Palm Opens Five New Stores in California

Palm today announced the opening of five Palm Retail Stores in California. These new stores are part of Palm's 3-year-old strategy to reach new and existing customers where they spend time, in airports and malls. It also allows Palm to own the customer experience, a strategy that has worked for other consumer tech companies.

The new stores include the following:

  • The Palm Retail Store at Valley Fair Westfield Shopping Town (San Jose), a new inline store that opens today, replacing the original kiosk location;
  • The Palm Retail Store at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 1, which opened Oct. 24;
  • The Palm Retail Store at San Francisco International Airport, Terminal 3, which opened Nov. 5;
  • The Palm Retail Store at Palm's company headquarters in Sunnyvale, which opened Nov. 2; and
  • The Palm Retail Store at the Grove Shopping Center (Los Angeles), an entertainment and shopping destination, which opens on Nov. 14.

These stores represent close to 30 percent growth in Palm Retail Store locations, strengthening the Palm brand and reflecting the success of the retail-store strategy that Palm selectively began rolling out with the original kiosk location at Valley Fair three years ago.

Palm Store in Palo Alto, CA"Our retail stores offer a casual shopping environment where Palm solutions experts put the Palm experience directly into the hands of new and upgrading customers, which benefits current and future sales across all our retail and carrier partners," said John Hartnett, senior vice president of Palm's worldwide sales and customer service. "Early surveys have shown that more than 31 percent of shoppers who stop at the Palm Retail Stores purchase from other retail partners, giving us confidence that the stores are a strategic as well as commercial success."

Retail Store Customers
The Palm Retail Stores embody the company's belief that the future of personal computing is mobile computing. According to IDC's Mobile Worker Forecast, nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers will travel for business in 2006. Many of the stores are located in some of the nation's busiest airports; these continue to be popular with Palm's main demographic of mobile business customers, who appreciate the ability to upgrade an existing device or purchase accessories while traveling.

Palm Retail Stores also are reaching new users who are buying Palm's high-end devices, demonstrating the rewarding experience customers have when they interact with knowledgeable staff and have a hands-on experience with Palm products. Forty-three percent of Palm Retail Store customers are new to handheld computing -- 56 percent of those new users are buying Palm Treo smartphones, and 44 percent are buying Palm handhelds and Palm LifeDrive mobile managers.

"Our first Palm retail location, a kiosk at Valley Fair, was the beginning of a pilot program to get more consumers to experience Palm products and accessories," said Kanwal Sharma, director of Palm Retail Stores. "Today we're opening a stylish 800-square-foot store at Valley Fair, and have 22 stores nationwide. The solid growth in year-over-year revenue demonstrates the success of the retail strategy; for example, during the 12-month period ended Oct. 6, 2005 over the preceding 12-month period, revenue at the Valley Fair store grew almost 52 percent."

All Palm Retail Stores offer the following:

  • a hands-on experience with the current line of popular Palm products and accessories, including Palm Treo smartphones, the Palm LifeDrive mobile manager, and the new Palm TX handheld and Palm Z22 organizer;
  • software applications from Palm and third-party developers; and
  • expert support and the exceptional brand experience customers expect from Palm, demonstrating the company's vision that handheld computing solutions can help people enhance their productivity and enjoyment of life.

More information about Palm Retail Stores and locations can be found at www.palm.com/retail.

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Was at SFO yesterday

HandyMan @ 11/7/2005 4:27:35 PM # Q
The employees didn't seem to know the difference between TX and T5. I think we have some training issue. They should at least know the products they are selling.

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
cervezas @ 11/7/2005 5:06:43 PM # Q
This seems to be a problem with *any* technology store or kiosk I've encountered in an airport. Most recently I've talked with 4 different IBM/Lenovo reps about the x41 tablets that they're hawking in the airports these days and they're all clueless about how the devices work.

If you're going to try to get control of the customer experience, it'd be smart to turn that control to your advantage instead of spending all that money just to make yourself look bad. But I guess it's hard to find good help.


David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
Software Everywhere blog
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
hkklife @ 11/7/2005 5:11:32 PM # Q
Does the stuff at the Palm kiosks sell at MSRP or at a considerable markup? Same prices between mall stores & airport stores?

If Palm is going to try and continue to forge ahead with these "stores" they despreately need to get more locations in the midwest and east coast areas.

I think that the airport stores, manned, stocked and PRICED properly, have the potential to at least be a little more useful than the mall kiosks. I have to confess having bought an overpriced music CD on more than one occasion to listen to during a layover. I've seen a couple of mini Staples stores in airports (Philly, for one) and picked up some spare Tungsten styli there a while back.

Pilot 1000-->Pilot 5000-->PalmPilot Pro-->IIIe-->Vx-->m505-->T|T-->T|T2-->T|C-->T|T3-->T|T5

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
cervezas @ 11/7/2005 5:59:19 PM # Q
hkklife wrote:
If Palm is going to try and continue to forge ahead with these "stores" they despreately need to get more locations in the midwest and east coast areas.

I hereby pledge to drop a few C notes in the Palm store at O'Hare as encouragement for them to open one there. The place is plastered with big Treo advertisements everywhere you look, so why not take the next step and let people act on the impulse you've planted?

Another thing they should do is set up one of those Bluetooth software delivery kiosks right at the entrance to the store. Offer some free titles to get existing Palm users in the door, and then help the new customers see how easy and nice it is to load up with some great apps after the sale of the device.

Selling software out of these stores is a big win--not because you make a lot of money on the software itself, just because you powerfully educate new purchasers about all the interesting stuff they can use their device for. Software is also a good way to reinforce loyalty among folks who are waiting for the next Palm device but vulnerable to temptation by the competition. Make picking up a new software title easy, fast, and fun every time they go through the airport and you've given them the "customer experience" that will sell devices, not just software.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
Software Everywhere blog
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
Dr Opinion @ 11/7/2005 7:07:30 PM # Q
> "...the Palm store at O'Hare..."

Go Sox! :)

------
"People who like M$ products tend to be insecure crowd-following newbies lacking in experience and imagination."

twizza and Beersy: a couple of questions...
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/7/2005 9:50:20 PM # Q
Most recently I've talked with 4 different IBM/Lenovo reps about the x41 tablets that they're hawking in the airports these days and they're all clueless about how the devices work.

Beersy, I was just about to order an X41 last week but decided to wait. Were the ones you played with still labelled as "IBM" or are they now "Lenovo"? If you have an X41, are you using Microsoft OneNote? (After hearing twizza rave about OneNote I'm now interested in trying it out in my office.) If you have an X41 tablet, what do you think of it?

twizza, how are you using OneNote? Have you had any problems with it?

TVoR

------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

The Palm eCONomy = Communism™

The Great Palm Swindle: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=7864#108038

NetFrontLinux - the next major cellphone OS?: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=8060#111823

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
AdamaDBrown @ 11/7/2005 10:23:28 PM # Q
hkklife, I'm pretty sure that they all sell at MSRP.

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
Daryl1234 @ 11/8/2005 3:21:59 AM # Q
Palm opened a store in a mall near my home......and closed it 9 months later. Again, the staff had no clue about the product and did not care about the consumers needs. if Palm wants to be succesful with its stores and Kiosks it HAS to insure that:

1. All their staff own a palm, even if it is a cheap one.
2. The staff can not only sell the product but give pointers on how to fix it and take care of it.
3. Know how to demo all products.
4. Be courteous, freindly and approachable.
5. Can offer 3rd party aps or websites on where to download them.
6. Can offer discounted or sale items.

If this cannot happen, then Palm needs to stick with it's now boring website.



RE: Was at SFO yesterday
cervezas @ 11/8/2005 6:56:05 PM # Q
TVoR wrote:
Beersy, I was just about to order an X41 last week but decided to wait.

I'm still shopping around, too, so not much to report. The main impression I got was just that these babies are shockingly light and have astounding battery life. OneNote seemed very well thought out but I haven't spent a lot of time with it. IIRC, the X41s I've seen had the Lenovo logo on them. I've read that the support from Lenovo is just as good as it ever was from IBM, which counts more than any logo.

For what I need the X41 just won't cut it, unfortunately. I probably will use this tablet mainly as a laptop so I'm willing to accept more weight and less battery life in exchange for a stronger processor and bigger screen. Looking at a Gateway C200 or maybe a Toshiba Portege M205-S810.

David Beers
Pikesoft Mobile Computing
Software Everywhere blog
www.pikesoft.com/blog

RE: twizza and Beersy: a couple of questions...
twizza @ 11/9/2005 10:09:24 AM # Q
twizza, how are you using OneNote? Have you had any problems with it?

Ironically, the TabletPC that I got from work cannot run OneNote without serious lags. Its an older HP/Compaq model, so I should have expected as much. I have been able to run Evernote on it, and despite the mouse-centric GUI, its not bad.

If I were in the market for a new laptop (still a year away from that decision process again), then I'd consider a convertable tablet; but only if I could get OneNote withuot the WinTablet OS.

mobileministrymagazine.com
antoinerjwright.com

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
ackmondual @ 11/10/2005 6:29:13 PM # Q
Website ain't boring. I remember seeing my would-be Zire 71 in action.... even though most of the stuff was either already obvious from before (PIMs, loading software from my Visors) or otherwise (working the camera, 5-way nav, etc.)

And yes, the items are at markup. It is expected of these kiosks i guess. I remember vising the Sony Style store in Manhattan, and my friend balked out how the 5.1MP Cybershot digicam was $100 more than the price he got on the internet.

Beersy, twizza: thanks for the info
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/10/2005 11:06:23 PM # Q
Ironically, the TabletPC that I got from work cannot run OneNote without serious lags. Its an older HP/Compaq model, so I should have expected as much. I have been able to run Evernote on it, and despite the mouse-centric GUI, its not bad.

twizza, what were the speed and RAM of the slow computer?

I were in the market for a new laptop (still a year away from that decision process again), then I'd consider a convertable tablet; but only if I could get OneNote withuot the WinTablet OS.

What don't you like about the Windows Tablet OS?



------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

The Palm eCONomy = Communism™

The Great Palm Swindle: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=7864#108038

NetFrontLinux - the next major cellphone OS?: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=8060#111823

Beersy, twizza: thanks for the info
The_Voice_of_Reason @ 11/11/2005 5:47:19 AM # Q
Ironically, the TabletPC that I got from work cannot run OneNote without serious lags. Its an older HP/Compaq model, so I should have expected as much. I have been able to run Evernote on it, and despite the mouse-centric GUI, its not bad.

twizza, what were the speed and RAM of the slow computer?

I were in the market for a new laptop (still a year away from that decision process again), then I'd consider a convertable tablet; but only if I could get OneNote withuot the WinTablet OS.

What don't you like about the Windows Tablet OS?



------------------------
Sony CLIE UX100: 128 MB real RAM, OLED screen. All the PDA anyone really ever wanted.
------------------------

The Palm eCONomy = Communism™

The Great Palm Swindle: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=7864#108038

NetFrontLinux - the next major cellphone OS?: http://www.palminfocenter.com/comment_view.asp?ID=8060#111823

RE: Was at SFO yesterday
t00lbert @ 11/11/2005 4:59:46 PM # Q
Palm opened a store in a mall near my home......and closed it 9 months later. Again, the staff had no clue about the product and did not care about the consumers needs. if Palm wants to be succesful with its stores and Kiosks it HAS to insure that:

1. All their staff own a palm, even if it is a cheap one.
2. The staff can not only sell the product but give pointers on how to fix it and take care of it.
3. Know how to demo all products.
4. Be courteous, freindly and approachable.
5. Can offer 3rd party aps or websites on where to download them.
6. Can offer discounted or sale items.

If this cannot happen, then Palm needs to stick with it's now boring website.

First off, I work for one of the stores that Palm has in place. I'm going to reply to what you think palm has to do and what they do, do already. I'm also speaking more for myself, than for my co-workers and Palm.

1. Each employee does get their own palm. Whether its a Z22 or a Treo 650, we get a palm to play with. We cannot force someone to know their palm inside and out since the employees primarily get hired to make sales happen.

2. It should never be our job to fix the palm because we are only trained on what they do. Some of us are willing to be helpful and try to figure out what's wrong with the palm. Once again, I have to say that our purpose is sales and not tech support. Not to be rude, but if you want tech support there are palm user's groups, yahoo groups, sites such as this and many other outlets then having a salesperson fix your problems. I personally do not get paid enough to be a technician and be a salesman. Even places like CompUSA and Bestbuy have people hired specifically to do tech support. I, hopefully, know my palm better than the next guy and will do what I can, but I cannot say that for the other people I work with or anyone in the other stores.

3. For the most part, we do unless its someone or something new. We don't always get regular training when new products come out nor do we know every program out there that a customer wants to use cause we may not use it ourself. In the case of the GPS kit for example, I cannot get a signal for the reciver to save my life so I cannot demo it properly nor can I, when I am the only one working, take it outside and show a customer how it works. Please understand this.

4. We're always willing to help anyone who approaches the store, but I will not be perfectly nice to someone who approaches me with a horrible attitude. I cannot be expected to treat everyone who treats me, and believe me I get tons of people per day who treat myself and my co-workers like trash, in that manner. We're human beings and have our flaws.

5. Not every one of my co-workers studies as much as I do. I know of some places to find software, but not a lot. If you are a constant poster on here, check out Brighthand's website, or know a whole lot about the Palm OS in general then we're no more better off than you in our knowledge of 3rd party software. The web is a wonderful thing sometimes...

6. We, at the mall stores, offer some small discounts, but come on...this should not be expected of us all the time. I am not here to barter. Customers tend, not everyone mind you, not to want what offers we have. I cannot give you a case, plus $100 and a free SD card. It's not going to happen.



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Bragging about customers who buy elsewhere!

Dr Opinion @ 11/7/2005 5:24:23 PM # Q
They're bragging about the 30% of customers who check stuff out at the Palm shop, then buy elsewere.... clearly this is intended to be a "market making" move that just happens to also generate profit. :)

There is a major branding function going on here too... by creating a stylish tech-boutique envrionment, palm generates positive brand image, even for customers who merely pass by the shop in a hurry. :)

Very clever. :)

------
"People who like M$ products tend to be insecure crowd-following newbies lacking in experience and imagination."

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