BGR-Playbook sales only 10% of expectations, and a high return rate

[Pliablemoose]

http://www.bgr.com/2011/05/20/black...r-retailer-much-higher-return-rate-than-xoom/

Here's the other thing, BGR has a lot of BB exclusives and posts generally favorable bits about RIM and it's products, Geller in particular (he's Boy Genius and runs the site).

BB responds:

The source of the reported comment is anonymous and unknown to RIM, but the comment is certainly inconsistent with the positive feedback we have received from our main retail partners. As previously indicated, RIM will provide a business update on BlackBerry PlayBook results on June 16.
For reference, here is a public statement recently offered by Best Buy:
“Best Buy has had great success selling BlackBerry smartphones in North America, so our sales expectations for the BlackBerry PlayBook were very high. To date, we have far exceeded those expectations and we’re finding that customers are even more interested in purchasing once they’ve tested the PlayBook in the store.”
​

BGR says they stand by their initial article, reporting poor sales and a high return rate, higher than the XOOM which has a 7% return rate.

Interesting...

 

[Bateluer]

Thought it was pretty common knowledge after its lackluster reviews and half broken state. I think it was a given that the Playbook was going to be a flop, it was just a question of how big a flop.

 

[silverpig]

I guess we'll see on June 16th. I know I was impressed when I played with one and am planning on getting one in a few months time. They don't give any details on their source. For all we know it could be one assistant manager at one BestBuy store who sold 5 devices and had 2 come back.

 

[gsaldivar]

It's a no-brainer. RIM should have launched these tablets with native email, contacts and calendar apps.

 

[Deeko]

I wonder who BGR's "big box" source is.

 

[mammador]

RIM is dead in the water if the Playbook flops. For their own sake, it best not.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I think they'll have some pretty good corporate sales, and reasonable consumer sales.

RIM refines the crap out of their software, and I'm sure they'll get it right. And if they get the software nailed down, a 10" PlayBook released in time for holiday sales should do pretty well.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Meh, for this one negative sales "story" there are many real reports of good sales, but as I said in another thread, let the real results do the talking mid June.