BlackBerry are attempting to claw back custom, but show that they’re struggling

Photo credit to Maurizio Pesce on Flickr

By Sasha Cooper

$550 is how much credit you could have towards buying a new BlackBerry Passport phone with the small catch that you would have to trade in your iPhone. Obviously the amount of money given depends on the make and the condition but is still a chunk of money off the current price tag. And if that wasn’t a good enough deal they’re also offering you a VISA prepaid card with $150 on it as well. Just to rub it in this deal is only available to American and Canadian customers.

To me, this strikes me as desperation as BlackBerry are a company who lost $207 million in the first quarter of this year despite making around 4500 global staff redundant in a cost cutting drive in September 2013. By specifically targeting the market leader of smartphones as well it does feel like BlackBerry know they are limited on options in getting old customers, and new to come and purchase their product. The possibility of getting people become loyal to the brand would be hugely beneficial to a company which is attempting to push itself back into the smartphone market.

It just seems to be desperate, especially with favourable reviews of the Passport already going around the internet and the first order of the phones selling out. The Passport is also Amazon’s best selling unlocked smartphone because of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. The price cut was dramatic from $699 to $499, and this too must have also looked desperate but the price difference would make a potential customer want to buy a brand new high end smartphone.

In comparison, Apple’s own Black Friday deals included giving away a $50 iTunes gift cards with the purchase of mobile devices to $100 with the purchase of a Macbook. There is little comparison here in the value for money between the two rivals.

I suppose this is also a matter of personal opinion as well. I can see why you would want to turn your old customers and new back to the brand with cheap deals, but is it really worth the media scrutiny and to have a ‘desperate’ reputation? Apple have the money for good spin and advertising campaigns to combat competition like this, whilst BlackBerry has to fight its way out of debt and back to the top of the smartphone market.