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Amazon.com price for BlackBerry Torch is no cut

By Matt Hamblen at Computerworld

Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:21pm EDT

Research in Motion today called reports that Amazon.com has cut the price of RIM's new BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone to $99.99 "inaccurate and misleading."

RIM, through a spokeswoman, said that Amazon.com has been selling the new smartphone for $99.99 since its launch on Aug. 12, following an "obviously ... common online pricing and promotional strategy that has been used with many other product introductions in the past." Carrier AT&T sells the new Torch for $199.99.

The spokeswoman added, "it is true that Amazon is offering an amazing price and this is great news for customers."

Computerworld reported Amazon.com's Torch 9800 pricing without referring to it as a price cut.

However, some Web sites and bloggers have called Amazon.com's pricing scheme a cut.

Amazon.com did not comment on its pricing practices, although several analysts said that pricing would likely have been a point negotiated between Amazon officials and RIM officials.

There are, indeed, many dramatic examples of smartphone discounts on various Web sites, including Amazon.com. For example, the Sony Ericsson Xperia x10 at AT&T is listed on Wirefly for $80, after AT&T had launched it Monday for $250.

In another example, the Motorola Droid 2, released by Verizon last week for $200 is advertised on Amazon.com for $150.

Blogger Seth Weintraub on Fortune.com asserted that "every BlackBerry ever invented is heavily discounted."

On one Amazon.com page for BlackBerry devices, a Bold 9700 phone from AT&T is actually listed as costing 1 cent.

Several analysts, including Michael Gartenberg at Altimeter Research and Jack Gold at J. Gold Associates said that the Amazon pricing for the Torch shouldn't be seen as an indication of problems with the Torch or its sales.

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen , or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed . His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com .

Read more about smartphones in Computerworld's Smartphones Topic Center.

Original story - here
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Comments (4)
garion wrote:
must be a slow news day……

Aug 18, 2010 10:09am EDT  --  Report as abuse
notatall wrote:
Correct no loans for dead beats. Mercy and it is the fault of both party’s. Fannie and Freddie need to fail and go belly up. We tax payers should NEVER have to bail out any one. Fannie and Freddie is nothing but another welfare basket when you get right down to it. I will never buy another GM do to them taking bail out money same with Dodge/Chrysler.
BUY A “FORD” is what I say now…
If you can’t pay then you just can’t have until you save up to get it. Loans are OK but not when they allow a person to borrow beyond they needs. Equity in a home should not be able to be borrowed against. The seller can see his worth at the time of selling. This is where most of the problems exist.

Aug 18, 2010 12:17pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
notatall wrote:
Correct no loans for dead beats. Mercy and it is the fault of both party’s. Fannie and Freddie need to fail and go belly up. We tax payers should NEVER have to bail out any one. Fannie and Freddie is nothing but another welfare basket when you get right down to it. I will never buy another GM do to them taking bail out money same with Dodge/Chrysler.
BUY A “FORD” is what I say now…
If you can’t pay then you just can’t have until you save up to get it. Loans are OK but not when they allow a person to borrow beyond they needs. Equity in a home should not be able to be borrowed against. The seller can see his worth at the time of selling. This is where most of the problems exist.

Aug 18, 2010 12:17pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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