Cell Phone Stores Are Now Accessory Stores - Blu-ray Forum

Cinema84 · 01-03-2018, 08:47 PM

I'm in the market for a new cell phone. There's a large AT&T flagship store near my job so I walk in and take a look around. To my horror, most of the products on display were accessories

The few phones that were on display were very expensive so I ask a sales guy about "regular" phones and he points to a corner where the pre-paid phones have been shoved off to. I tell the guy I'm not looking for a pre-paid phone but that I also don't need a smartphone so he informs me he'll need to check my credit in order to proceed. I thank him and slink off. WTF? What happened to selling phones in phone stores? All these places are the same: floor space taken up mostly by furniture and small counters along the walls with a few very expensive phones strewn around almost as an afterthought. Not a very appealing environment for people looking to buy a phone. So how do people buy them nowadays? Online?

CasualKiller · 01-04-2018, 08:14 PM

No money for the dealers in the phones anymore. When they bring in a phone they usually pay the cellular provider for them up front then they sell them and receive a credit for what they paid for the device plus an activation bonus. If you just walk in and buy a phone right out right off the shelf they will still get the device credit but will lose the activation bonus (profit).

Now cellular accessories have an astronomical mark up on them. Mass produced over seas for pennies and flipped for 60-70 dollars for a case, 20-40 for screen protector, replacement cables so on and so on..

Makes sense to have them out front and in your face, easy money lol.

Edit> Not just activations, they also make money off renewing your contract as well.

master gandhi · 01-05-2018, 08:37 PM

Plus, only about 3-5 people ask about basic phones each month. Most people have moved onto smartphones. If you must have a basic phone, definitely shop online and do your research.

Naiera · 01-06-2018, 03:17 AM

No one buys dumbphones anymore. If you can find one in a brick & mortar store it’s going to be a cheap burner.

Batman1980 · 01-06-2018, 03:18 AM

I've known this for years, cell phone stores just don't sell that many phones anymore it seems.

01-03-2018, 08:47 PM	#1
Cinema84 Blu-ray Archduke Member since:Jun 2012 Location:NJ 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Trading Score:135	Cell Phone Stores Are Now Accessory Stores I'm in the market for a new cell phone. There's a large AT&T flagship store near my job so I walk in and take a look around. To my horror, most of the products on display were accessories The few phones that were on display were very expensive so I ask a sales guy about "regular" phones and he points to a corner where the pre-paid phones have been shoved off to. I tell the guy I'm not looking for a pre-paid phone but that I also don't need a smartphone so he informs me he'll need to check my credit in order to proceed. I thank him and slink off. WTF? What happened to selling phones in phone stores? All these places are the same: floor space taken up mostly by furniture and small counters along the walls with a few very expensive phones strewn around almost as an afterthought. Not a very appealing environment for people looking to buy a phone. So how do people buy them nowadays? Online?

01-04-2018, 08:14 PM	#2
CasualKiller Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Brooks Alberta Blu-ray collection:54 Trading Score:15	No money for the dealers in the phones anymore. When they bring in a phone they usually pay the cellular provider for them up front then they sell them and receive a credit for what they paid for the device plus an activation bonus. If you just walk in and buy a phone right out right off the shelf they will still get the device credit but will lose the activation bonus (profit). Now cellular accessories have an astronomical mark up on them. Mass produced over seas for pennies and flipped for 60-70 dollars for a case, 20-40 for screen protector, replacement cables so on and so on.. Makes sense to have them out front and in your face, easy money lol. Edit> Not just activations, they also make money off renewing your contract as well. Last edited by CasualKiller; 01-04-2018 at 08:18 PM.

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01-05-2018, 08:37 PM	#3
master gandhi Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jan 2013 Location:United States Trading Score:1	Plus, only about 3-5 people ask about basic phones each month. Most people have moved onto smartphones. If you must have a basic phone, definitely shop online and do your research.

01-06-2018, 03:17 AM	#4
Naiera Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Jun 2012 Location:Denmark Home Theater Gallery:2 Trading Score:24	No one buys dumbphones anymore. If you can find one in a brick & mortar store it’s going to be a cheap burner.

01-06-2018, 03:18 AM	#5
Batman1980 Blu-ray Jedi Member since:Feb 2009 Location:District 13 Home Theater Gallery:8 4K collection:145 Blu-ray collection:393 DVD collection:57 Blu-ray reviews:22 Trading Score:48	I've known this for years, cell phone stores just don't sell that many phones anymore it seems.

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