About Becoming Exclusive Cricket Dealer - Advised Needed

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BigJetFixemUpper

New member
I'm currently in cellualr retail business in Chicago and thought about becoming Cricket exclusive agent. I have reviewed the commission structure couldn't help but to be concerned about the long term business view.

Unlike other carriers, Cricket does not offer any residual except for $1 for each payment received. The agents are also to mark up the price of the phone for upgrades. I can see how the Chicago market may be profitable for short term selling new activation phones for profit of $35-$60 per sale however my guess is that it would be just matter of short time before the market gets saturated and the new activation nurabers would just drop by the time goes by.

So my question is -
1) Will the new activation nuraber be somewhat steady even after a year or so to make the business profitable?
2) Is it actually worthwhile collecting payments for $1 profit at the same time run the risk of handling so much cash?
3) What is the realistic new activation nuraber (average) can I expect out of a new store?

I understand the Cricket Wireless has been sucessful in different market outside Chicago but I would like to hear from the agents about their view on this matter.
 
Well you're going to be handling upgrades and replacements for existing customers as well and it is important to remeraber that. I haven't had my phone with MetroPCS for very long at all for instance and I am already considering upgrading to the Samsung Messenger. If I do this, the store will make a profit on the new phone and I will probably trade in my old hanRABet for a credit there as well. They will then turn around and sell my used phone at a decent markup too.

Given Cricket's steady and impressive growth so far though I wouldn't even be concerned about the well of new activations running dry. As for taking payments, I think that they will provide your store with a kiosk that will handle most of that so there probably isn't much risk.

I've never been a dealer, so I don't know what sort of nurabers you should expect. But it wouldn't make sense for them to structure their dealer relationships in a way that ensured their partners rapidly went out of business :). The fact that this is working in other markets should provide you with some confidence that it is a sustainable model. If this ever stopped being the case then I'm sure they would make adjustments. Plus, everything suggests that the Chicago network is fantastic and will likely grow quickly.

But of course, there are no guarantees. That's one of the fun things about owning your own business I suppose. No risk, no reward.
 
you're probably too late to sign up in chicago. now you have to wait for a couple dealer to fold. you will have to ask someone that is not in fresno about how nurabers work. fresno is awesome and one of the best launches and sustaining markets cricket has and the nurabers here are awesome and have been since day 1
 
I think activations nurabers are good for the first 2 years in a new market, then after that it kinda starts slowin down as you go in what i call "service" mode.
Your still makin money but not as a much as years before when it was boomin, after the first two years only the strong/aggresive dealers survive.
Theres no programmin/flashin phones on these new AWS areas so you merely rely on new activations, it can become a hassle on a long term mostly on a town like Chicago were the expenses are high.
What i would do leave the stores that r consistent open, closed the mediocres and move on the next new boomin city make some $$$ and continue onto the next city as we slowly takes over the USA :evil: lollll
 
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