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Best Buy pushing iPad 2
- Thread starter pdawg
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I think that out here we can be a bit snobbish about our product choices because we're obsessed with new tech and will notice the slightest nuance that makes one thing different than another. But in the real world I'm always amazed at how many people still run iOS 4 on their iPhone 4's, absolutely refuse to spend more than $1 for an app, don't use their thumbs when texting or have an extremely low understanding about how their iPhones even work beyond getting on FB or Text.My friend's dad (older gentleman) just purchased the iPad 2 at Best Buy this week. He was coming to get the new iPad, but the sales person nonchalantly told him "the iPad 2 and new iPad are the same thing essentially".
iPad 2 may work for some, but why tout it like it's the same as the new iPad?
So IF someone wants to buy an iPad today then saving money on the iPad 2 isn't that crazy because most people really won't notice the difference. (BTW. I sold my moms iPad 2's in favor of the iPad 3. Not because of the amazing "resolutionary" screen, but because she actually uses it as a camera. Average users are just plain weird).
Why no mention of RAM?
In any discussion of the differences between iPad 2 and the new iPad, there should ALWAYS be mention of the fact that the new iPad has double the RAM of the iPad 2.
That and the voice recognition. I don't know why nobody ever talks about these features, but these were the main selling points for me. The screen is a nice bonus (but a very nice bonus).
In any discussion of the differences between iPad 2 and the new iPad, there should ALWAYS be mention of the fact that the new iPad has double the RAM of the iPad 2.
That and the voice recognition. I don't know why nobody ever talks about these features, but these were the main selling points for me. The screen is a nice bonus (but a very nice bonus).
What difference have you noticed in performance from the additional RAM in the new iPad compared to the iPad 2? I don't think any tests/reviews have shown any appreciable increase in speed/performance.
Voice recognition/dictation is nice to have, but certainly not a deal breaker for most people. Besides, this feature is something that could likely be added to the iPad 2 in the future via a software update.
The truth in this statement probably comes from the questions that were asked and the answers that were given.
If I came to you and said that I've never had an iPad, didn't need wireless access away from home, didn't care to take pictures, and didn't see a difference in the display - would you blame me for choosing the cheaper iPad 2?
...because for those who don't need, want, or even scare about the new features, the iPad 2 is the same as the new iPad - just cheaper.
I know I wasn't there for the exchange, but the truth is that the iPad 2 is a better solution for some people.
Not necessarily. Most non-techie people have no idea what that means. All most people want to know is what impact that has on performance FOR THEM. If they are just using the iPad for email and web surfing, the extra RAM doesn't really mean anything.
It is not about features and specs. It is about how those contribute to the user experience. Just to say something is better because it has "X" isn't taking the individual user into account.
That can also depend what you are doing.
Here in most European countries we don't have 4G or it is ridiculous expensive. And the camera aspect doesn't do much if you don't use it.
I also had friends this week that where looking for an upgrade for their first gen iPad (and it is also my situation) and that where eager to buy the "new" iPad.
Some of them bought them, others went for the iPad 2. Personally I'm still deciding and as a camera or 4G is useless for me (from my POV - I can imagine it differs for people who want a better camera and 4G/LTE) it its the choice between an iPad 2 and (sorry) and iPad 2 with a retina screen.
I'm even thinking about skipping another iteration and still use my first gen iPad as it still does its job quite nice.
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Even if what the salesman said was the truth, I feel it is not his place to decide for his customer what he should buy. At best, he should have told the customer the differences between both iPads, and let them make an informed decision for themselves.
Perhaps there is some truth is what he said about both versions being essentially the same. However, the way he said it, it seems he was more intent on dumping old iPad stock than helping the customer save money or getting the most bang for his buck.
My friend also had a similar experience last week, where she went to buy a MBA, but was talked into getting a Mbp instead. The salesman told her that the MBA was essentially a NetBook!
I know a Mbp refresh is coming in April, but come on...
Perhaps there is some truth is what he said about both versions being essentially the same. However, the way he said it, it seems he was more intent on dumping old iPad stock than helping the customer save money or getting the most bang for his buck.
My friend also had a similar experience last week, where she went to buy a MBA, but was talked into getting a Mbp instead. The salesman told her that the MBA was essentially a NetBook!
I know a Mbp refresh is coming in April, but come on...
This is not "dumping old stock". The iPad 2 is still in production and part of Apple's current iPad sales offerings, and there is no indication that it will be discontinued anytime soon.
I went to best buy today, and they still had a prominent display for iPad 2: the new iPad was nowhere on display.
Same experience here in Md.
Uh. The Best Buy employee was simply giving his opinion. It's very possible that this employee felt that the iPad 2 and 3 were very similar (I mean, aside from an A5X, retina, battery, and better camera).
I seriously hate how people assume an employee's opinions and views are tied to Best Buy as a whole. I don't particularly like Best Buy (certain policies), so I'm not trying to defend the corporation here. But just because this employee said "it's essentially the same thing" doesn't mean their manager walked up to them and said "hey, Best Buy believes that iPad 2 and 3 are essentially the same thing so make sure you tell customers that!" It was a Best Buy employee pushing the iPad 2, not Best Buy.
It's very well possible that this employee was just lazy. Rather than explain the difference between the A5X and retina and probably spend ~5-10 minutes telling the customer differences, this employee probably saw this gentleman was from an older generation and assumed that his technology needs were not as demanding as ours (users on MR).
When I worked in mobile department (my store was near a city of older/retired people), and customers would want cell phones, I wouldn't go up and recommend an Android or Blackberry or iPhone to them. I would take them to look at the cheaper, less sophisticated phones. Most of the customers I worked with who were older did not need/know about smartphones...they'd ask questions and I'd give them a very basic answer, but I'd ultimately lead them to the more simple phones.
This gentleman clearly has never purchased an iPad before, so perhaps it was better to start him off on a cheaper iPad. It probably suits his needs, and he saved a good $100 or so (more if you include state taxes). The functionality is ultimately the same too.
This recommendation was based off that employee's opinion and (maybe) what he felt was best for this older gentleman. Best Buy is not pushing the iPad 2...they are not saying it's the same thing either. Individuals might push the iPad 2 (either out of laziness or because they feel that is the better option for the customer), but not the corporation.
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Abazigal, employees don't decide what customers buy. They make recommendations based on some initial customer questions. There is just no winning here...some people complain that Best Buy employees don't inform the customers enough, some complain that they inform customers too much and are too "salesy". OP is a friend of the older gentleman's son...I would guess OP and friend are similar age...friend could have helped dad make an informed decision. People complain that Best Buy employees are crappy and lazy and whatever anyway...wouldn't it be better to do the research on your own at home, possibly with the help of a son you trust with technology?
Best Buy is built around recommendations. When you go into the TV department, you say you want a 55" for movies...an employee will recommend something if you don't have something already in mind. They aren't making the decision for the customer, just a recommendation.
Again, employee's opinion - take what they say with a grain of salt. This isn't Fry's or Microcenter...employee's don't get a higher commission by selling a MBP vs an MBA. It's a recommendation that the employee gave your friend; a recommendation that your friend decided to accept. Both the MBP and MBA are getting refreshes this year anyway...they (based on previous data) would be refreshed within just a few months of each other...so it's not that big of a deal.
I seriously hate how people assume an employee's opinions and views are tied to Best Buy as a whole. I don't particularly like Best Buy (certain policies), so I'm not trying to defend the corporation here. But just because this employee said "it's essentially the same thing" doesn't mean their manager walked up to them and said "hey, Best Buy believes that iPad 2 and 3 are essentially the same thing so make sure you tell customers that!" It was a Best Buy employee pushing the iPad 2, not Best Buy.
It's very well possible that this employee was just lazy. Rather than explain the difference between the A5X and retina and probably spend ~5-10 minutes telling the customer differences, this employee probably saw this gentleman was from an older generation and assumed that his technology needs were not as demanding as ours (users on MR).
When I worked in mobile department (my store was near a city of older/retired people), and customers would want cell phones, I wouldn't go up and recommend an Android or Blackberry or iPhone to them. I would take them to look at the cheaper, less sophisticated phones. Most of the customers I worked with who were older did not need/know about smartphones...they'd ask questions and I'd give them a very basic answer, but I'd ultimately lead them to the more simple phones.
This gentleman clearly has never purchased an iPad before, so perhaps it was better to start him off on a cheaper iPad. It probably suits his needs, and he saved a good $100 or so (more if you include state taxes). The functionality is ultimately the same too.
This recommendation was based off that employee's opinion and (maybe) what he felt was best for this older gentleman. Best Buy is not pushing the iPad 2...they are not saying it's the same thing either. Individuals might push the iPad 2 (either out of laziness or because they feel that is the better option for the customer), but not the corporation.
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Abazigal, employees don't decide what customers buy. They make recommendations based on some initial customer questions. There is just no winning here...some people complain that Best Buy employees don't inform the customers enough, some complain that they inform customers too much and are too "salesy". OP is a friend of the older gentleman's son...I would guess OP and friend are similar age...friend could have helped dad make an informed decision. People complain that Best Buy employees are crappy and lazy and whatever anyway...wouldn't it be better to do the research on your own at home, possibly with the help of a son you trust with technology?
Best Buy is built around recommendations. When you go into the TV department, you say you want a 55" for movies...an employee will recommend something if you don't have something already in mind. They aren't making the decision for the customer, just a recommendation.
Again, employee's opinion - take what they say with a grain of salt. This isn't Fry's or Microcenter...employee's don't get a higher commission by selling a MBP vs an MBA. It's a recommendation that the employee gave your friend; a recommendation that your friend decided to accept. Both the MBP and MBA are getting refreshes this year anyway...they (based on previous data) would be refreshed within just a few months of each other...so it's not that big of a deal.
The appropriate thing for the Best Buy associate do have done is show the guy the difference and let him make up his own mind.
Man do I hate when folks think they are so smart as to decide this for others. It's very condescending and unprofessional.
I personally think the latest iPad is worlds better than the iPad 2 and find the extra $100 worth it for the screen, others don't. To each his own.
I checked out the iPads at Best Buy a few days after launch and the iPad 2's on display were actually the latest iPad. My guess is BB is seriously overstocked on the older models and are pushing them accordingly.
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Frankly, I find BB sales people for the most part uninformed and full of half baked thoughts on technology. A netbook? Seriously???
Man do I hate when folks think they are so smart as to decide this for others. It's very condescending and unprofessional.
I personally think the latest iPad is worlds better than the iPad 2 and find the extra $100 worth it for the screen, others don't. To each his own.
I checked out the iPads at Best Buy a few days after launch and the iPad 2's on display were actually the latest iPad. My guess is BB is seriously overstocked on the older models and are pushing them accordingly.
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Frankly, I find BB sales people for the most part uninformed and full of half baked thoughts on technology. A netbook? Seriously???
This thread is like an episode of Seinfeld, which was a show much ado about nothing much like this thread. Here we have a thread which has over 38 replies on a topic that says "Best Buy pushing iPad 2" which really isn't the case but is instead is only about what one sales person said to a particular customer...or what they may have thought they heard.
What it comes down to how this particular customer perceived what that salesperson said and maybe there was a miscommunication between them which often occurs between human beings. Perhaps the salesperson was totally clueless or doesn't care as he works at Best Buy after all, and sales people there are often like the blind leading the even blinder.
For what it's worth I'm going to counter that I was in Best Buy the other day checking out the new iPad along with some other people minding our own business where there were both new and old iPads on display, and a Best Buy salesperson came up to us without us asking any questions let us know which was the new & old iPad he said in case we wanted to compare the two.
To make what is becoming a long thread short, if you go into a Best Buy to buy an iPad, your milage may vary when it comes to sales person interactions dependent on the sale person involved and the customer they are dealing with. I work in Customer Service myself and will often say anything to please the customer depending on how dumb they may be as I'm just trying to make money.
What it comes down to how this particular customer perceived what that salesperson said and maybe there was a miscommunication between them which often occurs between human beings. Perhaps the salesperson was totally clueless or doesn't care as he works at Best Buy after all, and sales people there are often like the blind leading the even blinder.
For what it's worth I'm going to counter that I was in Best Buy the other day checking out the new iPad along with some other people minding our own business where there were both new and old iPads on display, and a Best Buy salesperson came up to us without us asking any questions let us know which was the new & old iPad he said in case we wanted to compare the two.
To make what is becoming a long thread short, if you go into a Best Buy to buy an iPad, your milage may vary when it comes to sales person interactions dependent on the sale person involved and the customer they are dealing with. I work in Customer Service myself and will often say anything to please the customer depending on how dumb they may be as I'm just trying to make money.
When will people understand that Best Buy's purchase suggestions, like other retailers, are not in your best interest and will always be in theirs.
You are missing the point. I am not arguing whether the iPad 2 is a good tablet or not. But to say they are essentially is incorrect. Plain and simple. The difference may be ONLY double the screen resolution, ONLY the camera, ONLY the LTE, and you may not want or need the camera or the LTE, but that doesn't make the iPad 2 and 3 that much more alike because you don't use or need those features, or because the features "function" the same way.
A VGA screen "functions" the same as a 2560x1600 LCD screen, that doesn't make them "essentially" the same. That is just misleading on the part of a Best Buy employee who should be explaining the differences so the consumer can make an informed decision, not make the decision for them.
You are missing the point, it was never said the iPad 2 is essentially the same. It was said it does the same exact things for less money.
No, it doesn't. Just because you don't use a feature doesn't render the product essentially the same as the previous generation. As I said before, I am not arguing that the iPad 2 is a great tablet. I am saying that as a sales person, that Best Buy employee should not be making any assumptions and should not mislead the customer by downplaying (or up-playing for that matter) the differences between devices. Educate the customer, explain the differences, and let the customer make an informed decision. The Best Buy employee saying they are "essentially" the same because he won't use or appreciate the new features is presumptuous and misleading.
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Please don't take this the wrong way, but did you even READ the OP?
My friend's dad (older gentleman) just purchased the iPad 2 at Best Buy this week. He was coming to get the new iPad, but the sales person nonchalantly told him "the iPad 2 and new iPad are the same thing essentially".
Just not as well. Just like how a netbook can be construed to do the same things as a high-end MBA. Or heck, why get an ipad, when a cheap no-brand tablet from china (running pirated android, no less!) can also let you surf the net and read ebooks?
I do not deny that the ipad2 remains a very remarkable, useful and now, more affordable piece of hardware. Yes, both LTE and 3G allow someone to surf the net, but the massive improvement in speed means the difference between your pages loading almost instantaneously, and having to wait longer.
Both can do ebook reading, but the ipad's higher res screen can make for a more pleasant experience.
Ipad has dictation, which can be useful for someone unaccustomed to typing on a virtual keyboard.
Maybe this example is a tad extreme, but you see the point?
It is likely the employee was being told to push the iPad 2. I don't think best buy employees get a commission. But if someone walks into a store and wants a product, he shouldn't be told to get a lesser model.
Many assumptions are being made here since OP was not at BB when the purchase was made. He was not there to know if questions were asked and a recommendation was made based on those answers We do not know the wording of that response and we do not know if the customer bought strictly based on what the employee said or if that decision was made based on the customer's needs weighing the additional cost against benefits that the buyer didn't see as worth it to him.
If a customer came up to me and asked what the differences were, I would first ask what they planned to use it for. I would then frame my answers based on what the customer's answers were. I would explain that the new iPad was an improvement and explain if those improvements were a benefit to him and if they made no difference. Then, it would be entirely up to the customer to make the decision.
It is entirely possible that this process was followed that the employee was essentially reassuring the customer that he had made the right decision for him as the buyer.
EDIT: There is no reason for the employee to push one model of the other. BB employees are not on commission and if they were, wouldn't they push the new, more expensive model?
If a customer came up to me and asked what the differences were, I would first ask what they planned to use it for. I would then frame my answers based on what the customer's answers were. I would explain that the new iPad was an improvement and explain if those improvements were a benefit to him and if they made no difference. Then, it would be entirely up to the customer to make the decision.
It is entirely possible that this process was followed that the employee was essentially reassuring the customer that he had made the right decision for him as the buyer.
EDIT: There is no reason for the employee to push one model of the other. BB employees are not on commission and if they were, wouldn't they push the new, more expensive model?