I guess you missed the thread where the guy was told by a Best Buy employee that they consider the iPad to be in the same category as a laptop and, yes, it's 14 days, but there is also a 15% restocking fee if it has been opened.
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Zero sold at Best Buy in San Diego at 11:30AM
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I guess you missed the thread where the guy was told by a Best Buy employee that they consider the iPad to be in the same category as a laptop and, yes, it's 14 days, but there is also a 15% restocking fee if it has been opened.
Mark
I'm shocked.
We went to dinner down in Ann Arbor MI and afterwards popped into BB. They had 4 on display to play with and I asked if they had any left.
They sent us over to the Geek Squad area and they must have had about 25-30 left. Talked to the guy and he said they got 150 in and were busy for a solid 2 hours and that was it.
Now before anyone says anything about the 150 number, Ann Arbor is the home to the University of Michigan so I'd guess they got way more in than other locales. The guy said they heard the Apple store was jam packed but they were doing a brisk business but at 7:45pm tonight when I bought my 16gb they had a stack on the floor, not sure what the break down was.
I still have my 3G on order, either it'll go back or most likely I'll discount it for a customer since I have a few already in mind that could use this.
We went to dinner down in Ann Arbor MI and afterwards popped into BB. They had 4 on display to play with and I asked if they had any left.
They sent us over to the Geek Squad area and they must have had about 25-30 left. Talked to the guy and he said they got 150 in and were busy for a solid 2 hours and that was it.
Now before anyone says anything about the 150 number, Ann Arbor is the home to the University of Michigan so I'd guess they got way more in than other locales. The guy said they heard the Apple store was jam packed but they were doing a brisk business but at 7:45pm tonight when I bought my 16gb they had a stack on the floor, not sure what the break down was.
I still have my 3G on order, either it'll go back or most likely I'll discount it for a customer since I have a few already in mind that could use this.
This story is BS. Mira Mesa San Diego was down to half or so by noon. I called because I wanted a backup just in case mine didn't show. Several of my friends arrived early at the Mission Valley store to buy, which I assume the OP was referring to, so at least a handful were sold before 11:30 AM.
I heard from another friend that the Encinitas store had many people there early this morning.
However, most of my friends were going to BB, because the SD Apple stores are zoos, and not many know that BB had units.
I heard from another friend that the Encinitas store had many people there early this morning.
However, most of my friends were going to BB, because the SD Apple stores are zoos, and not many know that BB had units.
I visited the Best Buy in Framingham Ma today. They had iPads in stock but the salesguy confused me. He said that they can "make" the current version of the iPad into a 3G model. What the heck did that mean?
He would try and sell you a Sprint or similar 4G/3G product with a 2 yr term and 60 dollars a month.
Glad that I was not the only one that wasn't excited after touching one. In particular after reading all the great reviews in the press this week. Was hesitant in just going to look at it this evening - thought it was going to be like my going in on Day 2 of the iPhone rollout. (I really wanted to just look at it - decided at that time to stay with Sprint before going in. Ended up buying the iPhone! LOL)
Unlike your experience, the demo area was crowded - but no one seemed to be buying that late in the day.
The positive from what I saw was the NYT website. Was disappointed that the demo unit I looked at did not have TIME or SI installed. I know that I am currently disappointed in the magazine subscription model (paying street price for each issue). I am also holding out to how any future subscription model works out. And how overseas publications will be handled one the iPad goes international. There are a number of UK photo mags that I would like to read and/or subscribe to... but way to expensive to do for me really.
Hope that if magazines worldwide come to their senses about subscriptions - that we as readers would be able to buy them from any countries iTunes store - at a fair price.
My thoughts are that if Apple had rolled out just one model - the wifi/3G at price points $100 less than the current wifi models - then we would have heard of battles in the stores - and not a single one left in stock. And I would have bought one today.
From some accounts Apple has some nice margins in the iPad. And they have to look at the money from the books, magazines, and apps they would be selling. The economy is not like it was three years ago with the 1st iphone. And those of us fueled the move for others with the newer models - despite the economy.
But the iPhone gave us something more that some useful apps, and a decent web browsing experience - it gave us a cellphone that is the life line for most folks it seems. It made all of the package worth the price of admission to the hardware.
Not trying to hijack the thread - but giving the few experiences so from some of us - it the end it seems consumers are holding off. Maybe there wasn't the WOW factor. Maybe tight money. Maybe not a true single reason to buy it since Amazon and Borders has readers for e-books at lower price points.
Depending on how things go for the iPad for this year and next year - some may say Apple may have missed the boat with the iPad because of their secrecy on new products. It may be written that Apple feel short in not working with publishers a year before launch - getting most every publisher on board. In particular the textbook publishers. Not having the magazines ready to deploy reasonable subscriptions.
For many of us first iPhone buyers, the iPhone did what it promised from the start and grew in to so much more. But after the iPhone, the iPad is not quite there yet in terms of content, and content pricing for me.
E-books have not appealed to me so far. The ones I want to keep, I buy - tech stuff on photography. Other stuff like the Teddy Kennedy book featured by Steve Jobs in his keynote, I can get at the library - when I want to read it.
Just some thoughts here...
I guessed something like that. I just brushed him off and told him I was waiting for the 3G.
Thanks!
Surprised by that.... when did BB change the return rules on hi-tech items? They for the longest time had a restock fee on such things....
This from the BB website:
CompuServe by chance
? OMG, 30cps (or 120cps if you wanted to pay more) using a Ventel half card modem. Yeah, I had it in 1984/85. Sure glad those days are gone!I gotta admit I was shocked when I walked into the Whitehall, PA Best Buy after 8pm and they had all three models in stock. I just couldn't say no once I heard that!
Walked into BB in Fort Wayne IN at about 2pm. All models were in stock. Bought a 32GB and an iPad case for the girlfriend. Cashier forgot to scan the case. Walked out the store with a 32GB and a case for $640. I guess now I have a reason to buy more stuff from BB.
Walked out the store with a 32GB and a case for $640. I guess now I have a reason to buy more stuff from BB.
I gotta admit I was shocked when I walked into the Whitehall, PA Best Buy after 8pm and they had all three models in stock. I just couldn't say no once I heard that!
One would think by now given the hype that the East Coast stores would be out of them... and soon in a few hours the West Coast... either reports on what Apple had what quantities were miss leading... or folks just don't see it yet.
I know after seeing the wifi model iPad, I am content in lugging around my MacBook Pro for a while- and using my iPhone. My thoughts are that by the end of the year the wifi models are gone and we see lower prices on the 3G models of the iPad. Unless there is a TRUE killer app that only runs on the iPad....
Fashion Valley was PACKED.
I'm in this pic! That was a fun line. Got there at 7:45 and was let in with the first wave. got a 32gb and apple brand case. Loving it!
I live in podunk Idaho Falls, ID... we have one small Best Buy. It does have a tiny "Apple Store" inside... but I still didn't expect them to have iPads.
I ran over there about 12:30 just to see what was going on... and I was surprised to find TONS of people surrounding the tiny Apple station... all messing with iPads. People were generally excited and I saw several get "tickets" to buy iPads. Apparently at this store they were handing out tickets all day and you had to come back later in the day to actually get your iPad.
I played with one for a bit... and both my wife and I were really impressed. I've been planning on getting a 3G, so I was just there to get a taste... but the taste I got was awesome. It is crazy fast (especially compared to my 3G iPhone). Also the text is really easy to read... which is what I want it for (mostly web browsing... but also book reading).
I was really surprised at the amount of interest in the middle of farm town USA. It is strange how every location in the US seems to be having different experiences. I wonder if part of that is because there hasn't been much advertisement from Apple yet. This feels almost like a pre-release of the Wifi version and then Apple is going to ramp up advertising as we get closer to the release of the 3G.... THEN we'll really see how much interest there is.
I ran over there about 12:30 just to see what was going on... and I was surprised to find TONS of people surrounding the tiny Apple station... all messing with iPads. People were generally excited and I saw several get "tickets" to buy iPads. Apparently at this store they were handing out tickets all day and you had to come back later in the day to actually get your iPad.
I played with one for a bit... and both my wife and I were really impressed. I've been planning on getting a 3G, so I was just there to get a taste... but the taste I got was awesome. It is crazy fast (especially compared to my 3G iPhone). Also the text is really easy to read... which is what I want it for (mostly web browsing... but also book reading).
I was really surprised at the amount of interest in the middle of farm town USA. It is strange how every location in the US seems to be having different experiences. I wonder if part of that is because there hasn't been much advertisement from Apple yet. This feels almost like a pre-release of the Wifi version and then Apple is going to ramp up advertising as we get closer to the release of the 3G.... THEN we'll really see how much interest there is.
It probably didn't hurt that there is an Apple Store literally across the street from the Best Buy that I got it at... but yes I surely thought that given all the hype there would be NO chance of getting one after early afternoon. Maybe some people just haven't "bit" yet! I know that I was definitely against getting one until about 2 days ago.
Indviduals who spend $2500 at best buy get "premier silver" status for their rewardzone membership for a year. One of the perks is, you guessed it, no restocking fees. They also get a 45 day return period instead of the standard one.
You guys are missing out if you don't get the iPad. I am a sprint/ android guy. You can usually find me on the android forums, same user name. I am typing this from my iPad and loving it. The iPad is the perfect device for people not so tech savvy. I believe this is the start of a different error for personal computing. This will replace many lay persons pc's. I love the ability of android and windows, but for ease of use apple and the iPad can not be beat.
Imagine if Porsche sold a 911 for just $2,000. They would sell so many of them. I would probably have five or six of them!
The $499 pricepoint for the base model is an unbelievable value. There is no way they could have made just one model that was $100 less. Impossible. They could have done it, but only if they wanted to give those billions in the bank back.
Wait and see what competitors come out with, comparable units, and see how much they are or how gimped the sub $500 products are...
You have to realize that a huge percentage of the most eager buyers already ordered their items on line. There is no real value at this point in Apple being out of stock on day one if they can help it. They already pre-sold hundreds of thousands of devices and added significantly to that today.
Yet you somehow think if they made only one model for $399 they somehow would have been better off.
So instead of the billion plus dollars they made today from pre-orders and sales, you think losing 750 million dollars would have been a better plan? That is essentially what you were proposing with your statement.
Maybe you did not hear the rumor a few months back that Apple was willing to potentially drop the price had it not been well received. Trust me, Apple is making plenty of money off of these babies, and why shouldn't they? However, your statement of them making BILLIONS of dollars from the iPad is completely false. Had they sold 2m units at the base of $500 they would have made app. 1b gross.
I got mine at an Apple store, UTC La Jolla (San Diego) and at least 150 people easy, lining up, it was great!
Mine didn't show until 3 p and I wish I had just gone to UTC instead. Next time (iPhone 4g) I'll be in line at UTC.
I heard BB was really boring without the apple vibe.