I though that most of you would get a kick out of what happened to me yesterday.
Just to set this up, I bought a 64GB WiFi and was one of those that had it delivered by UPS on launch day. I just loved it and found myself using it was more than I had ever imagined. I had originally assumed that I didn't need the 3G model, that I would just use my iPhone in those situations where I was out of WiFi range. I started running into situations where I wished I had 3G so I didn't have to fall back to the dinky screen of my iPhone. I always felt like I was in "the land of the giants" using a shrunken iPad.
I decided that I would go to the Apple store on 3G launch day and get a 3G model. I decided to sell my 64GB WiFi model, so I put it on Craig's list for the full $699.00 list price on Thursday of last week. The next morning I get an email response on my ad. I end up giving this guy my cell number and we start texting back and forth and he agrees to meet me in line at the Apple Store in Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA. I get there first and get in line. All the while this guy is texting me every few minutes or so (yes, while he's driving, but that's a whole other story), updating me on his location.
He calls me on my cell just when an Apple employee is coming by to find out how many iPads we are each buying and what model. I ask him on the phone and he says "oh I don't know, two I guess" Then I ask him which model and he says "Well.. I don't care" I Said "16GB, 32GB, 64GB?" He says " I guess one 16 and one 64". He finally shows up and meets me in line. He turns out to be a very well dressed guy about 45ish who just looked like he had money. I show him the iPad and he takes a quick look at it and say "what do I owe you?". I said $699.00 and he opens his wallet which contains quite a big wad of $100 bills, yes, they were real
. He peels off $700.00 and gives it to me. Never a mention of me budging on the price.
In the course of conversation it becomes quite apparent that he doesn't know much about the iPad. He even asks me if it has a camera! He also thinks he's going to have to put the SIM out of his phone into it. He has no idea about the data plan or quite a few other things. He then tells me that he's going to buy 2 more and asked me if I would buy another one for him and he will give me the cash. He also asked the guy behind us if he would do the same. We both say fine, since we are both trying to rack up points on out cards. He is going to end up with 5 iPads.
We all go into the store together and he ends up buying 2 for himself and then one more from me and another one from the other guy. His total comes to $692.00 with each of us. He peels of $700.00 for each of us and doesn't want any change. In the course of conversation it turns out that he's a pretty high powered doctor that is in high demand around the Southland here. He goes to China every month and wants to give these as gifts to businessmen that he deals with there. He was quite a nice and personable guy.
It all turned out to be one of the most pleasant experiences I've ever had selling something. The Apple store experience was great as always. I bid farewell to my new friend and tell him what a pleasure it was to business with him, and I meant it, and he promises to bring back some free accessories with him from China and he will call me. He then texts me when I get home to "keep in touch and he'll call when he gets back.
You don't have an experience like that everyday trying to sell something on Craig's list. I just thought I would share that with everybody.
Mark
Just to set this up, I bought a 64GB WiFi and was one of those that had it delivered by UPS on launch day. I just loved it and found myself using it was more than I had ever imagined. I had originally assumed that I didn't need the 3G model, that I would just use my iPhone in those situations where I was out of WiFi range. I started running into situations where I wished I had 3G so I didn't have to fall back to the dinky screen of my iPhone. I always felt like I was in "the land of the giants" using a shrunken iPad.
I decided that I would go to the Apple store on 3G launch day and get a 3G model. I decided to sell my 64GB WiFi model, so I put it on Craig's list for the full $699.00 list price on Thursday of last week. The next morning I get an email response on my ad. I end up giving this guy my cell number and we start texting back and forth and he agrees to meet me in line at the Apple Store in Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA. I get there first and get in line. All the while this guy is texting me every few minutes or so (yes, while he's driving, but that's a whole other story), updating me on his location.
He calls me on my cell just when an Apple employee is coming by to find out how many iPads we are each buying and what model. I ask him on the phone and he says "oh I don't know, two I guess" Then I ask him which model and he says "Well.. I don't care" I Said "16GB, 32GB, 64GB?" He says " I guess one 16 and one 64". He finally shows up and meets me in line. He turns out to be a very well dressed guy about 45ish who just looked like he had money. I show him the iPad and he takes a quick look at it and say "what do I owe you?". I said $699.00 and he opens his wallet which contains quite a big wad of $100 bills, yes, they were real
. He peels off $700.00 and gives it to me. Never a mention of me budging on the price. In the course of conversation it becomes quite apparent that he doesn't know much about the iPad. He even asks me if it has a camera! He also thinks he's going to have to put the SIM out of his phone into it. He has no idea about the data plan or quite a few other things. He then tells me that he's going to buy 2 more and asked me if I would buy another one for him and he will give me the cash. He also asked the guy behind us if he would do the same. We both say fine, since we are both trying to rack up points on out cards. He is going to end up with 5 iPads.
We all go into the store together and he ends up buying 2 for himself and then one more from me and another one from the other guy. His total comes to $692.00 with each of us. He peels of $700.00 for each of us and doesn't want any change. In the course of conversation it turns out that he's a pretty high powered doctor that is in high demand around the Southland here. He goes to China every month and wants to give these as gifts to businessmen that he deals with there. He was quite a nice and personable guy.
It all turned out to be one of the most pleasant experiences I've ever had selling something. The Apple store experience was great as always. I bid farewell to my new friend and tell him what a pleasure it was to business with him, and I meant it, and he promises to bring back some free accessories with him from China and he will call me. He then texts me when I get home to "keep in touch and he'll call when he gets back.
You don't have an experience like that everyday trying to sell something on Craig's list. I just thought I would share that with everybody.
Mark
