If you walked into a high street phone shop and asked which mobile was right for you, what do you think they'd recommend? The iPhone 5? Value-packed Nexus 4? Well the Samsung Galaxy S3 is the phone most recommended by British shops, along with the Galaxy Note 2, according to a survey carried out by Informa Telecoms and Media, the Telegraph reports.
The iPhone 5, meanwhile, was only recommended in two out of the eight retailers surveyed, while ZTE, Motorola, LG, Huawei, and BlackBerry weren't endorsed by any.
"The mystery shop showed that the most recommended Samsung handsets were the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2, despite having been on the market longer than the latest handsets from Apple, Nokia and HTC," Informa's Julian Jest said in a statement.
"However, most surprising was the way that, despite an in-store advertising campaign and recent product launch, Apple was recommended in only two stores, 3 and Phones 4U, with both recommending the iPhone 5."
Other shops in the survey included John Lewis, Everything Everywhere, O2, Maplin, PC World, and Carphone Warehouse. Points were awarded to manufacturers based on whether they were advertised in-store or in the window, and then the researchers asked shop staff to recommend a device. In terms of promotional bumpf, Apple and Samsung were neck and neck, but staff were more likely to recommend Samsung. Of course, this could be down to better commission on Samsung phones, there's no way to know.
Samsung had a stellar last three months of 2012, with a 76 per cent rise in profits over the same period the previous year. The good times may be over though, as it warned the boom in phones in the west is coming to an end, with the developing world being the next big growth area.
Have you been recommended an S3 over an iPhone? What would you recommend to a friend? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.
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Comments 31
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anonymous 27 January, 2013 11:46
Stores shouldn't pay attention to 'pushy' suppliers or expensive ad campaigns, they should recommend the best phone for the person they are talking too. I'm pretty sure employees in these stores don't just blindly recommend a phone, this is their job so we as consumers should take something from their judgement.
I can only see two reasons why a consumer would need to go for an iPhone these days. Either they are heavily invested in the Apple eco-system or they only require simple functionality. The later is most likely to respond to a request of "can you open up your browser?" with "erm, what's that, do you mean open up Google?"
iam a wp7 27 January, 2013 12:09
I agree with the first comment. The only other person who is buying an iPhone is the person buying one just so they can say they have one. I know a girl who has very recently just bought an 8gb iPhone 4 for over £300 just so she can say she has an iPhone. Very sad considering she could have bought an S2 for that money.
anonymous 27 January, 2013 12:27
erm...since when did Maplins sell iphones?
Damien2501 27 January, 2013 12:52
I am soo glad that most of my fellow British brethren see Apple for what it is, a scam. And on Facebook, Twitter, and the BBC News comment section (when they allow comments) are all pro-Android in general.
Damien2701 27 January, 2013 15:18
Ahhh android fanboys. Gotta love em. I would say most people buy iPhones because they prefer a regulated app store with polished safe easy to use malware free apps.
anonymous 27 January, 2013 16:12
I was aware of mobile phone sales person outwith the interests of their place of employment saying they wouldn't go back to apple. Reasons were more freedom for developers of apps for Android.
I personally got a 16gb s3 brand new for 340 and have just ordered a 64gb micros card for 40, 380 total. Apples closest I5 is 699, GTF! Apples problem over priced products with little new innovation to justify them, until they adjust their attitude the only way is down for them.
Damien2501 27 January, 2013 16:27
@Damien2701 your an idiot fam... So why do you think people are buying Android phones that cost more than the iPhone 4 (£300) in their masses??
anonymous 27 January, 2013 22:04
I use android and IOS- having an iphone 5, iPad 3, Note 2 and Nexus 7. I've configured different android phones for lots of people and had around 15 different android phones. If it came down to only being able to have one I'd go for an iphone- and for some people it is definitely the best phone.
A more interesting story would be why retailers recommend certain phones over others:) It's not purely down to an incredibly indepth knowledge of what phones would suit different people- perhaps cnet might like to mention the bonuses that Samsung has offered to retailers:) {hint Samsung's marketing budget is over 8 times that of Apple}.
Matt Winston. 27 January, 2013 22:26
@Damien2501 Ignore the spam, he has been here a year now and Android has gone from strength to strength to dominate the smartphone world, in fact I think its his BS that is putting people off Apple products.
And I always recommend the Nexus 4 to people now, I tell them to wait for it to be available on the Play Store.
anonymous 27 January, 2013 23:30
I like the design of the iPhone 5 best; its chunky yet neat; slips into a pocket or bag easily yet also easy to grab quickly out. The screens are good and clear and can be operated with one hand -- a lovely product BUT it has become unusable becase of Apple's cynical possessive marketing strategy. Changed connection jack renders all associated devices now need clunky adaptors or leads; expensive re-provision of spare cables for car; second room in house, or office etc and iTunes /Cloud makes awkward management of existing music library and pictures etc. I HAVE SWITCHED FOR LOVELY iPHONE 5 TO SAMSUNG S3 JUST TO LEAVE APPLE. Has taken me three weeks to learn different operating whatsits, and the 3 is also lovely but as a device I didn't fall in love with it like the iPhone. Goodbye iPhone, you have lost an all forever due to your cynical & greedy marketing strategy
anonymous 28 January, 2013 00:10
Samsung do spend a vast amount more money on advertising in comparison to apple but we see more apple 'cheeeeeese' adverts. Why is that? If you take into account the diversity of products samsung have you can see that not all of it will be spent on their mobile devices. They have TVs, fridge frezers and microwaves to shift (to name but a few).
I myself feel i see way more adverts from apple in the media than i do samsung. Is that just me? I think the point is it that samsung advertise less than apple do in the media. Although I have seen a pick up in advertising in the last year.
The truth is the iPhone 5 is not as capable as the S3 and the S3 is cheaper than the iPhone 5. This is what makes the S3 easy to recommend.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 06:14
I am more impressed that your sales people even know the difference.
Here in the colonies, the people that work in tech shops are generally idiots.
When I signed up for my S3 - they only had the one model in stock (through out the country - Vodafone) a white one and they couldn't even tell me if it was a 16GB or 32GB.
And i swear - this is not a lie! IF you ask them too many questions they actually refer you to GSMarena. :-!
Eric Manktelow 28 January, 2013 06:55
It is true that the amount of commission might determine the phone recommended by sales staff.
It's also possibly that as Samsung and Android are going from strength to strength and Apple aren't, Samsung are hot at the moment and are more likely to be recommended.
My personal feelings and pity at iFans aside the S3 is also a better phone that's cheaper... it's a no brainer if you aren't heavily invested in an ecosystem already.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 09:04
It all boils down to how much commission is made by pushing a particular product.
Look at the story. It's not just sales staff pushing Samsung instead of Apple; they are pushing Samsung instead of LG, HTC, Huawei, Nokia, Motorola and all the other phone brands - most of whom are selling Android phones too.
Samsung spend more on promotion (of which incentives and commission is a large part) than Dell, Coca Cola, Apple, Microsoft and Nike put together.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 11:41
"Samsung spend more on promotion (of which incentives and commission is a large part) than Dell, Coca Cola, Apple, Microsoft and Nike put together."
Does anyone else smell BS?
Steen Brage-Andersen 28 January, 2013 12:29
It is a way better Phone so no problem with that. iPhone 4s owners had a point when complaining about the build quality and that the device did not feel sturdy. iPhone 5 has non of those qualties and by that it Apple looses the only advantage that it had over Android. And no I do not use Android or iOS.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 12:45
Except for the reviews from the internet I will also prefer that we need to compare cell phones by visiting mobile phones stores.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 15:57
I went into CW with my son who was looking to change his phone.
We were looking at the S3 when the Preying Mantis...oops sorry....salesperson, swooped.
She recommended the S3. Asked about how it compared with say, the iPhone 5, she said it was better.
In what way, asked my son?
The bigger screen; that's what people now want she said. “It can do Facebook too”.
But you can do that on any phone, including the iPad said my son.
It’s better on the S3 said the salesperson.... “and you can get more free apps than on the iPhone”.
“OK” said my son.
Then she said in slightly hushed tones....”and there are lots of free pirated apps available too; if you know where to find them”.
“What about useful paid for apps?”, I chipped in.
“Not a problem” she answered, “but not many people seem to bother with those”.
“Really?” I answered.
Good news for Google then.....NOT!
My son then asked if they had the Nexus 4.
“Which one?” asked the salesperson (she didn’t seem to know about it).
He said it was the Google Nexus 4 from LG.
Clearly she was a bit puzzled and after a bit of looking around, suggested that that might have been an old model, now discontinued.
Clueless !
anonymous 28 January, 2013 16:48
Most British phone shops have been fitted with Samsung displays featuring just the Note 2 and Galaxy S3.
Some shops have two or more dedicated Samsung displays.
Clearly there is a campaign to promote this brand over others like HTC, LG, Blackberry, Nokia and the iPhone.
All the staff are on commission to sell certain phones and certain packages.
I can only suppose Samsung is the one they have to push.
anonymous 28 January, 2013 17:16
A salesman told me the S3 was better than the Nexus 4, because the Nexus ran a limited stripped down version of Android !!!!!
Damien2501 28 January, 2013 17:20
@MattWinston Your right, I'll let him fool himself now.
And all this "Samsung pays more commission to retail staff", if it's true, is all business. Apple probably did the same a few years ago, Motorola and Nokia before that.
Meleagru 28 January, 2013 18:16
I think it's not just the fatter commissions from Samsung but the lower profit margin that retails get from iPhone. Just look at Verizon earnings report. They sold a lot of iPhones and still lost money.
CaptainPicard 28 January, 2013 20:38
*Facepalm* I don't care about Samsung Galaxy S3 or iPhone 5, if you brought something because the man at Carphone Warehouse recommended it, your an idiot, you are the victim of fraud.
http://mobiledeals.cnet.co.uk/
anonymous 29 January, 2013 09:52
@CaptainPicard - Lol you're right. People have no idea the kind of stuff that goes on in phone shops. My girlfriend worked in a phone store years ago and I think she still feels guilty at the amount of misdirection, embellishment and straight out lying her and her colleagues used to employ in order to get a sale.
Do you own research people the internet makes it easy these days and you can't trust that a salesperson looking out for their own paycheck will be honest with you.
anonymous 29 January, 2013 11:11
The biggest selling point of the Galaxy S3 over other Android phones (even from Samsung) and the iPhone, is the flashy big screen and it's prominence in advertising and in-store displays.
Top that with sales staff pushing it in certain big phone stores and it's no wonder that the phone is so popular at the moment.
Most customers haven't got a clue about different operating systems, or ecostructures. They just see the hardware at face value and anything they are told or read will simply reinforce their opinion either for or against.
we've had no end of customers coming in and complaining that they can't get their apps or iTunes to sync with their new Android device.
anonymous 30 January, 2013 21:02
Just taken delivery of Galaxy S3...
After happily using an S2 for the last year.
The elephant in the room, that no one seems to be a referring to...
The iphone 5 is a lot more expensive... it doesn't matter how compatible it is.
Who wants to pay half as much again... unless its just for the Kudos of owning an iphone...and that is the reason Apple's share price is going through the floor .
I probably still would have chosen the samsung for screen size but it would have been good to feel there was a real choice between the two top smart phones.
anonymous 31 January, 2013 02:15
@anonymous 30 January, 2013 21:02
".....Who wants to pay half as much again... unless its just for the Kudos of owning an iphone...and that is the reason Apple's share price is going through the floor....."
I don't follow your logic there?
It's very muddled.
anonymous 19 February, 2013 14:57
I work for a mobile phone retailer and I do not even think about the commission or profit margin when selling a phone. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is better than the iPhone and Z10, therefore, it will be recommended to customers. I own am iPhone 5 and tested a Z10. Neither are better than the S3.
anonymous 23 February, 2013 14:44
It's a simple question of economics for me,Just got an S3 on 26 quid a month tariff(works out 16 quid a month with my works 40% line rental discount)after 2 trouble free years with my fantastic HTC Desire HD,Been mightily impressed with the big sammy compared to my mate's iphone 5 and it's tiny screen and limited features,Apple have been ripping the public off for years,It's customers are all gullible plonkers who think they're being exclusive.
anonymous 9 March, 2013 14:09
The s3 has better specs than the ip5.
You can expand the memory for a pittance.
If we were all like apple we would all look the same, dress the same, eat the same, talk the same.........
The only thing the iphone can do over the s3 is to survive a drop test better, period. But we all have cases now so?
anonymous 9 March, 2013 14:10
The s3 has better specs than the ip5.
You can expand the memory for a pittance.
If we were all like apple we would all look the same, dress the same, eat the same, talk the same.........
The only thing the iphone can do over the s3 is to survive a drop test better, period. But we all have cases now so?