Apple Store Inventory?

[Scott Baret]

I've been searching to see who has good deals on Macs in my area (I need a new computer tomorrow and need it immediately, so I have to shop brick and mortar stores only). Every single Apple store within a one-day driving range seems to be out of stock of everything, and I've noticed the same to be true for other areas (I tried multiple cities, some not close to me, just to see).

Best Buy has Macs in stock (I'm likely going there) but, according to the Apple Store app/website, the only Mac in stock at an Apple Store anywhere remotely close to me is a 16" Pro in Bethesda, MD. Nothing in any city in Ohio, nothing in Pittsburgh or Philly, nothing in Detroit, nothing in upstate NY...just for fun I also checked Minnesota and they were out as well.

I realize there are some supply chain shortages, but are the Apple stores really out of every single Mac right now, save for that one store that apparently has 16" MBPs? (I've visited an Apple Store exactly once since the shutdown and it was to buy a cable for CarPlay in a new vehicle).

 

[Boyd01]

Have you checked B&H Photo? In the past they have always had huge inventories of Macs, with models in stock that would be "built to order" at Apple. My granddaughter needed a new Mac in a hurry a couple months ago and I ordered one for her there. They could have picked it up in person right away (they live in NYC) but since they were "locked down" at the time, they had to wait for shipping.

 

[0128672]

Best Buy is a good place to buy Apple gear though, so don't let that dissuade you; and it has some MBPs on sale right now. Another option for overnight shipping is the Apple refurb store for like-new Macs that include the one-year warranty and option to buy Applecare+. They have the 2020 MacBook Airs and Pros in stock as well as earlier versions. Not everything is in stock every day but it's worth a check.

Here in New England I see there are many Macs in stock in the Apple stores, especially the higher end configs. It seems generally the base configs are depleted first, especially at the start of the school year.

 

[Cookie18]

Apple is selling out of every entry level device because of Covid and back to school.