Best Buy and RS gets EVO Inventory EARLY?

[Gekko]

so they will probably get these phones in a few days early. it's not like they're going to drop shipment on June 4.

what are our chances of us getting our phones a little EARLY? will the "system" allow them to be run up early?

 

[vandersmissenc]

From my experience when I worked at best buy, alot of product comes in early and is set in the warehouse with a street date. They will not release it until the 4th because that is the agreement with sprint.

 

[ImmaSlave4U]

Yes, I'm pretty sure RadioShack is getting them a few days early 'cause I pre-ordered at a different store than I plan on picking it up at. The phone will still initially be shipped to the location I made the pre-order at, and the associate who placed my pre-order told me she'll ship it to the store I want to pick it up at.

But yeah, I doubt the UPC code will be validated until June 4th.

 

[Gekko]

From my experience when I worked at best buy, alot of product comes in early and is set in the warehouse with a street date. They will not release it until the 4th because that is the agreement with sprint.

but is it possible for a BB to sell it to me early if he wants to or will the "system" stop him.

 

[gabbott]

Yeah, with most items with a release date, they are required to not break street date, not that it hasn't happened but if you buy it through Best Buy they still have to activate it directly with Sprint and you can guarantee Sprint won't allow activations until that date.

 

[ERDude]

Maybe Best Buy will do an early launch for RZ members like they did with the Hero

 

[n8spangler]

Maybe Best Buy will do an early launch for RZ members like they did with the Hero

that would be great, doubt it will happen, but it would be nice! im the king of bad luck so i apologize for it not happening

 

[ERDude]

If I remember correctly it only launched 4 days early. Hopefully the Best Buy in Palm Desert makes the same mistake the Mission Viejo Best Buy did and calls for pick up as soon as they get them.

19 days and counting.

that would be great, doubt it will happen, but it would be nice! im the king of bad luck so i apologize for it not happening

 

[Gekko]

what about the evening of June 3?

 

[twan2001]

We will not sell the phone early and HOPEFULLY no Best Buy Mobile Manager will get his or herself fired by selling the phone early.

 

[fr4nk1yn]

what about the evening of June 3?

When I 1st asked about the the pre-order, before it was announced officially, I was told that they would call me to pick the phone up on launch day or if it arrived they day before they might call me.
I may just happen to stop in Thursday night late and see but I'm not holding out any hope on actually getting one early.

 

[Gekko]

We will not sell the phone early and HOPEFULLY no Best Buy Mobile Manager will get his or herself fired by selling the phone early.

is there some BB dictum not to sell the phone early?

 

[ragnarokx]

is there some BB dictum not to sell the phone early?

I used to work at Toys R Us when a video games called Grand Theft Auto 4 came out. Most anticipated game of the year, people lined us to buy it. The neighboring Best Buy store thought it was a good idea to start selling the game before the official release date. When the manufacturer Rockstar found out, they punished the store by stopping all future shipments of that game. So there are definitely ramifications to not honoring the release date, whether on the employee or the store level.

 

[R2D2 631]

I think an early release might help the Best Buy Employees with customers activations...Im sure their gonna be flooded with that on actual release date.

 

[Gekko]

I used to work at Toys R Us when a video games called Grand Theft Auto 4 came out. Most anticipated game of the year, people lined us to buy it. The neighboring Best Buy store thought it was a good idea to start selling the game before the official release date. When the manufacturer Rockstar found out, they punished the store by stopping all future shipments of that game. So there are definitely ramifications to not honoring the release date, whether on the employee or the store level.

Sprint doesn't have that kind of power or luxury to cut retail partners off.

 

[arghitskevin]

The Best Buy I preordered from actually said they'd give me a call and set up an appointment to get me all set up as soon as they get the phones in. Apparently they got a bunch of preorders and receive a lot of questions about the EVO, so I was told they want to help those who preordered to avoid the lines and madness.

I hope they stick to this plan, though if I already waited 3 months for this phone, what more is a day or two...right?

 

[Gekko]

what possible harm could there be if Sprint/BB/RS released the phone a few days early at this point assuming that the inventory arrives early and everything is in order?

Sprint should give their blessing to retailers to sell all of the pre-orders as soon as the inventory hits. let's get this party started!

 

[gabbott]

what possible harm could there be if Sprint/BB/RS released the phone a few days early at this point assuming that the inventory arrives early and everything is in order?

Sprint should give their blessing to retailers to sell all of the pre-orders as soon as the inventory hits. let's get this party started!

If I had to guess, the reason for being strict with the release date is if one of the stores in a town, say Best Buy, got them early and started selling them, and the local Radio Shack who didn't get their inventory at that point wouldn't be happy as it would give Best Buy the advantage with some sales and relationships with Sprint/suppliers could become strained.

I believe that is a similar reasoning for specific release dates for CDs/movies. And in the case where a retailer gets an exclusive to sell prior to full release date, they pay for that.

 

[Gekko]

If I had to guess, the reason for being strict with the release date is if one of the stores in a town, say Best Buy, got them early and started selling them, and the local Radio Shack who didn't get their inventory at that point wouldn't be happy as it would give Best Buy the advantage with some sales and relationships with Sprint/suppliers could become strained.

I believe that is a similar reasoning for specific release dates for CDs/movies. And in the case where a retailer gets an exclusive to sell prior to full release date, they pay for that.

but they are pre-sales - ie already sold.

 

[mp0510]

Does anyone know how many will be in the initial shipment?

I'm finally back home and preordered, but I'm #45 and they said they could get anywhere from 30 to 100 and no idea how many.