Verizon Reps Pushing Customers To Buy Android Over iPhone Too? | Cult of Mac

Dan_0 · August 2012

Is not this a violation under the RICO act. If this is even remotely true someone is going to jail. Didn't this already happen in the Access Healthcare Case. If commissions are higher and there was implied or direct input from a Corporate level that means "extortion under color of authority, fraudulent schemes and artifices, false pretenses, promises and representations and deprivation of the right of citizens to the honest services". This is way bigger of a story then it seems.

McIrish74 · August 2012

This has been going on for a long time. I went into a Verizon Corporate Store over a year ago to inquire about buying a Blackberry, and the entire store dropped their jaws dropped with horror because I said "Blackberry" not Android. They tried like hell to sell me on anything other than what I went there for. So I got angry and left with nothing. A month later, I walked into the same store, and said I wanted to purchase the iPhone 4 (not inquiring or thinking about it, I was there to buy it) and again had to endure a "Sales Rep" trying to sway me away from what I was there for. My advice, do some serious research on the product(s) you're interested in and know what you want when you walk in, that way you won't be giving the "Sales Reps" the satisfaction of thinking that they're pulling an hour long Jedi mind trick on you. They are trained to change your mind if it doesn't suit them and they are trained to screw you.

Bt2184 · August 2012

Took my mother in-law to the Diamond Verizon store specifically to get an iPhone, they would not stop pushing the Android phones on us, when I left for the bathroom they had her sign the papers for the android. They threw a tantrum when she later returned the Android phone that she couldn't figure out how to use.

matrix3D · August 2012

I think these actions by AT&T and Verizon can be explained in just one word: iMessage

Krazykrzysztof · August 2012

There's nothing wrong with this. Sales jobs are just garbage slave work like this. It's all about commission not about what you want to sell unless you're the boss.

Neeraj · August 2012

I am not able to understand why a valid and regular business practice is discussed so much here. It is common in business to give commissions to sales people to sell products just like it is common that a successful brands like Apple does not need and want to share its profit margins with the sales people.
And most of the arguments that these salespeople are giving are true. Android phones right now are better speced than iphone 4s.
Lets face it that at this point in time android smartphones offer far more value for money than iphone. So now Apple has to either come up with a groundbreaking iphone so that it can justify to continue to be the most expensive smartphone or maybe hope that apple fanboys continue to remain stupid and keep buying iphones.

jbolden1517 · August 2012

My Verizon store has always steered people towards Android since the day Apple announced. There has never been a change. If you come in to buy an iPhone they will be helpful and won't try and dissuade you. If you come in looking for a smartphone they will push Android over iPhone quite directly. The messaging is: we sell iPhone and Blackberry but we recommend Android.

I will say I didn't hear any of the inaccuracies in the article. Its more a question of selective presentation of facts. So they'll focus heavily on the advantages of 4G, without mentioning the heavier battery drain. They talk about the more open app selection without mentioning the more vibrant app economy on iPhone. My impression is the staff genuinely does believe Android is better and is giving their truthful opinion. It wouldn't shock me if part of it isn't the shorter cycle: with Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Sony releasing high end phones the staff probably finds selling Android more fun as they get to change what they are pushing every 2 months or so and each phone's totally unique features. I get the vibe they are being genuine. Now behavior changes belief and a better commission might lead them to push Android which would lead them (on average) to believe Android is better. Or the phone meme above might play a role, but I don't think they are secret iPhone lovers when they show me their own phones they are usually Android.

So in summary:
a) Yes on the Android push, unquestionably and uniformly.
b) I see no evidence of a change
c) I don't see any attempt to lie.
d) The sales people seem genuine in their preference.

Bruce Schrock · August 2012

This is why I tell all my friends to deal directly with apple when buying the iPhone. There is no comparison between Apple and Verizon customer service. It should put Verizon to shame.

jonesytaughtu · August 2012

I worked for a VZW retailer as a purchasing manager and these stories surfacing are completely true. Verizon pays its retailers a "SPIF" for selling certain android phones. The retailer then turns around and gives the sales rep an added commission for selling the android phone. All calling plans get paid a commission too. When i workrd there, the iphone commission wasnt based on the phone plan. It was actually less than selling a "dumb" phone. Why would a rep want to sell this? The iPhone sells itself but it's on the customer to stick to their roots about what they really want.

Chris_Gold · August 2012

This has been going on for over a year now. My wife and I walked into our local AT&T store 14 months ago to switch carriers and also to switch from Andriod to iPhone (we previously had iPhones before the Andriod phones as well). We walked in knowing exactly what phone and plan we wanted. In my opinion, this should've been one of the easiest sales of the day. Boy was I wrong...

After 45 mins of the salesperson sternly pushing an Andriod phone and basically bashing the iPhone in all kind of ways, he finally, very reluctantly I might add, sold us what we came in asking for. I'm no dummy, hell I'm a tech geek in fact. I do my homework and I walk in a store knowing exactly what I want. I was absolutely astonished at the lengths this salesperson went to trying to sell us on Andriod, it was almost disgusting.

The statements from AT&T and Verizon execs are a complete fabrication of what's actually going on in the stores and behind the scenes. I can say this with a great degree of certainty as I've heard this from quite a few other people. I would certainly tread very lightly if I were AT&T or Verizon. With as much of your sales as the iPhone makes up, you should be careful what you wish for.

extra_medium · August 2012

Verizon is a business. The iPhone flies off the shelf. They have stacks of Droid Razrs in back. These aren't like fine wines, if they sit too long, they are worthless. Don't think too hard about this one, it's not nefarious.

ApplePr0n · August 2012

All I'm saying is that I work for a large company that sells all 3 of the main carriers and we too are advised to be honest, but if at all possible, push an Android device because the company gets no money from an upgrade or new activation of an iPhone

Dexterdog · August 2012

Blah

hellohello · August 2012

iPhone 4s $100 upfront then ongoing costs vs Galaxy S3 $0 upfront same ongoing costs. I think that made my mind up as I've had been told the Samsung was way better anyway. I wanted an iPhone as I already had one 3gs but $100 for what logical reason ?
BTW this is in Australia which we pay a lot more for anything with Apple on it. Marketing magic and rip-off merchants.

Tallest_Skil · August 2012

hellohello said:
iPhone 4s $100 upfront then ongoing costs vs Galaxy S3 $0 upfront same ongoing costs. I think that made my mind up…

Wow, you're stupid. So you'd also choose McDonald's over a five star midtown Manhattan restaurant? For frick's sake…

BTW this is in Australia which we pay a lot more for anything with Apple on it. Marketing magic and rip-off merchants.

It's called VAT (or whatever your Aussie equivalent is). Get over it. Vegemite is crazy expensive where we are, so it all evens out.

smartwombat · August 2012

"The consumer is just a mark for a salesperson. Feeling guilt is a burden for a good salesperson."
Which is why I despise them so much.
Such a salesperson is a bad person.

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Verizon Reps Pushing Customers To Buy Android Over iPhone Too? | Cult of Mac

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