The other day when we first told you that the Palm Pre would ship on June 6th and cost $199 after a $100 mail-in rebate, I voice a little conern about the device being priced too high. Well, Best Buy has decided to address those concerns and is pricing the Palm Pre at $199 out the door without a mail-in rebate.
So, you can etither head over to the Sprint Store, fork over 3 bills, sign up to a two year contract, and hope that you remember to fill out the papework for a mail-in rebate that you won’t see for a month of Sundays, or, you can pick up the same device with the same contract and only have to shell out $199 out of pocket from Best Buy.
Seems like an easy choice to me.
[Source]
That is a a great price!
I wonder how Sprint feels about that. Although their getting all those new potential subscribers, to see the longer lines at Best Buy rather than their stores on launch date is just classic. Chalk one up for accounting.
I think that this goes to show that Sprint doesn’t really understand who will be buying the Pre.
I’ve seen online retailers offer new phones at a lower price than various carriers do in the store, but, how and why Sprint would allow another brick and mortar operation, even one as big as Best Buy, to undersell them on a device that says Sprint across the back baffles me.
Don’t forget that Sprint is already coming out an saying that they don’t think that they will have enough devices to meet demand. I’ll bet you that the Sprint stores will carry more product than Best Buy so you may have to go their to pick it up if you want one day one.
@jenk,
This is exactly why Sprint allowing Best Buy to sell these cheaper than Sprint is very dangers.
Best Buy will undoubtedly put the Pre for $199 out the door in a sale paper or two before the Pre actually goes on sale. Once on sale, if a potential customer strolls into Best Buy to get the Pre and they are out of stock, they will probably notice that Best buy has a case full of iPhone 3G device, BlackBerry Curves, Treos, and a bunch of other smart phones that cost $200 or less.
They may never actually make it to the Sprint store to see if they have the Pre, but, if they do, they will remember that the Best Buy cost was $100 cheaper along with all those other devices that were cheaper as well.
It is hard to pay more for something when you already know it is cheaper somewhere else. Paying $15 to $25 more is one thing. Paying 50% more is another.
Sprint is showing why they are Sprint.
This is in addition to the fact that Sprint has already admitted they will not market the device too aggressively at first, because they anticipate a shortage.
Now of course companies like Apple and Nintendo market very aggressively, even if they do anticipate selling out…in fact, they actually use that to their advantage.
Then there’s also the issue that if Sprint and Palm believe they’ll sell out so quickly, then why not ramp up production?
June and the ensuing months will see a lot of great new smart phones hitting the market, so Sprint needs to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.
As an aside, I’ve always hated those rebate schemes anyway…they are just an excuse to mislead the customer.
Been there, done that with Palm, never again. Palm is screwing up several ways with the Pre and it’s not even out yet.
1) Why plan a major make or break release on the smallest service provider
2) Why plan a major make or break release on carrier technology which has a small foot print and is a technology which is quickly going to be replaced by a more standard, open, global technology.
3) Why not design the Pre to be a handset which can be used all over the globe, then work on the minor cdma markets? Palm is in big trouble they need to sell alot of Pre’s, and linking the release to sprint and cdma isn’t going to do it.
4) The Pre release has yet to start, yet Palm is claiming a shortage?
5) For YEARS Palm was so behind in technology it makes one wonder if even with the Pre will they be able to keep up, as they didn’t in the past, many have moved on, and won’t ever look back at a Palm device.
Also the form factor is FAT for a smartphone in this day and age, thin is in.
Wow – please don’t take this personal but none of you who left any feedback on this topic really know anything. Sprint having the smallest 3G footprint? Palm Pre is too fat of a phone? Why would Sprint let Best Buy under price them? Why would Palm choose Sprint? etc..etc.. And on and on…
1) Sprint’s data speeds on their 3G network are proven to be #1 (do some research) and they have the most robust 3G network (covers the most “pops” out of any carrier) and they are first with 4G (just look at Sprint’s 3G data card speeds versus the rest, and this is proven by 3rd party companies)
2) The Palm Pre has a very small form factor, smaller than I anticipated. Much smaller than the Storm and iPhone. Just wait, you will see. (How you judge a device before ever seeing it or holding it is crazy) And yes I have spent plenty of time with the phone already and it is amazing
3) Why would Palm launch a make or break device on Sprint? Well it is pretty simple, both companies are in a make or break situation so it was the best fit. Plus Palm has clearly stated that they preferred Sprint 3G network and Apps like (Sprint TV / Music Store/ etc) versus any other wireless company. ATT has the iPhone, Verizon has the Storm, and even T-Mobile has the Android…. so it makes complete sense to let two “desperate” companies that are fighting to survive team up. Sprint built and designed this phone from the ground up too which is really rare.
4) As we all know Best Buy is the biggest electronic retailer in the country and for Sprint to remain in Best Buy (which is a company priority) they have to play by Best Buy’s rules. Best Buy does not do any mail in rebates people. Sprint and Best Buy have a good relationship and Best Buy has awarded Sprint numerous times for the being the most consumer focused and innovative wireless company that they sell. At first Best Buy wasn’t even going to get the Palm Pre, but due to contractual obligations Sprint had to let them launch and carry this phone. Not all Best Buy’s will even carry this phone and just so that you know each Best Buy will be getting “1” Pre to sell on launch day. Some stores might have a few more because not all stores will carry the phone.
Bottom line is this, if customers really want a good shopping experience with the Sprint exclusive Ready Now phone setup service the corporate stores are the way to go…. Mail in rebate or not you still will end up paying $199.99 when it is all said and done. (Some stores even mail in the rebate for you so you don’t forget)
@ Can’t Say…
If Sprint’s network is so good, then why do they charge for anything over 300MB on their data plans, where VZW doesn’t? That’s because Sprint doesn’t cover enough ground and roams on VZW’s. And here’s another one for you…why is Sprint in ‘some’ cases faster than VZW? That’s because nobody is on Sprint’s network. As for 4G? I guess if I live in Baltimore and Portland, I can boast, but get back to us when they actually have coverage that matters.
Do your research toots. 🙂
@ bluehorseshoe
If you want unlimited data, then get the unlimited data plan. Yes, there is one. 4G will be nationwide this fall and the Palm Pre will automatically upgradable its software to 4G .
@ Yeorwned
On the phone it is, but for tethering or using data for you laptop, the data plan has a 5GB cap, and roaming over 300MB is additional. VZW doesn’t charge for roaming.
As for the Pre having 4G services, they don’t contain the Wimax ‘chip’ (it’s not software), so the Pre will not be on 4G. Wimax nationwide is pretty optimistic at this point for this year.
But I’m loving the Pre anyway. Just got my MiFi with VZW, that’s all.