Palm Pre Pre-Orders to Corporate Customers? 32
An anonymous tipster has let us know that he's received an offer to pre-order the Palm Pre under one of a few programs Sprint has set up for large, Fortune-100-type corporations. These programs are often run by intermediary companies, so it's still unclear whether they'll get guaranteed stock and whether they're offering actual pre-orders or the more standard sign-up-to-be-notified type offers.
The order page for IBM doesn't indicate that it's a true, you're gonna get one, kind of Pre-order, but when you get an email that states "We are currently taking Pre Orders for the Palm Pre," it seems promising. We've also heard from an anonymous AIG employee that the custom purchasing site for them also features the Pre quite prominently in a sort of pre-order context, but again, it's still not entirely clear it's an actual pre-order.
On the consumer front, we've received more than a handful of reports from people who say their local Sprint store managers have taken their names for a waiting list. Sprint's official line is that it'll be a strictly first-come-first-served affair, however, so getting a guaranteed Pre on launch day could be pretty difficult. It seems clear that there will be lots of different policies store-by-store as different managers try to deal with the massive interest in the Pre. At least some of our Palm Pre Forum Members have head claims that they'll be able to pre-order the Pre.
If inventory levels are going to be as thin as the current rumors indicate, we expect that folks will take any angle they can get to grab one. What's your launch day plan?
32 Comments
My plan is to call in and see if I can order one. If not, I'll simply wait. I just don't do the "camping in line" thing.
i called my local sprint store and they said they could reserve one for me... but on the 6th i'm still going to go an hour or 2 early before the store opens... sound good?
you have to have her name on your acct in order to make "changes" aka upgrade your phone on your account.
Sprint will record u saying its ok for her to do it for you. My mom had to do it on our account before so I could get my 755p years ago.
I have a fully functioning Treo and plenty of self esteem, so when I happen to find one in front of me available to buy, I'll consider signing. If others want to camp, beg, bribe, steal to get one before me to feel better about theselves, I'll not spoil their dreams. LOL
Outside of people on this forum and a select few other geeks awareness of the phone is not that prevalent I hope. I could not tell you the number of people who had not heard of the phone prior to me mentioning it to them. I stopped in my local Radio Shack today and the rep said I was the first person he was aware of to inquire about the phone. So optimistically speaking I think all us die hards will be alright. After all this is Palm, not Apple(the Ipod's success after all, is a large reason why so many people sought the Iphone at launch)!
Actually, most iPhone users I know are fully aware of Pre. Granted, they're not teanaged girls or working the night shift at the gas station listening to iTunes. But I don't know that I'd ask Radio Shack about any cutting edge technology, even after I know select dealers will be filling in the geographic holes in Sprint's marketing program. But if I had a question about reel-to-reel tape or a needed an audio jack adaptor for my dish washer....
Your point is well taken though, iPhone had a captive audience and good media exposure. And iPhone was much better prepared than Apples first disaster in the phone industry. Whether iPhone is truly a good product will be determined how well they defend their market position as Pre and other products enter the market.
I'm in IT. The vast majority of people that I come in contact with have never heard of the Pre. When the release date was made public, I mentioned it to a few people in our department. Only the one guy with a Centro knew what I was talking about. Well, him and a couple guys on my team who became aware of the Pre because of me. These two guys use dumb phones and have no intention of upgrading to the Pre (neither of them are with Sprint by the way.)
I think when the full advertisements begin, there will be more awareness.
It's TRUE!!! I registered on https://sprintshops.com
You can indeed order and pay for one online. this seems to be a portal for business customers, but it let me create an account. Not sure when you will get it though, maybe not early.
Good luck!