Low inventory is forcing Best Buy Mobile to launch the Palm Pre in two phases
Contrary to the naysayers, looks like those rumors about Best Buy Mobile having low Palm Pre inventory are indeed true. In fact, thanks to one of our ninjas we now know that Best Buy Mobile’s own Pre launch guide lays out a two-pronged launch: Phase 1 will be from June to July where inventory will be extremely low and marketing will be minimal. Best Buy Mobile is warning stores that “customer demand will outweigh inventory and stores may go weeks after launch with little or no replenishment.” Stores are being instructed to not sell the Pre early, not to make hold lists prior to the launch date and to limit sales to one device per customer. Sorry BBYM employees — no employee purchases until August. A ticketing system will be used to handle any lines on launch day and a running waiting list will be created when the Pre has sold out. Folks on the waiting list will get the Pre if when new shipments arrive.
Due to the low expected inventory, only 300 specially selected stores will have working demos of the Pre. The remainder of the stores will sell their entire inventory of the Pre and will not have a live phone on display. Inventory will be allotted to stores based upon their Sprint sales and their past successful launches of other high profile phones. The only good news in this launch guide is that this time of dearth is expected to be followed by a time of bounty in late July or early August when the inventory of the Pre is expected to increase. Take home message here: if you really, really want a Pre on the launch date or soon thereafter, you may have to forgo Best Buy and Radio Shack and seek out a Sprint store where Pre supplies are said to be a bit more robust.
I wonder if Wal*Mart will get special consideration due to their market influence or if it comes down to the same criteria on allocation: past performance with high profile phones from Sprint… Hmmm.
so new iphone or pre???
Catastrophic FAIL
I cant say that I blame sprint for only letting a handful of units go out to third party retailers. I would benefit them more to have people come to the Sprint stores where they will have a better supply and accessories, air cards and other phones.
I can’t really understand this whole thing LOL. Weeks with little to no inventory, while Apple sits around chomping at the bit to unlesh a new OS and new hardware. HaHa
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
Its starting to sound more like they are trickling out inventory just to beat the “first half of the year” deadline and the real launch would have been late july or august had they not opened their mouths in January
So this is indirectly pretty much confirming that 30,000(ish) first shipment number, right? There aren’t THAT many stores from Sprint, RS, and BB out there. If they’re limited like this – and limited in geography as well – the numbers adding up are not getting huge.
Epic failure of biblical proportions.
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: North Olmsted United States
Some think this Pre shortage is being done on purpose to make an artificial demand.
I think this shortage is from Palm not being ready. I feel they are not ready to launch inventory-wise, and a phone heavy June & July is forcing them to push the stock they do have out now to create word of mouth buzz and media attention. So those of us not willing to kill ourselves to get it on June 6th will wait and not buy the competitions offerings.
I also think Palm is not ready. They have said (in an SEC filing) that their WebOS server products have NOT been tested under a real-world load (in fact, they couldn’t have been since Palm never offered that before). Releasing a few Pres, whether due to financial inability, parts shortage, Sprint lack of desire to front the money, or whatever, gives Palm a slightly better “test population” for those servers (note – SERVER software, not Pre software – though, of course, that’s not really been banged against much yet with this Version 1.0.0 software everywhere).
Well I plan on camping outside of BB at 6 am for my Pre, simply for the fact that I do not feel like paying the additional $100. Personally I think that Sprint should also offer the same setup to draw more of a crowd in to purchase other accessories. The way it sounds alot of “Pre-bees” ( I called it first!) will be gathered to also take advantage of the instant MIR, Sprint should do the same.
As far as inventory is concerned, I had better get my hands on one ASAP. The suspense since January has been killing me softly!
I’m glad I left Sprint. Dumb assholes are going to run themselves into a death trap.
“banana in the tailpipe”, Beverly Hills Cop reference that Axel Foley used that meant don’t be gullible but with you spouting off made up numbers ($500 to make, $150M total cost) and repeating the 30K rumor like it’s gospel leads me to believe it’s too late
FAIL!!!!!!!!!!!(NOT THE PRE)
No wonder sprint is were it is
Rape is imminent.
So…….RadioShack anyone?
BGR – anyway to find out more info on distribution. I don’t want to start camping out just to be told the store doesn’t have and won’t be getting any new Pre’s.
> …too late
Spout your own numbers – I’m all eyes.
I don’t have any and am not going to mkae any up just to satisfy my views or go all in on some rumor about shortages until the actual manufacturer puts them out
It’s a shame that Palm can’t produce phones in high quantity like all other manufacturers.
I guess it’s bad business for Sprint.
ehhh thats true. My bubble would truly be burst if the one I plan on going to does not even GET a shipment at all. What about Wally World, when are they planning on launching?
> I don’t have any…
Mine was a rhetorical suggestion. The answer was already known.
@Maikel Truly indeed sire. But considering that Palm is resurrecting from nearly $1 per share I think its very commendable and I will show up to purchase my Pre in support! “Here is my $200 take it now” lol
This launch is going to be a huge trainwreck
It gets even worse, if you want a Are from Best Buy Mobile you better get there early. Some stores are only receiving 1 unit to sell on launch day!
If supply is really this low why the hell are they even launching with the national retailers right off the bat? Why not just hold off on the national retailer until August and only offer the phone through Sprint Web sales, Telesales, and corp stores for the first two months until they can build up inventory? Four phones at each Best Buy is just retarded and I’m sure the Shack and Wal-Mart will be the same way. I do agree with some of the other that it looks like they were gonna do what ever it takes to release the first half of this year even if that meant not having anything close to the supply need to meet the demand.