Price discounts? Don't count on it happening.

[raqball]

I've seen several threads and posts where people have said they are waiting for price discounts to buy. I would not count on that happening any time soon and maybe not even at all and here is why.

Google views the Pixel name differently and I think some people are missing that.. A brief review of past Pixel products and their discount history:

2013 Chromebook Pixel = Throughout it's life span the price never dropped a single cent
2015 Chromebook Pixel = Throughout it's life span the price never dropped a single cent
Google Pixel C = The 32GB version has never seen a price drop. The 64GB version recently received a temporary $75 price cut.

Now we have this little tidbit from a The Verge interview with Rick Osterloh the head of Google hardware

Link to full article --> Google Phone - The Verge

*Snip from article:

Osterloh knows that "We certainly aren’t going to have enormous volumes out of this product. This is very first innings for us." Google’s metric of success for Pixel won’t be whether it picks up significant market share, but whether it can garner customer satisfaction and form retail and carrier partnerships that Google can leverage for years to come.

In other words, don't expect a discount anytime soon or maybe not even at all... It's a Pixel and Google views the Pixel name differently..

Sure carriers might discount it or offer deals but then you are stuck in carrier update (or lack thereof) hell...

 

[Golfdriver97]

I am inclined to agree. I think the thing I was most surprised about was there wasn't some kind of incentive to hop on Fi and give a little discount on the phone to do so.

 

[dpham00]

I don't expect a price drop per second, but maybe a better promotion. Just like I picked up the moto z play which was$408, less $200 coupon, less $300 trade in value for my cracked screen g4

Right now the best promotion is $100 best Buy gift card plus Chromecast

 

[raqball]

I am inclined to agree. I think the thing I was most surprised about was there wasn't some kind of incentive to hop on Fi and give a little discount on the phone to do so.

The lack of a Fi deal is telling though.. Even more so when you consider that Google wants to seriously push Fi... I can see maybe several months down the line Google throwing out a few Fi deals for the Pixel but I bet they won't be the $200 previously offered.. Maybe a free VR or $50 off.. Something like that maybe with Fi service..

 

[Golfdriver97]

Maybe a free VR or $50 off

I should have clarified...I was thinking $50-100 off initially. I can agree that $200 off won't happen.

 

[PRGDR]

I totally agree. But I do not understand the strategy. Iphones (and Macs, etc) are expensive and people waste a lot of money buying them because of the "apple style" more than anything else. I just do not see the great appeal of a google style, but I see apple-like prices and policies with this pixel line...

 

[raqball]

I totally agree. But I do not understand the strategy. Iphones (and Macs, etc) are expensive and people waste a lot of money buying them because of the "apple style" more than anything else. I just do not see the great appeal of a google style, but I see apple-like prices and policies with this pixel line...

I think the strategy makes complete sense.. Apple makes most of their $$$ on hardware sales whereas at the moment Google makes chicken feed on theirs... Google has deep pockets and can afford to go this route. I honestly believe they don't care how many are sold. It's like this with all the Pixel named devices..

Google wants to get it in the carriers, forge retail partnerships and go forward from there.. If they take a loss out of the gate doing so, then so be it because in reality whatever loss they initially take is pocket change to them..

 

[diesteldorf]

The lack of a Fi deal is telling though.. Even more so when you consider that Google wants to seriously push Fi... I can see maybe several months down the line Google throwing out a few Fi deals for the Pixel but I bet they won't be the $200 previously offered.. Maybe a free VR or $50 off.. Something like that maybe with Fi service..

Wouldn't a Fi deal be somewhat risky? Of course, Google doesn't have to worry about sales and profit margin on their hardware as much as Apple. However, how could they easily allow someone to get a deep discount, or any discount, by joining a cell plan that is month to month?

I always wanted to try Project Fi and found the perfect opportunity when I went to Europe last month. I was happy to pay $30 and get affordable data options. The service was very good, but I already had a line with Verizon and Sprint that I use domestically, so I knew my time with Project Fi would probably be brief.

Don't get me wrong, I think it would be a great idea and I agree with you, but is there any way to penalize a person for canceling after a brief time on a plan that is month to month with no activation or cancellation fees?

 

[raqball]

Wouldn't a Fi deal be somewhat risky? Of course, Google doesn't have to worry about sales and profit margin on their hardware as much as Apple. However, how could they easily allow somewhat to get a deep discount, or any discount, on a cell plan that is month to month?

I always wanted to try Project Fi and found the perfect opportunity when I went to Europe last month. I was happy to pay $30 and get affordable data options. The service was very good, but I already had a line with Verizon and Sprint that I use domestically, so I knew my time with Project Fi would probably be brief.

Don't get me wrong, I think it would be a great idea and I agree with you, but is there any way to penalize a person for canceling after a brief time on a plan that is month to month with no activation or cancellation fees?

A lot of people did just that with the 5X and 6P.. Purchased at a $200 discount, activated Fi for 15 seconds, then cancelled Fi...

That could another reason as to why Google won't do Fi deals on the Pixel...

There was a disclaimer with the Fi discount that said if you didn't avtivate service that they would chage your payment card full price after 30 days I think.. I suppose they could do the same except say you have to keep service for 12 months or be charged full price..

 

[ljbad4life]

There is already a discount on the pixel in the form of the daydream headset. If at launch they are already willing to take an $80 hit, then there will surely be some other form of discount at some point. Probably after Xmas. Remember the discount on the 5x started in February or March. Before that The 5x was selling for full retail (with a $25 google play gift card). They claim to be Apple, but name one instance that Apple has discounted or bundled iPhones?It happened on Neveruary 1st. Apple needs to make money on each iPhones because it makes very little money on its services and it has no ad revenue business. Google has all that.

This strategy comes with responsibilities. Apple charges 879 for a 128gb iPhone 7s same as the Pixel XL 128gb. The level of service from Apple is unparalleled. At any moment a person can walk into an Apple store and either get their phone fixed or walk out with a refurbed(or new unit). Google has zero retail presence. Maybe Google can work something with Verizon for in store service.

 

[raqball]

There is already a discount on the pixel in the form of the daydream headset. If at launch they are already willing to take an $80 hit, then there will surely be some other form of discount at some point. Probably after Xmas. Remember the discount on the 5x started in February or March. Before that The 5x was selling for full retail (with a $25 google play gift card). They claim to be Apple, but name one instance that Apple has discounted or bundled iPhones?It happened on Neveruary 1st. Apple needs to make money on each iPhones because it makes very little money on its services and it has no ad revenue business. Google has all that.

This strategy comes with responsibilities. Apple charges 879 for a 128gb iPhone 7s same as the Pixel XL 128gb. The level of service from Apple is unparalleled. At any moment a person can walk into an Apple store and either get their phone fixed or walk out with a refurbed(or new unit). Google has zero retail presence. Maybe Google can work something with Verizon for in store service.

That's not a discount that's a pre-order bonus.. HUGE difference and everyone does the same these days... Also, these are not Nexus phones.. Google has made that very, very, very, very clear...

Apple does not need to add bundles or freebies... If you want iOS they are the only game and have no competition.. How many high end Android devices are there right now fighting for your dollar? They all need to do this... If HTC or Samsung or whomever were allowed to make iOS devices then you'd see a different Apple, guaranteed!

If you expect a discount then cool but don't be bummed when it does not happen...

Don't get me wrong, I hope there is a discount for the people who want or need it, I just don't see it happening all things considered..

 

[T48]

The problem is (am just guessing here) that Samsung or retailers like Target/WalMart/Amazon will use the S7 line for their Black Friday sales. Apple also has the 6S line rebooted with 32gb of storage that they'll most likely discount for holiday sales(instead of their 7 line). Point is, aside from the dedicated tech junkies, it will be hard to pass on good deals & opt in to the Pixel line if they stay at full retail price. Though understand that the Pixel line has the latest release date vs official holiday sales dates. Black Friday is only 7 weeks away from yesterday.

 

[raqball]

Of course I am just guessing but black Friday is only a month after official launch and I do not see anything happening there. Maybe they offer up the VR again but I don't see price cuts..

I can see at some point Google maybe offering $50 off or something like that.. Some are expecting a fire sale and that is not happening.. Google has a track record when it comes to the Pixel name and pricing. The only saving grace might be these are phones and phones are different. If Google wants to compete with the high end market then they also need to be prepared to price match when other high ends drop their price.. Will they? I don't think they will but I'll be happy to be wrong..

 

[ljbad4life]

That's not a discount that's a pre-order bonus.. HUGE difference and everyone does the same these days... Also, these are not Nexus phones.. Google has made that very, very, very, very clear...

Apple does not need to add bundles or freebies... If you want iOS they are the only game and have no competition.. How many high end Android devices are there right now fighting for your dollar? They all need to do this... If HTC or Samsung or whomever were allowed to make iOS devices then you'd see a different Apple, guaranteed!

If you expect a discount then cool but don't be bummed when it does not happen...

Don't get me wrong, I hope there is a discount for the people who want or need it, I just don't see it happening all things considered..

There is a HUGE difference. If the phone is a such a huge value at $649 then why have to bundle $80 worth of equipment. That equipment google produces and loses money on when giving it away for free. The pre-orders are mostly going to the tech heads. If they need to lure those people in, the ones that put down money on a product that they have never even touched or used, with extra goodies, it's very telling. It's so telling that google is already setting low expectations for sales.

Everyone is who? Samsung? All of those extras are provided by the carrier not by Samsung itself (that's why the offers differ from carrier to carrier). There is a HUGE difference between the manufacturer in-boarding and and carrier in-boarding.

Apple is not the only game in town if it was, then Samsung wouldn't be the largest manufacturer of smartphones in the World and Android wouldn't be the number 1 OS in the world. iOS is a draw but it's not the end all or be all. But if Google is going to try to go head to head with the big boys, then that comes with responsibilities.

it's simply economics 101. You made my point and you didn't even know it. You said it yourself, There are so many high end android manufacturers fighting for your dollar. Competition drives prices down, not up. All those phones reduce their price after 3 months. The HTC 10 is down to 599. In the case of the cell phone industry there is a price fixing scheme by the carriers. HTC price dropped the fastest not because it was selling terribly, the LG G5 sold just as bad, it's because the only carrier to sell it (tmobile) dropped it and now HTC is only selling it directly.

This strategy has only 2 out comes, it goes fantastic or it's a 2 billion dollar hole, and with Rick Osterloh at the head of this there is a distinct possibility history will repeat itself(sadly).

 

[Wiley_11]

This strategy has only 2 out comes, it goes fantastic or it's a 2 billion dollar hole, and with Rick Osterloh at the head of this there is a distinct possibility history will repeat itself(sadly).

On Oct 4 as soon as I saw that guy I thought, hide your wallet.

 

[raqball]

There is a HUGE difference. If the phone is a such a huge value at $649 then why have to bundle $80 worth of equipment. That equipment google produces and loses money on when giving it away for free. The pre-orders are mostly going to the tech heads. If they need to lure those people in, the ones that put down money on a product that they have never even touched or used, with extra goodies, it's very telling. It's so telling that google is already setting low expectations for sales.

Again, all the high end Android's are doing pre-order bonuses.. Was Samsung slammed / attacked when they offered up pre-order bonuses? Was Samsung done because they gave out a VR?

Everyone is who? Samsung? All of those extras are provided by the carrier not by Samsung itself (that's why the offers differ from carrier to carrier). There is a HUGE difference between the manufacturer in-boarding and and carrier in-boarding.

Sorry, wrong again..

Apple is not the only game in town if it was, then Samsung wouldn't be the largest manufacturer of smartphones in the World and Android wouldn't be the number 1 OS in the world. iOS is a draw but it's not the end all or be all. But if Google is going to try to go head to head with the big boys, then that comes with responsibilities.

Sorry, wrong again and that's strike 3!

Someone besides Apple makes an iOS device? Please post a link to it as you just made world news! Apple is the only game in town for iOS and they have zero, zilch, nadda competition if someone wants an iOS device.. See above if you found someone else making an iOS device..

This strategy has only 2 out comes, it goes fantastic or it's a 2 billion dollar hole, and with Rick Osterloh at the head of this there is a distinct possibility history will repeat itself(sadly).

Maybe... Maybe not.. Based on your incorrect posts above, I'll be a little skeptical of your prediction(s)....Apparently, either the pre-orders are selling very well or Google had very little stock because everything is either back ordered or out of stock.... The only size and color you can get is the 5" Pixel in 32GB Black,, All the others? Gawn!

I guess for now we will just have to agree to disagree and see what happens. I still don't think there will be any meaningful discounts.. I hope there is for those who want or need it in order to buy...

 

[djisia87]

I will wait for reviews to come out and see what discounts on them ob Black Friday

 

[ljbad4life]

Again, all the high end Android's are doing pre-order bonuses.. Was Samsung slammed / attacked when they offered up pre-order bonuses? Was Samsung done because they gave out a VR?

Samsung was not attacked nor is Google being attacked. I'm sorry that you are taking facts so personal. Maybe you need to take a break. The pre-order bonuses varied greatly with the Note 7 from carrier to carrier. From the VR headset(Verizon), to headphones (att) to sd cards (a choice on some carriers). Samsung is not losing margin or profit when those bonuses are coming from the carrier. Google IS losing money bundling that daydream headset, what is so hard to understand about that? That question is rhetorical, because you won't grasp it.

Sorry, wrong again and that's strike 3!

Someone besides Apple makes an iOS device? Please post a link to it as you just made world news! Apple is the only game in town for iOS and they have zero, zilch, nadda competition if someone wants an iOS device.. See above if you found someone else making an iOS device..

Apple is the only iOS device, but not the only Smartphone maker. Again reading is FUNDAMENTAL. Why is every flagship compared to the iPhone if it's the only smartphone? It's not, again it's not that hard to understand, but clearly you have a problem with that.

Maybe... Maybe not.. Based on your incorrect posts above, I'll be a little skeptical of your prediction(s)....Apparently, either the pre-orders are selling very well or Google had very little stock because everything is either back ordered or out of stock.... The only size and color you can get is the 5" Pixel in 32GB Black,, All the others? Gawn!

I guess for now we will just have to agree to disagree and see what happens. I still don't think there will be any meaningful discounts.. I hope there is for those who want or need it in order to buy...

I'm a little skeptical of anything you write... Apparently reality and facts are something you can't process. Google has very little stock because it's not producing many pixels and expects to sell less than 3 million in a year

EDIT- there are plenty of black 128gb pixels in stock while the 32gb is in stock in black and white. Google is releasing stock strategically to try to induce demand

Google May Sell Three Million Pixel Devices This Year | Digital Trends. Blackberry sold a little over 2 million Privs this year and that was considered a failure. The Lg G5 is going to sell about 3 million this year and it's considered a failure. But Google selling 3 million is a success? That sliding scale is a bit tilted and skewed. Do I think 3 million is a failure, not really, but if Google wants to play with the big boys and be a flagship device manufacturer then it should be held to the same standards as everyone else.

Keep in mind that all divisions of Alphabet have to account for their own budgets. Big loses will mean the division will be restructured or cut completely and Rick was so awesome at Motorola that it lost Google 2 billion dollars in a one year time frame. Sundar has made it very clear that each division will be profitable or they will be gone.

It's cool, but don't be bummed out when you try to understand economic concepts you can't grasp

 

[raqball]

Samsung was not attacked nor is Google being attacked. I'm sorry that you are taking facts so personal. Maybe you need to take a break. The pre-order bonuses varied greatly with the Note 7 from carrier to carrier. From the VR headset(Verizon), to headphones (att) to sd cards (a choice on some carriers). Samsung is not losing margin or profit when those bonuses are coming from the carrier. Google IS losing money bundling that daydream headset, what is so hard to understand about that? That question is rhetorical, because you won't grasp it.

It really can't be that hard to grasp can it? Google is not the only company doing this... And since you refuse to admit it, yes Samsung offered the bonuses when / if ordered direct from their website... C'mon man... Seriously? LOLOL

Check it out... https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...ures-and-specs%2F%3Fcid%3Dppc-&token=9sWVUJcs

*snip from Samsung's website:

For a limited time, buy a Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 and get a free Gear VR or 256GB memory card. Supplies limited. Terms apply

Buy an S7 and get a free VR or a 256GB card direct from Samsung.. Now let me guess, your response will be it's an older phone but let me tell you, that deal has been there since day one!

And a screenshot just taken for good measure..

Apple is the only iOS device, but not the only Smartphone maker. Again reading is FUNDAMENTAL. Why is every flagship compared to the iPhone if it's the only smartphone? It's not, again it's not that hard to understand, but clearly you have a problem with that.

Again you skirt the facts and forget what you previously said.. I can't tell if you are serious (I hope not) or just wanting to argue.. After reading your ever changing posts, I hope it's the latter...

I'm a little skeptical of anything you write... Apparently reality and facts are something you can't process. Google has very little stock because it's not producing many pixels and expects to sell less than 3 million in a year Google May Sell Three Million Pixel Devices This Year | Digital Trends. Blackberry sold a little over 2 million Privs this year and that was considered a failure. The Lg G5 is going to sell about 3 million this year and it's considered a failure. But Google selling 3 million is a success? That sliding scale is a bit tilted and skewed. Do I think 3 million is a failure, not really, but if Google wants to play with the big boys and be a flagship device manufacturer then it should be held to the same standards as everyone else.

Oh my....... Google does not expect to sell a ton of phones this year and maybe not even next year as their strategy, as noted and stated directly from them, is long term and to forge partnerships.. Again, you missed the entire point but I digress now because there is no point having a conversation when someone keeps changing what they mean.. But yes, I believe as long as Google accomplishes what they want to accomplish that 3 million would be a success..

Please post an official announcement form Google that says they have limited stock.. I'll wait, no hurry..

It's cool, but don't be bummed out when you try to understand economic concepts you can't grasp

Why would I be bummed out? I completely understand what and why Google is doing what they are doing... And, I have a Pixel on order so if Google shuts it down in 2 or 3 years from now, then so be it.. My Pixel will have still arrived, been used and rocked.. If the Pixel fails Google will have something else...

They discontinued my Chromebook Pixel LS too and guess what? It still works and gets updated... SMH

 

[anon(847090)]

I think the strategy makes complete sense.. Apple makes most of their $$$ on hardware sales whereas at the moment Google makes chicken feed on theirs... Google has deep pockets and can afford to go this route. I honestly believe they don't care how many are sold. It's like this with all the Pixel named devices..

Google wants to get it in the carriers, forge retail partnerships and go forward from there.. If they take a loss out of the gate doing so, then so be it because in reality whatever loss they initially take is pocket change to them..

if they sell at this price and sell about 1 million in 1 year I dont think they will lose any money..
That would be a good start. although there are many negative about prices many people have opted to buy it and the verizon deal could promote a little more sale. A person i know went to verizon to buy a pixel and wouldnt have bought it otherwise.

Yes, they could lose money initially but going forward they are going to sell more especially when they add ATT, T-Mobile, sprint in future