37 
Let’s take a moment, and pretend that, for once, you’re going to listen to the recommendation of a high street sales dweeb when you’re out buying a shiny new phone. What do you reckon he’s going to recommend for you? A svelte iPhone? That slightly-overpriced-but-still-bonkers-cheap Nexus 4? Nope, a new survey says you’re wrong.
According to the survey, which encompassed such retail halls of fame as Phones4U, Carphone Warehouse and, err, Maplin, the phone most likely to be recommended was the Samsung Galaxy S III, with the Galaxy Note II a close second. In fact, they were the recommended devices in 6 of 8 stores. (Yes, the iPhone 5 was recommended in the other two.)
Granted, the Galaxy S III is a superb handset; 6 out of 8 sounds suspiciously high, though. Very suspicious. I reckon there’s two possible explanations for this: One, Samsung offers better commission for selling the Galaxy S III; or two, all high street sales assistants are Android-powered Samsung zombies just looking for the next person to infest with TouchWiz. On reflection, two is far more likely.
On a serious note, however, wouldn’t you agree it’s a worryingly high statistic? Although you, dear enlightened readers, hopefully take such recommendations with a small thimbleful of salt, listening to an earnest but clueless young guy witter on about megapixles is all that passes for research in many people’s handset shopping. If this survey is true, then, Samsung’s got a big boost over Apple in the UK. Surveys are just surveys though; from your experience, would you agree that High Street stores are filled with ‘droid fanboys? [CNET]
This Latest Samsung Galaxy S III Leak Makes Me Glad It'll All Be Over Come Tomorrow
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Is a Samsung Galaxy S III Already on the Way?
“listening to an earnest but clueless young guy witter on about megapixles”
Are you talking about phone shops or Gizmodo?
I probably should’ve seen that coming
I work at carphone we don’t get commission XD also i usually recommend the htc one x brilliant phone also unlike most sales people I do my fair share of research on a phone so im not clueless dont paint us all with the same brush
“I’m not clueless”
I love your writing style. Oh the irony!
Can’t say on mobiles but when I went to buy an iPad mini at PC World before Xmas the sales dude almost refused to sell me one and demanded I consider the Nexus 7 (which I eventually bought and don’t regret one bit).
Does seem the Fandroids could be taking over the shopfloor ?
I think they will get more commission on non-Apple products.
They dont get commission, plus if they did i think they would put it on Apple products anyway as the margins will be ridiculous compared to say a nexus and all other products really.
I don’t know where you get your information from but my mate works in Currys as an “Apple Specialist” or w/e salesman and says the Android devices get more commission on sales that Apple… Apple dont need to offer incentives to sell their devices because the Isheep flock to them even for every little refresh.
Shops make very small margins on Apple products
Course they get commission! haha.
@CPW they don’t. They moved away from commission based structures around 3/4 years ago.
Commission? Somebody is stuck in the last decade. Most places now offer fixed salary and bonuses for the store as a whole if it performs well on a regional/National scale.
OR maybe the iphone is just shit?
Yeah. S3 is a better phone, even though I think its ugly
I have an iPhone 5 & Galaxy S3 (Work/Personal)and the S3 is a million times better! The iPhone hurts my eyes after using the S3 for a little while where everything is so small! Lets face it, iphones are just boring these days so the shops are recommending the correct handset!!
Get your eyes tested.
I completly agree.
CPW seem to try and ram a sumsung into the hands of everyone that walks into the store. They must be on a great commission deal or getting good kick backs from samsung.
Witnessed someone asking for a Lumia 820 the other week and the sales person was doing everything they could, including blatant lies, to get them to buy an SGSIII instead. Fortunately the person walked out.
Defo sounds like they get some sort or commission from Samsung.
This is why online shopping will win at the end of the day, you might not get the product on the day but you dont have any hassell or bullshit lies from any sales rep trying to get commission.
No we really dont get commission get paid hourly not even a good hourly rate 0 commission we actually get a bonus based on customer satisfaction what we sell has nothing to do with it
Depends on where you work, I use to get commission, small commission but still commission when I was at O2 in 2009, but Samsung didnt have any decent phones then so no one bought.
haha thats true alot of places do still pay commission and I wish we where one of them but sadly its an hourly rate for cpw
No commission, no incentive, just the way things lie.
I have an iPhone, when I get a new phone it will also be an iPhone, but I sell more Samsungs than I do iPhones nowadays. They’re comparable quality for a much, MUCH cheaper price. S3 is free from £33/month, S3Mini (Effectively and S2) from £15. If people don’t know what they want and are on a budget, it’s a no brainer!
” A svelte iPhone? ”
Svelt, there’s an excellent word I haven’t seen in a while.
Surely there shouldn’t be one most recommended device… as the advice given is tailored to the specific customers’ needs…
This is what you’d hope, yes
You assume that all customers are different. In the most part, people want value for money.
whats the difference between listening to a dweeb in a shop and a dweeb who writes on the internet?…
Evidently, you care enough about the latter to read his words and comment on his post?
Kat, you appear to be agreeing that Chris is a dweeb…
Nah, I was just trying to highlight to Tomc89 the absurdity behind his comment.
For one he is writing on the internet so you would have to read.
We have no idea if Chris is socially inept or foolish so I think ‘dweebing’ him is a bit harsh
Chris writes great articles WYF are you on about?
*WTF
Tom was calling Chris a ‘dweeb’ and I though that was harsh considering we don’t know Chris socially so have no idea if he’s a dweeb…… just put the taco down and concentrate
Ma bad
s’ok senorita
s’aright?
si
Mmmm… It makes you wonder what the Beeb gets then from it’s flagrant advertising of anything shiny, expensive, pre-fixed with an ‘i’ and fruit orientated?
Most likely free “i” stuff.
Or lots of Grannie Smiths?
Could be a Jimmy Savile comment there, but I think I should stop before I get into trouble…
I found out on Saturday night S3s are not toilet proof
Should’ve gone with an Xperia Z
or check out a waterproofing service like Liquipel
I’m still waiting on NeverWet to actually launch – I can think of hundreds of uses for it!
Pervert
Surely I’d be after a product that had the opposite effect in that case?
Well, after having to use my S2 for the past coupla days I’ve decided I like it more than the S3 so I’m gonna flog it when it gets back from the insurers.
After giving it a bit of a polish…
I have friends who always say “The iPhone is shit” whenever I have mine in my hand. Yet, none of the ones who continuously say this have ever owned an Apple product.
It’s the ‘cool’ thing now to immediately hate on an Apple product. The ‘iSheep’ putdown gets thrown about non stop. I’m no sheep. I’ve owned more Android phones than I have iPhones and I prefer Apple for phones. I wouldn’t touch them for tablets or laptops.
On here at least, it seems that the Android userbase are so adamant that anybody who has an Apple device is a total 100% fanboy that ironically they overlook their own Android fanboyism.
This is it!
“I have friends who always say “The iPhone is shit” whenever I have mine in my hand. Yet, none of the ones who continuously say this have ever owned an Apple product.”
I agree with this 100%, it really gets on my nerves. I have a couple of android mates who just call apple shit and theyve never even used an apple product.
At least use something for an extended period of time before judging. I’ve used all mobile os’s, now. Love windows phone but the lack of apps is an issue, ios is great but ultimately a bit limited, still the best designed hardware and app selection though. Just hate apples arrogance, thats whats got to me. android was shite up until ICS and now with Jellybean thats all changed, it’s still paying catchup to iOS in some ways, but in others it’s surpassed it. I’d even go as far to say some apps on android look better than their iphone counterparts.
I don’t get the fanboi’s though (either side) it’s a piece of technology, not a football team, you don’t have to show loyalty, I don’t get the emotinal investment people make, it’s fucking ridiculous. Just use what’s best for you and let everyone else get on with it.
Saying all that i’m trying to get my mrs to give up her blackberry, now imo that is a shit os !
I got my wife iPhone 5 as a gift but I’m an Android user for past 2 years. I found the iPhone experience a long way of doing things as oppose to Android with widgets, multitasking, back button etc etc.
Small issue here, humans have an ability to extend themselves, we have hopes and dreams. We know what is the right dream car for us by understanding 2nd hand information and translating that, and we are not always right within that – but to suggest someone can’t have a valid opinion on a Ford Ka because they haven’t driven one is silly – we all have valid opinions on the right car for us, even if we haven’t driven 99.9% of all cars.
Then you are missing the huge point why iSheep are called such a name, they have a reasoning behind it. On paper top spec Android phones are better and more practical, it is the mainstream market and directly compatible with 75% of the current market – for them to go against that would be a personal loss. Yet performance wise we are talking one phone being a little better here and one phone being a little better there, it is incidental. But with iPhone you have a major disadvantage of cost, and now quality of that cost. But the main bugbear is that you are paying top money for a closed stale OS and a closed limited system, and that in their eyes is a very bad call, it is what makes them iSheep, unquestioning and unaware of the reality.
And therefore, it doesn’t work both ways. If the iPhone had serious advantages and people were buying Android phones instead then Droid-sheep would be a good call, but it currently isn’t a reality.
Only a few days ago I was talking to a older women. I asked, why the iPhone? She said it was the best phone on the market, but that information is two years out of date – the iPhone hasn’t been the best for some time. Yet she will be deluded in that fact and continue down that road till something has the balls to make fun of her iPhone and reality steps in. But the real issue is that she is a older woman stuck with an iPhone, she doesn’t want and need the hassle of switching to a new OS. And she still doesn’t use more than a camera, bit of social and phone function, she has no real advantage or disadvantage to switch to anything – she has no purpose to own the ‘best phone’.
It is OK to want and desire an iPhone, it is just that you can’t defend that in the current market – you want a iPhone because of something to do with the limitations and personal suitability – which has nothing to do with specs, price, or performance. It more about what the phone can’t do than what it can actually do. And these people aren’t iSheep, just stuck in a rut and powerless to act right now.
But it doesn’t mean that the term iSheep can’t have a wider foundation in the market, it does. And when the iPhone is better and more affordable, you can call all those droid-users Droid-sheep, but that will never happen because if the iPhone was better those current Droid users would move to that in bulk, as they aren’t sheep but they have genuinely went for the best opinion and therefore earned the right to make fun of others. And the fact they haven’t moved to the iPhone, and moved from it in all likely hood, is very telling of something.
Since you wanted to use cars to describe it, I’ll keep this short and sweet. Because you put a 650bhp engine into a corsa, doesn’t make it a porsche.
You could have the mechanics of a porsche inside the corsa, but still have that cheap, tacky interior. That’s how I feel about Android phones. Having owned multiples of both types of phones, I feel my opinion is more informed than most who frequent this comment section.
At the end of the day, 50% of people in here are the “Fandroid” and the rest are the “iSheep” – and I guess there’s nothing to be said that will change that, sadly.
Glad to hear you are more informed.
But we aren’t talking engineered and tuned machines, we are talking off the shelf parts in a digital device, unless you are talking about the casing – I’m a geek, I don’t care about the case? So it is all about the best set of parts, and while Apple usually charge the most, I can tell you they don’t pay the most for those parts, because they aren’t the best parts.
I’s say it is more a 75/10/5 split for android/windows/Apple around here – but you seem to have missed the point. I ain’t a fan of any of them, I don’t make fun of iSheep because they don’t have a Droid phone, I make fun of iSheep because they are iSheep. And not everyone that has a Apple phone is an iSheep.
Bleat away regardless – baa, baa…
You’re right, nobody buys an iPhone because they actually like the iPhone experience better than Android. THAT’S CRAZY.
Just like how nobody buys an Android phone, simply to fall into the category of “lol I hate Apple.”
Good day.
You are the one saying that, I didn’t say that.
So, where was this article when Apple WERE offering increased commission on the sales of their handsets and were plying sales advisers with free goods and further incentives to sell their products such as holidays/event tickets? From the top down, we were being told to recommend the iPhone, a big reason being the likelihood of the demographics of those who buy them to buy accessories (and insurance) for which margins were massive.
Fairly sure the only shops that DONT get a commission are tesco and cpw to be honest I let the customer chose the phone and tell them about it, seeing as how I deal with most of the phones on a daily basis and read alot of info on gizmodo I would say most of my info on phones is spot on.
i’m all for a fair playing field, but apple have always tried whatever possible to get the field going in their favour – iphone is just plane boring these days, people are waking up to the inovation and competition between the android camps
all apple need to do is focus on 1 phone, all year long and i bet it’ll be the iphone 5s – tired!
just read another survey on the changes happening in Hong Kong and Singapore and new smartphone buyers are moving away from IOS in big numbers – these cities according the author set the pace and trends for the east and the europe and the west
I’ve owned an iPhone before and when I’m round my Mothers I constantly see iPads and iPhones around and I think they’re shit.
The iPad is the worst offender as people buy it thinking it is a Laptop replacement, they quickly realize it isn’t and go back to their Laptop. My Mother’s iPad just sits in a draw all the time now, she thinks it is shit and not practical to do anything on over a Laptop. The only use I can see out of it is if you’re presenting a TV show and you want to quickly read user comments or something.
The hardware is alright, if you don’t mind having to wrap it up in a nasty case that makes it bulky and heavy. People constantly say but those Android devices are all plastic……… well look at your iPhone, that is worse! You never see yours until you come to sell it.
I’ve repaired and iPhone 5 and it has to be one of the best, well made phones I’ve repaired. Samsung and Apple both have amazing build quality when you open up their devices, you just admire how the thing was put together. However why I like the iPhone 5 is you just get a suction cup and take off the screen first, which is amazing and then everything inside the phone is on one level. So I like the hardware of Apple’s devices, even though the iPhone 5 screen is way too thin and makes everything other than video look like crap.
My problem is the software, having used IOS devices, you can’t do anything on them, it is constantly like being told no by your parents when you were a kid. HTML5 still isn’t as popular as people like you to believe, when browsing sites on the iPad and then a Laptop side by side, it’s amazing how much Flash content there is. Even on Youtube I use the Desktop site as the apps all suck with lack of content and poor search functions. Most videos I click on, they’re still flash and not HTML5, even newly uploaded videos…
Android now has all the popular apps and games that IOS has and tbh if I play games I just download a Playstation emulator and play some old classics like FF9 or something.
I sort of use my iPad mini as a small task device; for when I go out to get something to eat in town, take the iPad instead of my laptop.. not a replacement; to me it’s a middle ground between iPhone and laptop. Although the Flash situation is awkward, it’s getting better. On an iPad; I recommend “Jasmine” highly for viewing youtube videos; it’s made by the same dev as Alien Blue. …when it comes to Games, I like some of the iOS unique titles, such as Real Racing HD, Super Hexagon (although that is on Windows, it feels more of a “phone/tablet” style game; and PewPew 2. Android has caught up in many ways, but I like the choice and ease of use; lack of multiple skins – and hardware design.. although I’d love a PS1 emulator on it, which I can’t have!
I recommended an iPad to my 77 year-old Mother, and she’s never looked back. She never uses my stepfather’s PC (“Why do you have to click ‘Start’ to turn it off?”, and so on) but uses her iPad daily.
It works, and I never get called for support. Job done.
You take a laptop out with you to eat?
Nah, only if I’m at college for the day, rarely. With the iPad, I can take it out anywhere, no problems.
I have to disagree with a few things here. They are actually recommending the best phone in the market at the moment. The two offering iPhone 5 should be under suspicion and last but not least you have called us “dear enlightened readers” and I am Resistance.
Vive la resistance!
“I have friends who always say “The iPhone is shit” whenever I have mine in my hand. Yet, none of the ones who continuously say this have ever owned an Apple product.”
I agree with this 100%, it really gets on my nerves. I have a couple of android mates who just call apple shit and theyve never even used an apple product.
At least use something for an extended period of time before judging. I’ve used all mobile os’s, now. Love windows phone but the lack of apps is an issue, ios is great but ultimately a bit limited, still the best designed hardware and app selection though. Just hate apples arrogance, thats whats got to me. android was shite up until ICS and now with Jellybean thats all changed, it’s still paying catchup to iOS in some ways, but in others it’s surpassed it. I’d even go as far to say some apps on android look better than their iphone counterparts.
I don’t get the fanboi’s though (either side) it’s a piece of technology, not a football team, you don’t have to show loyalty, I don’t get the emotinal investment people make, it’s fucking ridiculous. Just use what’s best for you and let everyone else get on with it.
Saying all that i’m trying to get my mrs to give up her blackberry, now imo that is a shit os !
I think you have replied to the wrong person.
i did, im having a mare today sorry
No problem, I actually agree with the points you are making.
I agree with your perspective – a lot of people just pick and choose like bastards. But, as someone who’s used both from inception to now, iOS is absolute shite at the moment.
KILL ALL SMURFS!
“We shall never surrender!”
“We like Cheese & Onion!”
and froggies date piggies
Is it that difficult to believe that sales reps might recommend a good phone?
As someone who works for CPW, I’ve been amazed at the amount of customers recently who have come into the shop recently and said something along the lines of “I’m due for an upgrade and I’m looking at either the new iPhone or the S3″. Samsung have gained a huge brand awareness since the launch of the S3, and it’s easily one of our best-selling devices at the moment. Besides, as I’m sure someone else has pointed out already, Carphone Warehouse staff don’t earn commission.
I have to agree there. It seems that as soon as people recommend anything that’s not an iPhone, everyone’s like “Oooh… Samsung (or HTC/SE/Nokia, etc) *must* be doing something dodgy with commission”.
Having owned both for some time now, and really – horses for courses.
But perhaps people are recommending Samsung because, god forbid, it’s a good phone?
“That slightly-overpriced-but-still-bonkers-cheap Nexus 4?”
This line is just….What???
I think he means in the high street
Google play charge £279, the high street charge £389
I think thats what he means.
That would be exactly what I mean. Nexus 4 on the high street is somewhere in the region of £400
Sim free I have seen SIIIs go got around the £330-370 mark so they are actually cheaper on the high street.
That’s because Apple pay £1 sales commission and Samsung pay £11 (at EE anyway), knowing that it’s kind of obvious why this is happening.
It couldn’t be because of the countless features android has over IOS could it?
I see the latest iPhone 5 advert is advertising that you can put your phone in a disabled mode so that notifications don’t come through. Android has had that for ages, and on Jellybean you can automatically set the hours for this to happen so you don’t have to keep selecting it.
Three(and a half) points;
1. The S3 and Note2 are just plain better devices. I own both a note2 and an iPhone 5 (after owning all previous iPhone version). So IMO they are doing a good job. Bravo the British high street (although I rarely listed to shop staff, sorry).
2. I assume the people at CPW/phones4u know this as they work with them every day. Sorry but a lot of them actually do know what they like. Not sure why Gizfando staff haven’t caught on yet.
3. I assume normal staff in a shop want to be helpful and recommend what they believe is best (it used to be Apple but sadly no longer). Sure there are some people who work in shops who just don’t care but I believe this is the majority.
4. This page is surrounded by an advert for a Note 2, lol. Maybe it’s a personalised but still made me laugh.
Papa
I see no problem here – the GS3 is cheaper, more open, and more expandable than an iphone 5. Recommending this phone is sensible consumer advice. I mean, unless the customer is hung up on spending extra wads of cash on an Apple logo.
There’s obvious pro’s and cons and people will always shout about it
Android – More open, more customisable. Cheaper phones.
iPhone – Better quality of apps, phone just “works”
Horses for courses.
The thing I found strange was the fact that hardly anyone ever seems to pick up on the price of a nexus 4 and an iphone 5 with 16gb
There’s £250 difference. For me that is a MASSIVE amount.
I mean I could buy a Nexus 4 and a Nexus 7 32GB 3G and still have enough more for pie and chips.
mmmm Pie
with regards to the ‘iSheep’ slur.
Being in the job I have, I can totally understand why this is used.
a large amount of ‘faults’ which are logged across are due to users not being able to get their head around their iDevice having an error message that isn’t caused by the network. This is then exacerbated by 1st line support immediately believing that the iDevice is infallible. hence iSheep. and I shall shout it as loud as I want to!
Chris, I’m going to pretend for a moment that you’re not an ignoramus and actually write articles based on significant research into your subject matter.
Let me break this down for you into small, child-sized chunks so your moist, still forming brain can understand.
“Let’s take a moment, and pretend that, for once, you’re going to listen to the recommendation of a high street sales dweeb when you’re out buying a shiny new phone.”
- I’ll start by mentioning; I’m not a Sales Consultant and have never been one. I’m a Manufacturer Accredited Engineer (Meaning, I am able to legally able to repair phones on behalf of Manufacturers under warranty terms, thereby retaining said warranty). Unlike you, I actually have in-depth experience with Manufacturers, the devices they create, and the people who buy them.
Stating that High Street sales staffs are “dweebs” only further proves your ignorance on the subject of Retail sales or anything relational. Admittedly, there are staff that know their subject matter about as much as you do (Scale of nothing to “I touched one once. Hyuk hyuk”) however, all are trained to make suggestions based on Tariff requirements alongside functionality (Essentially, how the phone will be used). This means it’s never a blind suggestion and the customer (Yes, you forgot this was a factor) always has final say.
“I reckon there are two possible explanations for this: One, Samsung offers better commission for selling the Galaxy S III; or two, all high street sales assistants are Android-powered Samsung zombies just looking for the next person to infest with TouchWiz.”
- These are your two explanations? Remind me how you’re a writer again?
Commission hasn’t been around for the last 2-3 years, Retailers offer bonuses in some cases but, commission is nearly completely dead. You’d know this if you did even a quick Google search. I can only speak for Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U staff as they’re the only ones I’ve ever interacted with; the vast majority of them are Apple users. You are also implying by this that Mobile Retailers make money from selling phones when this has never, ever been the case. Mobile Retailers and Networks have always made their money from contracts therefore, there is zero incentive to sell one contract over another as the contract Tariffs for both of these handsets are the same to within £2.
Additionally, you’re calling Android users zombies?(!) When was the last time you saw Android users queue for a week to get their hands on a new phone?
“On a serious note, however, wouldn’t you agree it’s a worryingly high statistic?”
- Worryingly high? Look at Samsungs sale statistics; they have always been four times that of Apple (Mobiles). How is the sale of Apple or Samsungs flagship mobile supposed to reflect differently?
Next time you pose a question, don’t (even jokingly) put people who have a day job down, especially when they understand the subject matter better.
For the better part in terms of Retail Staff, most do not express an opinion one way or another as to which product you buy. Everyone has a personal opinion however unless specifically asked, they keep it to themselves and give clients an educated overview of the difference between the suggestions.
I gather from this “article” (if you can even call it that) that you’re Apple biased, a good writer does not show his bias within his/her work – that being said, you need to use your grey matter a little more before scrawling outdated, biased, non-researched subject matter and pose your queries better.
I respect everything you say, but I have NEVER come across one knowledgeable sales person in a phone shop
Knowledge is a matter of perspective and subjective context. While they do not know a huge amount within product functionality, they do fit a product with a tariff that matches a specified purpose. This is their function within a Retail environment, expecting Sales Consultants to have additional input is silly.
Doesn’t really seem unusual to me, the SIII has really dropped in price recently and sim free are under the £400 mark in some places. The Note II is a pretty great phone and pretty much everyone that I know that has used one has fallen in love with it. The iphone on the other hand is more expensive with a lower spec than either of those phones. The competition comes down to an HTC which is more expensive than the SIII and not that much better or the nexus 4 which anyone with sense will try to get from google.
Does Gizmodo actually research any of their opinion pieces?
I say opinion piece as this would appear to be complete bollocks.
I myself am one of the “dweebs” you speak of, working for one of the retail chains you quoted. Not only do we have much superior knowledge than yourself (clearly) on the devices we sell but we are also NOT COMMISSIONED. That’s right, we don’t receive a penny from Samsung.
And might I add that the phone stores that are commissioned are paid by the network not the manufacturer. There is not a large margin in handset sales only on the sim’s the network provides!!
The reason why the Samsung Galaxy S3 is recommended over the iPhone is because it is a clearly superior handset! It comes at a much better price and offers a much wider range of features!
This article is a load of rubbish. Uneducated morons!