WP: A year later - Nothing has changed!

[Tumultus]

It is quite interesting that WP doesn't seem to have made any impact in the US (outside the WP community of course). I am very frustrated with my shopping experience. For some time, I am in the market for a new Windows phone. My criteria are quite simple: I want an unlocked and unbranded device, looking at the 1520 or maybe the 1020. I sure could have bought one off-contract from AT&T but since I am switching SIM cards very often due abroad travel, this wouldn't really be an option.

Back in time, Expansys USA used to be my go-to place for buying unlocked phones. This changed when Windows Phone 7 hit the market. Since then, those guys over there were either permanently out of stock, never got any devices in first place, had very high price tags or, simply put, tried to push me to Android devices during phone calls or chat sessions. As of now, the few "In Stock" WP8 devices at Expansys are either the low-end devices or - this is currently an exception - the 1020 in yellow. If it weren't for the color, I may have bought it but, ... no, I don't think I can pull off yellow.

I sure shopped on Amazon for international devices as well as NewEgg. The problem with those 2 are: You never know what you get! Read the comments and it becomes apparent that it is more or less a dice game. A number of people in the comments section write that they ordered the unlocked international version, yet, they received an unlocked AT&T variant. I am not willing to risk it and then have to deal with returns, especially where most international phones aren't fullfilled by Amazon.

Yesterday, I finally decided to stop by at Best Buy, hoping that I could look at some display devices and maybe consider another Windows Phone make and model. To my surprise, there wasn't any single WP on display! I asked the guy in the phone section but he said that those aren't selling, so, they aren't carrying any. This was a slight shock for me since, in my (maybe distorted) reality, I try to buy a phone that fits my needs, yet, I can't find it anywhere risk- and worry-free.

So, in short, the situation for Windows Phone hasn't changed! It is hard to get a device and don't even bother to ask in stores! The funny side is that I have gotten people some WP devices and all are happy. Without me, they still would be on their flip phones, iDevices or low-end Android. None of them regretted the switch, yet, without me, they never would have gotten the chance to try out Windows Phone.

I am still on my Ativ S. It isn't a bad device, I just wanted to get something new. What are your shopping experiences? Where do you guys buy your grey market phones?

 

[Dadstar0410]

I bought mine at Best Buy, but I had to ask about it, since they didn't display the 8X. I was the first buyer of that phone at my Best Buy, lol.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

A year ago, all the phone stores around here in the Philippines would carry just the WP7 Lumias and hesitated to carry anything new (aside from the Nokia Stores, of course.)

Fast forward to now, and seeing that Nokia has pulled the plug on their retail stores, every store now has each and every Lumia known to man. (With the sad exception of the 820, so it's not really complete.)

They were pushing the 1320 hard, though.

 

[Tumultus]

@Dadstar0410:
It speaks volumes that you have to ask for it and no display device is out, doesn't it? They either don't want to sell WP because those devices are sooo good that they want to keep them for themselves or they're really a**holes. I mean, what would it matter if they pushed Windows Phone a little bit? In the US, a sold device is a contract signing customer and I doubt that the win margins on WP are really much lower than on Android. Yesterday at Best Buy, every phone just looked the same to me: all Android devices (except for the one BlackBerry Z10). The only difference was the size of the screen on the phones. Sad, really! Back in the good old days, there were sooo many different phones with different form factors and operating systems. These days, everything is just the same ...

@WanderingTraveler:
I wonder what will happen to those Nokias once the mobile section has been taken over by MS? Hopefully, there will be a flood of new devices not only in the Philippines! I really wish that the Microsoft Stores here in the US would start selling unlocked / unbranded devices, similar to their signature editions computers and the GooglePlay Store devices.

 

[Dadstar0410]

@Dadstar0410:
It speaks volumes that you have to ask for it and no display device is out, doesn't it? They either don't want to sell WP because those devices are sooo good that they want to keep them for themselves or they're really a**holes. I mean, what would it matter if they pushed Windows Phone a little bit? In the US, a sold device is a contract signing customer and I doubt that the win margins on WP are really much lower than on Android. Yesterday at Best Buy, every phone just looked the same to me: all Android devices (except for the one BlackBerry Z10). The only difference was the size of the screen on the phones. Sad, really! Back in the good old days, there were sooo many different phones with different form factors and operating systems. These days, everything is just the same ...

@WanderingTraveler:
I wonder what will happen to those Nokias once the mobile section has been taken over by MS? Hopefully, there will be a flood of new devices not only in the Philippines! I really wish that the Microsoft Stores here in the US would start selling unlocked / unbranded devices, similar to their signature editions computers and the GooglePlay Store devices.

Well, I also purchased my 8X the first month it was out. Haha

 

[Jaskys]

WP is dead

 

[Muessig]

Well my own experience in the U.K. couldn't be more different. As time has gone by I'm seeing more and more advertisements and more shops carrying most of the Lumia range. Literally billboards, bus adverts and so on everywhere from several carriers.

It isn't all roses, you still get sales people in shops that try to get you to buy an apple or galaxy, and others that spread misinformation about the OS but WP is far from dead.

 

[deecoop0351]

Here in the U.S people are different its hard to explain. Here people gravitate to high devices only. Plus apple has done a outstanding job in marketing. You can't go anywhere with out seeing apple they have a app for ever thing. The game developer will favor them because that's where the money is at. Microsoft needs to do the same here in the states. Its going to be a up hill battle for to break that hold they have on the public. Most people don't know what even makes a good smart phone. They let apple and the media tell them what they should have. People buy iPhones for the same reason why people buy a pair of Jordans or some beats head phone because they followers.

 

[WanderingTraveler]

Well my own experience in the U.K. couldn't be more different. As time has gone by I'm seeing more and more advertisements and more shops carrying most of the Lumia range. Literally billboards, bus adverts and so on everywhere from several carriers.

It isn't all roses, you still get sales people in shops that try to get you to buy an apple or galaxy, and others that spread misinformation about the OS but WP is far from dead.

This is the exact same situation here, minus the advertising. Carriers are doing a great job of that, though.

Fancy selling the 625 as a popular high-end phone? We have carriers who do exactly that, largely because it has LTE and runs "Windows OS."

 

[WanderingTraveler]

@WanderingTraveler:
I wonder what will happen to those Nokias once the mobile section has been taken over by MS? Hopefully, there will be a flood of new devices not only in the Philippines! I really wish that the Microsoft Stores here in the US would start selling unlocked / unbranded devices, similar to their signature editions computers and the GooglePlay Store devices.

Okay, a bit of explanation is at work here.

The Nokia Stores here in the Philippines are done on a franchising basis. When the deal completes, they'll either wind down their operations, or turn them into full-fledged Microsoft Stores, which they really need, IMO.

As for the phones, they'll continue to be sold under the Nokia brand. Unless they were released by Microsoft, but that's another story for another day.

 

[mtmjr90]

My criteria are quite simple: I want an unlocked and unbranded device, looking at the 1520 or maybe the 1020.
Back in time, Expansys USA used to be my go-to place for buying unlocked phones. This changed when Windows Phone 7 hit the market. Since then, those guys over there were either permanently out of stock, never got any devices in first place, had very high price tags or, simply put, tried to push me to Android devices during phone calls or chat sessions. As of now, the few "In Stock" WP8 devices at Expansys are either the low-end devices or - this is currently an exception - the 1020 in yellow. If it weren't for the color, I may have bought it but, ... no, I don't think I can pull off yellow.
I just wanted to get something new. What are your shopping experiences? Where do you guys buy your grey market phones?

To be fair, buying most smartphones in the US as unlocked and unbranded is typically not a walk in the park. I actually wanted the yellow 1020, so I got it from Expansys. Negri has other colors, but after waiting 3+ weeks for some shipping delay they were having, I cancelled and bought from Expansys.

It is fortunate that with iPhones and Android, the flagships tend to be easily available directly, unbranded, and unlocked via an Apple Store or the Play Store. I wish the Microsoft Stores would follow suit so I don't have to go through a 3rd party importer.

 

[Kahuna Cowboy]

I won't say it's dead, but it's definitely hibernating. Until the Nokia acquisition is complete and they have had some time to get some projects of the new Microkia pumping it will probably remain dormant.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

WP is dead

So much so that the Year over Year market share values went up...so yes it's very dead /s

 

[thatotherdude24]

Nobody in any WP thread will want to admit it but WP will only survive/sell if the salesmen in stores want to sell it.

Sure we all know what we want but the majority of people shopping for a phone aren't tech heads, they walk into a phone store and the salesmen immediately take them to the high end Android and iPhones.....that's where the money is for them.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

Nobody in any WP thread will want to admit it but WP will only survive/sell if the salesmen in stores want to sell it.

Sure we all know what we want but the majority of people shopping for a phone aren't tech heads, they walk into a phone store and the salesmen immediately take them to the high end Android and iPhones.....that's where the money is for them.

Why would anyone have a problem admitting that?

In fact that's a very commonly known and accepted fact....

 

[thatotherdude24]

Why would anyone have a problem admitting that?

In fact that's a very commonly known and accepted fact....

This is a Windows Phone site...trust me, there's people that will fight to the death that it's not true.

 

[Morpheus Phreak]

This is a Windows Phone site...trust me, there's people that will fight to the death that it's not true.

Not from what I've seen. Everyone knows around here that a huge chunk of getting sales momentum is going to require getting the sales people to start selling Windows Phones instead of shuffling folks the other way.

In fact I think you're the first person I've seen in months (perhaps ever) to suggest that we don't realize this or wouldn't accept it as reality.

As I said...here on WPCentral that seems to be a commonly known and accepted fact of life.

 

[thatotherdude24]

Not from what I've seen. Everyone knows around here that a huge chunk of getting sales momentum is going to require getting the sales people to start selling Windows Phones instead of shuffling folks the other way.

In fact I think you're the first person I've seen in months (perhaps ever) to suggest that we don't realize this or wouldn't accept it as reality.

As I said...here on WPCentral that seems to be a commonly known and accepted fact of life.

We all have different experiences. Mine is different, I have seen it. No big deal.

Sent From My Woven Black and Yellow Moto X

 

[bionicgt]

Mmm probably true , but in Guatemala I see a bit more and more WPs... nothing compared to Android but I don't want think it's dead . . . lol I agree, the sales person SHOULD offer WP as well!! It's so unfair

 

[Laura Knotek]

This is a Windows Phone site...trust me, there's people that will fight to the death that it's not true.

Not from what I've seen. Everyone knows around here that a huge chunk of getting sales momentum is going to require getting the sales people to start selling Windows Phones instead of shuffling folks the other way.

In fact I think you're the first person I've seen in months (perhaps ever) to suggest that we don't realize this or wouldn't accept it as reality.

As I said...here on WPCentral that seems to be a commonly known and accepted fact of life.

That's true. There are a lot of threads that mention issues with salespersons in carrier stores steering customers toward Androids/iPhones instead of Windows Phones.