AT&T: iPhone pre-sales will not be allowed
In a pre-launch channel communications sales brief to its retail stores, wireless carrier AT&T has instructed employees not to form wait lists or conduct pre-sales for Apple's upcoming iPhone.
According to the internal document published at the BoyGeniusReport blog, the world's largest wireless carrier will soon provide its staffers with web based training, workbooks and other iPhone product overviews to help in preparation for next month's launch.
The memo also includes the following notes of interest:
"The exact date has not been announced, specific dates should not be provided to customers.""Sales for the iPhone will be on a first come, first served basis.No wait lists of names will be taken and NO pre-selling is allowed."Two models of the iPhone will be available, a 4GB will retail at $499 and an 8GB will retail at $599.""If asked what the price will be, answer that the prices have been announced as $499 for the 4G and $599 for the 8G, respectively.""There should NOT be any additional speculation/discusson about pricing.""AT&T will be the only wireless carrier in the U.S. launching the iPhone and will have exclusivity for the foreseeable future."
For those interested, a copy of the two-page memo can be seen in its entirety on the following page.
According to the internal document published at the BoyGeniusReport blog, the world's largest wireless carrier will soon provide its staffers with web based training, workbooks and other iPhone product overviews to help in preparation for next month's launch.
The memo also includes the following notes of interest:
"The exact date has not been announced, specific dates should not be provided to customers.""Sales for the iPhone will be on a first come, first served basis.No wait lists of names will be taken and NO pre-selling is allowed."Two models of the iPhone will be available, a 4GB will retail at $499 and an 8GB will retail at $599.""If asked what the price will be, answer that the prices have been announced as $499 for the 4G and $599 for the 8G, respectively.""There should NOT be any additional speculation/discusson about pricing.""AT&T will be the only wireless carrier in the U.S. launching the iPhone and will have exclusivity for the foreseeable future."
For those interested, a copy of the two-page memo can be seen in its entirety on the following page.
Comments
A sales rep in my local Cingular/AT&T store said...
Speaking of lines, it will be interesting to see how many lines develop for the store opening on the first day. Apple Stores will probably have the best supply and the longest lines.
Sounds like there's going to be some nice pricing deals going on after the launch when sales start to cool off. And I wonder how many people are going to buy insurance and have their friend "steal" their phone from them so they can get a new one and sell the "old" one to europe or asia???
Am I correct in thinking that no one can walk into a store, pay $499 and come out with an iPhone WITHOUT having also signed up for a $___ 2-year plan?
So, everyone knows that the iPhone is $499/$599, but what does an iPhone + plan cost?
"There should NOT be any additional speculation/discusson about pricing."
Sounds like there's going to be some nice pricing deals going on after the launch when sales start to cool off. And I wonder how many people are going to buy insurance and have their friend "steal" their phone from them so they can get a new one and sell the "old" one to europe or asia???
Well, since the US versions won't be G3, they won't be much use in Europe or Asia. And your faith in human nature is great. Apparently the big apple fans who are clamoring for the iPhone are also big thieves who have no morals! Woohoo! Can't wait for the mac/pc commercial!
Pre-sales will not be allowed, but if your friend or family member works in one of those stores you'll find one waiting for you. The paperwork will have been filled out before and you won't even need to be first in line.
I wonder if there are no pre-sales because the iPhone hasn't been FCC approved yet?
No indication on "real" price? That is, what you commit for when signing up on a 2 year voice and data plan.
Am I correct in thinking that no one can walk into a store, pay $499 and come out with an iPhone WITHOUT having also signed up for a $___ 2-year plan?
So, everyone knows that the iPhone is $499/$599, but what does an iPhone + plan cost?
Supposedly, that is the price WITH plan. In other words, the price will not be reduced based on a 2-year contract, because it is available ONLY with a 2-year contract.
"There should NOT be any additional speculation/discusson about pricing."
Sounds like there's going to be some nice pricing deals going on after the launch when sales start to cool off. And I wonder how many people are going to buy insurance and have their friend "steal" their phone from them so they can get a new one and sell the "old" one to europe or asia???
Or it could be an indication that there is no new deals in the pipeline, and they don't want people holding off purchases based on bs information.
Kisin
I seriously doubt demand is going to outweigh supply in this case. The hardware itself has probably already been in production for some time. Plus, this device is cost prohibitive for most people. Not to mention that given its unique interface, many are going to want to try before they buy. Anyone who thinks there are going to be lines of people waiting to buy a $600+contract phone outside of a handful of major metro stores is going to be sadly mistaken.
Well... we only have to wait and see, don't we. It will be interesting to see
J.
According to the internal document published at the BoyGeniusReport blog, the world's largest wireless carrier will soon....
Now wouldn't that be China Mobile in all honesty ? 45 Mio customers is certainly a large number - but it still does not make it the largest.
Even Telefonica, Orange, Vodafone and DoCoMo have more cutsomers
Download the PDF and look closer:
#1. At the bottom section, under "Key Facts:" section, first bullet (the dot) is red but bullets one and two are black. Why?
#2. On the third bullet, second sentence, the word "respectively" should have a period to end the sentence. And why is this inconsistently green instead of red, per two previous bullets?
#3. Last bullet, last word -- why is the period in red instead of green?
#4. Overall, sentences are inconsistently spaced -- most double-space, some single-space after each period.
#5. Under "Key Selling Points:" section, fourth line bullet -- why is "User Interface" capitalized?
#6. Most printed internal communications are in black & white (except for the masthead which are pre-printed, so we call them 'shells' in printing lingo).
I find it hard to believe that an internal communications writer (or graphic designer/production artist) would send out this bulletin with all the errors I mentioned above. Like most companies, AT&T has a writing style-guide for branding purposes and this sales bulletin doesn't cut it.
http://ThunkDifferent.com
Supposedly, that is the price WITH plan. In other words, the price will not be reduced based on a 2-year contract, because it is available ONLY with a 2-year contract.
I'm considering waiting in line and buying an iPhone and turning it over on eBay - I figure I'll do somebody's work by waiting in line for them and make a little extra for my efforts.
Will it be possible to purchase the iPhone without activating it, so I could sell it to someone else? How would that work?
Thanks for your help -
Now wouldn't that be China Mobile in all honesty ? 45 Mio customers is certainly a large number - but it still does not make it the largest.
Even Telefonica, Orange, Vodafone and DoCoMo have more cutsomers
How about the 62 million customers that it really has?
THIS IS FAKE. For a corporate communications bulletin, this sure is sloppily put together. I'm a graphic designer who works for a large company and I produce these types of collateral in a routine basis. This is not how corporate bulletins are sent out, especially if we're talking about the size and scope of AT&T distribution channels, right down to the store.
Download the PDF and look closer:
#1. At the bottom section, under "Key Facts:" section, first bullet (the dot) is red but bullets one and two are black. Why?
#2. On the third bullet, second sentence, the word "respectively" should have a period to end the sentence. And why is this inconsistently green instead of red, per two previous bullets?
#3. Last bullet, last word -- why is the period in red instead of green?
#4. Overall, sentences are inconsistently spaced -- most double-space, some single-space after each period.
#5. Under "Key Selling Points:" section, fourth line bullet -- why is "User Interface" capitalized?
#6. Most printed internal communications are in black & white (except for the masthead which are pre-printed, so we call them 'shells' in printing lingo).
I find it hard to believe that an internal communications writer (or graphic designer/production artist) would send out this bulletin with all the errors I mentioned above. Like most companies, AT&T has a writing style-guide for branding purposes and this sales bulletin doesn't cut it.
Nothing you've said proves it isn't real.
I'm considering waiting in line and buying an iPhone and turning it over on eBay - I figure I'll do somebody's work by waiting in line for them and make a little extra for my efforts.
Will it be possible to purchase the iPhone without activating it, so I could sell it to someone else? How would that work?
Thanks for your help -
No to everything.