Where are the Accessories in North America, Nokia?

I’ve been on a miserable quest to purchase a simple accessory from Nokia for a week now.  As a North American consumer, the HH-12 Easy Mount windscreen suction clamp has proven to be nearly unobtainable. I’ve been hearing some good things about the mount. Ricky at Symbian-Guru has just reviewed it quite positively. I’ve seen it featured in the N800 Internet tablet NaviKit that seems to have received positive feedback as well. Every cab driver in Helsinki seems to have one, I assume either because it’s a Nokia and who would be caught dead in Finland with a Swedish windscreen mount or because it’s a fine product that does the job well. The little carts that shuffled us down the driveway to the Nseries party at the LA mansion a couple months ago all had N95’s mounted to them playing that horrible Moby song. So… they exist, I know they do. Why can’t I buy one?

Click through to read more about what kind of a task it has been to find official Nokia accessories in North America...

I’ve been trying to get my hands on the Nokia windshield mount for a week now. I ordered it from one of the only online retailers that I could find in the US five days ago. Yesterday they emailed to say that they don’t have the mount, have no idea when they’ll get it, and would like to know if I’d like my money back. It’s noon on the next day- still no refund. I’m not steaming mad that I haven’t gotten the funds back yet- because I still can’t find another retailer. A Google product search lists dozens upon dozens of UK retailers that have them in stock and are waiting to ship them out, for twice the value of the item for shipping to the States. That doesn’t really work for me. There were two US retailers, both are out of stock and have no idea when they’ll get some in.

So I called the two flagship stores in North America- neither stock the item and neither have any idea where I could get one. I then called Nokia USA to see if I can order one directly from them. The representative that I spoke with saw that they were not available online or for purchase over the phone from Nokia USA and suggested that I try the flagship stores (who don’t ship, by the way, so I’m not sure what good this would do). When I told her that I’ve contacted the stores and found that they do not carry them either, she quite helpfully did a Google search for me. Unfortunately she obviously came up with the same results that I did- two retailers that don’t have stock or ETAs. She then suggested that I try Letstalk.com, a fulfillment center that Nokia apparently uses to fill orders when they cannot do so (for some reason, which escaped the conversation). While I wasn’t able to get a Nokia product directly from Nokia by calling them- I will say that it was a pleasant conversation, one that started by the rep asking for my name and my phone number, in case we should be disconnected. Something that every customer service call center in the universe should do, but doesn’t. I was grateful to the Nokia representative to assist me in my attempt to locate the product, but I still have to ask: Why is it such a difficult process to track down this item? I seriously don’t get it. I’m not asking anything special here. This is a product that they manufacture and market on their website.

So what is the story- where are the accessories in North America, Nokia? I’m hearing more and more all the time how Nokia wants to be number 1 in North America. They said that in 2005 when they had 20% market share, down from 28% the year before, and now that they have somewhere near 11% they’re still saying it. I understand that we’re supposed to be assaulted with somewhere in the order of 6-12 carrier branded device this year and I’m excited about that- damn excited, but where are the accessories? Why is it that I cannot walk into a Best Buy, Circuit City or Fry’s and buy anything in a Nokia box in North America? It was the same scenario when I went to buy a DT-22 tripod some time back- nowhere in stores, several retailers online that were sold out, and Darla wouldn’t sell me hers even after constant badgering. Finally I found one on eBay. Lame.

Wouldn’t it go a long way towards exposure in North America if everywhere you went that sold cell phone accessories had a Nokia accessory rack and display? Why can’t I walk into my local national electronics superstore chain and buy even a Nokia branded charger for my N95? Best Buy sells the N800 (and not the N810 yet…) but they can’t sell you a car charger? I don’t even know anyone in my state that carries something as simple and basic as a Nokia wall or car charger.

It’s very, very frustrating at times to be a Nokia fan in North America. I really hope there are plans to get accessories and mobiles in retail stores. I know there’s a lot of ground to cover in the states. We’ve got a lot of real estate with a million Best Buy and Circuit City stores scattered all over it- and I understand that’s a lot of stock- but we’re not talking about a start-up company trying to get a couple Bluetooth headsets in stores, we’re talking about a company with sales figures higher than the entire budget of the country it is based in.

I’m really looking forward to seeing something concrete from all this talk of ambition for North America we’ve been hearing about the last couple years and even more so recently…

Comments (5)

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written by Maciek, January 22, 2008

I've said it once and I'll say it again... Nokia treats us (and US) like the bastard child...
http://www.symbiosis60.com/200...nting.html

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written by Maciek, January 22, 2008

Jeremiah,

One more comment to your post... yesterday I went to Microcenter. I was shocked to see a rack filled with chargers, bluetooth headsets, N810 (YES 810), e65, N95-3, e61i. It was all SO NEW that the prices weren't even posted under the devices and only under the chargers etc. It was a NICE sight and it definitely stuck out.

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written by PseudoFinn, January 22, 2008

Hey, Maciek- Thanks for the comment. I'm going to the International autoshow tomorrow and will be driving right by a MicroCenter! That would be great to see a Nokia setup there... they generally have good prices for my area too.

Cheers!

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written by Maciek, January 23, 2008

Did I miss something??? I thought the auto show was not starting for another week or so...

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written by PseudoFinn, January 23, 2008

Nope- NAIAS started (I think) last Sunday- and continues to this Sunday in Detroit. It was a pretty decent show. The highlight for me being the VW Touareg... I have to get one.

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