Google’s Nexus One Android SmartPhone was only launched in January and at the time Google said they wanted to make it easier for people to get their hands on the new SmartPhone so would sell it directly to customers via their online shop.
This was an attempt on Google’s part to bypass the mobile phone carriers and sell more phones but even with the best of intentions things can go wrong.
One of the biggest problems Google faced was dealing with the customer service part which they obviously hadn’t really thought about.
We all know how frustrating it is when you can’t get through to a supplier on the phone if you have a problem with a product and Google only offered customer service online.
Anyway, forget that, now it seems the search engine giant is looking to implement a different strategy for selling the Nexus One and plans to phase out their online store.
“We launched Nexus One in January with two goals in mind: to introduce a beacon of innovation among Android handsets, and to make it quick and easy for people to buy an Android phone” said Google Vice President Andy Rubin on a company blog.
“We’re very happy with the adoption of Android in general, and the innovation delivered through Nexus One. Already, a lot of the innovation that went into creating Nexus One has found its way into numerous Android handsets, like the HTC Evo 4G from Sprint and the Verizon Droid Incredible by HTC” added Mr Rubin.
“But, as with every innovation, some parts worked better than others. While the global adoption of the Android platform has exceeded our expectations, the web store has not.
“It’s remained a niche channel for early adopters, but it’s clear that many customers like a hands-on experience before buying a phone, and they also want a wide range of service plans to chose from”.
Google say they now want to make the Nexus One available through existing retail channels and once they have increased the availability of the Android SmartPhone they will stop selling the handset via their online shop altogether.
Instead they will use the online store “to showcase a variety of Android phones available globally”.
“Innovation requires constant iteration. We believe that the changes we’re announcing today will help get more phones to more people quicker, which is good for the entire Android ecosystem: users, partners and also Google” concluded the blog post.
Yes we live and learn.
