[texazzpete]

With BB10 just around the corner, and with the Z10 and X10 likely going to sell for the same price as the 9900 is on sale for ($199 on contract), what kind of wicked witch would actually encourage anyone to buy a dead ended OS7 device right now?

Tell 'em to get a cheap one off craigslist if they must...no sense in tying yourself to a laggy single core device with a small screen, scanty app store (which will soon be a ghostland anyway) and likely poor to middling battery life for two years .

[belfastdispatcher]

With BB10 just around the corner, and with the Z10 and X10 likely going to sell for the same price as the 9900 is on sale for ($199 on contract), what kind of wicked witch would actually encourage anyone to buy a dead ended OS7 device right now?

Tell 'em to get a cheap one off craigslist if they must...no sense in tying yourself to a laggy single core device with a small screen, scanty app store (which will soon be a ghostland anyway) and likely poor to middling battery life for two years .

A sale is a sale and a new contract is a new contract. A BB is not laggy unless you start loading it with lots of apps, if only the basics are used then a BB will run very fast for months before needing a reboot.

[Roo Zilla]

A BB is not laggy unless you start loading it with lots of apps, if only the basics are used then a BB will run very fast for months before needing a reboot.

Which makes it an expensive feature phone.

[belfastdispatcher]

Which makes it an expensive feature phone.

Which is what some people want, I have one in my house, my wife just needs BBM, occasional browsing and OK Magazine app lol. But I know for a fact many people like her get pushed into iphones or androids, the salesman tried his hardest when I went with her to upgrade from a Pearl 3G to a 9790. She still thinks the 9790 is too big for a phone.

Not everybody wants or needs a very smart phone but many get pushed into it, fact.

EDIT People keep thinking about the 9900 but there are other BBs, like the 9790 that can be had for free on a $15-$20 a month contract with a free phone, not to mention the bargain that the 9320 is, starting from $10 a month, hard to beat bargain.

[TomJasper]

JmdBerry,

It was not the carrier, it was an employee.

BB10 will change perceptions.

On principle though I would have asked for the manager or district manager and politely raised the question of acting some what biased/unprofessional by the sales staff/person. I have done this in the past regarding the Playbook with good response.

[Superfly_FR]

I'm gone with fighting against X or Y brands. People keep on asking me "does it worse waiting for BB10 ?".
The best answer I can give is the following : "Is your current device broken ? If it is, then check what the device must do to fit your needs and taste and go for it. If it isn't, I strongly suggest you wait until February, then you can make a real choice".
I for one believe we must now sign BB10 as the 2013 "must have"; shine the brand.

[RubberChicken76]

Which makes it an expensive feature phone.

I imagine there's a decent chunk of casual smartphone owners who really don't use their Smartphones (pick any brand) in ways that exceed a feature phone. My GF's best friend just ditched her iPhone for a Samsung Galaxy III. When I asked her why, she said "she wanted a change". When I asked her what she did on her phones, she said:

- Photos
- Calls
- Texts
- Email (occasionally)
- Browsing (occasionally)

Didn't Facebook. Didn't Twitter. Didn't Instagram. Didn't game. Didn't watch videos. Didn't download apps even.

[BlackBerry Guy]

If carrier reps were doing that with all things being even and a BB10 device on the shelf, then I'd be mad. But really, why would you promote an OS7 product when the new OS and hardware is just around the corner? Think about the big picture and what would happen if that customer did pickup a BlackBerry that day. There's a good chance she will become unhappy with it quickly because it "can't do anything", and then become one of those consumers that bad mouth BlackBerry products to all her friends. Then imagine how she will feel weeks from now when BB10 drops. This is not the type of customer RIM needs right now.

[qbnkelt]

So the idea is that BB is in the shape it's in because there is a carrier conspiracy against it and because people who buy BB smartphones should keep them app free (easy to do) so that they don't lag and end users can use them as expensive feature phones....

NO responsibility at all for the failures of the company to recognise competitors' threat, for the lack of popular/necessary apps, and because they did not keep up with the consumer market.....

alrightythen.....

[ctuffy]

Not sure about anywhere else in the world but in the US, many carriers have franchise stores. They are operated by independent owners, selling phones for xxx carrier. I have found that these franchise stores have no scruples and would sell their mothers for a dime. I found out the hard way and now stay away from them and only go to the corporate owned stores. IMHO the corporate owned stores have the most knowledgeable and honest people working for them and would be less likely to steer someone in the wrong direction.

[brianatbb]

This thread is hilarious. The fanboys are indignant that a saleslady didn't recommend their favorite brand. But at the same time the fanboys are drooling over how much superior BB10 is going to be. Can't have it both ways. If BB10 is going to be so much better that it will put Rim back in contention, it can only mean BB7 is inferior than the competition today, and that's why the saleslady rightly steered her customer away from Blackberrys.

[reeneebob]

You were waaaaaay better than me, I would've told that lady what a BB can and will do and there is no money in the world that would make me switch from my beloved 9930 (sprint) to go somewhere else....as a matter of fact, I have at&t u-verse for my home and they always ask me if I want to sign up for their cellular, mobile services and my reply is always the same, if you are not going to give me and iphone for free, then we have nothing to discuss, I love my BB and not giving it up.......whenever one of them bites, I will have an iphone for sale to someone but I won't be using it.
next time speak up and put those dumb sales reps in their place, because all they are concerned about is $$$$$$$$$

Some of us are more concerned about our customers satisfaction. Stop with the broad brush hysterics.

We haven't sold a BB that isn't a Playbook in months in our store, not for lack of trying as we do recommend them to customers whose needs would be best served with one. However, thanks to RIM and their dumbass business decisions, BB have a very poor place in customers minds, or customers have one and want to ditch it due to build issues, lack of apps etc (something we see more and more).

All I want for Christmas, New Years and my birthday is hockey back, or Bettmans head on a platter. Whichever's easier...

[qbnkelt]

I went to Best Buy for my 9810, my Skyrocket, my iPad 3, and my 4S.

I knew what I was going for, no problems.

I guess I don't let anyone steer me in any direction? I've done the research ahead of time, and I go in just to close the deal. I'm the one who is going to have to live with the results of my actions.

Example: need a small SUV....looking at RAV3, CRV and Subaru Forester.
Reading consumer reports now. Will drive each one. Will get financing before I go in. By the time I'm ready to buy, I will have made the decision and I will go in simply to close the deal.

[reeneebob]

Oh, and we get paid per phone the same amount regardless of brand. Occasionally they do bonuses for end of life handsets (currently BB are on bonus) but I won't sell something based on bonus spiffs. I sell based on what best meets the desire if the customer. I want a happy customer.

All I want for Christmas, New Years and my birthday is hockey back, or Bettmans head on a platter. Whichever's easier...

[reeneebob]

So as a "die-hard bb fan" would you push a person towards an iphone now, or a bb in a few weeks? Anyway you spin it that rep was still a ******...

1) your point is worthless based on the last word in your post. Good job.

2) I can and HAVE told customers looking at the 9900 to wait until the new year. I would not sell an EOL phone with a brand revamp coming.

All I want for Christmas, New Years and my birthday is hockey back, or Bettmans head on a platter. Whichever's easier...

[ctuffy]

I can see both sides here. As a salesperson, you have someone in your store, today, wanting to buy a phone. As a BB10 fan you know something amazing is on the way but you can't say when it will be on the market. If you don't sell something to that person today, they will most likely leave and buy their phone somewhere else. As a true professional salesperson you know if you lead them to the BB, you are going to catch heck from that customer in a month or two (?) when the BB10 units arrive (been the customer on this end and it is not good). Not an enviable position.

[lorax1284]

I would still recommend a bold 9900 for someone who favors communication over quelling ADD... especially if that device could be had off contract for $250 or less... but i would not "waste" a subsidy on an inexpensive device, BB or otherwise.

[vespajet]

One thing to remember is that many of these carrier branded stores are independent companies and are merely authorized retailers for the carrier. While the actions of an employee at one of these stores does have the potential to make the carrier look bad, these folks are more often than not, commission-based and want customers to buy what gets them the biggest commission. The worst customer they can have is an educated one as it makes it harder for them to get them to change their mind or to get all of the extras. So it's not the carrier that's backstabbing, it's more than likely one of its' authorized agents.

[darkehawke]

I went to Best Buy for my 9810, my Skyrocket, my iPad 3, and my 4S.

I knew what I was going for, no problems.

I guess I don't let anyone steer me in any direction? I've done the research ahead of time, and I go in just to close the deal. I'm the one who is going to have to live with the results of my actions.

Example: need a small SUV....looking at RAV3, CRV and Subaru Forester.
Reading consumer reports now. Will drive each one. Will get financing before I go in. By the time I'm ready to buy, I will have made the decision and I will go in simply to close the deal.

This.
I do this with everything, i never want to all for dazzling talk and end up with something i dont need.
I always research phones before i get them.
i even do the same with hoovers and irons lol

[qbnkelt]

In a capitalist society promoting what sells is not backstabbing, it's making a profit.

[darkehawke]

Sounds like the sales person was flat out lying....How do you qualify for an Android upgrade but not an iPhone upgrade????

iPhones cost more.

[darkehawke]

All I have heard is posters that are for or against RIM in this thread. Not one person has considered what the customer actually needs.

I would start by asking the customer the few most important questions of all; do you prefer a touch screen and do you use a lot of apps? if the answer is "No" to both then any of the BlackBerrry's would be a perfect match for this customer.

Seems that everyone from the carriers to the posters in this thread are only concerned about their own point of view. BlackBerry is the best choice and the worst choice; it just depends on who is looking.

Tim

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900

The customers needs are always important, but i saw the thread as saying that carriers are against blackberry, which may or may not be the original OP's point.
i just think its important to remember RIM are responsible for their own decline, and i hope they've learnt from their mistake

[dphjeff]

I had a similar experience at the sprint store. A lady was looking for a new phone, over hearing the conversation I asked the salesman to show her a BlackBerry. He told me that they haven't sold one in months beside we only have one BB Curve in stock and don't have it on display. I hate to say that BlackBerry is domed if stores continue with these types of practices.

[Moonbase0ne]

Sounds like the sales person was flat out lying....How do you qualify for an Android upgrade but not an iPhone upgrade????

Its a fact that carriers make more on Android with their on-contract customers. I'd compare cell phone sales people to car salesman but that would be an insult to car salesman.

Right now I qualify for a iphone 5, 4s, or 4 upgrade on my att account, but not with any other phone. Att has random promotions like this on my account, so maybe the sales person wasn't lying after all.

[madman0141]

So the same useless teenage experts at best buy work at AT&T after they get fired from best buy. The formula to this incident is simply Garbage in Garbage Out. Garbage retail sales people equal garbage products being recommended.