Best Buy and Radio Shack to Sell iPhone 3G?

[MacRumors]

The Boy Genius Report suggests that the iPhone 3G may be made available for purchase in Best Buy and Radio Shack retail stores in the U.S. While the report stresses that this is an unconfirmed rumor, they do claim that their source has a good track record.

There is no word on whether the iPhone 3G would be available in these stores on the July 11th launch date or if there would be a delay before it makes its way to these additional distribution points.

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[11800506]

I don't think Apple would let them so they can keep a good buying experience.

 

[KrAyZiE]

Oh hey, I also heard they'd start selling them at Burger King and Walgreens.



Are you ****ing kidding me? Fake. They'd never let Best Buy or Radio Shack sell the iPhone; especially with all those strict activation requirements they've got this time around.

 

[Bosox3]

Oh hey, I also heard they'd start selling them at Burger King and Walgreens.



Are you ****ing kidding me? Fake. They'd never let Best Buy or Radio Shack sell the iPhone; especially with all those strict activation requirements they've got this time around.

why wouldnt they let Best Buy sell them? they sell every other phone..so I dont see why they wouldnt sell this one. they sell and activate Verizon phones.

Yea, I agree w/ Radio Shack though..there no way it goes on sale there.

 

[guru_ck]

why wouldnt they let Best Buy sell them? they sell every other phone..so I dont see why they wouldnt sell this one. they sell and activate Verizon phones.

Yea, I agree w/ Radio Shack though..there no way it goes on sale there.

Select Best Buy locations also have areas dedicated to Apple products now. I don't see this rumor being too far fetched.

 

[drober30]

Although my first response is to say no way... With every Best Buy now getting a huge Apple section and putting all the Apple stuff on display, this could be true on down the line but not around launch time.

 

[Rocketman]

If I could buy my two iPhone 3G's at Radio Shack I would, just to show it is truly mass-market.

RS should tell people.

iTunes 7.7 tethered would overcome "any" sales experience. And provide automagical update to recent iPhone 2.0 from manufacturer install that simply makes 3G phone active.

Rocketman

 

[jpruitt]

I would love to be able to buy this at Best Buy. I can get Reward Zone points, which is always a good thing.

 

[Eric Lewis]

More Stores Selling 3G = more in Hands of Customers = more $$$?

makes sense people

 

[SirOmega]

BB seems likely - but rat shack? I dunno.

And they definately wouldn't get them on July 11. Apple and AT&T are going to hoard the attention (and lines, accessory sales, etc) to themselves for the first why. I'd put it around October 1st when 3rd parties would be able to sell iPhone3Gs.

 

[Sun Baked]

Why not, get a pram battery for the Mac and a new iPhone 3G.

Seems about the only traffic Radio Shack has these days is for some cheesy electronic remote controlled gadget, cable, or a cellphone.

 

[kskill]

I'm surprised BB made it a whole year w/o selling the iPhone. There's no reason they wouldn't be selling it as they are an authorized ATT dealer, and even have separate salesmen for cell phones. iPhone needs stuff like this to truly gain mass market appeal. i worked in BB's cell department a few years ago, you'd be surprised how many customers come in not knowing what phone they want.

 

[cuestakid]

In a related story-

Apple Stores will begin selling Zune MP3 Players

 

[docx43]

BB sounds right to me. My local BB sells Macbooks, iMacs, Apple TV, Airport, Time Capsules, iPods, etc...

They already have a cell phone department that is used to activating phones.

RS could...they already have a large (relatively) cell phone section as well.

 

[Bigsam411]

I work for Best Buy and I can see us Carrying the iPhone. We just revamped our cell phone dept and we carry over 90 Phones. We also Stock pretty Much every single apple Product aside from mac minis and Mac pro's in store (those can still be ordered online). I think iPhone in Best Buy would be huge for Apple as we get tons of people interested in one and we instead end up selling them other iClones like the instinct.

 

[yoshi1277]

Doubtful...

I was at a Radio Shack in Fort Lauderdale, FL last Monday picking up a cable I needed. When I was there, an AT&T Representative was at the counter talking to the employees there. Jokingly she asked me if I was interested in buying a phone that day. I said I was going to get a new phone when the new iPhone to comes out. She frowned a little and said that it was too bad they weren't going to be selling them there.

So unless something has changed between last Monday and now at AT&T that the rep wouldn't have known about, I doubt that Radio Shack will be selling the new iPhone.

 

[puckhead193]

people actually buy electronics at radio shack i thought they only sold batteries and weird cables/connectors...

 

[BenRoethig]

Makes a lot of sense with the new in store activation policy. Both are authorized retailers for both Apple and AT&T. With Radioshack, I wonder if its the corporate stores or if it includes the small town independent Radioshacks as well.

 

[Jstick]

doubt it...i think they would let stand alone Att franchises sell the iphone first before best buy and radioshack...oh wait maybe they wouldn't since Att screws the franchisees......i worked at one

 

[WindowsGuy]

Boy Genius does a disservice to this site and all other "Rumor" Sites.

Why do you continue to fule his site with BS like this?

At least AppleInsider had the taste to not quote this idiot.

Hey BoyGenious,
Record the lines at Radio Shack with your new 3G iPhone with the video camera, I saw it on your site and it must be true.

You disgust me.

BB sounds right to me. My local BB sells Macbooks, iMacs, Apple TV, Airport, Time Capsules, iPods, etc...

They already have a cell phone department that is used to activating phones.

RS could...they already have a large (relatively) cell phone section as well.

DID YOU ALL FORGET THAT AT&T HAS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS IN THE USA AND THEY COULDN'T SELL THE FIRST IPHONE.

I have a unicorn for sale and a levy in St. Louis. Hit me up if you want a 3g iPhone with a Video Camera, Unicorn and a Levy (might be damaged).

I have a good deal for you.

 

[mrbrown]

I can see BB and RS selling them in store simply because they sell and activate AT&T Wireless (along with other carriers) phones in their stores already. They have the infrastructure to be able to do so - they have the systems required to open and activate new accounts on AT&T's network already.

Also, there's no revenue sharing (or less of a revenue sharing plan) this time around as there was on the original iPhone, as AT&T is subsidizing the phone. I believe this is partly why Apple Stores and AT&T corporate owned stores were the only ones that carried them while AT&T franchisees didn't carry them - they wanted to minimize their loss and maximize their gain as much as possible by keeping iPhone sales "in house".

DID YOU ALL FORGET THAT AT&T HAS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS IN THE USA.

They have the rights to sell and market the phone in the USA for use solely on their network. Doesn't mean Best Buy can't sell it for use on the AT&T network.

 

[WindowsGuy]

I can see BB and RS selling them in store simply because they sell and activate AT&T Wireless (along with other carriers) phones in their stores already. They have the infrastructure to be able to do so, that is they have the systems required to open and activate new accounts on AT&T's network already.

Also, there's no revenue sharing (or less of a revenue sharing plan) this time around as there was on the original iPhone, as AT&T is subsidizing the phone. I believe this is partly why Apple Stores and AT&T corporate owned stores were the only ones that carried them while AT&T franchisees didn't carry them - they wanted to minimize their loss and maximize their gain as much as possible by keeping iPhone sales "in house".


They have the rights to sell and market the phone in the USA for use solely on their network. Doesn't mean Best Buy can't sell it for use on the AT&T network.

And they're going to set this up and complete it in less than a week. Either this is the Best Cover Up Ever or you guys are all morons. I'll bet on the second; if you believe this. Go to BoyToy's site and fule his fire.

 

[timothyjay2004]

DID YOU ALL FORGET THAT AT&T HAS EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS IN THE USA.

No one has forgot that. They have the exclusive rights to provide SERVICE to the iPhone, not to sell it. If At&t had exclusive selling rights, Apple wouldn't be able to sell it. The only thing that is exclusive is the fact the iPhone can not be used with any other carrier (unless it's unlocked...). So, BB and RS could indeed sell the iPhone because they sell the phone with the At&t service, as well as Walmart should Apple allow it. Walmart also sells At&t service.

 

[WindowsGuy]

No one has forgot that. They have the exclusive rights to provide SERVICE to the iPhone, not to sell it. If At&t had exclusive selling rights, Apple wouldn't be able to sell it. The only thing that is exclusive is the fact the iPhone can not be used with any other carrier (unless it's unlocked...). So, BB and RS could indeed sell the iPhone because they sell the phone with the At&t service, as well as Walmart should Apple allow it. Walmart also sells At&t service.

If this were the case then why didn't WalMart sell the first iPhone? In case you Forgot Apple owns the Phone, of course they can sell it in their stores. Geeeeeeeeeeez.

Poor Logic at its best.

 

[kskill]

The only reason I could see this NOT happening would be if the iPhone is perpetually expected to be sold out. Then there's no reason to take business away from Apple Stores and AT&T stores. I came to that conclusion for iPhone 1.0, but it still never came to be.