1 BIG Thing That Blackberry NEEDS to do in the NEAR FUTURE...

Ok, so before I start, I just want to be clear that this is not a bashing thread, I have been a supporter of Blackberry through the ups and downs, but there is one obvious GIANT and evident step that I believe would secure BB financially even more than ever...

SELL YOUR OWN UNLOCKED DEVICES!!!

I hope that headquarters reads this! Today was undoubtedly a pivotal moment in BB history/future, and I believe with the enormous anticipation and last-minute carrier support (especially here in the US), that many, m-a-n-y BB users were ready to purchase....like yesterday (LOL!) I believe that they could have sold nearly 1 million or more devices today alone worldwide, inlcluding many thousands here in the US. This means only two phenonomal outcomes:

1. If the devices were $649 unlocked (same as Bell), then it would have meant $649 Million in pure revenue!
2. Happy BB customers! This is equally important as #1 in my opinion. After the launch webcast, many were left clueless as to how they can purchase the Z10? It would have eased a lot of concerns and made happy hearts! :)

2 Minor Things...

There are also 2 minor things that Blackberry needs to do to create the best buying experience ever!

1. Place a BB store (or more than one) in the US that can offer repairs, a full BB shop, and a full retail experience from the people that know Blackberry best! I have been a secret shopper for many wireless companies, and I can't tell you how many of the carrier sales reps do not know their products. A lot of vague answers and "I don't know, but I can check..." responses to many of the questions that potential BB buyers may have often lead to no sales. (FYI: I'll be happy to do a full evaluation of BB sales in carrier stores if Blackberry wishes.) Leaving the devices to be sold by sales reps (who often are not the greatest fans of BB to begin with) are a recipe for a sales disaster!

2. Create a dedicated customer service call center with knowledgable employees that can answer the questions that carriers can't. Many carriers don't have answers to the questions that BB users often have. In short, it shows that you care about the entire user experience from inquiry- to purchase- to (hopefully) upgrading to a future BB device! FACT: Customer service wins over more customers than price.

In conclusion, Apple is one of the only wireless manufacturers (that I'm aware of) that are in complete control of their sales, from beginning to end. If carriers choose not to sell their products, they will still sell millions of devices through their online shop and retail stores....If BB decides to do this, they will become the second manufacturer to sell directly to the public their own unlocked devices. It's only the smartest sales move ever!

Also, if they can get this up and running before the SuperBowl, that could generate millions more in revenue...its a no-brainer!

There's still time... but not for long. Thanks for reading.

... and risk alienating the carriers? How many people buy unsubsidized unlocked phones?

Originally Posted by overzeer

... and risk alienating the carriers? How many people buy unsubsidized unlocked phones?

Everyone who's bought a Nexus phone for starters

RIM has or HAD a Blackberry store in the US. Tumbleweeds were literally blowing through.

I thought it would be a free pizza with every smartphone purchase. That's a pretty good idea, everyone likes pizza.

Originally Posted by netwerx1

Everyone who's bought a Nexus phone for starters

Google is HUGE, Google can afford to alienate the carriers because Google has an OS on the majority of the devices that those carriers sell. Bad example.

Originally Posted by devinthomas

RIM has or HAD a Blackberry store in the US. Tumbleweeds were literally blowing through.

They were run by a third party and not by RIM.
They didn't sell unbranded or unlocked devices - they sold carrier devices.
They either have closed or are all closing due to the tumbleweed you mentioned.

Thanks for responding overzeer. :) Not trying to compare comapnies, but this is a useful comparison...Please ask yourself this question: Do carriers of the iPhone feel alienated because Apple sells their devices in store and online? Many people still buy their phones from their wireless provider...but many do not, and I'm one of them!

One of the biggest selling categories on eBay are unlocked mobile devices! In fact there were nearly a quarter of a million unlocked phones sold within the last few days, and do you know what brand of phones were in the majority of those sold....Apple and Blackberry!

Many customers are switching over to prepaid or no contract plans (especially T mobile's No Annual Contract 4G Plan). It only makes sense to have access to those sales. If you look at Samsung's website, their online shop are only shortcuts to the carrier's website to then complete the purchase. This is something that Blackberry can also do. They can have the typical 3 step checkout process:

Step 1: Choose your phone.
Step 2: Choose your carrier, or choose Unlocked.
Step 3: If checking out via a carrier, redirect the customer to the carrier's website. If the customer chose "Unclocked", then the customer remains on the BB site to complete the sale. It's that simple.

Actually, this will work out better for carriers if they implement the 3 step checkout process above! It will let the public know which carrier has the devices they choose, it will allow them to complete the sale instantly. No harm done. No alienation, just a reduction of confusion (which carrier has what, etc.) and an ease of access. I my opinion, it's a WIN- WIN!

Thanks for reading. :)

I totally agree with the OP.. if BlackBerry sold their own devices at full retail, and had them at launch today, BlackBerry would already have several hundred dollars from me, and I'd be anxiously awaiting a package in the mail. Money for them, happiness for me.

Originally Posted by jesse_h

I thought it would be a free pizza with every smartphone purchase. That's a pretty good idea, everyone likes pizza.

That's a pretty good idea, too! LOL!

Originally Posted by netwerx1

Everyone who's bought a Nexus phone for starters

Yes, but Nexus phones are sold at almost half the price of a standard unsubsidized unlocked phone due to the fact that Google can do because they make their money from all of the added features. How much does a regular unsub unlock phone retail for? $550-$800 whereas the Nexus phones are $359. You can't really compare the Nexus phones to any other phone.

Well here in Canada were getting the z10 alot quicker then we got the iphone5 after its launch. And all the Canadian carriers are basically carbon copys of eachother so all is fine in the great white north lol

Originally Posted by njblackberry

They were run by a third party and not by RIM.
They didn't sell unbranded or unlocked devices - they sold carrier devices.
They either have closed or are all closing due to the tumbleweed you mentioned.

That was the first mistake in my opinion: It seems as though Blackberry (Keep in mind, this is coming from a place of love:heart:) has had too much faith in other people selling their devices. Never assuming that even though the carrier was excited about BB, that the sales reps can be biased. As I stated before, during my "undercover" investigations, I found MANY sales reps sold customers the phones that they themselves carried. In the US, that means tons of Androids being sold. In regards to the Z10- they can not afford to let that happen. They need to be able to sell the device, even if the sales reps can not "win over" the customer.

The Z10 and Q10 are too great of a device to let it be in the sales reps hands alone. I still say it's a no brainer.

Thanks fo reading. :)