Nokia flagship stores update

[slitchfield]

Just a quick note about the widespread reporting of Nokia's intent to close the three flagship stores (in London, New York and Chicago) - e.g. Chris's analysis here. Rafe is investigating the story behind Nokia's strategy, so watch this space for his report. In the meantime, yes, I agree that the flagship stores were about more than just making a profit and it's a shame to see them go. But, putting them into perspective, Nokia has pointed out that have (ahem) 600,000 other relevant retail outlets around the world.

Read on in the full article.

Time to abandon that sinking ship...

[UKJeeper]

What an amazingly un-original first reply! Makes financial sense to close the shops, it doesn't mean Nokia is going belly up.

[PaulyLaw]

UKJeeper +1

It never fails to amaze me how passionate the "Nokia bashers" are. Seriously guys, get a life.

What does it matter to you whether Nokia, or any of company for that matter, succeed or fail (unless you are a shareholder of course). Its just a phone company. If it stops making phones you like, buy a different one. Simples.

You lot remind me of the rubber neckers at a motorway crash. Just move on ...

Originally Posted by PaulyLaw

UKJeeper +1
What does it matter to you whether Nokia, or any of company for that matter, succeed or fail (unless you are a shareholder of course). Its just a phone company. If it stops making phones you like, buy a different one. Simples.
.

I think this site is fore people who do care about Nokia/Symbian. If you don't, why do you post here?

I have been Psion 5 user many years ago, then Symbian user on many Nokia phones (E60, E90, N82, 5800 etc). I know the system very well, use almost all of it's features and accumulated a lot of paid apps. I am very disappointed by 5800/Symbian touch.

So yes, I do care. I am concerned, that by making bad decision they are destroying the Nokia brand and my favourite mobile OS (no progress last 2-3 years).

So it makes financial sense to close the stores now? Did it make financial sense to open them not so long ago? :-)

Nokia abandoning the 'high end'?

Is this - and the news about only a few new devices for 2010 - a sign that they are stepping away from the high end smartphone market? It might make sense given the state of the global economy, although I think that the more expensive (>£400) phones are generally the most profitable per unit.

Doesn't send out good signals though, these shops weren't there to shift units, they were there to build the brand.

Tell me, exactly what is so 'disappointing' the 5800? Show me another device that does as much for as little cost. Best value for money out there.

Originally Posted by bdonegan

Tell me, exactly what is so 'disappointing' the 5800? Show me another device that does as much for as little cost. Best value for money out there.

This is exactly my problem - they care about what it can do, but they have neglected the "how" part.
So, the UI is terrible - double taps, lists that do not use the whole screen and need unnecessary scrolling, many inconsistencies.
Nokia's own apps have problems - Nokia wireless keyboard driver works for me for a few minutes then hangs. Nokia Internet Radio not working, Sports Trakcker needs be downloaded form somewhere else (Nokia official for touch is not there).
The phone is slow (as is the N97 including mini). Very unstable for me (on all firmware versions) - needs reset every two days because GPS or bluetooth doesn't work any more or the main menu doesn't show etc. On old firmware it could just hang requiring battery removal. Almost like Windows Mobile

As for the device - my old N82 can do more, than 5800/N97 - better photos (xenon flash), all software works, GPS is more precise, OS is much more stable, accessories like Nokia wireless keyboard work. The screen is small and low res, but still, it can do more.

[adi_pie]

Though interesting from a trivia point of view, the fact that Nokia are closing a few stores is irelevant in my opinion, mainly because the number of products you sell or mindshare you have is not linked to the number of stores you have.

it's just logical, you close shops on those areas you do not sell much. nokia, welcome to far east asia where your phones are appreciated!

It's just business. If the store doesn't generate enough income then you close it.
As for a flagship store at a prestegious location it might not even be sales numbers, but it might just be that not enough people walk in and therefore doesn't generate enough buzz.

If I remember correctly we just came out of a financial crisis (or maybe we are still in it). So a good moment for any company to overthink if it is still a good idea to keep wasting money on these kind of things.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

it might just be that not enough people walk in and therefore doesn't generate enough buzz.

I have an alternative theory - it did create buzz, but negative :-) Those flagship stores were an embarrassment for Nokia. In the age of iPhone and Android the best they could present was the "flagship" N96 and then N97 on old firmware (without kinetic scrolling).

These stores were not about sales per se, particularly not in the US, but they were about generating buzz and mind share. In that regard, their closing says a lot about Nokia's mind share right now. In the US, the iPhone, Android, and RIM have nearly all the mind share, and 3+ years of the flagships' presence haven't done anything to change that. I think the concept could have worked, but not by itself. Nokia needed to do more advertising in the US (TV, perhaps sponsorships of college football bowl games, newspaper/magazine), and should have gone after a weaker carrier like T-Mobile rather than try to tackle AT&T, which Apple and RIM have cornered. Now T-Mobile has picked up some buzz with Android, so perhaps even that isn't possible anymore. If we think back to 2007, the N95 was at the top of the world and was even getting some positive press from US reviewers (the Chicago Tribune being one of them, just down the block from Nokia's flagship store on Michigan Avenue). But at $700 it wasn't going to fly, and wasn't going to get people into the stores. The E51 had a better shot, but it was often lost within a sea of "cheap" phones scattered throughout the stores.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is exactly my problem - they care about what it can do, but they have neglected the "how" part.
So, the UI is terrible - double taps, lists that do not use the whole screen and need unnecessary scrolling, many inconsistencies.
Nokia's own apps have problems - Nokia wireless keyboard driver works for me for a few minutes then hangs. Nokia Internet Radio not working, Sports Trakcker needs be downloaded form somewhere else (Nokia official for touch is not there).
The phone is slow (as is the N97 including mini). Very unstable for me (on all firmware versions) - needs reset every two days because GPS or bluetooth doesn't work any more or the main menu doesn't show etc. On old firmware it could just hang requiring battery removal. Almost like Windows Mobile

As for the device - my old N82 can do more, than 5800/N97 - better photos (xenon flash), all software works, GPS is more precise, OS is much more stable, accessories like Nokia wireless keyboard work. The screen is small and low res, but still, it can do more.

I agree the UI is not good, but there are a few neat things like the xPress music button and the way you can tap the date/profile line to access the calendar from the home screen. I have mine configured with 4 app shortcuts and that's all I need to get access directly to the most frequently used functions. The official story on sports tracker is that it's now a seperate company, so Nokia don't have a remit to distribute it on their phones. You may be right about Internet Radio and the wireless keyboard. I don't use either of these though.

In my experience it hasn't needed to be reset 'every few days' and as for being slow, compared to what? I also have an N982, so can follow you on this game, and yes it's a great phone, very stable (more mature S60 version). But whereas I can run Spotify and sportstracker at the same time on my 5800 (and browse the web, use Gravity, etc, etc) the N82 starts crawling if I run Spotify.

Anyway, you failed to take into account my crucial point "as much for as little cost". A new N82 still costs almost £100 more than a new 5800. So there

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is exactly my problem - they care about what it can do, but they have neglected the "how" part.
So, the UI is terrible - double taps, lists that do not use the whole screen and need unnecessary scrolling, many inconsistencies.
Nokia's own apps have problems - Nokia wireless keyboard driver works for me for a few minutes then hangs. Nokia Internet Radio not working, Sports Trakcker needs be downloaded form somewhere else (Nokia official for touch is not there).
The phone is slow (as is the N97 including mini). Very unstable for me (on all firmware versions) - needs reset every two days because GPS or bluetooth doesn't work any more or the main menu doesn't show etc. On old firmware it could just hang requiring battery removal. Almost like Windows Mobile

My experience with the 5800 is entirely contrary to your description. I decided to replace it because I felt like a change but there isn't a phone out there that can compete with it.