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iPad stock

Need help deciding whether to Order iPad Wifi online (Ships 5-7Business Days) or to wait for stocks to be ready at Apple Store. Was told it will only come at the end of April. Any Advice?

For those who ordered online recently, care to share how long you waited for yours to arrive? :confused:
 
Well, I waited at the Florida Mall today for about an hour. Was told they would probably have some around noon. Right at noon, they came out and started selling them to people. I went up and asked them about it and they said they only had 64GB units. Everybody there I saw was from out of the country and they were waving cash. Most bought at least 2 units. I'm pretty convinced they actually had more than the 64GB units, but that they were artificially driving the demand to those units by holding the others back.

Anyway, since I only want a 16GB, I went online in the store and reserved a unit. We will see when i get a confirmation.
 
SqB said:
I'm pretty convinced they actually had more than the 64GB units, but that they were artificially driving the demand to those units by holding the others back.
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Do you actually believe an Apple store would intentionally not sell items they had in stock in order to sell other similar items? They're going to sell millions of these things, they don't need to bait-and-switch people out of a hundred dollars.
 
gwynne said:
Do you actually believe an Apple store would intentionally not sell items they had in stock in order to sell other similar items? They're going to sell millions of these things, they don't need to bait-and-switch people out of a hundred dollars.
Click to expand...

Honestly I do. If you think the Apple retail managers are altruistic just because they wear t-shirts and jeans, you haven't had enough dealings with them. For the most part they are very experienced retail managers who come to Apple with a proven sales record. I think they would absolutely do this in a store that caters to rich tourists who where standing in line with cash.

I don't begrudge their right to keep secret what stock they have on hand and to decide who to sell to and what to sell them. This is America and it's their right, but it was annoying. If I had more time, I would have waited a while longer to see if they magically had some other units appear.
 
diabolic said:
So much for the idea there would be plenty available and they'd be easy to find.

They've been selling out quickly around here.
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..just got back from Apple store in my area..East Bay, NorCal. Stoneridge Mall, Pleasanton...they have plentiful in stock, all models
 
SqB said:
Honestly I do. If you think the Apple retail managers are altruistic just because they wear t-shirts and jeans, you haven't had enough dealings with them.
Click to expand...

I don't think altruism has anything to do with it, I just don't see how losing sales like yours is a winning retail approach. It sounds like you're somewhat resentful of the 'rich foreign tourists', but it seems to me those people were likely to buy the most expensive ones anyway.

There were stories of Apple stores being out of stock all week all over the country and the smallest ones always sold out first. Isn't it possible the simplest explanation is actually true here?
 
gwynne said:
I don't think altruism has anything to do with it, I just don't see how losing sales like yours is a winning retail approach. It sounds like you're somewhat resentful of the 'rich foreign tourists', but it seems to me those people were likely to buy the most expensive ones anyway.

There were stories of Apple stores being out of stock all week all over the country and the smallest ones always sold out first. Isn't it possible the simplest explanation is actually true here?
Click to expand...

Yes, very possible. And no resentment for the tourists, they pay most of our salaries here, directly or indirectly. But I'm still uncomfortable with how shady the whole process felt. They acted like they had no idea what they had in stock until they got to the arbitrary time. The employees were telling me they were pretty sure they had some then I went up to one of the managers and asked him and he flatly told me they had none, contradicting what everyone else had already said. When they finally did start selling them, most of the employees were going back and forth seemingly trying to get some information for several minutes while another group of individuals that were near the manager were already getting their units and checking out. I'm just happy that the employees were very nice and apologized several times for me having to wait. I probably should have just purchased the 64GB, but I really only want the 16GB as I don't keep much music or video on iTunes.

Shopping in the Apple store is always a unique experience and like others have mentioned, it is occasionally an uncomfortable experience.
 
Sleazy E said:
I have been looking all week for an ipad for my mother and there are none to be found in the Orange County CA area :(
Click to expand...

No way to go in store and reserve? It's real simple but you have to reserve in store and not online.
 
SqB said:
Well, I waited at the Florida Mall today for about an hour. Was told they would probably have some around noon. Right at noon, they came out and started selling them to people. I went up and asked them about it and they said they only had 64GB units. Everybody there I saw was from out of the country and they were waving cash. Most bought at least 2 units. I'm pretty convinced they actually had more than the 64GB units, but that they were artificially driving the demand to those units by holding the others back.

Anyway, since I only want a 16GB, I went online in the store and reserved a unit. We will see when i get a confirmation.
Click to expand...

I stopped on my way home from work (yesterday about 3pm at the Millenia store) and went straight to the counter and said that I wanted to buy an iPad. The clerk said (in a voice that sounded like I might be disappointed) that the only ones they had left were the 32GB units. That was the exact one I was looking for so I left a few minutes later with the iPad. In and out in less than 15 minutes.
 
SqB said:
Yes, very possible. And no resentment for the tourists, they pay most of our salaries here, directly or indirectly. But I'm still uncomfortable with how shady the whole process felt. They acted like they had no idea what they had in stock until they got to the arbitrary time. The employees were telling me they were pretty sure they had some then I went up to one of the managers and asked him and he flatly told me they had none, contradicting what everyone else had already said. When they finally did start selling them, most of the employees were going back and forth seemingly trying to get some information for several minutes while another group of individuals that were near the manager were already getting their units and checking out. I'm just happy that the employees were very nice and apologized several times for me having to wait. I probably should have just purchased the 64GB, but I really only want the 16GB as I don't keep much music or video on iTunes.

Shopping in the Apple store is always a unique experience and like others have mentioned, it is occasionally an uncomfortable experience.
Click to expand...

When I had called the night before, Millenia said that they didn't have any in stock at all, but that they were expecting a shipment on Thursday between 12 and 2. It is highly possible that while you were there that they were waiting for the shipment and processing it once it came in. many retail stores don't know what they are getting until they open the boxes. Once they do that they have to check in the merchandise. It's not just open the boxes and throw it on the shelves as many people think. Based on what the Millenia salesperson was telling me the 16GB and 64GB units are the first to sell out.
 
GregGebhardt said:
I was at the Jacksonville Apple Store a couple of days ago picking up my new MBPro i7 and they were selling the iPad like hot cakes. I asked the salesperson if they still had plenty and he said a VERY large shipment arrived the day before and they had more than enough to supply the demand.
Click to expand...

Really? I went to that store yesterday and they were sold out. In fact, all of the BB in town are sold out.

I just sucked it up and ordered online. I refuse to call stores everyday. If I have to wait a week or two, so be it.
 
Completely sold out in the Atlanta area (OTP also). No clue when they will get more according to them.

Needed to get some additional units.
 
A co-worker of mine decided to get one, and I offered to go with him on lunch to pick one up. We called the closest Best Buy and Apple stores, and they are both completely out. This is the Durham/Southpoint area, NC.

Edit: Crabtree is out too, says try again tomorrow.
 
Sorry if I've missed this elsewhere--

Apparently you can put in a reservation to pick up current units in-store when they become available, or at least you can at the Durham Southpoint store. The rep indicated that you had to do it from one of the in-store computers. So my coworker filled out the reservation for a 16GB wifi (from one of the concierge computers), and received an email saying that he'll be notified when it's available, and will have a short window to pick it up in-store.

I poked around on the website (from outside the store) and I can't immediately find a way to do this, so I guess the rep was right. (Or I can't find it.)

Again, sorry if this has been mentioned, but I honestly didn't realize this option was available for people trying to track one down in stores. I thought all the in-store reservations had been shut down.
 
Me at Otay Ranch store today: Any 16 gig iPads?

Apple guy 1: No. Sorry. We haven't seen that model for over a week.

Me: :(

Apple guy 2: Did he want a 16 gig? They just came in like five minutes ago.

Me: :)
 
I'm thinking of getting the iPad to replace my windows laptop and then buy a 27imac for my desktop. Are you guys really happy with the ipad? I mainly just browse the internet, email, photos and stuff on my laptop now.
 
Southdale, Mall of America and the Rosedale Apple Stores are all out! :("Hopefully tomorrow..." BB in the Twin Cities (MN) are also out...

I wish, like they did with iPhone, they had a site you could check for stock at the Apple Stores...

I've already downloaded a bunch of apps! Now just waiting... "Hopefully Tomorrow..."

Coachingguy
 
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