[Reeves]

In all seriousness, I'm happy for the people that get theirs tonight. I tried my best to get into Georgia's launch party, and if I made it, I'd be overjoyed. But I have no problem waiting until the morning.

[rs4ftw]

there are probably several million "premier" customers..

there are probably 400,000-500,000 phones available.. (probably a lot less).

there aren't enough phones for all of you anyway..

perhaps sprint will send you a coupon for a free donut in the mail to make it up to you guys.

oh wait, then you'd complain you didn't get a dozen donuts..

i've been with sprint since 1998,.. sprint already hooks me up with decent service and cheap price, i can't complain.

[mrloserpunk]

I can appreciate what he is implying, but even without a pre-sale there is no guarantee that he would get the phone. So the gripe is why should an existing customer have the benefit of purchasing the phone first? While a pre-sale would undoubtedly reduce the inventory for "new" customers, the writing is already on the wall that this device will be available to the other major carriers within 6 months, what about if he was on the other side? Would he feel that his business with sprint meant less to sprint now that he is a current subscriber? That's a reason that many people have left their carriers. Sprints problems seem to start with their current subscriber base...whats the point of bringing on 10000 or 20000 new lines from a phone launch, if they are hemorrhaging existing customers at a rate of 100's each day of the year?? (which we both know sprint has been doing the last few quarters) The point of the S|P program was to stop the bleeding of customers leaving sprint for ATT and Verizon. One of the reasons people like myself considered leaving sprint is because of a lack of quality, innovative devices. And I'm sure that's one reason sprint bent over backwards to launch this phone. Even with only a 6 months exclusivity agreement. Either way I hope the supply problems are overblown(i doubt it, at some point production will have to be split among CDMA and GSM models) and everyone who wants one on launch day gets it. Not that Premier status hold much wait, but again how many people do you think are gonna be switching to Sprint knowing that this phone can be theirs without the hassle or "fear of the unknown" by switching carriers?(especially with sprints bad reputation) I think sprint has a very clear understanding that this is not the IPHONE and a lot of people are not going to be jumping ship simply because its available to sprint first like the I-phone and att. Instead it is a way to raise the Revenue with existing customers upgrading and getting rid of SERO plans and other heavily discounted plans also moving them into high revenue data services. I just can't believe that they are thinking the Palm Pre is the key to drawing in new customers...it's too much of a geek device. And just for disclosure, I work for ATT's telesales dept. and i port more sprint #'s over to ATT than any other carrier. Like a 2 to 1 ratio. Seriously. sorry for the novel that was this post.

[mmb113]

I'm unhappy too, but the truth is they don't have a good option at this point. They don't have the inventory to give us an exclusive. They will probably need to give us some free apps or something that doesn't have an inventory problem. Maybe a discount on a second Touchstone. They will not kill their ability to get new converts to give us a Pre a day early. I wouldn't if I were them. I just would have told us this MONTHS ago.

Well, as a sprint premier customer you should at least be getting 10% off any accessories for your Pre that you buy!!!! But, I do agree I want Sprint to say hey loyalty, go you, here's you a Pre!!!

[mrloserpunk]

either way, I'll have a pre sometime this month. And Sprint will have a New 2 yr outta me. Lets all hope that the Pre, Palm and Sprint all survive these next 24 months!

[rs4ftw]

Well, as a sprint premier customer you should at least be getting 10% off any accessories for your Pre that you buy!!!! But, I do agree I want Sprint to say hey loyalty, go you, here's you a Pre!!!

i thought it was like 25% on accessories?

[dkotoric]

Yap its 25%, I'm planning on picking up two touchstones

[mrloserpunk]

what what what? I'm premier and I've bought bluetooth stereos and chargers was never given a 25% discount.... Is that online only or in the store too?

[pkirby11]

What pkirby11 is implying is that, if he could purchase the phone at 8 am, with the "special" people, he would be able to get it, but having to wait until 10, he'd have to wait until after work, at which point, if the supplies are as limited as many have claimed, he will be SOL.

I can see getting early access if there isn't a limited supply of phones, but without being able to bring over new customers sprint will die. They can't rely on just retaining their current subscribers, they need to draw in new customers.

If they have this early bird sale only for their chosen few (which pretty much everyone who purchases a Pre will be within 3 months), and don't let people who may be waiting outside in to purchase a phone until 10, I know there are several like myself who will tell sprint to take a hike, if they don't want our business we will go to someone else who does.

I've had issues with sprint in the past and was going to use this as their second and final chance to have my business, between the Pre and what I have heard about their better customer service I thought they deserved a second chance.

Thank you that's exactly what I'm saying. I was tired so it may have been a little confusing. Coffee hasn't kicked in yet. As to the other who quoted on what I said, it depends. I have a chance to get one at 8AM, I'll be up for work any ways around 6AM. However I go in at 9:30 so if they open at 10AM I'm screwed. Now if the line somehow becomes to big at 8AM I'm still screwed. But being a potential new customer I can shrug off oh well huge line and come back when they get more in. But if Sprint made me miss my chance when they told me they'd be open at 8AM to help out some not so Premier members I'd be more upset because my chances when from so so to nothing.

I feel for you Premier members I do. I'm just saying don't get to mad at Sprint if they don't do it. They have a tough situation to handle here. Do they potentially anger new customers who may now be at their store at 8AM or do they anger long time customers. In my experience all I'm saying is long term customers are usually more understanding then new customers. That's all I'm saying, not trying to say that in any shape or form you shouldn't be upset at Sprint lying about Premier status.

[mrloserpunk]

I don't think I'd be upset about not getting to buy one early...it'd be cool but im just itching to take it home. At 8:30am or 10:30am Besides there is a sense of community or at least raw excitement among the common folk waiting to buy the phone. That's a cool thing and something I don't know if I want to miss! I stand corrected because Sprint's CEO is saying that the Exclusivity deal is longer than 6 months. Maybe The Pixie is the Pre Like Device Verizon is talking about? Either way I hope Sprint does not change their current approach to retention. The S|P program is a fantastic way of showing they care about their customers....


Also, My corp store is saying no early opens, no premier sales, no closing early. Everything will be normal on saturday..this all could have been the plan at first to have a premier sale, till they realized the full impact...Still no emails from them!!

[j2lawson]

mrloserpunk, I assume you were replying to my post. It isn't the fact that the phone was sold out that would push people away, but their opening early, and only allowing premier members in, resulting in the person either having to wait until after work and finding them being sold out, or finding them sold out before us peons have a chance to purchase them.

If you were a current Sprint customer and found they wouldn't let you purchase the phone until two hours after non-Sprint customers could purchase it, how would you feel if they were to be sold out before you had a chance at purchasing them?

So, to summarize, it isn't the fact that they'd sell out and I/we wouldn't be able to purchase one on the first day, it would be the fact that they treat us like second class citizens by allowing others to walk right past us to purchase the phone 2 hours before we are graced with the opportunity to hand them our $300+ and $70+ a month.

[krische]

i thought it was like 25% on accessories?

Wait do we get that no matter what? Or do you need to bring in the coupon from the mailed brochure?

[mrloserpunk]

I think it was the image of people walking past other people that made them rethink this. Initially I figured it would happen on the 5th when they closed early and could keep it to only the premier customers. You can agree that this phone is not going to be drawing new customers like the I-phone right? And it is obvious sprint is having trouble keeping customers, so it would jive that they at least initially planned to have these premier sales for existing customers to protect the base. My car insurance gives me a discount because I have been with them so long without an accident, does that mean a new customer is 2nd fiddle? I don't believe so. Either way once you get your account and your pre and are premier, be sure to thank sprint for the annual upgrade!

fyi still no emails...I work till 12am tonight so if they are planning on doing something 2 night I'm missing the boat. I hope the next time we are all on this board we can complain about whats missing on the pre together jk

[captrock]

Look! If you want to be premier, i mean truly premier... (Like get an invite to the launch party. Me!) then you have to be a GOOD CUSTOMER! Paying your bills on time, renewing your contract, not being a jerk to the customer service reps, etc. Oh, and do it for 12 years (like me). I don't think the invites were random. Sprint knows real loyalty. Not people who claim it just because a cool new phone is coming out. Come on, i think a lot of people just won't admit to themselves they haven't been good enough to get invited to the premier event. I'm just saying...

[dkotoric]

Wait do we get that no matter what? Or do you need to bring in the coupon from the mailed brochure?

no you need to bring in the 25% coupon.

[Reeves]

Look! If you want to be premier, i mean truly premier... (Like get an invite to the launch party. Me!) then you have to be a GOOD CUSTOMER! Paying your bills on time, renewing your contract, not being a jerk to the customer service reps, etc. Oh, and do it for 12 years (like me). I don't think the invites were random. Sprint knows real loyalty. Not people who claim it just because a cool new phone is coming out. Come on, i think a lot of people just won't admit to themselves they haven't been good enough to get invited to the premier event. I'm just saying...

Uh, ok. Your fidelity to Sprint is amazing. LOL.

While you should be enthused to get the Pre early, let's not get carried away. You'll have it 14-16 hours before the rest of us, and the majority of that time is going to be spent sleeping.

Oh, lookee...I just got the email saying that I can show up at 8AM as a Premier customer. Now, I'm more "premier" than somebody else. Lemme go brag...

[captrock]

Uh, ok. Your fidelity to Sprint is amazing. LOL.

While you should be enthused to get the Pre early, let's not get carried away. You'll have it 14-16 hours before the rest of us, and the majority of that time is going to be spent sleeping.

Oh, lookee...I just got the email saying that I can show up at 8AM as a Premier customer. Now, I'm more "premier" than somebody else. Lemme go brag...

Well, yes, if you indeed got that e-mail then you would be more premier. But the fact is you didn't. You see. Nobody wants to take the blame for themselves. I have never, NEVER been late paying a bill. Not once! Have you been late? Maybe that's why you didn't get an invite. Or maybe it was a harsh tone or demanding attitude toward the sprint employees. These things count you guys. And now is when it pays off. And by the way i don't sleep, (at least not tonight with my new pre) and most people would commit murder to know feel more special for just an hour much less 14 or 15 hrs.

[Reeves]

Please. I just posted the email graphic in another thread, so "the fact is"...you don't have your facts straight! The rest of yout drivel deserves no reply.

[deesugar]

When you add everything up...

1. A history with the Instinct where Premier customers indeed got a first invite
2. Press releases implying Premier customers would be first to buy the Pre
3. Confusion and misinformation when talking to Sprint employee's
4. News articles about supply issues

I don't know it just makes people frustrated and bitter about the whole thing. Would have been better if they didn't make any silly offers to Premier customers. It is a horrible execution of a launch and will not win over any Sprint customers. I'm also sorry some SERO people are still bitter about a program that ended but partaking in schadenfreude is just childish.

[chodaboy]

Look! If you want to be premier, i mean truly premier... (Like get an invite to the launch party. Me!) then you have to be a GOOD CUSTOMER! Paying your bills on time, renewing your contract, not being a jerk to the customer service reps, etc. Oh, and do it for 12 years (like me). I don't think the invites were random. Sprint knows real loyalty. Not people who claim it just because a cool new phone is coming out. Come on, i think a lot of people just won't admit to themselves they haven't been good enough to get invited to the premier event. I'm just saying...

I have been a Sprint customer for both long-distance (remember that?) and cell phone for many years also. If, in order to receive an invitation to a launch part,<<edited by berd >>, then I'll pass.