Carrier AT&T Next: Forget about checking in store (Apple Store) stock online :(

So now that I have gotten the ridiculous "your account is in a market not supported by upgrades" error to go away, which I have chronicled to a limited degree here, I was ecstatic to see that the Cambridge Galleria Apple store location had a 64GB 6 Plus in space gray in stock. I went through the motions to order for pickup to be prompted that Next can't be set for in store.

No matter! I was only a fifteen minute drive away, so I headed out, was greeted by the Apple employee and I told him I wanted a phone, to which he said they were sold out. I decided to check stock and it still said they were available for pickup still. So I asked about it. Apparently they can't touch that stock; it's basically online stock reserved for those who want to pick up.

No matter! I could just select the two year contract, return the phone, and buy it outright! Nope... all returns from online reservations get shopped back out.

So I asked if there was any way to check actual in store stock, since I had been told by a manager and a supervisor, albeit at different locations, that the best thing to do would be to check stock online. Simply put; you can't. Not unless you are placing an order for pickup.

Done searching for a plus. I'll wait until they have them in stock as a walk-in. I have wasted way too much time on this already. The fates conspire against me and they just don't seem to want me to have a plus anytime soon. Meanwhile my wife is enjoying her six which we ordered through AT&T. I wanted to go through Apple. Lesson learned.

bayou.boy said:

Interesting, considering some people have done exactly what you proposed and were allowed to buy the phone outright after returning it...

Also, the way you were trying to get your plus by checking online stock then going to the apple store to purchase is the way I got my plus Saturday.

Click to expand...

I don't doubt that. What I was told is that it is likely coincidence. They just happened to have stock for online in store pickup as well as "walk-ins".

I have no idea if this is fact. I can only go by what they tell me and they could have fed me complete BS, though I am unsure why they would have something in stock and be unwilling to sell it to a person right in front of them. I went by the Burlington location last night. The manager there told me exactly the same thing. Could be a regional thing too I guess.

So I gave apple a call (corporate) and they told me that they should be able to pull from all pools and that what I was hearing was "a minority of stores, guaranteed". I asked what I could do about it. They directed me to feedback on their website. I left some, but I don't see how that does me any good lol.

----------

zorinlynx said:

Why are they making it so difficult to reserve the phone? I don't get it. They HAVE the stock, but won't sell it to you even though you qualify?

I think Apple WANTS people to wait in line. It makes the iPhone look like it's in high demand.

Click to expand...

The thing is, there are no lines at the stores I am going to. The only store that I am aware of around me that still has people lining up is in Salem, NH (presumably to avoid sales tax).

----------

wacky4alanis said:

Try going to an AT&T store. They might have a long wait sometimes, but I think they are much easier to deal with.

Click to expand...

I actually have done that extensively as well (talked about my ATT experiences in the thread I linked in the OP). They aren't getting stock with any consistency. At this point I was just told to "check every morning", however most stores near me haven't seen shipments for a week or more (regarding a plus, any color, any size other than 16gb) based on what they tell me.

Ramio said:

Check the istocknow live map and get it best buy. They allow next. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Just browsing this, either no Best Buy or Target has stock within many hundreds of miles, or I am missing something lol.

rui no onna said:

I'm curious, why not just order online if you weren't able to get one release day? I bet if you had placed an order at Apple on 9/19 or something, you would have probably received the phone already by this week or next and you would have the exact carrier, color and capacity you wanted.

Click to expand...

In my link (in the OP) I explain why I couldn't order through Apple. This was sorted only just recently (like three days ago). We also moved, and I did not want that to jeopardize when and where things got shipped, though that mattered very little due to the account issues I had.

SeanZy said:

I just purchased a 6 plus on contract last night and cancelled the pickup and purchased it on a different line for ATT Next. You had bad luck

Click to expand...

I don't think it had anything to do with luck lol. Unless you are saying you are in the same general region and market as me. Every store I have asked told me the same thing; they wouldn't allow it.

As was mentioned by others here (as well as the Apple hotline, as I pointed out), Apple stores should have the ability to pull from their "online" inventory in store. Why they are telling me to go fly a kite is beyond me.

SeanZy said:

When I say bad luck, I mean that you found yourself at a store that isnt allowing this, when about 95 percent of the stories I have read have been successful.

Now if the other stores in your area are saying the same thing, maybe this rule came from a district manager of some sorts, which is even worse luck for you, because now you are out of options.

Honestly, I would order it online for 2 years ( at a different store), and just go in and do it. Dont call and ask, or anything of that sort. Tell them you called multiple stores and the Apple support line, and were told it would not be a problem.

If they still wont do it, tell them that you will just take the phone and use it for 14 days and return it. That might persuade them to "make an exception" for you, rather than deal with that. If they are seriously going to be stubborn about it, then you might as well. Theres really no loss.

Click to expand...

I might give that a shot

So far I have tried four stores. All of them told me the same. Two were in NH, two in MA.

So I tried just ordering the phone on contract at the burlington store. Showed up to pick up, asked to cancel the order and re-buy with next or outright. The Apple rep told me he had to check with his manager. Long story short, manager wouldn't allow it. He claimed it was Apple's policy and not just a store policy. When I questioned him on it, he stated he couldn't comment on what other stores are or are not doing, but the higher ups have instructed them which inventory pools to sell from and he must stick with it. I went ahead and just processed the return. AT&T online shows that my upgrade/next eligibility is still there, so at least there's that lol.