We told you about Best Buy's June Buyer's Guide having a large Palm Pre ad in it. Plus, we let you know that the Pre is already on display in a Best Buy in Puerto Rico.
Well, looks like some Best Buy inventory sheets for the Palm Pre were leaked and popped up in the everythingpre forums. So you might want to check out those inventory sheets and see if you spot your nearest Best Buy, or at least one within driving distance.
Seems that the largest amount of Pres on order is 42 Pres for Alamo Ranch, Texas. HooWee, those of you living in that area will surely want to check out that Best Buy location! Also: *gulp*, I'm sure you see that $849.99 full price is still in effect.
[Originally posted at precentral.net]
Showing posts with label Best Buy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Buy. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Best Buy to launch Palm Pre in 2 phases
Thanks to a source, BGR got their hands on information meant for Best Buy reps, which deals with how the retailer plans on selling the Palm Pre. Because of the shortages that will apparently limit to 4 the number of Pre’s each participating store will have at launch, the big box retailer is selling the smartphone in 2 phases.
Phase 1:
Launches Saturday, June 6th and runs until July. During that time period, advertising of the Pre will be “minimal” and stores could go weeks without having inventory replenished. Employees will not be allowed to purchase the device and sales will be limited to one per customer.
Phase 2:
Starts in late July/early August when stores are expected to get a larger number of handsets to stock. During this phase, it is expected that there will be no shortages.
Right now, it is expected that only 300 stores will have working demos of the Pre. The remainder of the stores will be selling their entire inventory. Until Phase 2 brings a tidal wave of phones to the stores, the allotment of Pres will depend on how many Sprint phones were sold previously at each unit.
[Originally posted at BGR Via webosarena]
Phase 1:
Launches Saturday, June 6th and runs until July. During that time period, advertising of the Pre will be “minimal” and stores could go weeks without having inventory replenished. Employees will not be allowed to purchase the device and sales will be limited to one per customer.
Phase 2:
Starts in late July/early August when stores are expected to get a larger number of handsets to stock. During this phase, it is expected that there will be no shortages.
Right now, it is expected that only 300 stores will have working demos of the Pre. The remainder of the stores will be selling their entire inventory. Until Phase 2 brings a tidal wave of phones to the stores, the allotment of Pres will depend on how many Sprint phones were sold previously at each unit.
[Originally posted at BGR Via webosarena]
Friday, May 22, 2009
Best Buy Pre shortage until late July/August
The Palm Pre shortage news continues, with the latest update being that Best Buy are planning a two-phase launch in recognition of the handset’s low stock levels. Phase one will apparently run from June to July, and involve minimal marketing with only 300 of the stores having working demo units; Best Buy Mobile are already warning stores that “customer demand will outweigh inventory and stores may go weeks after launch with little or no replenishment.”
Unlike what we’ve heard has been offered in at least one Best Buy location, stores are being instructed not to make hold lists prior to June 6th. Instead a waiting list will be operated by each store once supplies run out, with a ticketing system in action. They’re also being cautioned not to sell the Pre early, nor allow more than one handset per customer; BBYM employees themselves are not permitted to buy the Pre until August.
From late July or early August, phase two is expected to kick in with greater stock levels. These are tentative dates, however, and subject to change. Inventory - which we heard would be on average four Pre handsets per Best Buy store - will be alloted according to which locations have experienced good Sprint sales and had successful launches of previous high-profile phones.
[Originally posted at palmpretouchphone.com]
Unlike what we’ve heard has been offered in at least one Best Buy location, stores are being instructed not to make hold lists prior to June 6th. Instead a waiting list will be operated by each store once supplies run out, with a ticketing system in action. They’re also being cautioned not to sell the Pre early, nor allow more than one handset per customer; BBYM employees themselves are not permitted to buy the Pre until August.
From late July or early August, phase two is expected to kick in with greater stock levels. These are tentative dates, however, and subject to change. Inventory - which we heard would be on average four Pre handsets per Best Buy store - will be alloted according to which locations have experienced good Sprint sales and had successful launches of previous high-profile phones.
[Originally posted at palmpretouchphone.com]
Four Palm Pre per Best Buy, few as two per RadioShack?
Talk of limited numbers of Pre handsets on launch day continues, with word from one Best Buy insider that the retailer will only get around four handsets per store on June 6th. According to the tipster, Best Buy will get roughly 4,250 devices to share between its stores. The retailer themselves have previous confirmed that around 1,000 locations are taking part in the Pre launch.
Meanwhile a source connected with RadioShack, another of Palm’s launch partners, has said that 721 of the company’s locations will be stocking the Pre. Specific figures are unknown, but that tipster estimated just two handsets in stock at each of these locations, which “are limited to high coastal areas like New York, New Jersey, California, Miami, Texas, etc.”
One My Pre forum member has been told that Best Buy will begin building a waiting list from this weekend, May 23rd. According to what chronofire was informed, once individual Best Buy stores find out how many Pre’s they’ve been allocated, they’ll contact people from the waiting list and reserve a handset for them.
[Originally posted at palmpretouchphone.com]
Meanwhile a source connected with RadioShack, another of Palm’s launch partners, has said that 721 of the company’s locations will be stocking the Pre. Specific figures are unknown, but that tipster estimated just two handsets in stock at each of these locations, which “are limited to high coastal areas like New York, New Jersey, California, Miami, Texas, etc.”
One My Pre forum member has been told that Best Buy will begin building a waiting list from this weekend, May 23rd. According to what chronofire was informed, once individual Best Buy stores find out how many Pre’s they’ve been allocated, they’ll contact people from the waiting list and reserve a handset for them.
[Originally posted at palmpretouchphone.com]
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Palm Pre Listed on Best Buy's Site for a Whopping $850
The Palm Pre will cost $199 with contract or about $549 (from Sprint) without a contract. So why is BestBuy.com listing the phone itself for EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY FREAKING DOLLARS?? We'll assume it's a misprinted placeholder price and carry on with our day. We'll also assume that no one will pay an extra $300 to buy the Pre at Best Buy rather than just breaking their contract with Sprint.
[Originally posted at gizmodo.com[Best Buy via BGR]]
Palm Pre Getting Big Push From Best Buy
The electronics retailer is training its mobile specialists in the finer points of the Pre to prepare them for the Palm smartphone's launch June 6.
As Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Palm gear up for their all-important launch of the Pre smartphone June 6, they'll be getting some strong support from the 1,067Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) Mobile locations.
Sprint is looking at its exclusive deal to market the Palm Pre to reverse its continuing loss of subscribers. At the same time, Palm needs the Pre's novel features to return it to the front ranks of high-end mobile phones -- a position it lost to the surging iPhone and BlackBerrys.
Best Buy has been training its Best Buy Mobile employees in the finer points of the Pre so they'll be prepared for the Pre's launch.
"We believe the ability to keep multiple applications open at the same time will be a very popular feature of the Palm Pre," Best Buy's Scott Anderson said in an e-mail interview. "It promises to be one of the best-selling smartphones of the year." With the Pre's dual attraction of touch screen and slide-out keyboard, Palm hopes it will have an advantage over other smartphones.
Anderson, who is merchant director of Best Buy Mobile, noted that the company's mobile specialists are receiving "extensive training on the Palm Pre. We offer a program called Walk Out Working -- free in-store smartphone setup by a Best Buy Mobile expert who will sync e-mail accounts, set up Bluetooth peripherals, transfer contacts, and activate other services to allow the customer to leave the store with a fully functional new smartphone."
Best Buy Mobile's approach of having customers ready to hit the ground running with new smartphones -- which are complicated gizmos for many consumers -- could be particularly helpful for Pre users because of the phone's capability of running multiple simultaneous applications.
Once king of the smartphone category, Palm has watched with chagrin as its 40% smartphone market share in 2006 dwindled to 10% in recent market research studies. "This is an opportunity for Palm to invigorate itself and become a serious contender," said Nielsen analyst Roger Entner, otherwise it "could mean the end of the road for Palm."
In addition to Sprint and Best Buy stores, the Pre will be sold at RadioShack and some Wal-Mart outlets.
The phone will cost $199.99 after a mail-in rebate at most locations, although Best Buy's Anderson said an "instant rebate" will be offered at the retailer's locations. The Pre requires a two-year contract and a monthly data plan starting at $69.99 a month.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
As Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) and Palm gear up for their all-important launch of the Pre smartphone June 6, they'll be getting some strong support from the 1,067Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) Mobile locations.
Sprint is looking at its exclusive deal to market the Palm Pre to reverse its continuing loss of subscribers. At the same time, Palm needs the Pre's novel features to return it to the front ranks of high-end mobile phones -- a position it lost to the surging iPhone and BlackBerrys.
Best Buy has been training its Best Buy Mobile employees in the finer points of the Pre so they'll be prepared for the Pre's launch.
"We believe the ability to keep multiple applications open at the same time will be a very popular feature of the Palm Pre," Best Buy's Scott Anderson said in an e-mail interview. "It promises to be one of the best-selling smartphones of the year." With the Pre's dual attraction of touch screen and slide-out keyboard, Palm hopes it will have an advantage over other smartphones.
Anderson, who is merchant director of Best Buy Mobile, noted that the company's mobile specialists are receiving "extensive training on the Palm Pre. We offer a program called Walk Out Working -- free in-store smartphone setup by a Best Buy Mobile expert who will sync e-mail accounts, set up Bluetooth peripherals, transfer contacts, and activate other services to allow the customer to leave the store with a fully functional new smartphone."
Best Buy Mobile's approach of having customers ready to hit the ground running with new smartphones -- which are complicated gizmos for many consumers -- could be particularly helpful for Pre users because of the phone's capability of running multiple simultaneous applications.
Once king of the smartphone category, Palm has watched with chagrin as its 40% smartphone market share in 2006 dwindled to 10% in recent market research studies. "This is an opportunity for Palm to invigorate itself and become a serious contender," said Nielsen analyst Roger Entner, otherwise it "could mean the end of the road for Palm."
In addition to Sprint and Best Buy stores, the Pre will be sold at RadioShack and some Wal-Mart outlets.
The phone will cost $199.99 after a mail-in rebate at most locations, although Best Buy's Anderson said an "instant rebate" will be offered at the retailer's locations. The Pre requires a two-year contract and a monthly data plan starting at $69.99 a month.
[Originally posted at informationweek.com]
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