Retailers getting meager Pre stock, Radio Shack recommending Instinct S30 instead?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 21st 2009 6:54PM
posted May 21st 2009 6:54PM
"Due to inventory constraints on the June 6 launch date, not all stores will be able to carry the Palm Pre at launch. To make sure we get the maximum advertising and brand benefit while still having enough inventory to meet the expected demand, we have selected key markets to receive the device at launch."Here's the best part, though: Radio Shack locations not receiving the phone on the 6th are being encouraged to offer the Instinct S30 as an alternative. Look, the S30's a fine phone for what it is (we suppose), but something tells us that no one -- and we mean no one -- is cross-shopping it with the Pre.
[Thanks, RWS]
taking their revenge on the consumer?
More like artificially inflating the demand by intentionally releasing low quantities on launch day.
"But sir, how about this beautiful Samsung touchscreen phone, it costs half as much, and < a href=http://www.precentral.net/palm-confirms-no-visual-voicemail-pre"">unlike the Pre it has Visual Voicemail to boot!"
Messed up man. Don't sell people an inferior phone...they will be pissed!!
Only Radio Shacks in FL, CA,NJ, NY, TX will have the Pre at Launch, I sent this in earlier today.
One thing people fail to consider when they said "average of 4 Pres per store, etc." is that you KNOW some stores in more heavily populated areas (i.e. LA, NY, Chicago, etc.) will be definitely holding more than 4 Pre handsets....whereas Kansas or Iowa Best Buys will undoubtedly be holding close to none or maybe 1. Think about it people. Palm/Sprint have done their research on this...it definitely won't be 4 phones PER store.
Sprint stores in Kansas are getting plenty. Sprint HQ is in KCK for god sakes. I called Sprint today, they will be getting "enough".
There are the "dumb" consumers out there, you know. My sister went into a Sprint Store one time intending to buy an Instinct, but got convinced that a Palm Centro was the better phone, but ended up hating the Centro after a couple of days. She then promptly switched to the Instinct (her original choice).
People get swayed all the time in stores.
--James
You know...Being I have a G1 as a work phone and have been looking for a new sprint phone to replace my personal phone(Sanyo 8400.) I am in the market that is weighing between the Pre and a S30. Heres my tldr story for you.
I had mentioned in a couple comments on other stories before that I had got a S30 on its launch day, exchanged it 3 days later and then returned it about 4 days later due to reception issues I was having at my work. I went on to trying one of the free Rants from the Sprint website, because I was just looking for something with a qwerty to text on. But the Rant has horrible reception at the office too.
So i'm thinking of getting another S30 cus I LOVED(very much so) that phone and am HEARTBROKEN(not lying) to have brought it back. But then I'm thinking I should hold out maybe get a Pre, a HTC Snap or wait for the Instinct 2 in the 3rd quarter(cus I like prolonging suffering apparently.) Either way, my issue is need vs desire. What I need is a phone for texting that has good reception and that I really enjoy using instead of wanting to throw it at the wall like I did the Rant cus the space button doesnt click unless you hit it ideally. I'd love to have two smartphones, but that just seems stupid. Even to the guy who wants two... Besides the Instinct already seems very smartphoney. It just doesnt have any apps to install...yet(if ever). But the ease of use of the IM client, visual voicemail and how awesome the S30s touch screen is(in comparison to my inaccurate G1s screen) makes me want to go back to it.
That all said I dont understand all the S30 hatred. I mean I've played with iPhones, Blackberries, G1s, HTC Touch Pros and HTC Touches. And I really like the Instinct and the Instinct S30. Infact when it came to texting and IMing i really preferred the S30 vs my G1(which i can only rarely use for personal use.) I understand the animosity towards sprint for offering an Instinct S30 that was the same price as the original Instinct but cutting features down. Everyone said "WTF did they cut the features down for just to sell it at the same price?" But the price has already dropped on it since launch day. It went from $129 to $99 post rebate. Either way, I love the phone, and don't understand the hatred. I really like the Brew OS. I understand its non-upgradeable cus its not a real smartphone OS, but there is something to be said about OSs that cant be bogged down with 3rd party apps.
blab blab blab, sometimes I hate hearing myself talk about nothing. :) Or the same old thing over and over again...I miss my S30...
just got off with a sprint rep and she said the "pre: is 4g...W T F ???
Pre is 4G, but there are only 2 markets with 4G: Portland and Baltimore, with a handful others coming online soon.
The Pre is NOT 4G - it is EVDO Rev A, which is 3G. For Sprint, WiMAX would be considered 4G (or at least what they are calling their 4G), and the Pre is certainly not a WiMAX handset.
Thats called bait and switch...that document sounds a little illegal to me
No, it's not.
The FTC defines bait advertising as follows:
"Bait advertising is an alluring but insincere offer to sell a product or service which the advertiser in truth does not intend or want to sell. Its purpose is to switch consumers from buying the advertised merchandise, in order to sell something else, usually at a higher price or on a basis more advantageous to the advertiser. The primary aim of a bait advertisement is to obtain leads as to persons interested in buying merchandise of the type so advertised."
Radio Shack will have some Pre units in stock and will sell every one they receive. They very likely won't advertise the Pre in areas where they won't have any in stock. While offering the S30 as an alternative if they're out of stock is rather dumb, it's not illegal, especially if Radio Shack makes clear that they may only have limited quantities of the Pre upon release.
WOW! I get the need to have the most up-to-date information, but to actually publish part of a confidential internal corporate document? (Not that I disagree that offering the S30 as a substitution for an actual SmartPhone is downright illogical.....)
This makes sense from Sprint's perspective. Many customers who have done their research will be aware that Sprint retail locations are offering part of the rebate as a mail in while they can get everything instantly at Best Buy or RadioShack. So to help drive sales to Sprint retail stores, they will send the majority of the phones there.
Wow...I can't believe they're pulling a Nintendo. You know what I'm going to do...I'm going to wait at a Sprint store to get it...it's a little bit more inconvenient having to deal with rebate and long wait...but I'll eventually get the 100 anyway...I can get by without the cash. The inconvenience will surely drive people away to bestbuy and give me a better chance at the sprint store.
It's not a Nintendo. Nintendo underestimated the demand for the Wii. With Palm and the Pre, they think they know the demand, but they're specifically only releasing a limited amount of phones.
Either they know they can't make enough to meet demand, or they're playing games with the consumer.
grrg: Of course they're pulling a nintendo. You think nintendo claiming they can't keep up with demand 2 years later is true? Either they're really slow or they're incompetent. OR they could be saying that shit to create an artificial demand for the thing.
You people thinking that Palm is fail for not making enough are fools. Complete retards.
Sprint stores. Yes, SPRINT stores as in corporate owned stores are going to have a crap ton in stock. Sprint pays best buy to sell phones, why the hell would they want everyone to rush to Best Buy and get it with an instant rebate. They are forcing you to go to a corporate owned store.
You should be happy they are even willing to let Best Buy carry it. Look how long it took apple to let them carry the iPhone.
That don't make any sense. If Sprint pays best buy to have product at BB, why wouldn't they want it sold. That's stupid. They should have had an agreement with best buy and said they are not to offer instant credit in place of the sprint's MIR.
If i were you id go to a Sprint core store. (corporate), I went inside a Best Buy today right and saw only 3 people working the cell side of things and ask the manager there if they were going to over staff on launch day and he said ,uuuggggghhhh maybe. But before i could talk to the manager i had to wait like 15 min bc they were all with customers. So imagine on d-day, with just 3 reps working there. YOU can EXPECT to be there all fawkin day!!!!
So im hurling my azz over to sprint...in/out that mofo, lol w/my PRE!!!!! and touchstone charger....
Uhhh, no. I'll take the Pre instead. Thanks.