iPod Shuffle buy online or in store?

[wPod]

I want to buy an iPod Shuffle to supplement my aging 10GB 1st Gen iPod. But which do you think will be available sooner, ordering one online from the Apple Store, or waiting to buy one from my local Apple Retail Store? No one at the store will tell me when they are supposed to receive a shipment, but I am guessing it is around the same three to four weeks that the online store says. I would hate to watch my order being tracked online knowing I could pick one up in the store. Which way do you think would be better?

 

[jsw]

Order online. If they happen to come into the local Store, buy it there and cancel your online order. If your online order has shipped at that point, or if you cannot cancel your order, return the one to the Store unopened.

 

[edwardcheah]

Check out your local apple store if its available, if not ask how long it will take then check online see which is faster then go for the faster option

 

[ebook]

I know at the Apple Store in Des Moines, IA they are taking names down and putting them on the waiting list. It seems like they are gettting a shipment in every few days or once a week...something like that. I believe they have received 2 or 3 shipments and of course they have sold out. That just gives a little insight into whats going on at the Apple Store.

 

[stevep]

By jsw:

Order online. If they happen to come into the local Store, buy it there and cancel your online order. If your online order has shipped at that point, or if you cannot cancel your order, return the one to the Store unopened.

And if everyone did that Apple customers would all end up paying more. Who do you think bears the admin and repacking/restocking costs of all the returns?

 

[jsw]

By jsw:


And if everyone did that Apple customers would all end up paying more. Who do you think bears the admin and repacking/restocking costs of all the returns?

Um... it takes about 30 seconds to return something to a brick-and-mortar Apple Store. Another 30 seconds to restock it. No repacking, unless you opened the Shuffle (recommended against that above), in which case you'd contribute 10% toward the cause. As it seems Apple Store employees are maxed out for maybe ten hours a year (during times like, say, last Saturday), I fail to see how this would have any negative impact whatsoever on anything.

Note that these would be unopened items, returned only if the other items had shipped and could be stopped.

 

[stevep]

So you buy something and don't open it, because your on-line order has already shipped, and you still have to wait a week (or more), and then have to drive back to the store. That really sounds sensible.
What if its an iBook just shipped from Taiwan - does that still cost nothing to return?

How about making a reasoned decision in the first place,or is that too sensible?

 

[jsw]

So you buy something and don't open it, because your on-line order has already shipped, and you still have to wait a week (or more), and then have to drive back to the store. That really sounds sensible.
What if its an iBook just shipped from Taiwan - does that still cost nothing to return?

How about making a reasoned decision in the first place,or is that too sensible?

As soon as you can provide a reasoned argument as to how this costs anyone but the actual buyer anything, I'd be happy to listen. I never said to return any shipped item.

 

[stevep]

Yeah, I think you've missed the point a bit. What I'm saying is why place two orders for something that you only want one of? However you work it, there's a cost involved in returning one of them (even if its only the few minutes to put it back on the shelf - the guy who's doing that could be helping a genuine customer).
I'm certain that Apple would save money if they didn't have to deal with all the returns of products from customers who just change their minds - it would be interesting to know exactly how many items this is worldwide. I'm not having a pop at you personally jsw, but I just don't think its the best way to do business.

To the original poster, I'd say just wait until it's in at your local Apple Store, then go and buy it and have an enjoyable hour or so looking at all the other stuff in there (assuming your local store is as good a place to visit as the Regent St one).

 

[jsw]

Well, you see, if it were me, Apple would benefit, as I'm too lazy to return anything and I'd forget to cancel the order.

 

[stevep]

Hey - good one! Maybe thats how Apple have sold so many iPods!

Points to note so far:
1. I think I've hijacked this guys thread....sorry
2. I'm a bit jealous that he's getting an iPod as I've yet to summon up the courage to bring the 'iPod' topic up with my other half (she bought me a Creative Muvo last year as a surprise. Which it was......)

 

[johnbro23]

Go for the Apple store

I love the "experience" of buying stuff directly from my local Apple Store. It's about a half an hour drive away, but its definitely worth it. I bought my eMac there, when I could have gotten it from apple.com. I had apple ship my engraved iPod sent to my local Apple store, so I could actually go and pick it up. Plus, if you go to the store, you can check out the Mac mini while you're there.

Its only a few days either way that you're talking about, so I'd say go for the Apple store "experience".

 

[wPod]

Points to note so far:
1. I think I've hijacked this guys thread....sorry
2. I'm a bit jealous that he's getting an iPod as I've yet to summon up the courage to bring the 'iPod' topic up with my other half (she bought me a Creative Muvo last year as a surprise. Which it was......)

1. not a problem, always like to see chatter about any subject matter.
2. i had to ask my gf permision and only got permision for the 512 and not the 1GB. the only reason i got that is b/c the menu button and battery on my iPod dont work very well.

I love the "experience" of buying stuff directly from my local Apple Store. . . . . Plus, if you go to the store, you can check out the Mac mini while you're there.

Its only a few days either way that you're talking about, so I'd say go for the Apple store "experience".

yes i like my apple store and have bought all of my apple products from there directly. but as for the mini i can just look at my brothers mini, i was in line an hour early last saturday so i could get one for him (he was out of town camping). so i think ill stick with the apple store and just stop by and bug them until i get a shuffle!!!

 

[amemoryoncelost]

I've got a question. I"ve been calling my apple store daily for updates on the shuffle. Went in super early on saturday, got lost and was late, missed out. Called two days later, monday. Already sold out. Called today, none in yet. The question: Do most apple stores put people on a waiting list or gold thigs for people? I haven't asked yet and will call tomorrow and ask. It's just, damn, I'm an hour and 30 minutes away with good traffic and even if they said, yeah, we just got them in, hurry up, I'd still get there and they might be gone.
By the way, I live in washington state, so if anyone who lives up in the bellevue area or may even work there, let me know. Ugh....

thanks for any advice/hints.

dustin

 

[jsw]

I'd call and ask if they have a waiting list. Some do, some don't.

 

[wnameth]

I have the exact same problem, I'm debating the local store or someone on these forms to buy one for me, as i don't have a credit card to get one online.

 

[canyonblue737]

Um... it takes about 30 seconds to return something to a brick-and-mortar Apple Store. Another 30 seconds to restock it. No repacking, unless you opened the Shuffle (recommended against that above), in which case you'd contribute 10% toward the cause. As it seems Apple Store employees are maxed out for maybe ten hours a year (during times like, say, last Saturday), I fail to see how this would have any negative impact whatsoever on anything.

Note that these would be unopened items, returned only if the other items had shipped and could be stopped.

guys check other stores, i went into a microcenter today that had a shelf full of iPod shuffles (512 and 1 gig) and 8 Mac minis (all 1.25 models).

 

[wPod]

guys check other stores, i went into a microcenter today that had a shelf full of iPod shuffles (512 and 1 gig) and 8 Mac minis (all 1.25 models).

i went to the apple store the sat morning the mini's were released. got the next to last mini. but they were sold out of shuffles. sunday i went to 3 other electornics stores. there were plenty of iPods and iPod mini's but no suffles. Saw a mini on display at one store, but non for sale. maybe ill just hunt from store to store every couple of days. that seems kinda lame though i could always call. but that takes effort. ill probably wait till i run across one in an apple store.

 

[dotnina]

Apple Store!

I got mine.

Get on their waitlist. That is key. The store I got mine from said they're not putting any on the shelf until they satisfy the waitlist. I got on the waitlist on Saturday and got my Shuffle on Monday.

 

[wPod]

I got mine.

Get on their waitlist. That is key. The store I got mine from said they're not putting any on the shelf until they satisfy the waitlist. I got on the waitlist on Saturday and got my Shuffle on Monday.

i agree. i just got mine yesterday. all of five days after i got on the list. great way to go, and the apple employees are always so nice!!