14 DAY TRIAL // Several electronics retailers have reported that AT&T products and services will no longer be available in their offer starting next month.
Wirefly and LetsTalk have already issued statements in which they explain to their customers that they will not be offering AT&T products and services any longer, as well as the reasons given by the carrier for this change.
It seems that AT&T is attempting to recapitalize some of the cash generated from handsets sales and other related services, by removing independent third-party retailers from the sales chain.
Commenting on the subject, Wirefly CEO, Andy Zeinfeld said, “It is with regret that I must inform you that effective March, 2011, we will no longer offer AT&T products and services on Wirefly.com.”
One day after Wirelfly's statement, another third-party seller has been put on notice after AT&T LetsTalk issued an internal memo to its affiliates, “Effective March 8th, 2011, LetsTalk as well as other web indirect agents, will no longer be able to offer AT&T Wireless as a carrier option to our customers. The primary reasons given for this change in AT&T’s business strategy were centered around AT&T cost savings and retrenchment.”
We can expect more independent retailers to be restricted from offering AT&T's products starting next month, as the carrier continues to change its business strategy.
However, it is unclear how many online stores are on AT&T's “blacklist” and how these changes will affect their businesses.
Other merchants, such as Amazon Wireless, BestBuy and RadioShack may also be affected by these changes, but none of them has issued any official statements yet.
Even though the carrier did not wish to comment on the matter for the moment, further details regarding the reasons behind its sudden business strategy change are to be expected from AT&T.