Why Sprint will continue to hold off on the EPIC 4g

[moodraman]

I, like everyone esle, am waiting on the Epic 4g... but I have a theory on why Sprint will continue to hold off on the Epic... the Evo Shortage.

Currently there is a shortage of HTC Evo's, and waiting lists for them at all the stores in my area. Last store I checked with had a waiting list of 70 people.

Sprint actually stands to lose money if they released the Epic 4g before they filled the EVO orders.

My prediction is we wont' see the Epic 4g released until the Evo shortage issue is resolved.

If they have 70 people on a list for Evo's that's 70 guarenteed sales... anything they sell with the Epic is a bonus... if they release the epic too soon the people waiting for evo's could just get Epics... and then they lose their bonus Epic Sales.

Just a thought... big business doesn't think "how can we make our customers happiest" they think "how can we make the most money out of the situation"

Take it from a guy who works for a Fortune 500 company... it's all about the money NOT the satisfaction.

 

[DILands]

Interesting theory. I heard someone was #2 on a list - and is still waiting. While I would like to call B$ on you - I think it's plausible. If it is - add 30 days to that end of the shortage - hopefully for the EPIC Release, and not the announcement.

 

[pwabbit]

Makes sense. That seems to be a wise business model. A business (big or small) is no different than an employee. How many employees will work for free just to make the customer happy? It's all about the dough. I wouldn't work for free if it makes the customer happy, no way. I wouldn't expect that Sprint would do so either.

 

[mkampy]

that only makes sense if they make more profit on the EVO vs the Epic.

Assuming both will sell for the same price (with contract) it depends on which costs Sprint less to buy from manufacturer.

If both are equal, one sale = on sale regardless.

the other side to this is the monthly charges they can collect, if they do not have the premium fee for the Epic, then absolutely they want to sell the EVO over Epic.


The wireless phone companies want post paid customers, period. Which ever handset gets them more of those is what they will try to sell, whether it is the high end evo, or the low end whatever phone.

 

[Meko2676]

I, like everyone esle, am waiting on the Epic 4g... but I have a theory on why Sprint will continue to hold off on the Epic... the Evo Shortage.

Currently there is a shortage of HTC Evo's, and waiting lists for them at all the stores in my area. Last store I checked with had a waiting list of 70 people.

Sprint actually stands to lose money if they released the Epic 4g before they filled the EVO orders.

My prediction is we wont' see the Epic 4g released until the Evo shortage issue is resolved.

If they have 70 people on a list for Evo's that's 70 guarenteed sales... anything they sell with the Epic is a bonus... if they release the epic too soon the people waiting for evo's could just get Epics... and then they lose their bonus Epic Sales.

Just a thought... big business doesn't think "how can we make our customers happiest" they think "how can we make the most money out of the situation"

Take it from a guy who works for a Fortune 500 company... it's all about the money NOT the satisfaction.

Your logic is sound but I disagree. Even though companies are in the business of making a profit, they need customers to do this. Not meeting demand goes against this. There are four major carriers in the US and since the phone is on all four carriers, consumers have a choice. Sprint has been loosing customers for the last few years and not having enough phones to go around does not help them. This would be the perfect opportunity for them to release the Epic since there is a lot of buzz and momentum about 4g. This would also allow the Evo to catch up with demand. Those 70 people on the waiting list can decide that they no longer want to wait for a phone they have no idea when it will be available. They can simple go to the other carrier. So I feel that the longer Sprint waits to release the Epic the more they loose. It also slows their adoption of 4g since they are limiting (not on purpose) the number of people who can use it.

 

[mkampy]

I would also like to address the 70 people in line issue, for the sake of argument, lets say 35 of those 70 will be new customers ( leaving Verizon or At& t or other wireless companies) Sprint stands to lose money every day they dont get a handset in those customers' hands. The logical ( businesswise) is to get a handset in their hot little hands now rather than later. Even if it means they return the Epic for Evo, or vice versa, they have the customer for that time period where they didn't before.

Let us also look at the premium fee. I am now going to use imaginary numbers...

I will use the 70 people in the waiting list for EVO... Let us also say there is 1000 stores that have that many. That adds up to 70,000 people waiting to pay and extra $10/month that equals $700,000 of lost revenue per month...


food for thought

 

[Zardos]

I hope they don't put it off long. I'm so ready to jump to another Carrier for a Galaxy S.

 

[HardKore]

I actually have been thinking this same thing! I too think sprint is holding on to the epic. If I wasn't getting such a great deal on Sprint with my 25% discount and family plan then I would be on T-Mobile a week ago!

 

[miamithrice]

.....or maybe the epic hasn't cleared the FCC yet?

 

[Meko2676]

.....or maybe the epic hasn't cleared the FCC yet?

I think it is production issues. Samsung seems to be having a hard time making their OMLED displays.

 

[miamithrice]

Samsung seems to be having a hard time making their OMLED displays for other phone manufacturers.

Free fix.

 

[miamithrice]

And the question mark at the end of my statement contained a touch of sarcasm. From all indications the Epic has yet to be cleared by the FCC. No clearance, no official release.

 

[mkampy]

And the question mark at the end of my statement contained a touch of sarcasm. From all indications the Epic has yet to be cleared by the FCC. No clearance, no official release.

Good point !, I keep forgetting that the thread that declared FCC passage seemed to be false...

 

[Squiggoth]

Y'all realize the EVO shortage is retail only right? They're shoving EVO's at their business customers left and right. I have no idea about the breakdown of market share between retail and corporate but I have a nudging feeling the retail shortage isn't causing Sprint or HTC any real grief.

 

[cluckkillerb]

I really don't think this is the case, or shouldn't be the case at least. Sprint needs to create new customers and retain their current ones. Waiting for supply to catch up to demand on one phone when they could sell another would be suicide... In my case I took back the EVO due to screen problems, but my contract is up in Sept, if I don't have the option to get the EPIC by then I'll be jumping ship to a carrier that has a Galaxy S option. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this situation.

 

[5Strong]

I am in an industry where we sell a product up front that has an annual cost associated with it. I can tell you that little or no money is made on the up front investment with this type of business model. Sprint is much more concerned about gaining annual contracts than they are about losing potential EVO customers to the Epic sales. No...there are other reasons why it has not been released. Most likely related to manufacturing or passage by the FCC.

 

[YaBoiD]

I would hope this isn't the case. As with VZW & their Droid Incredible shortages, they offered everyone still on the waiting list the Droid X. I would hope Sprint would do the same. Their whole goal should be to put a Sprint smartphone in the consumers hands regardless of brand.

 

[wodin6]

I, like everyone esle, am waiting on the Epic 4g... but I have a theory on why Sprint will continue to hold off on the Epic... the Evo Shortage.

Currently there is a shortage of HTC Evo's, and waiting lists for them at all the stores in my area. Last store I checked with had a waiting list of 70 people.

Sprint actually stands to lose money if they released the Epic 4g before they filled the EVO orders.

My prediction is we wont' see the Epic 4g released until the Evo shortage issue is resolved.

If they have 70 people on a list for Evo's that's 70 guarenteed sales... anything they sell with the Epic is a bonus... if they release the epic too soon the people waiting for evo's could just get Epics... and then they lose their bonus Epic Sales.

Just a thought... big business doesn't think "how can we make our customers happiest" they think "how can we make the most money out of the situation"

Take it from a guy who works for a Fortune 500 company... it's all about the money NOT the satisfaction.

Your "logic" makes absolutely no sense.

If 70 people are waiting for the EVO and they end up getting the EPIC instead, that's 70 people buying a phone. If 70 people are waiting for the EVO and they get the EVO, that's 70 people buying a phone.

If the EPIC was released and 35 of the 70 people waiting for the EVO got the EPIC and the other 35 stayed with the EVO, that's still 70 people buying a phone. (Feel free to use any combination of numbers whose sum equals 70)

Them getting the EPIC doesn't mean Sprint lost sales, it means they got different sales. As someone else said, the only way they would want EVO sales over EPIC sales would be if the phone cost less from the manufacturer. While this might be the case, the few bucks difference on the hardware does not compare to the amount they are not getting each month on service by not putting a phone in those 70 peoples' hands.

 

[So-Low Da Don]

There's 2 reasons why I wouldn't go to another carrier for the Galaxy S, 1. Sprint has better Plan and 4G in my area. 2. The Epic destroys all the other Galaxy phones (and it has the best name). Front Cam, Keyboard (If you prefer), Flash (Unlike T-Mobiles and I forgot the other). Only thing that others have that's better is the more than 1 GB int. memory, but when FroYo comes we will be able to put apps on our 16 GB card it comes with. So Imo going to another Galaxy S is loosing out (If you prefer those things)

 

[rasstar]

That makes no sense.

 

[Nightfury82]

I, like everyone esle, am waiting on the Epic 4g... but I have a theory on why Sprint will continue to hold off on the Epic... the Evo Shortage.

Currently there is a shortage of HTC Evo's, and waiting lists for them at all the stores in my area. Last store I checked with had a waiting list of 70 people.

Sprint actually stands to lose money if they released the Epic 4g before they filled the EVO orders.

My prediction is we wont' see the Epic 4g released until the Evo shortage issue is resolved.

If they have 70 people on a list for Evo's that's 70 guarenteed sales... anything they sell with the Epic is a bonus... if they release the epic too soon the people waiting for evo's could just get Epics... and then they lose their bonus Epic Sales.

Just a thought... big business doesn't think "how can we make our customers happiest" they think "how can we make the most money out of the situation"

Take it from a guy who works for a Fortune 500 company... it's all about the money NOT the satisfaction.

Sprint has more to lose by delaying the Epic.

Contracts > cost of phone

Sprint delaying the Epic only means they will lose contracts to other providers.

If you truly work for a Fortune 500 company then you would understand that the money lies within the subscribers.

 

[Bigprimo]

Sprint has more to lose by delaying the Epic.

Contracts > cost of phone

Sprint delaying the Epic only means they will lose contracts to other providers.

If you truly work for a Fortune 500 company then you would understand that the money lies within the subscribers.

Yup any drug dealer will tell you the money is in the comeback not the upfront 1 time sell.

 

[Adrift]

Your "logic" makes absolutely no sense.

If 70 people are waiting for the EVO and they end up getting the EPIC instead, that's 70 people buying a phone. If 70 people are waiting for the EVO and they get the EVO, that's 70 people buying a phone.

If the EPIC was released and 35 of the 70 people waiting for the EVO got the EPIC and the other 35 stayed with the EVO, that's still 70 people buying a phone. (Feel free to use any combination of numbers whose sum equals 70)

Them getting the EPIC doesn't mean Sprint lost sales, it means they got different sales. As someone else said, the only way they would want EVO sales over EPIC sales would be if the phone cost less from the manufacturer. While this might be the case, the few bucks difference on the hardware does not compare to the amount they are not getting each month on service by not putting a phone in those 70 peoples' hands.

This......

OP's logic is flawed if he thinks Sprint will lose sales by making sales...