Still no real hype, even at Sprint store...

[boaz65]

I was very excited at the notion of getting my N3 today. I drive like a mad man to the Sprint store closest to my home. I was expecting to see SOME type of crowd...(2 p.m.).the store was absolutely empty! So I tell the rep that I want to buy the N3, she said they never got any, not even 1 for launch day? In fact, she said that during the morning conference call, there was no mention of the N3 at all, WTF? She didn't know model numbers or anything else about it, do people really hate the Samsung line that much? After driving to the 3rd Sprint store, I bought the only one that was shipped to their store. Overall, I'm kind of miffed that even the store reps aren't/weren't prepared, knowledgeable or even slightly enthusiastic about this launch, but I'm glad I got my phone!

 

[smooth703]

i went straight to best buy and got mine this morning but they did say they had a limited quantity and no accessories.. so i went to the sprint store around the corner to get a case.

they were excited to see mine said they have never seen the phone and didnt get any in

 

[aquaholik]

Local Clearwater store had plenty. Despite all the hype of the Note 3, it's always a sleeper at the Sprint store. The same thing happened last year at the Note 2 launch, and that was even more of a bigger hype since it is the first time the Note series is available from Sprint.

 

[atuarre]

You took the time to complain because there was no rabid crowd like the iPhone zealots do every year? You should be thankful. The store I was at had limited stock AND some stores got their shipments and could not locate them.

 

[crusnik23]

You took the time to complain because there was no rabid crowd like the iPhone zealots do every year? You should be thankful. The store I was at had limited stock AND some stores got their shipments and could not locate them.

The sprint store here didn't receive theirs and one radioshack only got white ones while the other didn't get theirs at all. I just decided to order mine straight from sprint to avoid everything and to keep myself from being tempted into a white one.

 

[danon.brown]

No sign, accessories, or display model at the one i was at. However i was the 4th one sold within the hour.

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[DCLocal]

I had an appointment at Best Buy for 10:00 a.m. this morning. There weren't many people when I arrived but by the time I was done (took almost an hour!) there was a line of about a dozen people and and lots of talk about the Note 3.

Overall I am much more impressed with the look of the phone and the soft texture of the back; much better than I thought it might be based on many comments in the forums.

Best Buy also had the Galaxy Gear but it was tethered and the security device made the watch look so thick and impossible to test fit. The whole presentation did nothing to help sell the device. Overall from what I could see it looked nice but not for $300. I think Samsung and/or Best Buy really missed an opportunity by not offering some kind of Note/Gear bundle. Even $50 discount might have made me consider getting both.

 

[boaz65]

You took the time to complain because there was no rabid crowd like the iPhone zealots do every year? You should be thankful. The store I was at had limited stock AND some stores got their shipments and could not locate them.

I was passing on an observation, not really meant to be a complaint. But it was if they had no idea that it was a launch date, no display units, no in-store posters, like they hadn't even heard of the phone. I just found it strange, maybe others here don't.

 

[dallastx]

All the stores in Dallas/Ft.Worth got at least 10-20. I got there at 9am with 1 guy waiting and by the time i left after i kept telling the salesman i dont have to give them my phone that is not under contract..... I saw about 4 people leave the store with them.

 

[aquaholik]

I was passing on an observation, not really meant to be a complaint. But it was if they had no idea that it was a launch date, no display units, no in-store posters, like they hadn't even heard of the phone. I just found it strange, maybe others here don't.

We are smartphone enthusiasts. Sprint employees or corporate generally do not care. If they do, they would be working with Sony to push their XPERIA line. With a little encouragement and dealing, Sony will add a CDMA version. Look at the mistake with the uniband Note 3 and the lack of waterproof phone.

Get a couple of enthusiasts from XDA to the Sprint corporate board room and the company will be profitable real fast. Sprint corporate is often clueless just like the people at HP, just like the idiots at LG and HTC that decides their phone do not need an SD card. They make $5 mistake that cost them lots of unsold phones and hundreds of millions. Samsung don't have to beat them when they keep making stupid decision like that. Of course, this is just IMHO.

If I was managing the Sprint corporate store, you bet I will be promoting the Note 3 or any flagship phone launch with posters, display, cases, hooking it up to the smart dock, etc.. Look at the home page at Sprint. They are pushing the Iphones. Nothing wrong with that but they should be pushing any new flagship phone launch. They do not have the passion like the John Legre dude at T Mobile.

 

[dallastx]

I was passing on an observation, not really meant to be a complaint. But it was if they had no idea that it was a launch date, no display units, no in-store posters, like they hadn't even heard of the phone. I just found it strange, maybe others here don't.

Thats because no one is trying to hear they only have one option for a plan. lol If you start advertising the Note 3 also people need to be informed that there plan is changing. People hate switching plans especially when the store reps even have a hard time explaining the new plans. Most people can care less about a new phone every yr. We are the minority. I personally thought you get $15 off the plan immediately. Then they tell me you have to wait 2 months. Just very confusing.

 

[danon.brown]

Thats because no one is trying to hear they only have one option for a plan. lol If you start advertising the Note 3 also people need to be informed that there plan is changing. People hate switching plans especially when the store reps even have a hard time explaining the new plans. Most people can care less about a new phone every yr. We are the minority. I personally thought you get $15 off the plan immediately. Then they tell me you have to wait 2 months. Just very confusing.

You have to wait 2 months for the 15$ off to kick in? They surely didn't tell me that.

Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[Bradfordv]

I pre ordered mine at the best buy in metro Detroit and had mine when I get off work at 2 pm. I got the black one

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[thermus]

I called sprint to get my upgrade today and the rep was asking me questions on how the galaxy gear worked. Lol.

He said they get a tiny ass powerpoint about the basics and that's it. When I worked for Apple (worst company), I would research online so that I knew everything. Better customer service, better results.

C'mon Sprint. Step your game up.

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[kaisutam]

Got mine and a Gear, I really like the Gear. It really compliments the Note.

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[nolimit06]

My Sprint store got the boxes from UPS as I arrived at 10am. They even had a Samsung Rep on hand doing Note 3 demos and Galaxy Gear. Cases were limited, all they had was the Body Glove case which is actually pretty nice. Overall this is a great phone and im so happy I exchanged my HTC One for this.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk 4

 

[otamctech]

You took the time to complain because there was no rabid crowd like the iPhone zealots do every year? You should be thankful. The store I was at had limited stock AND some stores got their shipments and could not locate them.

My sentiments exactly. I dread going to my corporate sprint store. Yesterday, however, i was plesantly suprised that there was no traffic and i was served instantly upon walking into the store. TWICE. By 12 tho, it was filling up and i was glad i was finished.

 

[henbone11]

It is very weird, regardless of what some will have you believe. I was first at one of my local stores to get one (was the only one in the store for the hour or so it took to futz with my account and activate the phone. Got there at store opening). They had not even taken them out of the shipping box yet. Had to go back to the store this morning and they said that I am still the only one to have gotten one. Inexplicable.

I realize the price bump to give preference to Apple (don't agree with it, but understand) but it's almost like Sprint didn't even want this phone to launch at all. Last to announce launch date. No marketing at all. With millions of Note and Note 2's sold, and several million Note 3's already sold world wide, I really can't figure out what's going on. I have seen companies do a lot of weird things, but whatever is going on with Sprint and the Note 3 is beyond me. Sprint's overall lineup of phones is horrendous anyway, getting a true flagship phone should be more of a big deal to them.

I have to say that I love this phone. Coming from a beat up Epic 4G Touch, this is like upgrading from a Pentium 4 to an i7. This is also the first time I have been able to use LTE and I love it.

 

[inmnbob]

There is a business aspect to this. Now trust me I don't want to give Sprint more credit than they deserve for being smart because at the retail level they are any thing but smart. However, the bigger push for Apple in all the stores may be a business decision and by design. If you recall, Sprint had to commit to hundreds of millions if dollars to Apple when they got the iPhone line.

Retail stinks anyhow for all manufacturers. I used to be a vp of salrs for a PC company and always felt like being held hostage to retail reps who can't add any value. I recall the days of ComputerLand when I got them to carry my new really cool laptop. There were two versions and we spent a lot of money and time training and motivating their retail team for the launch. I secret shopped the stores and when I asked the sales team what was the difference between model 1 and 2 he said $199 ....I was smart enough to calculate that myself ....the price was on the display.

Yesterday was another good example. I went to the Sprint store and there were no notes on display although they were in inventory. Then I drove to the Best Buy mobile store. Again nothing on display but a bunch in stock. Talked to store manager who said she was given a demo unit by Samsung a few days ago but didn't open it. She also had a Gear which she said she hasn't opened.

A Samsung experience in BestBuy stores is a good idea to help overcome the retail inefficiencies but ultimately we will pay the extra cost. No wonder internet commerce is a multi billion dollar channel



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[grifter9931]

There is a business aspect to this. Now trust me I don't want to give Sprint more credit than they deserve for being smart because at the retail level they are any thing but smart. However, the bigger push for Apple in all the stores may be a business decision and by design. If you recall, Sprint had to commit to hundreds of millions if dollars to Apple when they got the iPhone line.

Retail stinks anyhow for all manufacturers. I used to be a vp of salrs for a PC company and always felt like being held hostage to retail reps who can't add any value. I recall the days of ComputerLand when I got them to carry my new really cool laptop. There were two versions and we spent a lot of money and time training and motivating their retail team for the launch. I secret shopped the stores and when I asked the sales team what was the difference between model 1 and 2 he said $199 ....I was smart enough to calculate that myself ....the price was on the display.

Yesterday was another good example. I went to the Sprint store and there were no notes on display although they were in inventory. Then I drove to the Best Buy mobile store. Again nothing on display but a bunch in stock. Talked to store manager who said she was given a demo unit by Samsung a few days ago but didn't open it. She also had a Gear which she said she hasn't opened.

A Samsung experience in BestBuy stores is a good idea to help overcome the retail inefficiencies but ultimately we will pay the extra cost. No wonder internet commerce is a multi billion dollar channel



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I almost teared up reading this........ Everything you have stated is correct...
Sprint isn't a very effective VAR for Samsung products and I think they are in so deep with the fruit that they are beginning to regret their metric quotas they are obligated to meet on a quarterly basis in order to be in compliance with the distribution contract they signed in order to get into the very lucrative (Icraze) business model/ecosystem.

I wish Samsung would open a retail brick and mortar but the cult-ish following isn't near the same level as Apple.
So for the near future, we will have to go through the regular channels and hopefully the Samsung experience @ BB can get a foothold and become a starting off point for something better and a more customer orientated experience for Samsung users.