Why do I get the last phone?

lunar · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:32

I went to a well known mobile shop today to purchase a phone. I asked the shop assistant if they had the phone I saw on display. He said he would look. He returned and said, "Yes, we have the phone, it's the last one."
I was at the same store a few weeks ago where I went to purchase a phone for my daughter. Again, a shop assistant said, "It's the last one available."
Is this some sort of sales trick, or am I genuinely lucky the get the last phone?

deusexlumina · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:39

It's a well known sales trick.

Freddie1980 · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:42

Sounds like a sales trick but its not uncommon for shops to only have a couple of phones of the same model as it doesn't pay to have cash tied up in loads of stock.

robj20 · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:42

Should wind then up and say aww I wanted 2 of them. I bet they'd find another.

robfosters · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:44

robj20 said:
Should wind then up and say aww I wanted 2 of them. I bet they'd find another.

“Actually, I think we had a delivery this morning, I’ll just go and check”

glenimp617 · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:46

My local carphone warehouse hasn't had a single phone on display for over a year. Weird.

robfosters · 25 Aug 2020 at 20:49

TheOracle said:
My local carphone warehouse hasn't had a single phone on display for over a year. Weird.

That’s because Carphone Warehouse are ****

Im surprised walk in phone shops even exist any any more. Get far better deals direct from the networks websites.

EdGey · 25 Aug 2020 at 21:14

robfosters said:
That’s because Carphone Warehouse are ****

Im surprised walk in phone shops even exist any any more. Get far better deals direct from the networks websites.

This.

You can sit down for an hour trying to barter the best deal you can... then go on google and find a better deal with the same network in less than a minute. By better I mean to the tune of hundreds of pounds saved over the course of the contract.

PapaLazaru · 25 Aug 2020 at 21:55

robfosters said:
Im surprised walk in phone shops even exist any any more. Get far better deals direct from the networks websites.

The flipside is, that the less techie people have nobody to speak to in person and look at and set up the device, so there is still a demand for a store. Vodafone are actually expanding their retail estate because of this.

lunar · 25 Aug 2020 at 23:09

robfosters said:
That’s because Carphone Warehouse are ****

Im surprised walk in phone shops even exist any any more. Get far better deals direct from the networks websites.

I'm happy to buy books and DVDs online, but with phones, I like to hold and feeltfeel Device. Also applies to clothes.

theone8181 · 26 Aug 2020 at 06:17

PapaLazaru said:
The flipside is, that the less techie people have nobody to speak to in person and look at and set up the device, so there is still a demand for a store. Vodafone are actually expanding their retail estate because of this.

I'm not sure the people that work in those shops know much anyway

.

AndyCr15 · 26 Aug 2020 at 07:04

I DON'T fancy boys said:
It's a well known sales trick.

To make you buy the item you've already told them you want to buy?

Freddie1980 said:
its not uncommon for shops to only have a couple of phones of the same model

This is what I would imagine more likely tbh...

theone8181 said:
I'm not sure the people that work in those shops know much anyway.

I remember when the original Pixel launched, the person in my local phone shop had never heard of it...

But you can't blame a lot of them. They perhaps work there a few days a week and don't have any actual interest in phones. Even if the company sends out newsletters or something, do you expect these guys to read them?

Jimbeam3678 · 26 Aug 2020 at 07:13

PapaLazaru said:
The flipside is, that the less techie people have nobody to speak to in person and look at and set up the device, so there is still a demand for a store. Vodafone are actually expanding their retail estate because of this.

There is a little more to this, nothing to do with offering a better service. More to do with making these stores a franchise model.. Vodafone as a company have very little money and are in a race to the bottom

Pawnless Endgame · 26 Aug 2020 at 09:55

Is it the same trick as "CLOSING DOWN SALE, ALL STOCK MUST GO!" plastered all over the windows? But 6 months later, the shop is still there? Then the shop does it again, thinking that we're idiots and we didn't remember their previous 'closing down' sale.

Steve2000 · 26 Aug 2020 at 10:05

Pawnless Endgame said:
Is it the same trick as "CLOSING DOWN SALE, ALL STOCK MUST GO!" plastered all over the windows? But 6 months later, the shop is still there? Then the shop does it again, thinking that we're idiots and we didn't remember their previous 'closing down' sale.

Our Sports Direct has had those posters in the window for at least 15 years.

AndyCr15 · 26 Aug 2020 at 11:18

Pawnless Endgame said:
Is it the same trick as "CLOSING DOWN SALE, ALL STOCK MUST GO!" plastered all over the windows?

I wouldn't say so, as that is designed to make you think you should go in looking for a bargain, surely? In this case, you've made your decision and actually surely it makes no difference if they have 20 or 1 left...?

tom_e · 26 Aug 2020 at 11:21

AndyCr15 said:
I wouldn't say so, as that is designed to make you think you should go in looking for a bargain, surely? In this case, you've made your decision and actually surely it makes no difference if they have 20 or 1 left...?

It applies that little extra pressure I guess, like when you're on a website and the little floating box pops up saying "This item has been bought xxx times in the last hour,selling fast!" Since putting that onto our site we've noticed it does drive sales on those items.

OldKitMan · 26 Aug 2020 at 11:43

PapaLazaru said:
The flipside is, that the less techie people have nobody to speak to in person and look at and set up the device, so there is still a demand for a store. Vodafone are actually expanding their retail estate because of this.

The in-laws only ever go to the local O2 shop to get a new phone/deal/sim/etc. I've given up trying to convince them that other retailers are available.

glenimp617 · 26 Aug 2020 at 11:57

People want what they can't have

If someones on the fence over buying say a Pixel 4, and they look online to find everyones sold out, it makes them want it even more. Sometimes to the point, they pay over the odds on ebay for it.
That's on something they were on the fence over buying lol

Recently the same thing happened with the Nintendo switch. They were selling for silly money on ebay.

Hades · 26 Aug 2020 at 13:41

TheOracle said:
People want what they can't have

If someones on the fence over buying say a Pixel 4, and they look online to find everyones sold out, it makes them want it even more. Sometimes to the point, they pay over the odds on ebay for it.
That's on something they were on the fence over buying lol

Recently the same thing happened with the Nintendo switch. They were selling for silly money on ebay.

Yep. Sometimes even the manufacturers deliberately restrict supplies of a newly launched product. It builds up demand as everyone thinks it must be selling like hot cakes and they want to get hold of it too.