Palm Pre to be $599 at Radio Shack? 6
Apparently the kindly folks behind Radio Shack counters are slightly tired of Best Buy getting all the rumor-tastic attention. In addition to the launch-day list of stores that should have stock for the Pre, we were also sent the above photo suggesting that - at least as of now - Radio Shack will be pricing the Pre at $599 out of contract. Seems a might bit high to us, but at least it's not Best Buy numbers.
Additionally, another Radio Shack tipster lets loose with an internal email detailing some of Radio Shack's launch-day plans. The stuff you need to know:
- No Pre-orders, no way, no how. No early selling either, despite the fact that the Pre phones may very well be in the back room any day now:
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT - Stores CANNOT use the advance deposit functionality in the POS to "reserve" a Palm Pre for a customer, nor can any sales or "reservations" be made prior to June 6. Due to the production of the Palm Pre, initial supplies will be limited. For that reason, supply will be limited at the time of launch, and we want to ensure that all on-hand units are available for customers on the June 6 launch date.
- No purchases with employee plans (in other words: no Pre sales for employees at first)
- Each store will have one live demo unit that is to be attached to the hip of a Radio shack employee and may not under any circumstances be sold.
- No transfers to other Radio Shack stores are allowed - if your local Radio Shack isn't on the stock list, don't expect that they'll be able to have one shipped over
- Displays, training materials, and the like are headed out to stores now and should all be in place by June 4th. These materials include a video demo DVD
There you have it, folks. Limited Radio Shack locations, no pre-orders or pre-sales of any kind allowed, and we're betting they're not even going to throw in a free 10 Ohm resistor with every purchase.
Thanks anonymous tipsters!
6 Comments
Can we presume that the number of Pre units at RS stores will be even lower than those expected at BB?
SPOKE TO MY SPRINT STORE REP --
He said that the store might open at its regular hours of 10 am or they might open at 8 am bright and early like some other stores to get a head start on the day. But he also said that they get there at 8 am to set up and so the store wouldn't open until 9 am. Some stores are getting more inventory than others and that your Sprint store should have plenty of units to last all day. But then it might run out of units because it wasn't one of the stores designated to get more supply, so if you're not on the waiting list or in line when the store opens, you probably won't be getting a Pre. And make sure you're on a waiting list. Some stores don't have them but others do, and you need to be on one to get a Pre. Although sometimes the wait lists are invalid and cannot be used on launch day, so if you think you are secured because you are on a wait list, you might want to verify when your store is opening so you can get there 2 hours early and get in line. If you are an existing Sprint customer, new customers will be put ahead of you unless you are there 2 hours early and on a wait list, that is of course if your store has a wait list. If not, you need to wear two different colored shoes and your shirt inside out to get ahead of the line and be sure to get a Pre.
Sounds like that Sprint person was SPINNING you!
Well, considering that 99% of RS will not have the Pre, chances of getting it there are zilch. The ones that do have been already sold to their buddies. Best Buy is the same way - employees tell their friends, friends come in, buy it, then eBay and split the money.
Happens this way will all hot phones. Give this a couple months, and you can get one easy (or sooner, if somehow, this becomes a quasi-fail.
no Pre pre-orders?!? How about post Pre orders?
Radio Shack or Best Buy? Geez, what a choice. Take Sprint stores...
My local Radio Shack told me they will have exactly 3 units and no pre-ordering, but I will still make an attempt on Friday to pre order, as, Radio Shack is on the same block as my apartment.