iPad Mini Sells Out in Two Hours at Apple's Flagship Fifth Avenue Retail Store

[MacRumors]

While reports have indicated that launch-day lines for the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad have been shorter than seen for many previous Apple product launches, some Apple retail stores are still seeing long lines. Fortune notes that despite the impact of Hurricane Sandy in the northeastern United States, Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan saw over 800 people in line as the store opened at 10:00 AM, two hours later than originally planned.

According to the records Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster has been keeping since 2008 (see below), that's more customers than turned out for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4S.

And by 9:56 a.m. -- four minutes before the doors finally opened -- I counted 801 men, women and children. Only the iPhone 4 (1,300) and iPad 2 (1,190) drew bigger crowds.

Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White is also at the Fifth Avenue store and has been monitoring availability of the various models. According to White, all three models of the white Wi-Fi iPad mini sold out in a little over an hour, with the black models following suit after about two hours. No additional shipments are expected at the store today.

We are at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City and our checks now indicate that all of the White & Silver iPad mini models sold out at around 11:15 AM. We estimate that the 16GB and 64GB were sold out by 10:30 AM ET and the 32GB sold out at around 11:15 AM ET. [...]

As of 11:40 AM ET, both the 16GB and 32GB Black & Slate iPad mini models were sold out at the Fifth Avenue NYC store; while we estimate the 64GB iPad mini sold out at around 12:10 PM ET.

A similar pattern was seen in online pre-orders, with the white models selling out in just 17 minutes and the black models taking a few days to run out of availability.

Article Link: iPad Mini Sells Out in Two Hours at Apple's Flagship Fifth Avenue Retail Store

[nickftw8686]

very nice!

[NIKKG]

How many in line were Asians buying them all up for resell?

[maccompatible]

I get the feeling that Apple could come out with whatever they want and it would sell out in record time at that store.

[klover]

Won't sell well.
Overpriced.
Crappy screen.
No market niche.
Nexus 7 is better.
No Retina.
CPU is old.
RAM is weak.
Tim Cook's major failure.
Apple's greed is unrelenting.

[Celf]

http://www.lostinmobile.com/home/so-....html#comments

[iAK]

Originally Posted by klover

Won't sell well.
Overpriced.
Crappy screen.
No market niche.
Nexus 7 is better.
No Retina.
CPU is old.
RAM is weak.
Tim Cook's major failure.
Apple's greed is unrelenting.

It's disgusting....I'm an Apple guy and to even care about this now with all that is happening in the Tri-State is gluttony.

[Junkyman]

The statistic is - in my eyes - only helpful in evalutating the true demand for the iPad mini if you remove all the Asians buying the device for reselling purposes.

On a related note: It's "fascinating" that despite Sandy so many peolpe have found time for buying a iPad mini. I'm not sure whether that's speaks for or against these people...

[jayducharme]

I'd like to be able to walk into an Apple store and buy an iPhone 5.

I'm an Apple guy and to even care about this now with all that is happening in the Tri-State is gluttony.

True. I'm surprised that Apple actually opened for business given the amount of devastation. But I guess some New Yorkers are just getting on with their lives in spite of it.

[hamkor04]

Originally Posted by maccompatible

I get the feeling that Apple could come out with whatever they want and it would sell out in record time at that store.

It is hilarious, they sold out, it's not funny anymore.
Everybody now realising this "Sold Out" strategy

[AppleInMyBlood]

Originally Posted by Celf

http://www.lostinmobile.com/home/so-....html#comments

That link is completely misleading! The vast majority of legit reviews have been very good, actually.

Plus, BGR misrepresented Gruber's review. Gruber actually wrote, and I quote, "The actual iPad Mini display is not terrible." The italics are his. He quoted his wife, who was used to a Retina display, as saying she thought it was terrible, initially, and said he, initially, shared that view; but the target buyers for iPad mini, like the iPod mini before it, are not iPad owners and are not used to the Retina display on the 3rd gen.

[bbeagle]

Originally Posted by iAK

It's disgusting....I'm an Apple guy and to even care about this now with all that is happening in the Tri-State is gluttony.

OMG! Something is ALWAYS happening in the world. Get over yourself.

I have family living in New Jersey, even a cousin living in hard-hit Hoboken, NJ. They're fine. I can't go out there right now, I have to continue living my life. I'm not buying an iPad mini, but have no issue at all with people buying them.

[iAK]

Originally Posted by bbeagle

OMG! Something is ALWAYS happening in the world. Get over yourself.

I thank G-d I am not you.

[Yvan256]

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=211

[Chrjy]

Originally Posted by AppleInMyBlood

That link is completely misleading! The vast majority of legit reviews have been very good, actually.

Plus, BGR misrepresented Gruber's review. Gruber actually wrote, and I quote, "The actual iPad Mini display is not terrible." The italics are his. He quoted his wife, who was used to a Retina display, as saying she thought it was terrible, initially; but the target buyers for iPad mini, like the iPod mini before it, are not iPad owners and are not used to the Retina display on the 3rd gen.

I've been using my Mini all day and one of my main concerns was the screen, I have both an iPhone 4S and iPad 3 so have now become accustomed to the retina display but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, the Mini screen is nowhere near as bad as you might first think. It's obviously not retina but it definitely hasn't put me off...I'd suggest looking for yourself before slagging it off, you might be surprised.

[dmelgar]

Originally Posted by AppleInMyBlood

That link is completely misleading! The vast majority of legit reviews have been very good, actually.

Most reviews have been glowing, saying its clearly the best small tablet out there. I just got mine. It is awesome size and weight. Display is certainly not retina, but seems better to me than my iPad1. Blacks are darker. Pixel is proportionally smaller. Its ok if I don't try to find them. Unfortunately, with a smaller display I sometimes need to look more closely, then I see... pixels.

But overall. Seems like a great device. I couldn't imagine using something as small as the Nexus 7. Wouldn't seem worth it.

[AppleInMyBlood]

I think this product is going to be far bigger than a lot of people are predicting. It may take a little while, as people actually play with them and see how they feel to use, but I believe that by Christmas these things will be all over the place, especially under certain trees.

[cwwilson]

They're pulling corpses out of the water and these people are lining up to buy the latest gadget. I don't know what's more disgusting, the fact people in this area are buying or that Apple is selling.

[rwilliams]

Damn. Apple really CAN sell just about anything and have crazy lines.

Originally Posted by cwwilson

They're pulling corpses out of the water and these people are lining up to buy the latest gadget. I don't know what's more disgusting, the fact people in this area are buying or that Apple is selling.

I understand what you're saying, but when is it okay for those that are still here to go on living as usual? How long is the acceptable mourning period? Everybody grieves differently.

[Bishop1j]

Originally Posted by AppleInMyBlood

I think this product is going to be far bigger than a lot of people are predicting. It may take a little while, as people actually play with them and see how they feel to use, but I believe that by Christmas these things will be all over the place, especially under certain trees.

I completely agree. Once you've had a hands on it is really impressive

[Nungster]

Originally Posted by NIKKG

How many in line were Asians buying them all up for resell?

racist a bit?

[NutsNGum]

I had a blast today, comfy size, great build quality, but a fairly poor screen. I understand why they didn't alter the resolution, though. Having that massive back catalogue of instantly compatible apps is a huge advantage over the Nexus.

[klover]

Originally Posted by cwwilson

They're pulling corpses out of the water and these people are lining up to buy the latest gadget. I don't know what's more disgusting, the fact people in this area are buying or that Apple is selling.

You're right. In the wake of something terrible, nobody should do anything for themselves that makes them feel better or brightens their day.

They have dances during wars you know.

[Parise]

Better idea than waiting in line for an iPad mini: help with clean up and rescue efforts.

[Intarweb]

Thin stock due to hurricane Sandy.