[kyoiskyo]

As usual, pretty much anything BlackBerry does is met with skepticism or, even worse, derision. Haters will hate. The promotion must mean Passport is not selling and inventory is building up. Not true. Recently, John Chen stated that demand for the Passport has exceeded their expectations; they are having a hard time keeping up with enough supply, as evidenced by continual sellouts on both the Amazon and ShopBlackBerry sites. There's no way they can make money doing this. Wrong again. BlackBerry has partnered with a company called Clover Wireless to handle the entire program. It doesn't cost BlackBerry anything to run this promotion, as it has been completely outsourced to a company that is in business to serve OEMs with programs such as this one. Moreover, for each device turned in, BlackBerry actually gets paid by Clover. And as for the $150 paid directly by BlackBerry, that's essentially the discount they would have given a carrier to range the device while maintaining acceptable margins, which are further improved with the payout from Clover to offset it.

We will probably never know how successful this program is, but I do know that they will not lose money. And it can only be a net positive for BlackBerry and Passport given all of the media coverage it has received and devices they will sell as a result.

Posted via BBM Premium

If demand is so high why he keeps cutting prices..the other players keep their prices steady..

[mister2d]

If demand is so high why he keeps cutting prices..the other players keep their prices steady..

What do you mean by 'keep cutting prices'? That is not a true statement.

Additionally, perhaps this is the time of year that 99% of retailers start promotions?

[LuvULongTime]

What do you mean by 'keep cutting prices'? That is not a true statement.

Additionally, perhaps this is the time of year that 99% of retailers start promotions?

No, that couldn't be it. /sarcasm

[jojo beaconsfield]

Apple's Market Cap just passed $700 billion,maybe they can take advantage of this giant's ego and lousy bendable phones,lol

[Zirak]

Not at all. Look at nearly ANY industry and you will find people trading in equipment for different ones. From a car to heavy equipment to a network router or to a cell phone it is irrelevant. Any sales company will take a trade-in to get producing the hands of a user.

a sign of desperation because the PP is not selling well...if it were selling well and in short supply like Chen wants you to think they would never do this

Sent while driving from my Crackberry.

[Zirak]

It's great publicity and sends the clear message that you're trading up. Also reinforces the very true fact that a lot of people are dissatisfied with their iPhones.

If it actually entices people to switch, there are several ways to play it:

1) Sell them in the after-market dirt cheap, thereby bringing down the value of the iPhone
2) Sell them in the after-market at a profit and recoup the money
3) Do some kind of wild publicity stunt involving thousands of iPhones being ritually sacrificed (and write off the loss as a marketing expense

Yeah, really good idea.

Maybe have a commercial with the iPhones walking off a cliff..

Sent while driving from my Crackberry.

[Thunderbuck]

If demand is so high why he keeps cutting prices..the other players keep their prices steady..

We'll be flooded with cheap GS5's any day now; they're selling at about 40% below projections.

Sure BB is offering discounts on the Passport. That happens with many--if not most--devices after they've been in the market a month or two. Especially during a competitive shopping season.

[southlander]

I look at it this way. Very few will actually take Blackberry up on this offer, but they are making headlines about the company and the passport. This is cheap headline making material that in reality will not cost much and certainly not the amount of money on advertising that they would have had to pay to get this much attention.

Very good point. Had not considered that.

Z10STL100-4/10.3.1.1151

[GEO1ER]

I think Blackberry's decision to offer a trade in program for the iPhones to the Passport isn't the best plan, and sounds like another stale Blackberry disparate offering. I would to see Blackberry grow again and be the dominate, if not one of the dominate cell phone companies. Focus on the software marketing.

I think they should offer the trade in alongside the new full screen device, if and when it comes out. Set the price point competitively and come out with a "Trade in your Samsung Note or Galaxy, iPhone for the all new Blackberry 10 Touch Screen" program. Tote the features of the HUB! I got two friends hooked to Blackberry when I showed them the hub and swipe gestures, along with the software.

I think Blackberry's marketing team needs refreshing. When I show my phone to people whether it be the Q10 or Z30, most thought Blackberry went away. I brag about my blackberry all the time to people and some are intrigued by it.

All in all, if they do come out with a new full screen device, I hope they come up with a brilliant marketing strategy to grow the company. I would hate to see them fail, as I've been with Blackberry ecosystem since 2006 to 2013 and just came back.

The trade in program should be for the BBY os7 if they're going to focus on the Passport. Too early to pick a fight with Apple.

Am I wrong to think this?

No, I think you're right on the money! Although I don't necessarily think this will hurt them, offering the trade in for OS7 is smart. I agree that it's early to pick a fight with the latest and greatest from iPhone and Samsung, but I think targeting android users with older models and introducing them to BlackBerry 10 WOULD be smart. Not sure how they would do that but I think it would be a good move.

Posted via CB10

[gogogadgets]

No, I think you're right on the money! Although I don't necessarily think this will hurt them, offering the trade in for OS7 is smart. I agree that it's early to pick a fight with the latest and greatest from iPhone and Samsung, but I think targeting android users with older models and introducing them to BlackBerry 10 WOULD be smart. Not sure how they would do that but I think it would be a good move.

Posted via CB10

I have to disagree here. They should have confidence in their product and should take the fight DIRECTLY to the "latest and greatest" from the competitors. The competitors are advertising features that have been on BB10 since the beginning (Android: "Automatic backups!"). The iPhone 6 and iOS 8 are riddled with known, widespread problems that Apple is simply denying. All the iPhone 6 (and iOS 8) Fails to Date That strategy won't work for long.

It's time for BlackBerry to stand up to the bullies and show off its accomplishments.

[kevets]

Anything that reminds people that these phones exist and may deserve a brief comparison would be super helpful.

Posted via CB10

[Acvdm]

Very few will take it up in reality. Majority will stick to their contracts but this is a tactical pr move.

Posted via CB10

[RH1Pearl]

Trade in your touchscreen phone for a part-touch KB phone. The preference by IPhone users for touch was not considered totally so I think BlackBerry was not thinking clearly with this trade-in offer. The Z30 would make more sense, or an upgrade of the Z30. Also, how about offering the trade-in for Android users as IPhone has a more loyal user base and are entrenched in Apple's ecosystem. A lot of Android users have no loyalty, I'm one of them. I'll switch from brand to brand whoever produces the better product on offer.

[Prem WatsApp]

Trade in your touchscreen phone for a part-touch KB phone. The preference by IPhone users for touch was not considered totally so I think BlackBerry was not thinking clearly with this trade-in offer. The Z30 would make more sense, or an upgrade of the Z30. Also, how about offering the trade-in for Android users as IPhone has a more loyal user base and are entrenched in Apple's ecosystem. A lot of Android users have no loyalty, I'm one of them. I'll switch from brand to brand whoever produces the better product on offer.

Hahaha on Android users and no loyalty (majority, not the rabid fandroids). Buy whatever is cheapest, best value, whatever is offered, FREE, cool, new... etc

No offense. :-)

? ? ? Zzzzwipetyped from The Maskport - Zzzzmoqin'.... ? ? ?

[dlrogers81]

I think it's a great idea actually....others do it, and I think it looks good for BlackBerry to actually start branching out to this kind of offer. This is something BlackBerry hasn't done in the past.

[fschmeck]

THIS. On point.

Posted via CB10

Agreed, although the one thing I would say for offering some kind of trade up from old BB devices (and not the $10 trade-in values they currently offer) is that it is much easier to keep an existing customer than go out and earn a new one. Give me nothing for my BB7 (or Z10), and I will shop around for the best deal. Give me something (ok, maybe not $600 of course), and you are first in line. The cost of acquisition has to be factored in here somewhere.

The plan I would have offered: trade-in your old BB device and they cover the buy-in for your new phone on a contract (ie. $150 or whatever the carrier charges).

[alan510]

This is totally anecdotal but I thought I'd relate what happened today. I was meeting up with a group of people today who I hadn't seen in a while. I had my Passport with me. Twice during the day one of the people I was meeting with mentioned the BlackBerry trade-in offer. The people who mentioned it were iPhone users. I showed them what the Passport can do. I'm not sure what they are going to do but what struck me is that everyone had heard of the offer. No one said the company is dead or dying. They looked at the device and we talked about the cost of today's high end cellphones. If BlackBerry's real purpose here was to get the word out that the company is still alive, well at least in my circle it seems to have succeeded.

Posted via CB10

[AndyYNWA]

At least this campaign has gotten some attention in Sweden. BlackBerry never get any attention in Sweden, so this is really positive news over here...

Fr�cka kuppen mot Apple?? - Pryl - Mobilio.se[mobilio_pryl]-[tf_BlackberryIphone1410]-[integration]-[aftonbladet]-[ettan]-[24001]

[Playbook007]

It Apple answers with a similar promotions I guess Chen will be the only one left holding a BB phone.

How did you even come up with that statement. First Apple has done everything in its power over the years to defeat not only BlackBerry but every other competitor over the years. Microsoft, Samsung, Adobe, Google, BlackBerry plus many more have been targets for Apple. 2nd and even more important, BlackBerry users use BlackBerry devices for a reason. Those BlackBerry users that never did have already left. No fear of that happening.

Posted via CB10

[Stewartj1]

Seems like a reasonable sales strategy targeted at corporate iPhone users.

Z10

[canadian nick]

I thought it was weird at first but it's on every news feed, the top of Google everywhere. Everyone is talking about the passport now. At worst they make a little money on a few thousand passport sold because of this. Besides BlackBerry 10 is amazing when people start trying it they will see.

Posted via CB10