Palm and Sprint: Not Expecting Massive Queues

Posted By: Ryan Kairer Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:01:32 PM

The New York Times has posted a new piece in their Bits Blog today that quotes Palm and Sprint PR reps attempting to manage expectations for this weekends Palm Pre launch. In short, they are not expecting a "frenzy" of long lines and packed stores.

"We're actually trying to manage the exact opposite," [Sprint's] Mr. Elliott said.
[...]
"What we're trying to do is not have people backed up waiting so customers feel rushed," [...] Success "is not about having a line out the door," he said. "It's about being able to treat each customer and make sure they're happy with their decision."

This somewhat of a contrast to Sprint's CEO earlier comments where he was quoted stating that they do expect to have some inventory shortages.

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That's a typical Sprint store alrightee!

SeldomVisitor @ 6/4/2009 1:17:07 PM #

I've visited a few malls recently and EVERY Sprint store was empty of customers.

RE: That's a typical Sprint store alrightee!

CFreymarc @ 6/4/2009 1:58:05 PM #

Same here. No big rush that was being hyped. If this does take off, it will be a slow but steadly rising purchase curve.

RE: That's a typical Sprint store alrightee!

bhartman34 @ 6/4/2009 4:52:46 PM #

Honestly, I don't see any reason why Sprint stores would be swamped. For one thing, the Pre goes on sale on Saturday, and it's not even Friday yet. What kind of asshat camps out for two days for a phone? The problem is, any phone that good, you need a job to pay for it, and who with two brain cells to rub together's gonna take two days off to wait in line for a phone?

I could maybe see getting up early in the morning the day of the launch, but two days before? Nah.

Advertising for the Pre?

Xtremegene @ 6/4/2009 2:35:19 PM #

Has there even been any or a lot of advertising on the Pre itself lately?
Gonna actually try Palm OS now, but on the Nokia N800 via Garnet VM! --> Never mind that, just using the 755p instead.

RE: Advertising for the Pre?

DarthRepublican @ 6/6/2009 11:20:42 AM #

I guess it depends on how you look at things. Every time I see a commercial for the Sprint Now Network, it ends with a mock up of the Palm Pre. It may not technically be an ad for the Pre since it is not mentioned by name but it is at least as prominent in generic Sprint commercials as the Sprint logo itself. That smells like advertising to me.
Screw convergence
Palm III->Visor Deluxe->Visor Platinum->Visor Prism->Tungsten E->Palm LifeDrive->Palm TX
Visor Pro+VisorPhone->Treo 180g->Treo 270->Treo 600->Treo 680->T-Mobile G1
http://mind-grapes.blogspot.com/

Contrast?

Jorin @ 6/4/2009 7:12:06 PM #

I wouldn't call this a contrast at all... What they're basically doing a bad job of saying is that NORMALLY in this situation there would be long lines and customer's getting stressed about feeling rushed to accomdate the traffic. Instead they're saying they're going to do everything in their power to help each customer purchase and feel 'Ready' with ANY phone they purchase... remember... Sprint's pushing the whole customer experience thing BIG time right now.

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