Dealers, IPhone killing your sales?
My store's sales are pacing half the gross profit it usually hits. Everyone that comes in is looking for the Iphone. My approach to this is to make sure they actually know what they want their phone to do and see if another phone such as a Blackberry suits them better. My question is what approach are the rest of you guys taking? I'm right outside of L.A. and it's that much tougher to keep the public from falling for the current trend. Anything would help, thanks in advance.
...
I'm usually up front and honest with them, I tell them exactly where to go to get one, but also tell them about the long wait time to get one, a few of it's flaws, and the price, and then recommend a phone that would be just as suited to their needs if not better. However I'm also in farmland not LA.
...
Have you done your research on the features the iPhone doesnt offer? MMS, video camera, no replaceable battery, etc. Also, the user reviews I've read of the phone show a serious call quality problem with the phone. I would research this further if I were you. There are some already here on phonescoop. Print out the user posts and have them in hand to support your poor signal strength claims if necessary. Bottom line, you have to show the customer that there are better phones available that will do the same things the iPhone does, or more. And you need to be able to demo those phones immediately, so have your store demo sim card available at all times. We are selling the Vu, Blackberry's and Blackjacks as competitors to the iPhone, an...
(continues)
(continues)
...
UOQuack said:...
Have you done your research on the features the iPhone doesnt offer? MMS, video camera, no replaceable battery, etc. Also, the user reviews I've read of the phone show a serious call quality problem with the phone. I would research this further if I were you. There are some already here on phonescoop. Print out the user posts and have them in hand to support your poor signal strength claims if necessary. Bottom line, you have to show the customer that there are better phones available that will do the same things the iPhone does, or more. And you need to be able to demo those phones immediately, so have your store demo sim card available at all times. We are selling the Vu, Blackberry's and Blackjack
(continues)
...
The iPhone was supposed to go to Verizon but talks broke down when Verizon would not allow it to use a GSM radio on their network even though they could have modified their network to make it work.
...
Where are you getting this information? The talks didnt break down because Verizon didnt want a GSM radio in the phone. If this was an issue why are they coming out with "world" phones? Blackberry, Motorola, and Samsung? The broke down over many issues that Verizon saw with the iPhone. Apple wanted too much control over all aspects of the phone. The battery not being able to be replaced was an issue. The fact that ALL phones had to be sent to Apple for any type of work was an issue. There are countless other issues that they just simply didnt want.
...
True enough, the iPhone does definitely have that "wow" factor. And I tell my customers that. If they want something to really impress people, and that does a great job with iTunes, by all means, get the iPhone. But if they want a phone that will impress themselves with its functionality and performance, and still do all the things the iPhone will do and more, then they do have other options, some of which are pretty cool in their own right.
I dont convert every iPhone shopper to another phone, not by any stretch. But I do try. I wont just tell a customer that we dont have what they are looking for and send them out the door. They have money and I want it, so I try to give them options. Sometimes I win, sometimes I dont.
I dont convert every iPhone shopper to another phone, not by any stretch. But I do try. I wont just tell a customer that we dont have what they are looking for and send them out the door. They have money and I want it, so I try to give them options. Sometimes I win, sometimes I dont.
...
I was actually able to talk someone out of the iphone and into the shine. LOL One thing apple does have is they can advertise the hell out of a product and people will still pay 50 or 70 dollars just to keep that phone each month!
...
