[paolo73]

Well that was underwhelming... expected a bit of fanfare like the Classic launch I went to, where some BlackBerry reps were there enthusing people and giving advice, plus they'd laid on extra stands to try out the phone. This time there was virtually nothing. There was one sales rep, looked like a Selfridges employee, no BlackBerry branding. Stood and watched me try it out and said absolutely nothing apart from apologising that there was some kind of security restraint stuck to the phone that made the slider keyboard almost impossible to pull out. Nobody else looking at the stand but me, an hour into the launch, pretty disappointing.
There are enough reviews of the phone itself out there already so I won't add to them, but as far as anticlimaxes go, the last hour was right up there for me.


Posted via CB10

[SneakySnufflez]

Did you buy one

[paolo73]

No, I wasn't really planning to because I have a red passport which for me is the ultimate phone, but I wanted to see it nonetheless. And any BlackBerry event is an event that I want to be at because I love the brand

Posted via CB10

[Deckard79]

Now, if I can just... squeeze through this bustling excitable crowd...

[paolo73]

Now, if I can just... squeeze through this bustling excitable crowd...

The only other person in there was just looking for a case for her phone. The sales rep asked which handset she had, she didn't know what it was called so she showed it to him, he just about identified it as a classic (I didn't see it so couldn't verify), then he feebly pointed her towards a wall of iphone and samsung accessories. I felt like rolling my sleeves up and staging a mutiny to take over the store. It actually hurt to witness such low energy...

Posted via CB10

[Taigatrommel]

At least you could already buy one if you wanted to. :/

Posted via CB10

[Deckard79]

The only other person in there was just looking for a case for her phone. The sales rep asked which handset she had, she didn't know what it was called so she showed it to him, he just about identified it as a classic (I didn't see it so couldn't verify), then he feebly pointed her towards a wall of iphone and samsung accessories. I felt like rolling my sleeves up and staging a mutiny to take over the store. It actually hurt to witness such low energy...

Posted via CB10

There's simply been no effort whatsoever to market the device, so regardless of the actual quality of the device it will pass most by without them even hearing about it.

The minority who do, then we have the unrealistic pricetag to contend with.

I know it sounds really cynical to say that Chen wants to 'kill' the hardware business, but if that isn't the case the only other possibility it utter incompetence and/or indifference which is frankly even worse. At least the former constitutes some kind of strategy.

[weezul]

what a shame. could have just sent the handsets to us pre order customers still waiting!!

[Aneres11]

Thanks so much for posting thoughts / pics though!
What a shame.
Underwhelming seems to be an under statement!

Jealous you could have bought one though, even though the device isn't for you.
Wish the other Selfridges stores had some. Even the website has no stock.

Difficult to market a device when no one knows its coming out becuase no money is spent on advertising or general fanfare about it.

[steffcip]

wish I had the money so I can go tomorrow to buy it, I ordered on contract from CPW and another week of wait is killing me

[paolo73]

Yeah I feel really bad for the pre-order customers, the whole situation regarding shipping status is appalling. I'm sure you'll all be delighted when you get the phone though because it does have a real quality feel to it, and the android experience on it seems really crisp. It's a big phone, very long with the keyboard out, and I personally applaud the return of the glass weave on the back, which was something I loved about the Q10.

It just makes me sad that on the one hand you have queues around the block for iphones, versus nobody queuing (in the physical sense) for the Priv. Despite the fact that both are premium smartphones, so the customer base should or could in theory be comparable. The difference in fanfare is purely down to brand image, and that's such a shame. I can think of a thousand marketing strategies that could get some traction. Get a huge billboard, put a photo of an S5 next to a Priv and point out what the Priv does that the Samsung doesn't, like the old Pepsi vs Coke or BMW vs Merc advert wars. Even if not that, just do SOMETHING.

Posted via CB10

[muhlan]

What did you expect without an official launch event? Most customers were not aware of the launch since most of the marketing so far happended online.

[Aneres11]

What did you expect without an official launch event? Most customers were not aware of the launch since most of the marketing so far happended online.

It doesn't matter whether we expected it. It's still pretty rubbish to see it happening.
And the fact the 'representative' took an age to even figure out what phone the last had who was after a case speaks volumes and is pretty inexcusable.

[muhlan]

Ok let me reprhase it: how could someone attending an event her or he does not know about?

[bluelights]

To be honest, if I knew 100% selfridges would have had it today, I would have gone down there and picked one up! Instead im still waiting for digital river and still no confirmation of shipment!

"I roll with 2 passports, 1 for travelling and 1 for communicating"

[chiccor1]

i would like to understand


selfridges have in stock NOW ?

my girlfirend have just landed in london, if she go through the store can pick up 1 for me ??

[BBGeordie]

I'm in London the week after next so will be taking a look at the Priv in Selfridges. If anybody has any questions about the device, let me know before Tuesday 17th and I'll do my best to answer them afterwards. Not sure I'll be buying one, my Passport SE does everything I need it do and I've never really taken to Android (currently have an Android tablet).

[BBGeordie]

I was in Selfridges last week and the sales rep I spoke to seemed better informed than the one you spoke to. He understood the BB10 software and knew a fair bit about the Priv. The number of other people there last Saturday was the same as your photo above (none :-( ) but at least I didn't have to wait to ask the rep about the Priv !

[paolo73]

I was in Selfridges last week and the sales rep I spoke to seemed better informed than the one you spoke to. He understood the BB10 software and knew a fair bit about the Priv. The number of other people there last Saturday was the same as your photo above (none :-( ) but at least I didn't have to wait to ask the rep about the Priv !

Maybe the well-informed staff were on a break, they certainly weren't dealing with other customers anyway... I expect poorly informed service from most sales reps these days but when a customer (me) rolls up and announces that they're there to specifically check out a brand new �570 product I would expect some kind of attempt to close the deal, but the guy just stood lethargically back, said nothing, and then made no attempt to get feedback when I turned to leave. At one point I pulled out the red passport to snap some photos of the stand and even that didn't muster any acknowledgement. When I see a fellow passport owner (rarely) I have to resist the urge to offer up a high five of brotherhood. If I saw a fellow red passport owner (never happened) I would be all over them.

Posted via CB10

[BBGeordie]

[QUOTE=paolo73;12048481]Maybe the well-informed staff were on a break, they certainly weren't dealing with other customers anyway... I expect poorly informed service from most sales reps these days but when a customer (me) rolls up and announces that they're there to specifically check out a brand new �570 product I would expect some kind of attempt to close the deal, but the guy just stood lethargically back, said nothing, and then made no attempt to get feedback when I turned to leave. At one point I pulled out the red passport to snap some photos of the stand and even that didn't muster any acknowledgement. When I see a fellow passport owner (rarely) I have to resist the urge to offer up a high five of brotherhood. If I saw a fellow red passport owner (never happened) I would be all over them.

Posted via CB10[/QUOTE

Agree 100% about the need to at least show some interest. I did actually see a Passport 'in the wild' near where I work in Cambridge. Both of us looked initially shocked 😲 followed by a knowing grin 😁

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[chiccor1]

it's so difficult for you to reply me ?

[BBGeordie]

it's so difficult for you to reply me ?

I'd assume Selfridges have stock but you could always phone them and check 0800 123 400 from the UK, +44 113 369 8040 from abroad. The store on Oxford Street is open til 9pm this evening

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[chiccor1]

they don't take my phone call...

[Aneres11]

Only London Selfridges have stock .There is no stock in the other stores to my knowledge.
Definitely not in Trafford Centre. I enquired a few days ago.

[paolo73]

it's so difficult for you to reply me ?

Sorry, missed your post. I didn't actually ask if they had stock since I was roundly ignored by the assistant, and I really just wanted to try out the phone... I'd be amazed if they didn't though considering the half a dozen or so test units in there and the fact that they advertised online that today was the launch day.
It's not likely they've sold out either, but worth calling ahead to check. Just keep trying if they don't answer

Posted via CB10