
    I would like to know the figure of how many returned them.
    Rumor has it, the number of returned Playbooks is 1/10 the number of returned iPhone 4's. You know, because the users were HOLDING THEM WRONG
    05-11-11 02:36 PM
  11. dandbj13's Avatar
    Forget RIM. Where are the analysts who get paid to speculate on such things? Hours after the launch of an Apple product, you have several reports from analysts and researchers releasing speculation on how many were sold. Is there no one in the world of professional speculators who even care how the PB is selling? That's what I find weird.
    05-11-11 02:37 PM
  12. Spinal's Avatar
    working at bestbuy, on launch day we didn't sell all of them id say about 4/5ths or so and we got a little over 100 in, it certainly was no ipad 2 launch day - that was just rediculous, and we even opened at 7am for the playbook, that in itself was a waste of time.
    05-11-11 02:46 PM
  13. slingxshot's Avatar
    To a typical person this is what it is going to sound like from RIM:

    RIM: "Great news, we have sold 0 tablets. We are expected to sell "who cares number" this year."

    .... logging into my bank account to see if I can buy an iPad.
    05-11-11 02:47 PM
  14. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    Forget RIM. Where are the analysts who get paid to speculate on such things? Hours after the launch of an Apple product, you have several reports from analysts and researchers releasing speculation on how many were sold. Is there no one in the world of professional speculators who even care how the PB is selling? That's what I find weird.
    Well if you think about it, if RIM's product releases resulted in long lines of consumers camping out overnight in front of retailers like Apple does, they'd probably achieve the same publicity.
    05-11-11 02:49 PM
  15. LrdAnkh's Avatar
    What difference does it make if they sold 1 or ten million, it doesnt affect the price of gas in one bit.
    05-11-11 02:53 PM
  16. papped's Avatar
    working at bestbuy, on launch day we didn't sell all of them id say about 4/5ths or so and we got a little over 100 in, it certainly was no ipad 2 launch day - that was just rediculous, and we even opened at 7am for the playbook, that in itself was a waste of time.
    4/5 on launch day with zero advertising is pretty good though, especially since most people don't even know that BB makes a tablet still...
    BlackStormRising likes this.
    05-11-11 02:55 PM
  17. BBThemes's Avatar
    Well if you think about it, if RIM's product releases resulted in long lines of consumers camping out overnight in front of retailers like Apple does, they'd probably achieve the same publicity.
    however verizon had their best ever phone launch with the iphone and had no lines due to pre orders. lack of lines doesnt mean lack of sales.

    also i think return figures are misconstrued anyways, iv seen a fair few people here say stuff like `i cancelled my pre-order and picked up in store instead` or `i returned my 32 and got a 64` so returns is probably a worthless figure with that happening.
    05-11-11 02:55 PM
  18. DenverRalphy's Avatar
    however verizon had their best ever phone launch with the iphone and had no lines due to pre orders. lack of lines doesnt mean lack of sales.
    True, but the VZW iPhone launch sold nowhere near as many devices as the initial iPhone 4 launch. I never said lack of lines represents a lack of sales. However those lines can (and often do) represent obscenely ludicrous sales, which in turn generates the publicity to entice inquiring minds to sniffing out those sales figures.
    05-11-11 03:17 PM
  19. zoso28's Avatar
    I'm almost positive that I saw an article where RIM reported some figures regarding playbook sales. I'm looking for it now, but so far it's just a faint memory. But I do remember being pleased with what I read.
    05-11-11 03:23 PM
  20. anon(835884)'s Avatar
    There was no official announcement how many were sold the 1st day, all just speculations. And still to this day, no official numbers.

    Is RIM struggling selling them? What you guys think?

    Thanks!
    It's been less then a month...
    05-11-11 03:31 PM
  21. cgl88's Avatar
    It's generally not a good thing that RIM does not disclose unit sales of Playbook. However, Apple also does this, because they are competitive and giving out these details would put the company at a disadvantage.

    I was bearish on torch, bearish on OS6, bearish on its app store. Playbook and QNX, however, are two important developments I am optimistic about for RIM. QNX is a remarkably stable OS and is so fluid. Yes, there are minor bugs but the 2-week OS updates is a pace that RIM has never embarked upon.

    If RIM recognizes the need to keep updating, keep innovating, it's good for all consumers, especially those who use RIM products.
    offthahorseceo likes this.
    05-11-11 03:36 PM
  22. zoso28's Avatar
    It's generally not a good thing that RIM does not disclose unit sales of Playbook. However, Apple also does this, because they are competitive and giving out these details would put the company at a disadvantage.

    I was bearish on torch, bearish on OS6, bearish on its app store. Playbook and QNX, however, are two important developments I am optimistic about for RIM. QNX is a remarkably stable OS and is so fluid. Yes, there are minor bugs but the 2-week OS updates is a pace that RIM has never embarked upon.

    If RIM recognizes the need to keep updating, keep innovating, it's good for all consumers, especially those who use RIM products.
    I agree about everything above.. OS6 was nice, my torch is nice, but QNX is huge. I've now played with an ipad, honeycomb xoom, galaxy tab, and out of all of them QNX is defintely the best. I can see why some people would like iOS for its simplicityand android for its customization, but all in all QNX is supreme.. PERIOD.

    HOWEVER, RIM desparately needs to capitalize on this supremacy ASAP or interest will dwindle and it will no longer be relevant. Keep the updates coming, give us more apps, and get a 3G/4G version out. Oh, and get it some more airtime on the major networks. BTW, I know it's all said & done, but BING?!? really??
    05-11-11 03:46 PM
  23. offthahorseceo's Avatar
    I can see why some people would like iOS for its simplicityand android for its customization, but all in all QNX is supreme.. PERIOD.

    exactly this. the apple os is very simplistic, so much so that im turned off to it. however, i understand that it is still a powerful os and some people appreciate its simplicity.

    The android UI and OS IS very customizeable, both out of the box and after rooting. However as far as its come it still has minor annoying glitches that i cant get over. That and as much as i hate to admit it, fragmentation is a problem (4g on/off widgets that ONLY work for certain models are an example). I have only experienced android on phone devices and one quasi-tablet (Dell Streak) and i can not stand to use it as a phone. I end up missing calls, missing texts, texts wont send etc etc.

    My Blackberry Playbook has been a pleasant experience although it has had its share of growing pains. Granted, and in defense of the other operating systems, i do not RELY on my playbook the way i relied on the android and ios devices for communication.


    off topic post is off topic
    Last edited by offthahorseceo; 05-11-11 at 04:01 PM.
    05-11-11 03:55 PM
  24. asherwiin's Avatar
    working at bestbuy, on launch day we didn't sell all of them id say about 4/5ths or so and we got a little over 100 in, it certainly was no ipad 2 launch day - that was just rediculous, and we even opened at 7am for the playbook, that in itself was a waste of time.
    The Playbook was available from way, way more retail and on-line sources at launch than the iPad, so no surprise if any one location did not sell out. In my immediate vicinity, i had one location where i could pick up an iPad, and almost a dozen locations for the Playbook, not to mention another half-dozen on-line stores.

    Apple makes a circus act out of its customers by forcing them to line up like sheep in a pen at a limited number of stores in order to get their tablet. sure, it makes for a good photo opportunity and generates some press and projects the impression that people are going crazy over the product, but not very customer friendly...
    05-11-11 05:05 PM
  25. offthahorseceo's Avatar
    The Playbook was available from way, way more retail and on-line sources at launch than the iPad, so no surprise if any one location did not sell out. In my immediate vicinity, i had one location where i could pick up an iPad, and almost a dozen locations for the Playbook, not to mention another half-dozen on-line stores.

    Apple makes a circus act out of its customers by forcing them to line up like sheep in a pen at a limited number of stores in order to get their tablet. sure, it makes for a good photo opportunity and generates some press and projects the impression that people are going crazy over the product, but not very customer friendly...

    the bad thing is apple customers eat it up. You wouldnt believe how many twitter/facebook updates ive seen bragging about camping out or being in a horrendously long line.
    05-11-11 05:37 PM
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