Seniors being duped into buying iPhones/Galaxy Phones?

[Laura Knotek]

Another thing that is overlooked is that not all seniors are poor or ignorant about tech.

I know retired folks who are collecting multiple pensions (rather affluent) and travel frequently. They are very tech-savvy, since they got computers when many members here were either children or not even born. These folks use mobile apps to book their flights/hotel rooms, in addition to using video calling and social media apps.

 

[Guytronic]

A deflection here if I may.
At what age would one be considered senior?

I retired 2 months before my 55th birthday...

 

[ven07]

Ok so I wouldn't try to sell it as "the must have feature if you're old so you can stay in contact with your kin", but it's a nice feature that is limited to one platform. If you want it, you need an iPhone, so smart business

 

[Guytronic]

Billions on this planet are victims of commerce.
Some love a great sales pitch and don't mind taking the fall...some will always hold up a cross to drive off aggressive salespeople.

Selling and consumerism are the way of the modern world.
Without these the stock market would fall back to a low point value and there's no fun in that

 

[Visa Declined]

If the seniors were walking around with flagship Windows Phones, this thread would probably be a discussion about how great of a choice they made. But since it's iPhone's and Androids they're buying, the seniors are obviously unknowledgeable, and somebody must have taken advantage of them.

*edit*

FWIW, my parents are both retired seniors, and my dad built his own gaming PC. He plays Skyrim all day, and he even has Nexus Mod Manager installed to make the female character he plays run around buck naked. My Mom controls the entertainment system to her TV with the Galaxy Note III she bought. I'm 46, and I have no doubt that when I'm retired, I still be here debating about which phone coming out can clock the highest benchmark. Being old does not make a person tech illiterate by proxy.

 

[etad putta]

Every time I walk into an Apple store I see a large number of "seniors". They are given great support, enjoy a quality product, and are able to make good decisions based on many years of experience. We only wish we had practiced birth control with a closer eye, as to lessen the number of idiots we brought into this world.

 

[runamuck83]

I guess I didn't make my point clear enough.

I'm not saying "THESE OL' FOLK SHOULD ALL BE GETTING WINDOWS PHONE!!" I never said that once.

I said they can get something to fit their needs in Windows Phone at a fraction of the cost. Surely SOMEONE can see that.

I even said at one point in the thread I'd even recommend an iPhone 4/4S but not a brand new iPhone 6S.

Remember the audience I'm talking about - seniors who have very little need for tech and this would be their first smartphone.

 

[Keith Wallace]

Why aren't more senior folks on Windows Phone??

Do you actually KNOW any older people with this issue? I do. I can answer the question, and it'll be a familiar answer:

APPS

My grandma likes playing games on her iPhone, and the app issue hurts any chance she'd touch Windows Phone in a million years. You can argue those folks could survive on a model that's 1-2 years older, but the price difference of $100-200 over 2 years isn't that great.

 

[etad putta]

Point of my post wasn't that they should be getting WP. Point was, for what they actually NEED should they be getting a $800 phone when there's Windows Phone offerings that provide what they NEED at a FRACTION of the price. (Lumia 640 for example that is $80 bucks without a contract).

I wouldn't recommend an $80 Android just because it's sure to perform so poorly the poor ol' chap would rather use it as a coaster than a phone.

Alternately, I may recommend they get an iPhone 4 or 4S - but surely not a brand spankin' new $800 iPhone 6. C'mon...

This "ol chap" is running a $39 LG volt on ring+ just to see how it goes and it runs great. Is my 640 a better device? Yup, but it's a choice we seniors can make on our own, thanks.

 

[Indistinguishable]

(Please note, I'm not trying to be ageist here. I'm sure there is a healthy population of seniors who are tech saavy and want these devices. But I also feel like most seniors are being ripped off and want feedback.)

Every time there's a thread about elderly folks and technology, there are some on these boards who will deliberately find a way to be offended. Just ignore it.

You're totally right about salesmen trying to take advantage of people. Even my mom, who isn't that old and is fairly tech savvy, was conned into buying one of those silly Verizon Jetpack hotspot things. When I took it back, they insisted on a $30 re-shelving fee. Absolute hogwash.

In another scenario, my Wife gets entirely different responses from auto shops than I do. They'll tell her that every part on the car needs to be replaced. When i take it in, it just needs an oil change.

 

[etad putta]

Every time there's a thread about elderly folks and technology, there are some on these boards who will deliberately find a way to be offended. Just ignore it.

You're totally right about salesmen trying to take advantage of people. Even my mom, who isn't that old and is fairly tech savvy, was conned into buying one of those silly Verizon Jetpack hotspot things. When I took it back, they insisted on a $30 re-shelving fee. Absolute hogwash.

In another scenario, my Wife gets entirely different responses from auto shops than I do. They'll tell her that every part on the car needs to be replaced. When i take it in, it just needs an oil change.

Not the Dealerships I worked in for 30+ years, we tried to stuff upsells down everyones throat. I think at any sales position anyone that walks in the door is fair game and customers always have to walk in prepared. The world has been in a buyer beware mentality since the dawn of time and that never changes.

 

[Indistinguishable]

Not the Dealerships I worked in for 30+ years, we tried to stuff upsells down everyones throat. I think at any sales position anyone that walks in the door is fair game and customers always have to walk in prepared. The world has been in a buyer beware mentality since the dawn of time and that never changes.

Sure, up-selling is a regular sales tactic. But so is stereotyping. Salesmen are far more likely to try and up-sell useless or incorrect technology to those in demographics that are more likely to fall victim to said tactics. The elderly demographic is one of those demographics.

The same can be said for women in an auto shop. It's unfortunate, but salesmen deliberately try to get more out of them. There have been numerous studies to prove the point. Here's a write up on one. http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/ar...vercharge-women-except-when-they-dont/276884/

 

[etad putta]

Sure, up-selling is a regular sales tactic. But so is stereotyping. Salesmen are far more likely to try and up-sell useless or incorrect technology to those in demographics that are more likely to fall victim to said tactics. The elderly demographic is one of those demographics.

And selling high end phones to those 25 and under whose brains have not fully developed is another problem. They feel the need to have the same phones as their peers. This maybe the group we need to protect the most. Most phone ads I see have way more young people than elderly.

 

[rhapdog]

Not all "Senior Citizens" are necessarily on a budget. Many are, and many communities are "retirement communities" built around seniors being on a budget.

Where I live, there are a lot of seniors. Very few are on a limited budget. I met an elderly couple who were very much tightwads with their money, and lived as though they were on a very tight social security pension. Turns out, they live in a $10 million dollar home and own their own lake. They are very well taken care of. You'd never know it by the way they dress or shop or talk.

Housing where I live is very high. Homes that would be listed under $200,000 just 50 miles away go for over a million here because of the value placed on "where" we are.

I met a lady in Goodwill the other day (Goodwill is a charity organization that operates a string of thrift shops to help those less fortunate.) She is clothes shopping in Goodwill, and pulls out a brand spanking new Samsung Edge. You know, the one that just came out. I struck up a conversation with her. My daughter did something cute and I snapped a quick pic with my Lumia 640. She made mention that she hadn't been able to figure out how to get the camera to work yet. I asked her if she didn't understand how the phone works, why did she buy it? "Because it was so pretty." Turns out, though the course of the conversation, she had always had iPhones because they were pretty. Now, she thought this one was prettier, so she switched. Just like that. No Apple loyalty, no blind following the iPhone, she just wants the prettiest phone, and she paid cash up front without a contract. Turns out this was someone that owns millions and millions in real estate, has a monthly income higher than what most people here will earn in 20 years. She can afford pretty.

Maybe that's what Microsoft needs to do. Make the phones "pretty and shiny" and people will come. She doesn't use apps. She doesn't use video calling. Phone calls and texting is all she does. A feature phone would have been fine for her. But feature phones, according to her, "just look ghetto." Her words, not mine. Apparently she's never been to the ghetto. I've seen a LOT of iPhones there.

Yes, some seniors are being taken advantage of. So are people in their teens, twenties, thirties, forties, etc. If these sales people don't take advantage, they don't get to keep their job because they won't be making the quotas the company requires.

People who have become slow with their thinking due to advanced age, and not all get slow thinking, but a few do, those are the biggest targets. Weak minded people of any age are also big targets. There are a lot of those. Beware of sales people who use Jedi Mind Tricks.

 

[Mathias Lindberg]

I've observed a disturbing trend. A lot of senior citizens I've seen lately are walking handling $600-$700 dollar phones. Most of these people are likely on a fixed income and are rocking an iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5/6 mind you.
(Please note, I'm not trying to be ageist here. I'm sure there is a healthy population of seniors who are tech saavy and want these devices. But I also feel like most seniors are being ripped off and want feedback.)

Now, one has to wonder what an average senior citizen needs their smartphone for. I'm sure some legitimately need all that horsepower - but I'd also venture to say most only need the following.

1. Make phone calls
2. Send text messages
3. Check e-mails
4. Check Facebook
5. Maybe use Facebook messenger
6. MAYBE use the web slightly
7. MAYBE use a couple apps. Maybe... which ones hard to say.

Probably somewhat basic requirements, right? Well, why are these people wasting their limited incoming buying these phones when a Windows Phone for a FRACTION of the cost will easily handle those tasks and handle it well?

My guess is the reasons are as follows:

1. Their kids told them to get that
2. The salesmen at the store told them to get that

I feel like they're spending the limited amount of money they have on something they really don't need and wasting a lot of their money doing so.

Why aren't more senior folks on Windows Phone??

Windows Phones cost more here than Android phones with higher specs, and I wouldn't recommend Windows Phone to anyone when they can get much more from Android. I would've said the same about Android back during Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

[realwarder]

We got the in-laws a 520 and then 635 for a total of $90. (different time purchases)

Moved them from Verizon (two 10 year old feature phones 95/month paying per every text and no data) to a AT&T Family Share for $90/month unlimited text and 3GB Data.

Before this advice they were looking at $150/month and an iPhone.

They are SO happy they reduced their spend and after 6 months are happy with their phones. Step up from Feature phone to Windows Phone and it's amazing for them.

Amazingly (even to me) they're looking forward to getting Windows 10 on their phones too. Their desktop/laptop/tablet are already upgraded (I did help make sure it was smooth).

They are happy the way it all works the same.

Seniors do NOT need to spend iPhone level money. They actually appreciate value, and Windows does a great job in that area.

 

[Indistinguishable]

Now, she thought this one was prettier, so she switched. Just like that. No Apple loyalty, no blind following the iPhone, she just wants the prettiest phone, and she paid cash up front without a contract. Turns out this was someone that owns millions and millions in real estate, has a monthly income higher than what most people here will earn in 20 years. She can afford pretty.

She single? :winktongue:

 

[paulxxwall]

Do you actually KNOW any older people with this issue? I do. I can answer the question, and it'll be a familiar answer:

APPS

My grandma likes playing games on her iPhone, and the app issue hurts any chance she'd touch Windows Phone in a million years. You can argue those folks could survive on a model that's 1-2 years older, but the price difference of $100-200 over 2 years isn't that great.

yup even old people need certain apps! And the there's only one app in the WP store that my parent also use..... what's app and that's it so no they wont switch to WP .......they got enough money for 50 iPhones

 

[LuxuryTouringZone]

If I was an old man, I'd buy whatever I choose buy, meaning that no salesman would be able coax me into getting Phone W or Phone Q. I do like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 though. :angel:

 

[Sick Freak]

Actually, I think that the carriers are just taking advantage of the elderly and selling any smartphone with a data package. This happened to my wife's uncle - he needed to replace his old flip phone and they conned him into a smart phone with an expensive data plan that he never used. Then later, one time he stopped by for something else, they got him to purchase an iPad (which they charged him a $100 restocking fee for returning it unopened an hour later.)

This isn't limited to carriers - this is everywhere.