I wouldn't be surprised if there were a handful of "floor models" already on the way to Apple stores so they could do training and so forth before they go on sale.
OTOH, I remember on other recent product launches the new toys showed up with older software and rather than run updates they simply put them out on display and ran the updates over the next night.
In any event, there would be fewer on hand than those they actually intend to put on display. Another option is there are none on hand even for training and they all come in very early on launch day and some poor guy gets to unpack a few for displays and set them up on display mere hours before the store opens. With Fedex and UPS logistics, there really is no reason for any company to consider "staging" inventory for a product launch. Let's say there are 500,000 iPads available for pickup on launch day. Apple hasn't collected any money for them yet, so whatever they are worth is like leaving money sitting in a non-interest-bearing escrow account while they sit around waiting to be sold. These 500,000 iPads represent $250 million in inventory. Having them sit costs $27300 a day even if Apple can only manage to make 4 percent on their money. I bet Apple is more accustomed to making 20 percent on their money so it costs the company $139000/day just for iPads to "sit". And what does Apple gain? Nothing. But they endure added risk for every day they "sit" anywhere but in Apple's warehouse. This is how modern "logistics" companies like FedEX and UPS make money. They save companies millions of dollars by making sure costly inventory gets where it is needed when it is needed rather than before it is needed. Remember that footage of thieves breaking into an Apple store the night before an iPhone launch? Inventory management and time value of money is first year business school stuff so if there are tens of thousands of iPads "sitting" around Apple stores on Tuesday night waiting to be sold on Saturday, look for some mid-level manager to be fired soon thereafter.
