Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why don't other mobile retailers adopt Apple's style

daneoni

daneoni

macrumors G5
Original poster
Mar 24, 2006
12,035
1,954
We all know you can walk to any apple/o2/cpw store and play with a real life iPhone. My question is why dont other mobile retailers take this approach and fill their stores with real phones that people can test/get a feel for rather than the useless dummies they insist on displaying

I was researching the BB Bold and I was frustrated about only seeing dummies. If you ask for a real version the staff seem reluctant to bring one out. I mean do you seriously expect me to buy a phone based on a dummy?!
 
It's fun until they get stolen.

Which is why they began using dummies in the first place.

I reckon the security is higher in your average Apple Store.
 
I was in a vodafone store sometime earlier this year, and they had BBs on display (functioning models) but you couldn't really pick them up and play with them, they were properly strapped down, which was annoying.

But I totally agree with you, this was the only time I'd ever seen a working demo of a phone other than the iPhone. The dummy's don't even get the weight right.
 
Pressure said:
It's fun until they get stolen.

Which is why they began using dummies in the first place.

I reckon the security is higher in your average Apple Store.
Click to expand...

They can strap the phones down with strings that set off alarms if disconnected
 
yes but then you need a security guard in the store to stop the alarm and anyone running out the store with the phone.

Also i assume there would be problems if two alarms went off at the same time, especially when most stores don't have enough staff/or any security guards.
 
daneoni said:
We all know you can walk to any apple/o2/cpw store and play with a real life iPhone. My question is why dont other mobile retailers take this approach and fill their stores with real phones that people can test/get a feel for rather than the useless dummies they insist on displaying

I was researching the BB Bold and I was frustrated about only seeing dummies. If you ask for a real version the staff seem reluctant to bring one out. I mean do you seriously expect me to buy a phone based on a dummy?!
Click to expand...

Maybe because Apple has faith in OS X standing up to use and abuse from the general public.

I'm not saying OS X iPhone is perfect, far from it, I'm just saying maybe other Smart Phone manufacturer's don't have the same faith in their product or aren't prepared to take the risk of the bad experience of customer could get if it breaks while they are playing with it.

It's either fear from other manufacturers or bravado from Apple. Either way it is paying off, with some reports suggesting iPhone 3G is the No. 1 selling phone in the UK at the moment.

That's the only logical explanation I can think of for this. That and if anything does go wrong with iPhone, it's not the hardest task in the world to restore it to factory settings (this must be the case with other phones though.)

In PC World, on of the UK's big computer stores, the PCs running Vista are mostly locked down, whereas you can play with any of the Macs on display.
 
I was in a Sprint store a few months ago and half the phones were broken and/or had those plastic security tethers that prevent you from actually exploring any of the phone's functions.

Strolled into a Best Buy mobile retailer and most of the phones displayed were working models in good condition. The same phones that looked like trash in the Sprint store actually looked much better there. There were a few non-working models but the attendants were very polite and quick to bring out working models if you asked. I can see why Apple is allowing them to sell the iphone.
 
barkomatic said:
I was in a Sprint store a few months ago and half the phones were broken and/or had those plastic security tethers that prevent you from actually exploring any of the phone's functions.

Strolled into a Best Buy mobile retailer and most of the phones displayed were working models in good condition. The same phones that looked like trash in the Sprint store actually looked much better there. There were a few non-working models but the attendants were very polite and quick to bring out working models if you asked. I can see why Apple is allowing them to sell the iphone.
Click to expand...

MY local sprint store has all working models of their new phones.
 
Being the OP is in the UK (assumed based on listed mobile providers) Listing Best Buy, AT&T, etc does them no good.

I have to agree w/them some of the Cellular eXpresses here in Fla are rubbish, they have a few 'shells' of the nicer smart/PDA phones and really don't want to bring out a working model unless you ready to buy(What ever that means).
 
I noticed the other day, that the kiosks in the mall had nothing but dummies. Even tiny "hole in the wall" stores had just dummies.

But the larger corporate stores seemed to have working models tethered to the wall.

Besides worrying about theft, Verizon (for example) also has all the phones enabled to make calls so you can check clarity etc. I don't know if that's just local calls or what.
 
daneoni said:
They can strap the phones down with strings that set off alarms if disconnected
Click to expand...

Yup that's what they do with the iphone's in the ATT stores... I would know, it came undo and the alarm went off when I was testing it. I didn't get very good looks for the employees after that, especially since i'm 17 and they probably thought i was trying to steal it. lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back