Tim Cook's Plan to Sell More iPhones in Apple Stores Could Be Tough Task

[ftaok]

Apple hasn't even made that many iPhones since it was introduced.

Thanks for catching that. Incidentally, that 500 - 750k expectation was before TMo announced 1st month sales of 500k. I did some digging last night and there were a few people saying that TMo could surpass Sprint ... at about the 1.5million level.

 

[robjulo]

Go learn business.

Sadly, most tech fans know nothing about business. You see posts in these forums where people say things like Apple should pay the devs for putting their apps in the app store. Shows how people really don't understand business.

In other words, you don't have a clue as to what spiffs are offered to sales reps by any of the companies and are simply throwing out an opinion that is spun to put a good light on Apple.

 

[everything-i]

Right, it couldn't possibly be any thing else, like a bigger screen size and better camera.

They push whatever makes them the most money, these sales guys couldn't care less what the purchaser actually needs or would be best off with or even what they want. I know people who have been sold absolutely crap phones because that is what the guy at the shop pushed on them and they didn't know any better. Not the best phone by a long shot in price or features but the one with the best deal for the sales guy. What would you do, sell a phone that nets you $5 or one that nets $10. Apple don't stand a chance of sales guys actively pushing their phones unless they cut better deals for retailers. If retailers made most money from iPhone unit sales that is all you would get offered unless you really pushed for something else.

 

[alexgowers]

Service plans.

I don't know about anyone else but if store location is not an issue then the only issue is the service plans.

Apple doesn't deal with sim cards etc. If they did and could switch your tariff and current plans to the network of your choice and price of unsubsidised phone was equal to a subsidised contract then yes they could make a killing.

Until the shops can deal with your provider, sim and tariff they are only one half of the phone purchasing equation and without it, leaves them at a huge disadvantage.

 

[nepalisherpa]

Again, stating the obvious.

No kidding, you need to offer something different or unique - not necessary "extra" - compared to the competition. People much more qualified than you and I that have been working on the problem since forever. That's why opened retails stores in the first place - to get better sales than just being online or in other retails stores. And look, the stores have been a success. So they get it already

Explain to me how something different/unique is different from something extra? As soon as you offer something different/unique, that is putting an "extra" in your service. By "extra" I don't just mean adding things on top.

 

[robjulo]

They push whatever makes them the most money, these sales guys couldn't care less what the purchaser actually needs or would be best off with or even what they want. I know a people who have been sold absolutely crap phones because that is what the guy at the shop pushed on them and they didn't know any better. Not the best phone by a long shot in price or features but the one with the best deal for the sales guy. What would you do, sell a phone that nets you $5 or one that nets $10. Apple don't stand a chance of sales guys actively pushing their phones unless they cut better deals for retailers. If retailers made most money from iPhone unit sales that is all you get offered unless you really pushed for something else.

Give me hard facts and specfics. What deals are others doing that Apple is not?

 

[everything-i]

I went in to one guess 2 years ago to get my GF a 27" Imac. She knew exactly what she wanted as shes been a mac user forever. Walked in and the sales woman asked how she can help us. I told her what we wanted to pick up. She said there is a little bit of a wait and someone should be able to help us in about 20-30 min. Really? OK Ill play. So we waited the 30 min. After no one came to help we decided to leave. The same woman stop us and asked if something was wrong and I said Im not waiting any longer for someone to grab the computer we want from the back room. Well lets just say she had someone help us right away. But still took about another 45 min before we left.
Heres how it should have went. Good morning we know what we want and would like to to purchase the 27" imac. No problem..let me call our genius stock boy and have him bring it to the register. Walk to the register..yes thats my computer heres my credit card. Have a great day.

Problem is you said you know what you want and its a Mac. If you had gone in and said I am looking for a new computer and can't decide between a Mac or a PC they would have been all over you

 

[TWSS37]

Clearly you're the one with the closed mind if you can't see Metro is the most unique.

Yes, Android has changed, but it's still similar to it's old versions. And both iOS and Andriod are similar too. But Metro is clearly very different from the other two, and has been different from the beginning.

Lastly, I offer up my opinion on something that is completely subjective and you say I have a closed mind. Brilliant.

I am not arguing the Metro point. I am just pointing out that what you consider "subjective" - that Android <3 and >3 are similar. It was a complete redesign. From the system level all the way up to the font and everything in between. I would argue that it's a more drastic change than iOS 7 will be (if the first betas are going to hold true to the final product).

 

[Tinmania]

There is nothing apple can't do

There is in fact a lot Apple can't do. They can not push your upgrade eligibility date up. AT&T just did that for me in January from an eligibility date that was originally in May. They can not waive activation fees, which AT&T also did for me in January. Finally, they cannot offer little incentives like AT&T waving my texting fee for 10 months.

Basically, your statement is wrong: there is a lot carriers can do that Apple cannot. And if God-forbid there was a mistake setting up a phone you can bet you will need your carrier to fix it.



Michael

 

[everything-i]

Give me hard facts and specfics. What deals are others doing that Apple is not?

You have to be kidding it's well known Apple squeeze retailers and carriers harder than any other company and have done since the beginning. They don't even let the carriers brand their phones or load any of their own service crap on there. Of course the margins the carriers and retails make are lower, look at Apples profits based on their unit sales. I suggest you Google some articles on this, there are plenty out there.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Which I don't see as a bad thing. At least that allowed apple products to reach the masses. Sharing with hobbyists would probably have them keeping it for that small group of people, and the benefits may not trickle down to us.

I don't see it as a bad thing either, just trying in my own way to halt the myth advanced by some that Apple was established as an altruistic organization where profit came second to creating exciting products. Profit was the reason Apple was established and continues to exist. Steve Jobs wanted to change the world, but he also wanted to make a boat load of cash doing it. He swore off meat not money.

 

[robjulo]

You have to be kidding it's well known Apple squeeze retailers and carriers harder than any other company and have done since the beginning. They don't even let the carriers brand their phones or load any of their own service crap on there. Of course the margins the carriers and retails make are lower, look at Apples profits based on their unit sales. I suggest you Google some articles on this, there are plenty out there.

Not doing the work for you. You make the assertions you haven't backed up. I want to know specifics. I want to know what incentives the sales person on the floor has to push a customer to someone other than Apple.

I want to know how any "push" from a sales person factors in rather than people wanting larger screens (which Apple is unwilling or unable to give them).

 

[slu]

I don't like to buy anything at an Apple Store. I avoid them at all costs. They are too busy and it is hard to get someone to help you when people that have no intention are buying anything are monopolizing the staff's time.

 

[elev8d]

Did you let them know you were in a hurry and that you wanted to open and unlock it yourself or did they not read your thoughts like you wanted them to?

Yeah I was thinking, I don't need an unboxing service. Some people do though if it's their very first phone. I'd rather open everything myself. That's a good lesson for future Apple store visits.

----------

I'm not going to buy an iPhone at the applestore when I get better insurance with AT&T. If you break your phone through negligence with AT&T, you can get a new one. With Applecare, it's not a manufacturer defect, so good luck.

 

[mtneer]

They push whatever makes them the most money, these sales guys couldn't care less what the purchaser actually needs or would be best off with or even what they want. I know people who have been sold absolutely crap phones because that is what the guy at the shop pushed on them and they didn't know any better. Not the best phone by a long shot in price or features but the one with the best deal for the sales guy. What would you do, sell a phone that nets you $5 or one that nets $10. Apple don't stand a chance of sales guys actively pushing their phones unless they cut better deals for retailers. If retailers made most money from iPhone unit sales that is all you would get offered unless you really pushed for something else.

I have had similar frustrating experiences when buying an iPad Mini and a MacBook Pro. I wrote in a letter voicing my experience to Apple; and got a call back from some apologetic manager. Except, nothing changed, the next time I went in for a Genius Appointment, I was just asked to "hang around the Airs" until someone found me - and no one came.

There was a diffusion of people streaming in, disorganized, wandering about, and it seemed like people arriving later were being helped while some others were being asked to wait... at least my local DMV has a numbering system to keep track of the queue and seats to wait.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Thanks for catching that. Incidentally, that 500 - 750k expectation was before TMo announced 1st month sales of 500k. I did some digging last night and there were a few people saying that TMo could surpass Sprint ... at about the 1.5million level.

I think that is possible too. TMo and Sprint seem to be heading in opposite directions.

 

[InfernoShade]

In other words, you don't have a clue as to what spiffs are offered to sales reps by any of the companies and are simply throwing out an opinion that is spun to put a good light on Apple.

Nope, it's your post that shows you don't have a clue. If you can't understand that different companies have different deals, then you're lost. Examples are not needed as it's common sense.

But if you want to know the specifics of the deals go do your research. Start with this question, "are all deals the same?" It'll save you some time.

Btw, I work for one of the big phone providers and have worked for a number of cable companies. If I didn't understand that there were different deals for each company, I'd be a laughingstock, and probably fired. Do you think that every network has the same deal with every cable provider? If you did, you'd be a fool. Just like phone companies there are different deals and incentives.

This is not an opinion, it's fact. Sadly you can't see the difference. But you go right ahead and question business 101 and common sense.

 

[Tinmania]

Nope, it's your post that shows you don't have a clue. If you can't understand that different companies have different deals, then you're lost. Examples are not needed as it's common sense. But if you want to know the specifics of the deals go do your research. Start with this question, "are all deals the same?" It'll save you some time.

I bet you perfected cold fusion too.




Michael

 

[InfernoShade]

I bet you perfected cold fusion too.




Michael

Read my full post. I added some more info.

Keeping your head in the sand doesn't help anyone. This his how business works. You don't need to see the details of the agreements to know this.

You're response shows you lack common sense on top of lacking business sense. What's every worse, people like you refuse to learn. I'm always shocked when I meet people who choose to be willfully ignorant. Also, the fact that my post got so many up votes but you choose to fight it, show you just don't get it.

This is why it's a waste of time talking to some people in these forums.

 

[Tinmania]

Read my full post. I added some more info.

Keeping your head in the sand doesn't help anyone. This his how business works. You don't need to see the details of the agreements to know this.

You're response shows you lack common sense on top of lacking business sense. What's every worse, people like you refuse to learn. I'm always shocked when I meet people who choose to be willfully ignorant. Also, the fact that my post got so many up votes but you choose to fight it, show you just don't get it.

This is why it's a waste of time talking to some people in these forums.

Thanks for my morning laugh.

You had me at "you're."

I'm going to brush up on my "business sense" right now...



Michael

 

[jasvncnt]

Problem is you said you know what you want and its a Mac. If you had gone in and said I am looking for a new computer and can't decide between a Mac or a PC they would have been all over you

Ya know....your right lol I never thought about that

 

[freediverdude]

I think it's probably somewhere in the middle. Yes management of the carriers probably suggests that they want to push certain phones more than others, for a variety of reasons including stock levels and profit levels, and maybe even offer small amounts as incentives. And then the sales reps probably try to please the customers by first finding out what type or range of phones would suit the customer, and then maybe if the incentivized phone is in that range, they put that one in the forefront for the customer. That is both good salesmanship and making the management happy.

But I don't know where the iPhone fits in with that, it's kind of in its own niche in a way.

 

[StyxMaker]

When did I talk about buying a phone? I'm talking about the broken Apple store purchasing model. Just like any store, there should be a fast track, i.e. a cash register, for those who know what they want. If it takes me 15 minutes to get through a big line, thats fine! But when I am have to sit around the store waiting for someone to notice me, that is very annoying.

For the record, whenever I go to an ATT store to buy a phone, it takes less a minute to talk to someone.

I think the 'waiting for someone to notice me' is your problem. Walk up to the closest store employee and let them know you need help, even if you have to inturrupt them.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

You really believe the "budget" iPhone (if there is one) will only cost 200 dollars unsubsidized? Not gonna happen.

I don't see why not. You can walk into any Wal*Mart and get a current-gen Windows Phone for $130 + tax. That gives Apple a $70 markup over Nokia's markup. And Apple has to compete or risk losing iOS domination, as $130 Smartphones that don't have any lag will temp people who weren't temped by $130 Android phones.

edit: And that's not including the additional savings Apple can get by bulk-purchasing components in a way that Nokia never could.

 

[Henk Poley]

Making it easier to buy things in the Apple store would be a great first step. [..] The last two times I've bought Mac's from them, I've had to hunt someone down after waiting for 15 minutes.

As far as I know the iOS Apple Store app has an 'Express Checkout' function that basically allows you to reserve and pay a product in one of the stores and walk out with it. The store will be notified by geofencing once you enter.

This of course only works if you already have an iPhone or iPad 3G