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Verizon sales people are anti iPhone. What gives?

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willimammoth

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 23, 2011
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First I should say that before I got my iPhone 4 a week ago, I had the original droid. From time to time I would go into a Verizon store and drool over the iPhones. However, every time I would talk to a sales person about it, they would adamantly try to talk me out of buying one! They would start telling me about all the features of the droid, but I saw past and knew the iPhone was still king of the hill.

I was going to wait until October (October?) for the iPhone 5 launch, but two weeks ago I lost my droid and had to get a new phone, so I settled with the iPhone 4, instead of 5.

When I was at the Verizon store ready to purchase the iPhone, sure enough, the sales woman kept trying to talk me out of it. I know what's good for me, so I got the iPhone anyways, but it struck me... Why do all these Verizon sales people want me to get a droid SO badly, over the iPhone?

The fact that the iPhone is STILL the best selling phone even through all the scrutiny proves that the iPhone is so good, it sells itself!

I guess what I'm asking is... Has anyone else experienced this, and, Does anyone know WHY they are so anti-iPhone?
 
Carriers are telling them to push other phones. You obviously don't know this, but the carriers call in (or whatever) and tell them what types of models to push.

Like Best Buy placing their kiosks of certain tablets at certain places within the store.

It might be personal preference but chances are, Verizon called and told them to push Android phones.

From what I've been reading, they could just be low on stock and it wouldn't make sense to push it if they were.

The Android sales numbers could be down at that particular location or they might have a surplus they're trying to get rid of as well.
 
I don't think it has anything to do with the sales of one perticular Verizon store because I experienced it at multiple stores. I live in Boise, Idaho and all the stores here do it, and when I purchased my iPhone I was traveling in New York state! It's everywhere!

That said, the first possibilty you mentioned is very plausible.
 
old-wiz said:
could it be they get a better commission on non-iPhones?
Click to expand...

Now that I don't know; I don't really educate myself on the ways of a phone sales associate.

----------
willimammoth said:
I don't think it has anything to do with the sales of one perticular Verizon store because I experienced it at multiple stores. I live in Boise, Idaho and all the stores here do it, and when I purchased my iPhone I was traveling in New York state! It's everywhere!

That said, the first possibility you mentioned is very plausible.
Click to expand...

Ah, well I do know that they are told to push certain phones; mainly the iPhone and higher end Android handsets.

Even if you aren't aiming for that kind of phone, they are told to push certain ones in all price categories.

on another note, that's one reason why other phones (HP Veer, Palm products, etc.) don't really sell that well.

Aside from them not being as popular, the companies and stores themselves don't push the phones.

Meh, it is what it is.
 
From what I've read and been told is the VZW reps make less commission when they sell an iPhone as opposed to an Android device or other phones. I was told the same by a few friends who work at AT&T also. I assume it's due to the iPhone basically selling itself.
 
Last edited:
Verizon doesn't advertise the iPhone much either. In fact, other than when it first came out, I don't think I've ever seen a Verizon ad that mentioned the iPhone.

Come to think of it, I've seen few AT&T ads that mention the iPhone as well. So, I believe two things - the carriers get pressured to advertise other phones, and the carriers make more money off of other phones.
 
They probably get some kind of compensation. Plus, if you bash the iPhone, you are cool. Haven't you heard?
 
Im pretty sure at ATT they get more money, both the company and sales people, for other phones. thats why when you have a coupon or a free upgrade it can't be used with iphones.
 
My sister in law went into a verizon store here in Colorado and got the same attitude. Verizon rep telling her the iphone was basically a ****** phone and that she should get the thunderbolt or wait for the bionic. They were so pushy it was were they were not even listening to her and acted like they didn't even want to sell her a phone if it was a iphone. I can't believe they would even act like that. I mean you are a customer and they should sell you what you want. Since when did cell phone reps become car salesmen.
 
AMDENCO said:
My sister in law went into a verizon store here in Colorado and got the same attitude. Verizon rep telling her the iphone was basically a ****** phone and that she should get the thunderbolt or wait for the bionic. They were so pushy it was were they were not even listening to her and acted like they didn't even want to sell her a phone if it was a iphone. I can't believe they would even act like that. I mean you are a customer and they should sell you what you want. Since when did cell phone reps become car salesmen.
Click to expand...

Since always? The reps goal is to make more money, not make you happy.
 
Probably more than anything, it's just because they have been selling nothing but Android phones and just recently got the iPhone. Their mentality has aways been pro Android and con iPhone, and just because they now have the iPhone it hasn't changed that mentality.
 
apollo1444 said:
a CDMA iPhone is not a real iPhone...
Click to expand...

Well, I guess I'd rather have a "fake" iPhone than deal with the worst cell phone company in the world.

My cousin works for Verizon and yes, he hates the iPhone and loves android and windows phones... different argument for a different time, but anyway, he told me he doesn't make any commission on selling iPhones.

When i went into buy my iPhone, the sales rep said, "yep, the iPhone is the best phone here"
 
AMDENCO said:
My sister in law went into a verizon store here in Colorado and got the same attitude. Verizon rep telling her the iphone was basically a ****** phone and that she should get the thunderbolt or wait for the bionic. They were so pushy it was were they were not even listening to her and acted like they didn't even want to sell her a phone if it was a iphone. I can't believe they would even act like that. I mean you are a customer and they should sell you what you want. Since when did cell phone reps become car salesmen.
Click to expand...

Some of them are bad.
They try to tell you what to get without listening to what you want.
Just tell them, you're going to get me an iphone or do I have to go somewhere else? Stop wasting my time and do your job.
 
I have a friend who is a manager at a Verizon store.

They get the same commission anytime they sell any smartphone regardless of what type. There is never any official "push X phone" in his store or instructions from corporate to do such a thing.

His employees are instructed to try to sell the "best for the current customer needs" if they have no idea what they want. The reps are human and will bring their own experiences and prejudices into anything they do. Not everyone likes the iPhone and there's a large set of people who actually dislike it for whatever reason.

I hate mayonnaise but like mustard so if I'm trying to sell somebody a condiment for their sandwich I will push them towards mustard.

Your hypothesis that Verizon sales people are anti iPhone can't be based off the statistical sampling of one Verizon rep in one city.
 
thetexan said:
Your hypothesis that Verizon sales people are anti iPhone can't be based off the statistical sampling of one Verizon rep in one city.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you missed it when I said that I have experienced it from multiple reps in multiple cities.

Three reps from Meridian, Idaho... Two reps from the kiosk in the Boise mall... One rep in the Verizon store separate from the mall in Boise... Two reps in Nampa, Idaho... And one rep in Lake placid, New York.
 
willimammoth said:
Perhaps you missed it when I said that I have experienced it from multiple reps in multiple cities.

Three reps from Meridian, Idaho... Two reps from the kiosk in the Boise mall... One rep in the Verizon store separate from the mall in Boise... Two reps in Nampa, Idaho... And one rep in Lake placid, New York.
Click to expand...

not to be a dick, but do you just travel the country pretending to be interested in buying iphones?
 
Dandrews524 said:
not to be a dick, but do you just travel the country pretending to be interested in buying iphones?
Click to expand...


Hmm. Yes, that is what I do. It has nothing to do with the fact that I just happened to be in New York when I needed a new phone.
 
willimammoth said:
Hmm. Yes, that is what I do. It has nothing to do with the fact that I just happened to be in New York when I needed a new phone.
Click to expand...

its just strange that you talked to SIX different reps. after the first one i would have told them to shut the hell up and go get my iphone. those workers were prob just in a bad mood cause they realized they work at verizon
 
Well you know, I would stop in from time to time at the one Nearest my house (usually because i was having problems with my droid) and then the one at the mall when i was walking by. I just liked playing with the iPhone and every time I would, they would start talking to me and thus, talking me out of it.
 
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