Did T-Mobile try and talk YOU out of buying the 810?

[timothyday]

I went in to three T-Mobile retail stores here in Philly to check out the 810 and accessories and three times I was advised NOT to buy the phone but to get the G3 or Note 2 instead. The sales folks all said something similar about how WP8 is better for casual users as a first time smartphone, and that it would be a downgrade from Android or iOS. They all made it sound like the phone wasn't selling well either. Despite the sales pitch on the G3/Note 2, I received the same excellent service I have come to expect from T-Mobile.

I am curious if anyone else has had similar experiences.

 

[Pal2006]

This happened to but instead they were trying to have me buy the 8x.

 

[Flagz]

Told me to get the 8X but didn't talk me out of 810 since I said I wasn't interested in it anyway because I hate the way it looks and felt. Told me good choice for 8X because on the first week that kiosk had 6 returns because phone kept freezing and restarting

 

[Rhoyz]

Maybe other units pay more commission than 810? If that's true, that sucks.

 

[IThinkALot]

One of the sales guys from the store I got my 810 tried to talk me into the 8X, after explaining to him i was sick of HTC he respectfully backed down. I came to find out that they had incentives for selling other phones but nine for the 810

 

[sravanv]

I bought an 8x the day it released so the folks knew next to nothing about WP handsets. When I returned it about 3 weeks later for the 810 (they were cool about that) they didn't really say anything. I did ask how they sold at that point and the numbers were pretty bleak. Unfortunately, they're a busy location too .

I usually see them pushing people towards the GS3 or the Note II. I don't blame them. Note and GS3 are their premium handsets and they want to move that inventory ASAP because it probably has a high cost associated with it...

With their WP handsets, it may not be as necessary to sell those because they probably don't cost as much AND the incentive is probably the same to sell that or an Android handset...

 

[RoyalAdonis]

When I went to get my Lumia 810, I was slightly pushed to get the 8X instead, but once I made it clear I wanted the 810 the associate started telling me of all the features the 810 had to rival the 8X. Like I didn't know them already lol...but I appreciated the info regardless.

 

[sravanv]

When I went to get my Lumia 810, I was slightly pushed to get the 8X instead, but once I made it clear I wanted the 810 the associate started telling me of all the features the 810 had to rival the 8X. Like I didn't know them already lol...but I appreciated the info regardless.

What's fun is when they straight up lie to your face. It's weird but I cherish those moments when they're completely BSing a customer that they don't realize is educated.

Please cell phone provider employee! Tell me more about how Windows Phone is going to die within the next month!

 

[mky4b11]

Maybe other units pay more commission than 810? If that's true, that sucks.

this would be the only reason to push the GS3 and note 2 i think (Granted, those are pretty awesome phones). the msrp on those are pretty high.

 

[Kooosh]

I don't know how surprised I am that salespeople are pushing you towards their most expensive products. If they sold iPhones, I'm sure they'd have recommended that over a WP as well.

They shouldn't be pushing their customers in any direction, as they did to you, but I'm not shocked.

 

[mky4b11]

suprisingly a big majority of tmobile customer use iphones. lol.

also, iphone will be coming to tmobile in march i think.

source: my gf who works for tmobile.

 

[Isolated]

I walked in and the dude was like, dump Sprint/Android and go with the Nokia Lumia 810, WP8 is an awesome os and you'll enjoy it sir...SOLD!

 

[MagentaFTW]

Companies will occasionally offer incentives to sell specific models, but Tmo employees receive no commission from handset sales of any kind. They are paid only for plans and features. I believe that sticking point with 810 sales (a phone that I use and love) is that at present the 810, a mid tier device, costs the same as a Galaxy S3, the best selling top tier device. T-Mobile is already known for great plan prices and often poor device prices. Nokia's price point for the 810 just does not help sales.

 

[metalchick719]

Customer service reps probably only do what the company instructs them to. Regardless, it's pathetic on the company's part. I didn't have an experience of a rep trying to talk me out of buying the 810 when I went shopping for it, but I did have a doozy of a time because the rep tried to con me into getting T-Mobile's 5GB data plan. I was told I couldn't buy the phone without it because of how old my plan is. Please... I didn't bite, though. I walked out of there without the new phone and ended up ordering it online instead - with my 11-year-old plan still completely intact.

 

[MagentaFTW]

I speak with a certain amount of authority here, the system literally will not let some of the older plans update without 5Gb or higher data. It is a direct attempt is get you to move to a more modern plan. Is it cool? Its more than a little underhanded. Is it still a fact? Yup. The only folks that can get around that shady business work in the loyalty dept.

 

[BfnC]

already had my phone but had store tell me to avoid the 8x and get the 810 - said they had a lot of 8x returns due to issues but no 810 returns. Then had to tell them about the portico update, they had no clue...