Comments on: RANT! What Is The Point Of Retail Pricing For BlackBerry Devices http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/ BlackBerry News and Reviews Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:21:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: DavidB http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3512 DavidB Thu, 01 May 2008 01:15:35 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3512 You notice the "retail" price of all berries is going up now? Personally, its all marketing mumbo-jumbo, so carriers can put a sign on devices in the store with a huge price tag and then "their" price to convince lemmings what a "deal" they are getting by going with longer contract. But reason aside, if we weren't getting subsidized handsets, we'd be paying at a minimum iPhone-ish prices for a berry. Wouldn't surprise me to see $500 or more though I DO think $750 for a curve is ridiculous. Combine that with occasional "sales" though (maybe $200 off for an occasional 1 week sale) like all other consumer electronics, and we're in the ballpark. You notice the “retail” price of all berries is going up now?

Personally, its all marketing mumbo-jumbo, so carriers can put a sign on devices in the store with a huge price tag and then “their” price to convince lemmings what a “deal” they are getting by going with longer contract.

But reason aside, if we weren’t getting subsidized handsets, we’d be paying at a minimum iPhone-ish prices for a berry. Wouldn’t surprise me to see $500 or more though I DO think $750 for a curve is ridiculous. Combine that with occasional “sales” though (maybe $200 off for an occasional 1 week sale) like all other consumer electronics, and we’re in the ballpark.

]]> By: CybaCowboy http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3125 CybaCowboy Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:34:29 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3125 Here Down Under (Australia), mobile telecommunications equipment can be purchased one of three ways... • Outright. If a customer would like to purchased a handset on its own, unlocked and without a service plan, they can do so at the "outright" price, which can anywhere from $AU200 ($US186.96)-$AU2,000 ($US1869.68), depending on the handset selected... The customer can then sign-up to a month-to-month (no contract) or 12/18/24-month contract, depending on the service provider. In some cases, service providers in-directly discourage month-to-month (non-contract) plans by charging a higher rate or not including as much value, compared to other options... • Repayment option. Whilst the exact term differs from service provider-to-service provider, the most popular choice for local customers is to "pay-off" the "outright" cost of a device over 12 or 24 months (usually the latter) - this is in addition to one's service plan, and usually there is a "minimum" service plan that a customer can connect to with an individual device, based on a range of factors including (but not limited to) the outright price and popularity of a device. • Subsidised handset. Usually reserved for older, cheaper or less-popular handsets, subsidised handsets are included in the cost of one's service plan over 24 months (a small number of service providers also do this over 36 months), essentially making the handset "free"... Such a system was once used by virtually all of the Australian service providers, however most service providers either directly or in-directly discourage such plans, in favour of the repayment option above. So as you can see, despite having more cellphones-per-capita here, we are also amongst the most expensive for these and other reasons... Sadly, it's unlikely to change anytime soon. ~ Posted wirelessly from my BlackBerry 8800 ~ Here Down Under (Australia), mobile telecommunications equipment can be purchased one of three ways…

• Outright.
If a customer would like to purchased a handset on its own, unlocked and without a service plan, they can do so at the “outright” price, which can anywhere from $AU200 ($US186.96)-$AU2,000 ($US1869.68), depending on the handset selected… The customer can then sign-up to a month-to-month (no contract) or 12/18/24-month contract, depending on the service provider.

In some cases, service providers in-directly discourage month-to-month (non-contract) plans by charging a higher rate or not including as much value, compared to other options…

• Repayment option.
Whilst the exact term differs from service provider-to-service provider, the most popular choice for local customers is to “pay-off” the “outright” cost of a device over 12 or 24 months (usually the latter) - this is in addition to one’s service plan, and usually there is a “minimum” service plan that a customer can connect to with an individual device, based on a range of factors including (but not limited to) the outright price and popularity of a device.

• Subsidised handset.
Usually reserved for older, cheaper or less-popular handsets, subsidised handsets are included in the cost of one’s service plan over 24 months (a small number of service providers also do this over 36 months), essentially making the handset “free”…

Such a system was once used by virtually all of the Australian service providers, however most service providers either directly or in-directly discourage such plans, in favour of the repayment option above.

So as you can see, despite having more cellphones-per-capita here, we are also amongst the most expensive for these and other reasons…

Sadly, it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

~ Posted wirelessly from my BlackBerry 8800 ~

]]> By: hyedipin http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3123 hyedipin Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:17:36 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3123 Totally agree with the rant! but blame manufacturers for not selling them direct! not carriers for ripping people off. Totally agree with the rant! but blame manufacturers for not selling them direct! not carriers for ripping people off.

]]> By: Calum http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3119 Calum Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:46:28 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3119 I'm always a bit shocked when I read stories on sites like this, about the cost of BlackBerrys and the cost of internet charges. I'm in the UK. I just got a Curve 8310. It costs £30 (about $60US) a month for everything. Internet is unlimited. I get 200 minutes and 400 texts each month and the hanset is free. This is standard in the UK. I can't understand why it's not in the US or Canada. Also, taking into account the differences between the US and UK economy (I don't know about Canada), £30 wouldn't actually be $60. More like $50. For example, a laptop costing £500 wouldn't be $1000, more like $800. I’m always a bit shocked when I read stories on sites like this, about the cost of BlackBerrys and the cost of internet charges. I’m in the UK. I just got a Curve 8310. It costs £30 (about $60US) a month for everything. Internet is unlimited. I get 200 minutes and 400 texts each month and the hanset is free. This is standard in the UK. I can’t understand why it’s not in the US or Canada. Also, taking into account the differences between the US and UK economy (I don’t know about Canada), £30 wouldn’t actually be $60. More like $50. For example, a laptop costing £500 wouldn’t be $1000, more like $800.

]]> By: Lonnie http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3114 Lonnie Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:19:38 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2008/04/29/rant-what-is-the-point-of-retail-pricing-for-blackberry-devices/#comment-3114 I work for a Telus Dealer, and the reason for the retail pricing is when a customer wants to buy it straight out, and doesn't want us to activate it for them. If we don't at least activate on a MTM term, then we don't get subdized. At least that's the reason they told me. ;-) I work for a Telus Dealer, and the reason for the retail pricing is when a customer wants to buy it straight out, and doesn’t want us to activate it for them. If we don’t at least activate on a MTM term, then we don’t get subdized. At least that’s the reason they told me. ;-)

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