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The One Thing that Didn't Improve in iPad2

G

gigaguy

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Apr 19, 2010
1,383
133
USA
Availability and customer service at launch.
Seeing frustrated iPad2 buyers is a complete repeat of what we saw a year ago, with Apple's secret policies and non-communication about retail stock, store inventories etc.
Is there no way Apple can make it easier?

Reports of people in 1000 people long lines and the store knowing how many would get one and not telling those in line for hours?
wrong.

I love the story of the inept BestBuy employee that just waved the reserve tickets in the air by the line, and said who wants a 16gb Wifi and started giving them to the closest wavers.
People at the front of the line were not happy.
surely these important launches for Apple could be improved.
I guess until someone gets hurt, passes out, or there is violence, or legal issues will they focus a little more.
my opin.
 
First world problem

Just a guess... you didn't get one?! :confused: Your location claims Austin, TX there was probably a bunch of people trying I'm sure with SXSW. Should have tried a Wally World Not so BIG line in TX for iPad 2:D
Granted it is a bit unfair to make people wait in line that long and not be able to leave with one, however it is launch day: first come first served. You're not entitled to one unless you put in the time to be upfront.
 
sorepheet said:
Just a guess... you didn't get one?! :confused: Your location claims Austin, TX there was probably a bunch of people trying I'm sure with SXSW. Should have tried a Wally World Not so BIG line in TX for iPad 2:D
Granted it is a bit unfair to make people wait in line that long and not be able to leave with one, however it is launch day: first come first served. You're not entitled to one unless you put in the time to be upfront.
Click to expand...

He just said it wasn't even first come first serve...it was whoever was closest to the guy handing out the tickets!
 
Not what I was saying, I understand suppy and demand. But when store staff knows they donlt have enough for all the people in long lines they should be told. as soon as possible. THey were not always told.
AND Well actually I did get one. I wasn't really wanting one yet but got caught up I guess. I have iPad1 with Unlimited Plan.
I got in on the Sunday sale at B&H photo, it shipped today.

I was just hoping Apple would try to make it go smoother. People in lines in freezing weather longer than they had to be etc,. come on.
I wasn't just thinking of myself, really.
 
What could they have done? The employees kept people in line updated with what was out of stock. They even told us how many were left total. What's a better system?
 
I give up. many were reporting this didn't happen, not sure where.
sorry for those who got bad service and communication is all. maybe it went smoother than people reported.
Mine will be here Thursday, on the truck.
 
gigaguy said:
Availability and customer service at launch.
Seeing frustrated iPad2 buyers is a complete repeat of what we saw a year ago, with Apple's secret policies and non-communication about retail stock, store inventories etc.
Is there no way Apple can make it easier?

Reports of people in 1000 people long lines and the store knowing how many would get one and not telling those in line for hours?
wrong.
Click to expand...

I had quite the opposite experience. I was at the UWS Apple Store in NYC. The staff was at the end of the line (which wrapped around 3+ blocks) asking how many ipads you were buying. As you got closer to the front they issued vouchers to select which one you wanted and thats what you go when you went inside.

I showed up at 445 walked out at 705. When I left the line was still wrapped around the block and the apple employees were telling people what was sold out and that they can wait if they still want what was left in stock.
 
gigaguy said:
Availability and customer service at launch.
Seeing frustrated iPad2 buyers is a complete repeat of what we saw a year ago, with Apple's secret policies and non-communication about retail stock, store inventories etc.
Is there no way Apple can make it easier?
Click to expand...
Apple doesn't want to.

They're addicted to headlines, attention, power & control.

This was carefully orchestrated to play out this way for Apples pleasure.
 
If they had waited just 4 more weeks to pretty much bang on the official year since the last launch, as most people had expected, then there would have been plenty more stock in stores and on-line for people.

Question is, did they want this?

Is it better to say, yeah, loads in stores, got one no problems, everyone got one.

or OMG, there were queue's everywhere, only the lucky ones got them, sold out everywhere.
 
gigaguy said:
Not what I was saying, I understand suppy and demand. But when store staff knows they donlt have enough for all the people in long lines they should be told. as soon as possible.
Click to expand...

The problem with that is 18 models. Let's say the store got 100. That doesn't mean the person that is 150 is line isn't going to get one becaue people 100-149 in line may not want the version that is the one left. So without polling the whole line (and then what if somebody leaves early) there is no easy way to know who will and will not get one since it depends so much on which models are available and how picky the people in the back of the line are.
 
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Yeah because it made zero sense in terms of marketing and impulse buys to have 1000 people waiting outside the apple store!
 
Piggie said:
If they had waited just 4 more weeks to pretty much bang on the official year since the last launch, as most people had expected, then there would have been plenty more stock in stores and on-line for people.
Click to expand...

Let's say instead of 1,000,000 they produced 3,000,000 before doing the launch. Now Apple has to have three times the overhead on warehouse space just to store that many units and that probably just isn't practical. Plus they would be paying extra storage money for those 1,000,000 that will sit in the warehouse for another month.

Once you get so many units in stock you need to start getting them to stores.
 
When I waited in line at the Apple store, the employees always kept us updated on how many they had in stock. They would count the number of people in line and then warn the people at the end that they may not get one.
 
Good points.
If it's all about Apple greed, then someone in Cupertino is crying, cause they coulda sold 2x or 3x as many if those workers in China could work faster! Imagine the stress they are under, jeez.
 
Chris Blount said:
When I waited in line at the Apple store, the employees always kept us updated on how many they had in stock. They would count the number of people in line and then warn the people at the end that they may not get one.
Click to expand...

With 18 models very few people in line are guaranteed the one they want. Let's say a store gets 10 of each model. The number 11 person in line may not get the model they want and if that is the ONLY model they are interested in they are SOL oven though the store got 180 iPads.
 
You know what, if its freezing out and you're waiting in line for a gadget...you get to be cold.

Your choices were:
1. Order online.
2. Get there earlier.
3. Deal with it.

My BB handled everything very well and I couldn't be happier with all the fools who just HAD to go to the Apple store. They pretty much guaranteed that at 2.30p, when I arrived, I was only 8th in line. Suckas!
 
gigaguy said:
Availability and customer service at launch.
Seeing frustrated iPad2 buyers is a complete repeat of what we saw a year ago, with Apple's secret policies and non-communication about retail stock, store inventories etc.
Is there no way Apple can make it easier?

Reports of people in 1000 people long lines and the store knowing how many would get one and not telling those in line for hours?
wrong.

I love the story of the inept BestBuy employee that just waved the reserve tickets in the air by the line, and said who wants a 16gb Wifi and started giving them to the closest wavers.
People at the front of the line were not happy.
surely these important launches for Apple could be improved.
I guess until someone gets hurt, passes out, or there is violence, or legal issues will they focus a little more.
my opin.
Click to expand...

You can't blame Apple for Best Buy employee behavior. If you went to an Apple store, the process was very orderly and fair, although there were a lot of people. There are lots of stories of horrible behavior at Best Buy, including the one where I got mine. In the future I won't ever bother with the resellers since it is abundantly clear that Apple sets up these launches to bring the most success to Apple, and all the resellers are riding their coattails. Most Apple stores had > 1000 units at launch. Most Best Buys, targets, and walmarts had < 10.
 
I agree, you can't blame Apple for the way BEST BUY does things.

For what it's worth, I didn't get the model I was initially after (64... took 32 instead)... however, it was very orderly and pleasant at the Apple Store I stood on line in front of. People were lined up from the night before. Apple gave us free bottled water and chips throughout the afternoon. They started handing out tickets about 4:30pm, and started at the front of the line. It was a friendly and pleasant atmosphere.

Photo from around 2pm Friday...

03_11_iPad2.jpg
 
I guess the problems were at the resellers. altho both BBs I asked got 150-160 pads. not a lot but more than the 2 or 3 at Wally or Target.
If tomorrows 'relaunch' is true I know where a lot of spring breakers will be.
 
Actually, I'm surprised it went as well as it did. I can't even imaging how difficult it must be to launch such a hugely popular product that is in such high demand, especially with launching it at Apple Stores, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Verizon, AT&T, and subsequently online as well. It actually blows my mind how they can create so many of these products for all of these retailers.

I also bought mine in Austin, TX. There are two Apple stores there, plus the Pop-up SXSW store, but I didn't go to those because of how many people I presumed would be at those locations. Instead I opted for a Best Buy, also because of the fact that I had a $50 Reward Zone certificate. I arrive at around 4:40 and was worried at first because I saw around 50-60 people already lined up outside of the store. I decided to line up anyway, but I was thinking they wouldn't have enough. There were various reps walking up and down the line, and one said that that particular Best Buy had the most stock out of the other Best Buys in the city, so that relieved me a little. Then the lady passing out the iPad tickets began getting nearer to me, and I heard her talking to someone ahead of me who wanted the 32GB WiFi White, and she said they didn't have anymore of those, but luckily I wanted black, and I was able to get a ticket for one. It surprised me that the white models were going more quickly than the black, but I suppose they had less of those too.

It also surprised me by how many differently speced iPads there are:
iPad 16GB WiFi Black
iPad 16GB WiFi White
iPad 16GB AT&T Black
iPad 16GB AT&T White
iPad 16GB Verizon Black
iPad 16GB Verizon White

iPad 32GB WiFi Black
iPad 32GB WiFi White
iPad 32GB AT&T Black
iPad 32GB AT&T White
iPad 32GB Verizon Black
iPad 32GB Verizon White

iPad 64GB WiFi Black
iPad 64GB WiFi White
iPad 64GB AT&T Black
iPad 64GB AT&T White
iPad 64GB Verizon Black
iPad 64GB Verizon White

So yeah, 10 iPad buyers went inside to the back of the store at a time, and it took a while for me to go inside. I finally did, and was in another line not inside. I grabbed a gray polyurethane smart cover and the last Camera Connection kit as well and was out of the store by around 6:20.
 
Chris Blount said:
When I waited in line at the Apple store, the employees always kept us updated on how many they had in stock. They would count the number of people in line and then warn the people at the end that they may not get one.
Click to expand...

Wish my Apple Store had done that. No water, no chips, no info, no polling the line, no managing it at all. In the end they sent a couple hundred people home empty-handed and grumbling. No wait lists, no news on next shipments, nada but "sorry, you're outa luck". Bad customer service.

But they happily encouraged people to start lining up at 1pm because the line wasn't big enough to satisfy them.
 
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