AT&T clerk [authorized reseller-not corporate store] doesn't want someone to buy a Lumia...

[GMC262]

That's not how the game goes.. AT&T doesn't really care about where the 600 dollars plus the cost of line access and 2 year commitment comes from. To them its a sale. Beyond that, why should AT&T pay to stock Lumia and then have a floor salesperson tell buyers to leave them on the shelf.
If they worked for me and I bought 50 thousand dollars worth of product and you tell people not to buy I'd make sure you'd never work at any AT&T store in the state.

It's not about AT&T caring where the revenue comes from, it's about maximizing revenue; which sometimes depends on the relationship they have with the various OEMs or local distributors. If there is an additional incentive coming to the store, or to the salesperson for selling a given product, it is in their financial interest to push it. If there are more aftermarket accessories for an item which could result in additional sales, they will often push those products. Even if the salesperson does not discourage sales, when I walk by an AT&T store, almost all the advertising I see is directed at the iPhone and Galaxy lines. I'll look again, but can't remember any Lumia advertising. Ironically, the biggest single ad on this page is for the Galaxy S7 Edge.

 

[winbunch]

I stopped in two at&t stores to look at the 950s. At both stores they discouraged getting the Windows Phone and encouraged something else. Interestingly, when I asked about the features of the phones they were pushing, and sometimes the phone they owned, their knowledge was appallingly poor. For example, when I asked about wireless charging, he told me the phone he had had it. I asked him if it used Qi. He said what is Qi? Sad but true. He then told me he didn't use that feature. I still have my 830, but I feel abandoned by Microsoft and at&t. I am not sure what to do about my next phone.

 

[Krystianpants]

It's like going to a grocery store to buy cheese and the guy at the counter is like "You will poop for days after this cheese, I can't sell it to you, take this cheese instead".

But I'm sure these guys get some sort of compensation or don't want to deal with returns. My guess is there's a high return rate due to all the bugs. Though .164 and latest firmware is extremely stable but you need to be insider to get .164 any ways. Hopefully once MS gets it all under control we will see less of this.

 

[joshua hildebrandt1]

Sorry to say, I would have done the same....the only reason I'm using my 640 is because i use it as a backup.I currently have a nexus 6 being shipped so I'm stuck with my lumia...
To be honest I'm already tired of this phone...MULTIPLE crashes while browsing.Camera is effy,keyboard sticks or delays and battery life is jumpy as hell....I don't blame the sales rep.

 

[Jazmac]

I edited the thread title, since this was not a corporate store.

Thanks Laura. Now I take back my comment.

 

[Keith White Jr]

Sorry to say, I would have done the same....the only reason I'm using my 640 is because i use it as a backup.I currently have a nexus 6 being shipped so I'm stuck with my lumia...
To be honest I'm already tired of this phone...MULTIPLE crashes while browsing.Camera is effy,keyboard sticks or delays and battery life is jumpy as hell....I don't blame the sales rep.

On Windows 8.1 or 10?

 

[joshua hildebrandt1]

I'm on 8.1.... I just 2 crashes just opening this app from my email. Browser just crashed 5 minutes ago as well.

 

[Keith White Jr]

I'm on 8.1.... I just 2 crashes just opening this app from my email. Browser just crashed 5 minutes ago as well.

Maybe a move to W10 will help. I updated my 640 to W10 as soon as I turned it on so I have no real experience with 8.1 on that device.

 

[anon(5383410)]

Your friend was just trying to be nice. He never had any intention of buying a Windows Phone.

 

[Keith White Jr]

Your friend was just trying to be nice. He never had any intention of buying a Windows Phone.

Possibly, but I doubt it. When I just saw him he was again playing with my phone and telling me how much he likes it. Plus he knows that I don't need him to like my phone. If I needed to have a phone that everyone likes, I wouldn't have a Windows Phone lol.

 

[pallentx]

Same thing happened to my mom when she went in to get a 1520 at ATT. She had done her research and knew what she wanted. The rep brought out 3 different Android phones and tries to talk her into getting one of those. I encouraged her to check them out, but she wanted the 1520. She had to insist that she wanted the 1520, and he finally sold it to her, but it took a while.

I went back when the 950 came out and it was totally different. The rep asked me a bunch of questions about WP and why I liked it. She said she might get one as her company issued phone just to try it out.

 

[Yugiro]

this was what happened to me when I upgraded to L930 from L920. I already knew I want the L930, so when I entered the store, it was the first day of L930 in the store, I asked the sales guy, "I have a Lumia 920 and would like to upgrade, what do you have for me?" He suggested at least 3 Android flagships to me. When I said, I want a Windows Phone, "He insisted the 3 Android flagships, although he never mentioned any negative thing against WP. Again, I said to him, "I want Windows Phone! Give me the L930 and here is my payment.!" He got quiet he proceeded to get my order.

 

[joshua hildebrandt1]

Yeah I had put windows 10 on my Lumia back in November but it was way to buggy...i may try one of the newer builds....i just love android BC of showbox and kodi, those 2 apps alone are worth having a Android.

 

[Gregory Newman]

I guess the best place to buy a windows smart phone is to buy it online from Microsoft. sales people in the USA are so BRAINWASHED TO SELL
APPLE IPHONES AND ANDROID SMART PHONES. You have to raise hell with them to buy one. THIS WHY Microsoft ls catching
hell trying to sell them

 

[GMC262]

You can always buy online from the carrier.

 

[colinkiama]

Recently I was showing my Lumia 640 off to a friend of mine that had an iPhone 5S. He absolutely loved it and looked genuinely excited to use it. He is also an Xbox gamer and loved the Xbox integration in the phone. He decided that when his contract was up he was going to switch to a Windows Phone.

I saw him again yesterday and he showed me his brand new iPhone 6S Plus. I asked him what happened to switching to Windows? He told me that he had every intention of buying a Lumia 950 XL, but when he got to the store the clerk at AT&T convinced him to stay away form Windows Phones. He told my friend that Windows Phones look nice but are nothing but headaches and after using it for a couple days he would be right back to exchange it for an iPhone or a Galaxy phone. He then told me that the clerk said "I couldn't in good conscience allow you to walk out of here with a phone like that when he have such great phones here."

I was pretty upset at that story and just thought I would share it with everyone...

He isn't wrong though. Unless your a fan of Microsoft, there is no need for the average consumer to get a lumia.

 

[Ten Four]

He isn't wrong though. Unless your a fan of Microsoft, there is no need for the average consumer to get a lumia.

Unfortunately, this is true. I would only steer people towards Windows phones if they are they type who like to be a bit different and are not app-centric in their lives. They are great communication devices, which is what I mainly use mine for, and I have no burning desire to Snapchat or purchase coffee with an app. If a person is likely to be the type that wants to download an app for every service and join every social networking service Windows phones are not for them.

 

[7a2eer]

Recently I was showing my Lumia 640 off to a friend of mine that had an iPhone 5S. He absolutely loved it and looked genuinely excited to use it. He is also an Xbox gamer and loved the Xbox integration in the phone. He decided that when his contract was up he was going to switch to a Windows Phone.

I saw him again yesterday and he showed me his brand new iPhone 6S Plus. I asked him what happened to switching to Windows? He told me that he had every intention of buying a Lumia 950 XL, but when he got to the store the clerk at AT&T convinced him to stay away form Windows Phones. He told my friend that Windows Phones look nice but are nothing but headaches and after using it for a couple days he would be right back to exchange it for an iPhone or a Galaxy phone. He then told me that the clerk said "I couldn't in good conscience allow you to walk out of here with a phone like that when he have such great phones here."

I was pretty upset at that story and just thought I would share it with everyone...

Why do you care if your friend is not using a Windows Phone? Lumia 950XL is a mess, not worth purchasing. The Lumia 640 would have been a terrific value had he been strapped for cash.

 

[talon38c]

I wouldn't use anything but a Windows Phone (8 or 10) now because it integrates so well with Window 10 desktop.

 

[halflifecrysis]

I agree the average consumer shouldn't bare the cross of Windows phone. Better off following the crowd and be app happy.

I love my phone (Nokia 1520) more than the OS.