RadioShack is blaming the "underperformance" of Sprint smartphone sales for a more than 70 percent decline in its fourth-quarter profits.
<...> The results "are due in large part to the underperformance of the Sprint postpaid wireless business and reflect further unanticipated changes in Sprint's customer and credit models," RadioShack said. Fewer new customers bought Sprint service or upgraded their smartphones, resulting in a sequential decrease in quarterly sales. RadioShack also sells Verizon Wireless and AT&T products. Those operators fared better than Sprint, with both showing increases in sales.
Personally, I find it surprising that RadioShack would point fingers at one of just three wireless carriers they partner with for such a huge decline in their financials. Sounds like they're using Sprint as a scapegoat. But the finger-pointing is interesting.
This is actually not the first time Radio Shack has pointed the finger at Sprint.
I'm thinking that the iPhone may have had something to do with it.
Retailers were the last to receive the phone and it was at the corporate stores first around here.
Although there may be some truth to it we will know better when Sprint reports.
I don't think Sprint customers prefer to go to Radio Shack anymore for phone upgrades. Best Buy offers better prices, better selection of accessories, and has better services available like the option to install shield protectors on phones. When I shopped around looking for the best deal on my Photon last year Radio Shack was $50 higher than Best Buy. In fact when I price compared all models Radio Shack had the highest prices and wouldn't match their competitors prices either. You'd have to be a fool to buy a Sprint phone there. IMO
You'd have to be a fool to buy a Sprint phone there. IMO
In my experiences you would be a fool to buy any phone from there.
I was in my local store and some "kid" salesperson was telling a potential customer than Sprint uses the Nextel towers and would not be a good choice for his needs. If all the sales people are that dumb then it's no wonder.
I used to work at RadioShack so I wanna throw my two cents in here. RadioShack will hammer its employees to focus on one or two things only when it appears its the hot ticket item(s) and basically ignore the rest. I was with them when they started selling T-Mobile and corporate hammered us to push only T-Mobile. It changes every week/two weeks. The next time it would be that we are pushed to focus on only AT&T. I feel that if you don't give equal push/treatment to all services among other things then what we're talking about here will happen.
Blaming the carriers is not the right thing. Its up to RadioShack to make sure its employees are doing a good job and if they don't find ones that do. I personally feel that RadioShack is suffering because of poor business decisions/leadership. So many times I had to watch my fellow co-workers completely give wrong info and be completely ignorant of what they're selling. RadioShack is the one to blame here. They have poor leadership and unknowledgeable staff. They also focus on the bottom line AT THE EXPENSE of customer service that will retain customers.
Well given the condition of the sprint network it's no wonder that sales weren't as good because word is getting out about it. Radio shack does suck tho for not having what I need everytime I go there.
Well given the condition of the sprint network it's no wonder that sales weren't as good because word is getting out about it. Radio shack does suck tho for not having what I need everytime I go there.
Well, every carrier's network has issues in some spot. Sprint's network really isn't all that bad overall...just limited for native coverage which doesn't matter for a lot of people.
When I worked at RS they did have a bad habit of not having a lot of the phones in stock at the store. That doesn't help any cell phones sales any at all. Lol.
Well, every carrier's network has issues in some spot. Sprint's network really isn't all that bad overall...just limited for native coverage which doesn't matter for a lot of people.
When I worked at RS they did have a bad habit of not having a lot of the phones in stock at the store. That doesn't help any cell phones sales any at all. Lol.
it's not really the coverage but the speeds of their 3G network.
Can't speak to those stores in particular but I know at Apple stores they hate selling Sprint lines. You have to call a Sprint rep, you have to print out a contract and have the customer sign it. Takes a long time. Way longer than the other carriers. Also, when they are on the phone with the rep they are always trying to get them to get the customer to switch to paperless billing or upsell them!
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Originally Posted by larryt510
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