MOTO Milestone was officially announced on 21 Dec 2009 in Hong Kong, since then the stock was low as it was a hot piece of potato for xmas….

On 21 of Dec, I went to a few electronics chain store and ask for it, and seems no one has any stock left, and even no shop offer preorder with a firm collecton date.

In the next few days, whenever I walk thru a store, I get in and ask…and seems answer was almost the same, some shops even sells at higher than suggest retail price (SRP), the below was a summary of the search:

Broadway 百老匯:
First shop I went to ask, on 21 Dec only a few store has dummy displayed, listed at $4680 which is the SRP, staff was ok to tell me that it was out of stock (they only has a few unit that day anyway) and there is no expected shipping day on pre-order, one staff was nice enough to advise me to give it a wait which price should reduced in some time, thanks for your advise, but since it is gadget buying, if I can wait I don’t need it anymore right?
🙂
P.S: (I was reported by mates that some Broadway store listed the price to $4980 instead of the SRP, well…..)
Link: http://www.broadway.com.hk/

Fortress 豐澤:
I went to Fortress for quite a few times during the search, different locations different store (5~6 of them), Listed $4680, and never seen 1 store in stock, salesman are rude, impolite and ignorance, very unhappy experience, will blacklist forever on buying mobile products from this company.
I do normally liked the services from Fortress on their home electronics, staff were nice and helpful, but I have no idea why their staff in mobile product were so bad, they really should look into it on the issue, if mobile products are not their interest, close it down, those staff really hurt the image and reputation of the company!
Link: http://www.fortress.com.hk

GOME 國美:
Listed $4980, sales was nice and polite, but sorry, price was $300 over SRP, I do not like it, I can wait…
Link: http://www.gome.com.hk

CMK:
No stock, and staff was very impolite, I wonder how hard is to serve customer at least with basic human manners? didn’t their mom taught them?
P.S: (After a few google search I found that was their “special” feature, they act like that no matter what you ask and whatever, why don’t they just shut the store down if they are so unhappy serving customers?)
Link: http://www.cmk.hk/

Citicall 鐳射:
No stock, staff was normal, “sorry we do not have it” then turn and went away, well ok, I understand I am not those rich tourist from CN, anyway they do not have stock, is an even.
Link: http://www.citicall.com.hk

中原電器:
No stock, staff was ok and nice.
Link: http://www.cyeshop.com

Wilson 衛訊:
Really cannot remember on this one, but I am sure I did went in, and can’t remember was it no stock or have to wait 7 days preorder or something, skip.
Link: http://www.wilsoncomm.com.hk

Citylink 領域:
It was 27 Dec late afternoon, it was rainy and I went in, saw displayed dummy unit then I ask, staff was nice to tell me that it is out of stock right now, but if I can wait 1~2 hours they will restock, then I start to ask about their 24 months installment policy and so on, staff was nice enough to offer me tissue to dry out my cloths and glasses while explianing to me the policy,
Honest, I was sold to this service instead of other things, price was above SRP at $48xx, but the warm caring to customer did touched me.. (of coz, 24 months installment)
After appox. 80mins, I was with the Milestone on hand…
🙂
Link: http://www.citylink.com.hk


Conclusion:
I understand mobile selling biz is a hard biz, it changes too fast, margin were small, need to met sales target, rent are high (chomped 1000 reasons), but I learn one thing in my search:

How hard is it to serve customers just a little bit better?
Instead of a plain quick heartless answer of: NO! then turned away (it did happened in a few store, especially Fortress 豐澤, when I ask about preorder timeframe and the staff even gave me a Fxxk face and answer me: Don’t know! which they were too busy group chitchat-ing! Oh sorry it was my fault to pause that funny chat you guys were having…)

How hard was it to say: Oh sorry, this item is out of stock and offer some other help or even suggestion? (Broadway, 中原電器 did that)

Or even a warm caring to your customers like Citylink 領域 did? how much did that cost? a million?

Anyway, ++ Thumbs up to Citylink, I do enjoy your serve, yes I really do!

Last Toy of 2009, the MOTO Milestone!

I should do more post on my weblog, I really should.