Is Googles new strategy to never put the Pixel 5 on sale to compete with cheaper Samsung S21's?

[SupraLB]

In the past, Google /Best Buy would run several promos per year that would eventually get me to upgrade. I've seen only the black friday sale, and I believe they did a $5 off a payment plan another time. Although I could have missed a sale or two, but I check once a week.

As you can see, below the S21 small form factor, (which is something I seek in my next phone) is much cheaper. It's been consistty cheaper for weeks, yet much more powerful and better specs. I've even seen the S21 Ultra come close to the P5 pricing a few times.

You may suggest that the P5 is flying off the the shelf but I highly doubt so. I asked one associate and he said the often go days without ever activating one.

I wonder if they are just stuck in a jam with Pixel 4a right below and they can't lower the price of the P5 because of the P4a.

 

[Grabber5.0]

Yeah, they're a bit overpriced for what you get. As much as I want one, I won't buy one at regular price.

 

[bhatech]

Don't think anyone will say Pixel 5 is flying off the shelf, it's nothing new for Google not competing with OEMs like Samsung and others who churn phones left and right and flood the market. Samsung always has great deals and if you are strictly speaking about value then Google phones especially the higher end ones are never that.

Pixels are great phones, if you like Google experience then it's even more great. They will never compete in terms of price and volume. And there will always be some phone which will be better value. I buy Pixel because I like the pixel experience, if I were thinking about value then I probably wouldn't have bought any Pixel phone.

As far as sales from carriers, not sure I don't closely monitor carrier phones but may be they will decide to have sales closer to Pixel 6 launch.

Bottom line I don't think Google is really that much interested to move these items in bulk. They will always be low sellers.

May be that'll will change once they have their own SoC (I doubt it).

 

[kenorian]

"More powerful and better specs".... That means nothing to me. What matters is the experience for what I'm using it for. There are tons of cars that are more powerful and have better specs than what I choose to drive on a daily basis 'cause it just suites my needs better.

 

[B. Diddy]

I think it's unusual for Google to discount Pixel phones before the next generation has been introduced. I'm not even sure if the 5a 5G would induce Google to discount the 5, since it's the midrange "a" line, and therefore not technically a direct competitor to the 5.

 

[cyndie1030]

They are the same price for the one-time payment so I wonder why the difference in the monthly payments? I love my P5 and any difference in price was moot for me since I don't care for Samsung devices.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I got £100 off the 4a 5G in February. They had discounted it from £499 to £399 so I know they have deals in the UK. But the Pixel 5 stayed the same price £599. We pay less as we don’t have mmWave technology in our phones.

 

[bkdodger2]

I think just Samsung having so many options with phones and their history of trade ins is superior.. Personally Google only discounted phones when they started at the higher prices.. There have been a few sales on the 4a 5G but if I'm looking for P5 I'm going 3rd market...

 

[straygator]

I purchased my Pixel 5 from Best Buy for $499 on a Black Friday deal, under which the interest-free payments are included on my Verizon bill spread over a period of 24 months. Although the device was smaller overall than the Pixel 2 XL that it replaced, and screen width was slightly narrower, the height of the screen was exactly the same; the main difference in dimensions was the reduction of the bezels. After a few days of use, I came to appreciate the smaller device size with essentially the same display to which I was accustomed.

If Google had marketed a Pixel 5XL, with a screen size of 6.2 -6.4", I probably would have opted for that larger alternative at the time; but now I'm not sure I'd find the larger display of any comparative benefit, since my normal usage rarely involves viewing of videos. And while I feel that I got an exceptional value by obtaining the Pixel 5 at a $200 discount, if faced with the need to replace my phone today, I'd buy the Pixel 5 again even at the list price. In my opinion -- and for my purposes -- the device is that good.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Google has little reason to discount the pixel to match other sales or deals, they are a software company and the marketshare of Android is what matters, not the marketshare of the Pixel.

Samsung heavily discounts all the time, even made huge deals with Verizon to help eliminate the other Android competition, their marketshare is much more important to them.

Google wins either way, buy a Pixel or a Galaxy and they still profit.

 

[Morty2264]

When I bought my Pixel 5 this month from the Google Store (Canadian variant), I'm pretty sure the 4a 5G was discounted. I forget by how much, though.