Unethical or standard business practice?

[anon(19759)]

Stopped by a friends house last night and he showed me his new iphone 4 on AT&T that he purchased earlier in the day. I asked him why he wouldn't just wait a day and get the 4s and he didn't know anything about it. After I explained it all, he was pretty upset that the sales person at the corporate store in the mall didn't mention this even once.

While I can certainly understand that a store has inventory and needs to sell through it all, I would think they would inform the buyer and let them make the choice. I'm sure there will still be people buying the 4 for a lower cost and can run most everything in iOS 5. It just seems deceptive to me and am curious if others have experienced the same and if you think this is acceptable business practice.

 

[liquidzoo]

I would consider that unethical, but knowing someone who is in high management for a Cell company's retail stores I can sort of understand the salesman's perspective. He makes a commission on everything he sells. If he had told your friend about the 4S, he wouldn't have made the commission that day.

That's not to say that the store shouldn't have had SOME kind of advertising about it.

You sure it was a Corporate store and not a kiosk? The kiosk's work far differently than the corporate stores do.

Regardless, the employee HAD to have known about it and should have told your friend. Your friend should go back to the store today and exchange it. Ask to speak to the manager and explain what happened. I bet that the manager will bend over backward to help, if it's a Corporate store.

Then again, I was told that Corporate stores don't sell refurbs and never have by the very same store I bought 2 refurb 3GS's from last year. No offense to any individual salesperson here, but a lot of the time cell phone salespeople are dumb.

 

[Fossil Software]

I agree, it was odd not to mention the new device. But unethical? I don't know about that. I'm sure the salesperson wanted to make the sale, and was basing that off of what your friend's needs appeared to be. If I went to buy a 2011 model car, and the sales person didn't try to sell me the newer 2012 model, I wouldn't be upset I suppose. Afterall the price would be considerably different. If your friend was really interested in having the latest and greatest, he'd probably have known about it already. Otherwise, perhaps the iphone 4 will suffice? It's still a phone! My 2 cents.

 

[Alli]

Let's not overlook the fact that the sales person didn't necessarily know about the iPhone 4S. They are the lowest on the food chain, and unless you get one who works there because he likes mobile tech, then unless the product is sitting in his showroom, he's clueless.

 

[Caballera]

Let's not overlook the fact that the sales person didn't necessarily know about the iPhone 4S. They are the lowest on the food chain, and unless you get one who works there because he likes mobile tech, then unless the product is sitting in his showroom, he's clueless.

Exactly, also I think the customer has to take some responsibility himself. I mean it's not exactly a secret that the iPhone 4S is released, a causal look at Google News in the last week has shown many articles. I just think the customer needs to educate themselves and not be so lazy.

 

[takeshi]

I would think they would inform the buyer and let them make the choice.

I would think that a buyer would research before buying. Fail to do your due diligence and you get what you deserve IMO (especially with tech). Don't rely on salespeople for your research.

 

[E_Brown]

It's rare that a sales person actually tries to sell you what you need. I see it all the time at Verizon. They push Android, because commission is higher, even thought they are carrying an iPhone. It is up to the customer to research what they want/need. Most sales people aren't looking out for your best interests.


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[jakeless.123]

I am going to wind up echoing things already posted here but here goes:

I mean this with no disrespect to you or your friend that you would have to be living under a rock to not know about the 4S. It was all over the mainstream media not just websites for us technofeliacs.

If your friend has purchased the phone less than 30 days ago, tell him to go back get the 4S, explain what happened and see what happens. If they don't budge, just pay the restock fee(I think like$15-$20) and get the new phone.


Sent from my iPhone communication device using Tapatalk

 

[d0ster]

Myself being a former cell phone salesman, I would say that its an unethical standard business practice
The salesman sold the 4 to your friend because that is a guranteed sale. He could care less if your friend returned to exchange for the 4S (as long as he has enough 4S's) because he already has the commision from the sale. Had he told your friend about the 4S, there is no gurantee your friend would return or purchase the phone/contract from him or his store, thus he loses out on the sale/commission.
When I worked we had monthly quotas also, individually and as a store (non-corporate). Miss your quota 3 months in a row as an individual then you need to start looking for a new job. This was back in 2004.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Since he has 30 days to return the phone and he could simply turn around and get the 4S in the same fashion he got the iPhone 4, who cares? I don't know if AT&T stores like that run employees on commission, but this guy probably just wanted to get a sale to keep his job so he sold it...supply and demand.

So what if he knew about the 4S and the consumer didn't...we are just lucky that we are shown the next gen product before it comes out, so many places don't bother doing that...look at car companies, unless you follow the car websites like a hawk, you may not know about changes in mid generation refreshes, but do you think a car sales man is going to go "Oh ma'am, you should really wait a month, there is a refresh on this model coming and it has better features."...hell no! They're going to sell you a car on the spot.

Its basic sales people, this isn't a college business ethics course, this is people trying to sell a product to get paid, period.

 

[anon(19759)]

Since he has 30 days to return the phone and he could simply turn around and get the 4S in the same fashion he got the iPhone 4, who cares? I don't know if AT&T stores like that run employees on commission, but this guy probably just wanted to get a sale to keep his job so he sold it...supply and demand.



So what if he knew about the 4S and the consumer didn't...we are just lucky that we are shown the next gen product before it comes out, so many places don't bother doing that...look at car companies, unless you follow the car websites like a hawk, you may not know about changes in mid generation refreshes, but do you think a car sales man is going to go "Oh ma'am, you should really wait a month, there is a refresh on this model coming and it has better features."...hell no! They're going to sell you a car on the spot.



Its basic sales people, this isn't a college business ethics course, this is people trying to sell a product to get paid, period.

See, that's the problem. I'm in sales and can say my ultimate goal is to make sure the customer gets their money's worth and gets what's best for their needs. I'm not in it to just make a sale. My method brings repeat business. And your car example is not valid. If I'm selling cars and the 2012 models were being delivered tomorrow, I would tell that customer looking at the 2011 models today and let them decide. The best sales people never actually have to SELL anything. Relationship and customer experience are what counts and people buy from who they trust and like.

 

[Guacho]

Uninformed buyer..his fault too

 

[noaim]

I think the blame falls on the buyer and not the seller.. the buyer should research what hes buying..