Wireless consultant Jerome Sheppard (right) explains to Alex Romero the functions of a new upgrade cell phone he purchased Monday at Ameritel of Imperial Valley in El Centro. "I don't like customers leaving the store and not knowing the basics of how to use it," Sheppard said. (JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO / July 12, 2010) |
As the United States economy slowly begins to crawl its way out of the recession, Imperial Valley residents are compensating by becoming more savvy shoppers.
Cellular phone store managers and consumers alike are sounding off on how the tough economic times have affected the shopping patterns and plan (or nonplan) selections of consumers in the Valley.
Armando Rodriguez, sales manager for T-Mobile provider Ameritel, said the average Imperial Valley customer is looking for an inexpensive plan.
“We do see more customers coming in and being extremely careful with their money,” he said. “With this recession everybody’s shopping better than ever.”
He said the average Ameritel customer in the Imperial Valley is always looking for the best deal they can find.
“They come, shop around and then at the end — if we are the best deal — we see them return and sign up for one of our plans or services,” Rodriguez said.
“We have a lot of customers fighting us on prices,” he continued. “A lot of times they print out a price on a phone that they found online or somewhere else,” he said, noting that Ameritel matches prices for new activations.
Rodriguez also said that the “no-contract” wireless service is a nationwide trend but is also growing in the Valley.
“It has a little bit to do with the uncertainty of the economy,” he said. “But we cater to both because we have contract plans and no-contract plans.”
ClearTalk, a no-contract wireless company newly headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, seems to be capitalizing on the sagging economy by picking up the bargain-hunting customers which fall through the four major service providers’ cracks, Jesus Trejo, retail store manager for the Imperial Valley, said.
“We see a lot of switches happen daily,” Trejo said about his customers leaving Sprint, Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile. “It varies but it’s around four to five customers a day.”
Trejo said that his customers switch because they tend to prefer the flexibility of a no-contract plan.
“A lot of people are apprehensive about signing contracts in our recovering economy,” he said. “I think people don’t want to get tied down right now.”
Trejo said ClearTalk’s low prices are also a factor in that their monthly base plan is $25 and they provide weekly services for as low as $15.
Still, as both managers stated, it really all depends on the customer.
“I rely on the Internet a lot so (my monthly family plan) works for me,” Calexico resident Victor Lopez said of his $185 a month, 3-person family plan with Sprint. “If you don’t have a need for data, talk, text and Internet then there’s no sense in spending all that money,” he said.
San Diego State University-Imperial Valley campus student Albert Frazier said he sticks to the basics.
“I saw some of the prices and they were expensive so … my phone is pre-paid,” Frazier said, noting he pays $40 a month on his Virgin Mobile phone.
Frazier said even though he enjoys no contracts and no hidden fees that it’s inconvenient when he runs out of minutes during a phone call.
“It just cuts off,” he said, smiling at the humor of it. “I bought it at Wal-Mart. It was there and it was pretty cheap (so I bought it),” he said.
>> Staff Writer Roman Flores can be reached at 760-337-3439 or rflores@ivpressonline.com
Cellular phone store managers and consumers alike are sounding off on how the tough economic times have affected the shopping patterns and plan (or nonplan) selections of consumers in the Valley.
Armando Rodriguez, sales manager for T-Mobile provider Ameritel, said the average Imperial Valley customer is looking for an inexpensive plan.
“We do see more customers coming in and being extremely careful with their money,” he said. “With this recession everybody’s shopping better than ever.”
He said the average Ameritel customer in the Imperial Valley is always looking for the best deal they can find.
“They come, shop around and then at the end — if we are the best deal — we see them return and sign up for one of our plans or services,” Rodriguez said.
“We have a lot of customers fighting us on prices,” he continued. “A lot of times they print out a price on a phone that they found online or somewhere else,” he said, noting that Ameritel matches prices for new activations.
Rodriguez also said that the “no-contract” wireless service is a nationwide trend but is also growing in the Valley.
“It has a little bit to do with the uncertainty of the economy,” he said. “But we cater to both because we have contract plans and no-contract plans.”
ClearTalk, a no-contract wireless company newly headquartered in Lubbock, Texas, seems to be capitalizing on the sagging economy by picking up the bargain-hunting customers which fall through the four major service providers’ cracks, Jesus Trejo, retail store manager for the Imperial Valley, said.
“We see a lot of switches happen daily,” Trejo said about his customers leaving Sprint, Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile. “It varies but it’s around four to five customers a day.”
Trejo said that his customers switch because they tend to prefer the flexibility of a no-contract plan.
“A lot of people are apprehensive about signing contracts in our recovering economy,” he said. “I think people don’t want to get tied down right now.”
Trejo said ClearTalk’s low prices are also a factor in that their monthly base plan is $25 and they provide weekly services for as low as $15.
Still, as both managers stated, it really all depends on the customer.
“I rely on the Internet a lot so (my monthly family plan) works for me,” Calexico resident Victor Lopez said of his $185 a month, 3-person family plan with Sprint. “If you don’t have a need for data, talk, text and Internet then there’s no sense in spending all that money,” he said.
San Diego State University-Imperial Valley campus student Albert Frazier said he sticks to the basics.
“I saw some of the prices and they were expensive so … my phone is pre-paid,” Frazier said, noting he pays $40 a month on his Virgin Mobile phone.
Frazier said even though he enjoys no contracts and no hidden fees that it’s inconvenient when he runs out of minutes during a phone call.
“It just cuts off,” he said, smiling at the humor of it. “I bought it at Wal-Mart. It was there and it was pretty cheap (so I bought it),” he said.
>> Staff Writer Roman Flores can be reached at 760-337-3439 or rflores@ivpressonline.com
