American Express-SavingsBrief encounter with the Wal-Mart iPhone display
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Owing to, as Tom Lehrer would say, nepotism and intrigue, I found myself in the small town of Brenham, Texas, this Sunday on the very day that Apple's iPhone was to go on sale at the Wal-Mart megachain (an outfit that I, as a native New Yorker, have had very little experience with).
Popping in to check out the action and snag some photos, I found a single iPhone display--it would be generous to call it a kiosk--with an activated iPhone and a handful of brochures. The price tags on display gave both the new customer/upgrade price, as well as the full retail price. A small paper sign taped to the wall announced that iPhone sales would commence at 9 a.m., and that customers should line up for access to limited stock.
I asked a sales clerk about first-day sales, and she said as far as she knew they hadn't sold a single unit so far, "but maybe if they had started selling it before Christmas..." There was, however, a steady stream of gawkers checking out the display unit in the 10 or so minutes I spent in the electronics department.
Herewith some photos of the in-store Wal-Mart display:
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New York native Dan Ackerman, a former radio DJ turned journalist, has written about technology and music for publications including Spin, Blender, The Hollywood Reporter, and USA Today. He hosts the weekly Digital City podcast and the New York edition of Editors' Office Hours. Dan's new album, Tales Out of Night School, is available now. E-mail Dan.
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May be because NO AT&T 3G coverage near here, but Verizon does! If you look at AT&T 3G coverage, it is lacking in the rural Midwest. None in the state of Iowa. None in this Peoria area, hdquarters of a Fortune 50(yes, 50 not 500) company.
Placement of the iPhone in stores was not only based on 3G network availability but on past AT&T sales history in each specific store.
That will buy a lot of groceries.
Prediction: No sales bump launching these at Walmart.
But I could be wrong.
Thank You.
I agree with the Mystrey Poster that said $200-$400 buys a lot of groceries at W-Mart.
Used my iPhone since it came out, and now im using it with Tmobile for a cheap $35/mo with no data plan (i use wi-fi only)
But its a good point, how many W-Mart customers will fork over the cash for the iPhone and qualify with AT&Ts crazy credit approval? I bet not too many mini-driving families with 2.5 kids and a tract house with a satellite dish will go for this.
Living a block from Apple, i think they are drinking too much of their own Kool-Aid ;-)
And I will be forwarding this article to everyone I know!
Here's a sample from my Top Ten List of Walmart Apps at http://danieldurazo.com/2008/12/29/walmarts-top-ten-iphone-apps/
2. iSmile: Are your teeth missing or misaligned? No need to worry. Choose from a selection of ?virtual? smiles and just hold your iPhone in front of your mouth to show off your gleaming new smile!
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February 9, 2009 6:47 AM PST
- Well, all this talk about Wal-Mart reminded me of the documentary directed by Robert Greenwald, "Wal-Mart-The High Cost of Low Price". This documentary is worth seeing if you shop at Wal-Mart. If the Wal-Mart family has changed their business practices, I apologize. If not, I would think twice about even shopping there.
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(23 Comments)Just my 2Cents.
ps. I also think that Apple lowers it's image of high end, quality products by selling them at discount stores but, if that what Steve Jobs wants to do, it's his company to do with what he pleases. Apple just seems to lose it's "cool" when you see it's products being sold outside the Apple store.