Tuesday

Rogers jacking BlackBerry device prices

A ninja-sourced “email, allegedly sent out by a Rogers VP” indicates the reasoning behind Rogers overnight price increase on three-year contract for many of its BlackBerry devices.

According to a Boy Genius Report today: “The price increases saw the Curve 83xx go to $149.99 (up $50), Curve 8900 to $224.99 (up $25) and the Bold go to $299.99 (up $50). While most handset price increases are done after an evaluation of a supply and demand model, it seems that Rogers decided to throw caution to the wind after some senior executives noticed the budget for acquisitions was currently $30 million in the red.”

And the email in question, excerpted:

On Wednesday, the senior executive team realized that they were over budget $30 million dollars on their cost of acquisition. How I don’t know why it took so long. [sic] They then did their knee jerk response. Your DBM’s and other local managers know nothing more than this and are in the dark as much as we are on this other than we were told VERBALLY that in market quotes would be honored for 30 days from today. The exception lists are due Monday and only for non named accounts. I have requested in every region for a positioning statement and to this moment have not heard a response. If it makes you feel any better the retail has even more uncertainty.

You take that for what it means. That’s all BGR is saying, and of course the remainder of the email is missing. Ninjas, indeed.