Public Mobile Retail Launch

[danielj]

As mention in another threat if Public Mobile is to make a retail launch it should be with a company the supports their orgianal concept of a no frills cell phone cell phone provider, so it they enter into retial it would be more approate to go with a company like No Frills. Base on CRTC Public Mobile when being purchase by Telus was partly to deal with being own, operated and branded as a Canadian company. The should attempt to keep or increase their Canadian brand by having any retail launch be associated with a Candain Company such as one owned by Loblaws or with their parent or sister ograntations Telus or Koodo. With the parent or sister organatation might be involve more or better service and help and might be a transition into being megred with one of these organations which might be the end game of Telus owning Public Mobile as it was when purchased organized as a test or beta of the market. Which might be the case but I like most appose as I beleive Public Mobile should be their low end provider with Koodo and Telus servicing the middle and high-end markets which has been proven successful for several companies with in Canada. Including Chatr, Fido and Rogers Virgin Mobile and Bell and No Frill, SuperStore and Loblaws. Public Mobile should go back to its roots offering good rely able sercive with no frills at affordable prices and keep it Canadian. 

[NDesai]

I don't think it matters which retails used to offer sim cards. What makes you think that selling sim cards at Loblaw's store would generate more sales? Or attract more customers? They will go with the cheapest possible option. 

As for offering sim else where, stay tuned for not so long now. 

FYI, They are only offering sim cards and nothing else. 

[danielj]

I don't think going with Walmart versus Loblaws will create much of a cheaper. With only the possible option being the fact that going with a Canadian company might lead them to less complexion with the CRTC, regulation and red tape.

With the new changes coming to Cell phone regulation dealing with unlocking phone going with parent organisation of Telus, will likely be the cheapest option and allow for the cross selling of products and phones.

FYI, Public Mobile might only be offering sim cards and nothing else. But Telus the owners of Public Mobile offers other things including cell phones and cell phone accessories.

[xCameron94x]

Walmart is also one of the stores that generates the most foot traffic in Canada, so it would make sense. Doesnt really matter if Walmart isnt Canadian or not. 

But bell/Telus and everyone else have physical stores. You could say PM sells phones through Orchard. With the new regulation for unlocked phones starting in december, why should it matter now? If we start to include cell phones, the prices go up again...we dont need that. You can just get a phone from bestbuy/Telus/Koodo

[danielj]

Public Mobile does not need to sell phones, which was never the idea in the first place (as it would likely affect the price of the plans). By Telus selling the sim cards, they can increase the foot traffic in their own store and increase their own sales of related products. Which would hopefully decrease the amount of financial return Telus the owners of Public Mobile expected from them, in hopes of offering more affordable plans (or increase customer service which is not as ideal as lower prices).

Loblaw Companies Limited controlled stores are also some of the top foot traffic stores. If all else is equal (including price, sales and foot traffic which between the two would be immaterial) most Canadians would prefer to support a Canadian company. With foot traffic, Costco would be another Non-Canadian option that likely gets, even more, foot traffic and would be a place to also get an unlocked phone.

With the Telus or Costco option would go back to hopefully staying with the current model of not selling phones and being a more convenient place to grab an unlocked cell phone and a sim card.

[will13am]

Oh, please don't increase the bricks and mortar presence.  It will only serve to increase costs in an era where shoppers are shunning physical stores for online shopping.  Given a choice between buying a SIM at Walmart vs buying online, I will be buying online every time.  I hate standing in long line ups with people in front of me counting pennies.  Public Mobile is supposed to be running a "disruptive" business model.  They have already digressed by copying Chatr.  That is enough, please go back to the old way of doing business. 

[danielj]

As seen in the Public Mobile Retail Launch threat post by Jeremy M they are already planning to go into Walmart. Which is not ideal as the trend is to go online and to decrease overhead and logistics cost. But if they were to go into a physical store Walmart is not exactly ideal as it copies Chatr too much, competes more directly with Chatr, does not stay to their original business model or make it significantly more convenient for customers.

[makkahn28]

PM should MAKE Sims available BOTH Store-wise as well as Online

Handsets, that should be left to the Individual,Telus and Koodo, Physical Stores and the Telus Online Store, PLUS Amazon, Google Store, Apple, by keepin those to the Individual to deal with, the Fees can be cost-effective