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Those who managed to get an iPad2 from Apple store on launch day

londoner888

londoner888

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
154
1
Tottenham, London
...What time did you start queuing?

and

Where were you in the line?

With the UK launch fast approaching, I'm trying to determine the best time to start queuing.
I'm thinking 2pm for the the 5pm launch as I've never had any problems with getting an iphone 3G or 4 during the 9am launch when I started queuing at 6am.

Although, with 5pm it's a little tricky because I'm pretty sure loads of people will maybe start queuing at 12pm. Unlike a 9am launch where people are less likely to drag themselves out of bed at like 4am!
 
Got on line at 12:15, 4 hours and 45 minutes before launch. Was about 40th in line. Got a black 64GB Wi-Fi with no problems. Good luck!
 
No line for me. Walked into the Michigan Ave store a little after 5:30, walked out with about 8 iPads.
 
I got in line a little after 12noon for the 5pm launch. I ended up being 30th in line and had no problem getting the model I wanted.
 
4pm, one hour before launch, at Best Buy with an Apple department. Was probably 50th in line or so. Got a 64gb AT&T white (exactly what I wanted) and love it!!

Best advice: choose your store carefully and monitor these forums!!

Good luck!
 
Got in line at local Apple Store at 3:30 pm, probably about 200th in line, give or take. This store ran out of 4 of the 6 models for AT&T and 1 of 6 Verizon models by 4:15 pm (were going through the line handing out tickets based on inventory), still had all wifi models when they reached my spot in line. I walked out with two 64 GB 3G (AT&T) units so even though I had planned on getting 32 GB AT&T, was happy to be able to still get any AT&T 3G models.
 
I got there at 2pm (3 hours early) and was roughly #50 in line. By the time they started there were hundreds of people behind me. Well before I got into the store several versions were already sold out.
 
Somewhere around 3:15pm at my local Apple store. I didn't count, but I'm estimating anywhere from 60 to 80 people in front of me. By the time 5pm rolled around there was well over 150 people behind me in the line. Didn't get my iPad 2 in hand until 6pm. Before I even got into the store they started coming out to let the line know which models had been sold out (16GB and 64GB AT&T models if I remember correctly). Luckily I walked out with my first choice, Black 32GB Verizon.
 
I hit BestBuy around 2pm, saw about 15 people in line, decided to go across the street for a beer and a bite to eat. Returned around 3 and was now about 20th or so in line. An hour latter there were about 30 people behind me. Around 4:30 or so the word was that there were 50 iPad2’s available rather than the rumored 100 - 150, there also seemed to be about 10 - 15 more people in front of me than there had been before. I asked one of the BB staff about it an she said they had all been there earlier and that others were holding their place in line. I wasn't too woried since I wanted the white 64GB WiFi and figured it wouldnt be one of the more popular choices. The bloke just behind me wanted the same in black, another guy behind us wanted a 16GB WiFi in black but said he would settle for white if it came down to it. We stated getting tickets around 4:45 or so, a few minutes latter they anounced the black 64GB 3G's were gone. I was suprised to hear the top model was the first to go but I guess they only got few of those in. The 16GB black WiFi's went next, which was to be expected. The last of the black WiFi models went about 4 or 5 people ahead of us and the guy behind me who wanted the black 64GB WiFi left empty handed. I felt bad for him but was also getting a bit woried about my own chances. Fortunately when my turn came I got what I'd come for and the guy who wanted a black 16GB but was willing to settle for white decided to settle for white.
 
Wow! Looks like I'm gonna have to queue up a little earlier than planned, probs 1pm, really don't fancy standing for more than four hours though.

What were the more popular/first to sell out models? I'm after a white 16gb wifi for the wifey and a black 32gb wifi for myself.

Also, how long after 5pm did it take you guys to get your ipad and get out of the store? I was meant to start work at 5pm, but called in an hour later to 6pm... thinking maybe I should take the whole night off??
 
was in buffalo for launch went at 215 was about 250 in line and they had everyone still in stock
 
OP, if you think a random smattering of replies from around the US is going to remotely reflect your personal wait time, you're crazy. You think you'll get an iPad in London by queuing up at noon? Try noon the day before. Maybe even earlier. Here in NYC the lines STILL start the night before the store opens…8 days after launch.

A. There are retailers who had iPads in some very small cities and towns (compared to NYC or London)…people in those places could easily have lined up a couple of hours or even an hour before 5pm, gotten a good place in line, and obtained an iPad. In a smaller town, you could show up at 2pm and be 18th in line as mentioned. But in NYC if you showed up at 2pm you were probably no better than 500th in line.

B. Whatever happened here will happen 10 fold or more on the international launch day. Here in the US, we had no real idea how popular the iPad would be on launch day. If everyone knew in advance, the lines would have been far longer. Lots of people thought the iPad 2 would be a sleeper and planned on waiting to see the initial reviews before buying, or assumed they could just waltz in the next day and get one. Those people now want one and will be waiting a quite a while to get it.

The world has seen what happened on launch day here, and what has happened since…a considerable shortage. Be prepared for a much bigger turnout over there.
 
1130am salem nh. around 25th in line. but by the time 5pm rolled around thanks to the scalpers I was around 100th in line. cutting bastards. luckily I got the exact model I wanted tho.
 
Green Hills, Nashville TN, only Apple Store in the area.

1:30 PM arrived, about 100th in line.
 
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