Amazon has a heck of a deal going on Research in Motion’s latest and greatest device, the BlackBerry Curve, where they are paying customers $25.01, after rebates and and a new service plan, to take a BlackBerry Curve off of their hands.
We’ve seen Amazon offer these types of deals on BlackBerrys before, however, usually not so close to the launch of a device. One has to wonder if they are trying to unload as many BlackBerry Curves as they can before the iPhone, which, from what we’ve heard they will not carry, hits the streets.
I know that the Curve and the iPhone aren’t really supposed to be competitors, however, AT&T and Apple are about to start marketing the iPhone probably unlike any phone ever that has come before it and the BlackBerry Curve could get lost in the shuffle. AT&T still lists the BlackBerry Curve on their site for $200 bucks with a two year plan. Since, however, Amazon won’t carry the iPhone, they are making the BlackBerry Curve look as attractive as possible.
I expect sales of the Curve to be light, due to the iphone. RIM would have been better off releasing this first on Tmobile.
No, they would have been better off if they released on Verizon first.
Amen to Norman’s reply. The way to fight back against the iPhone is to utilize the one advantage that Apple cannot control, and that is Verizon’s superior network and customer loyalty. A Curve on VZW’s 3G network would be very enticing to many of those considering switching to an iPhone; as it is, if someone is drawn towards the iPhone, there is no reason to go with the Curve as the device is on the same network.
You can’t get this deal as a family plan. Amazon won’t allow you to set it up. Its only as single accounts.
Not relevant as to what network the phone is on. people that want the iphone are gadget freaks and early adopters.
people saying verizon are just the normal verizon loyalist that get mad when anything gets released anywhere else in the universe and it is not on their provider of choice…
Rob – I have noticed that you often have written blog entries about Amazon’s pricing with the built-in assumption that Amazon is “dumping” inventory. It doesn’t look like you’ve done any digging into this at all, and it is purely your assumption – correct? I don’t think your assumption is correct.
If there is one thing you need to know about Amazon, it’s that their pricing of mobile phones, in general, doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. I don’t claim to know why, but I bet if you did some poking around their site for other phones you’ll find other seemingly strange pricing behaviour.
I’d really like to know how many BlackBerries they sell, because if I was a customer that planned to buy a new BB, why would I go to a T-Mo or AT&T store when I could get it much cheaper on Amazon?