Apple holds 5s shipments for the next morning to be sold to campers.

[dvoros]

Apple sucks

Yeah, this sucks. I asked Verizon that if they were to get the model in that I ordered to be shipped to me, if they would fulfill mail orders first. They said no and that I would have to wait until November for my phone. Thats stupid and poorly orchestrated by Apple for not having enough in stock.

 

[carfac]

its all about image. fairness aint got nothing to do with it. people line up, apple gets press, it drives sales. no one cares if someone walks in at 8 PM to buy a phone.

apple is, and always has been, about image.

 

[cmichaelb]

I posted this in another thread. They are asking people to line up at 6AM for phones to be sold at 8AM at the Apple West Side, Apple Fifth, Apple Ridge Hill, Apple SoHo stores in NYC.

Yep, I called all of them. I've pretty much given up on getting a 5s at this point, and probably will stick with my plain old 4 since my "hype" over the phone is about worn out. (The phone would be free for me also, since my job pays the bill.)

Kind of sucks when you can get 5s for free and still get turned off by Apple store policies.

Why not just go to a carrier store?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

You mean like a cage?

You know, those stretchy-bands-on-poles like at the movie theatre, they made a paddock then, if you get the idea, or a chute(?) to keep the riffraff under control... A cage would have been more entertaining. A cage battle to the death for the last remaining 64g 5s silver. The one left standing gets to buy it... That would make a whole new way to blow time. Go to the Apple Store and watch the battles for new product. They could make it like Thunderdome... Two men enter, one man leaves...

 

[tobefirst ⚽️]

I would imagine, at a store as busy as Apple stores always are, it would be easier/wiser to unpack and receive into inventory all shipments after the store closes, rather than pulling employees from the sales floor to do this during business hours.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why they do it this way?

 

[cmichaelb]

And apparently everyone wants one. More than when the 5 came out. I have (somewhat of) a life. Standing outside waiting for things like tickets and iPhones (unless Woz is there) isn't something that I'd do again. If I order a 5s, I'll have it delivered and avoid the paddocks and stares...

And they were calling people out of the paddock occasionally. I don't know why only some were called in to the store. Perhaps it has to do with pacing the flow? Checking in new product? Deciding who wanted what model, and who gets it? Someone was walking around with a clipboard (yeah, in a computer store) with names and what looked like preferences for something (assuming the iPhone?)...

I guess if you absolutely have to have 'The Item' of the year, as quickly as possible, you have to be willing to stand in line... Just be kind to each other.

I remember waiting overnight for Jimmy Buffett tickets. The window opened, and they called a lottery. I was fifth in the lottery. The fourth guy stood there at the window trying to talk to a friend to decide how many tickets (lawn) they should buy as the pavilion tickets were sold out. Everyone behind me wanted to rip this douche bag apart... The urge to strangle him swept over me too. Standing at the window isn't the time to decide how many to buy... Lines can be frustrating... Hopefully Apple runs theirs better. By the time DB got his tickets, the concert completely sold out which left me wondering if going to a Buffett concert was 'all that'... If I ask, I can have drinks spilled on me in the privacy of my own home. Getting my body groped too, if I want. It's the smashing of toes that takes some effort. Whatever...

I just want to thank you for making me laugh out loud this morning.

I just wonder why more people just don't find a small carrier store near them, that's what I did and it went pretty smooth. I arrived at 7:45am and was home a little after 9.

TOTALLY agree about the waiting till you're at the window, saw that a LOT last Friday from people who were well ahead of me in line.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I would imagine, at a store as busy as Apple stores always are, it would be easier/wiser to unpack and receive into inventory all shipments after the store closes, rather than pulling employees from the sales floor to do this during business hours.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why they do it this way?

I'll buy that! So far, every Apple Store I've ever been in is swamped with people. I always thought it was like a mosh pit at the Genius Bar. Even with appointments, it was pandemonium... And take the average shipment. I'm sure there are lots of little items and parts that have to be checked in and sorted. Who ordered what, for what customer, for what repair, for what device... Working retail, aside from being a soul grinding experience sometimes, is a lot of work. One place I worked at years ago actually drew straws to see who would stock the incoming stuff. Since it was a commission sales shop, and I didn't make as much sales (too honest) I usually volunteered to do the stocking. Also, side benefit, I knew what we had where which did help for making some sales... But anyway...

Heck, Monday, at the Novi store, it was a zoo! The store is way too small, and they just doubled its size! Separating orders from random people in the store makes some sense. And the store wouldn't have the room to queue them IN the store... (like the Thunderdome idea now)

 

[terzinator]

My small company deals with the biz team of one of the nearby Apple Stores. Just chatted with them this morning. (Still waiting for a gold 64GB for my wife, and just checking on status!)

Anyway, she said, yeah, some mornings there's already a line. Other times, they'll get a shipment in during the business day, and within a few minutes, there will mysteriously be a line forming.

Somehow these people know when the shipment arrives. Even though it's kept as secret as possible, I'm guessing some people know what the big crate looks like, and where it enters the mall or the store, and perhaps a tweet or text goes out and voila, you have a line.

But I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories.

Anyway, when you care about such things (and an inordinate number of people do), you gotta put up with a fair bit of hassle.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I just want to thank you for making me laugh out loud this morning.

I just wonder why more people just don't find a small carrier store near them, that's what I did and it went pretty smooth. I arrived at 7:45am and was home a little after 9.

TOTALLY agree about the waiting till you're at the window, saw that a LOT last Friday from people who were well ahead of me in line.

AND the douche bag and his friend only bought 2 (TWO!!!) lawn tickets!

The line inhabitants had all had a discussion, of which the douche bag and his friend were part of, that who ever got to buy tickets, they would get the maximum number possible as quickly as possible and resell what they didn't want to others farther down the line. It's a cash only deal, so people had the cash money IN HAND. Trouble is everyone in front of me actually wanted lawn tickets (?), and I was looking for pavilion... (Being groped by friends is one thing, strangers? PASS!) They (the ticket venue) should have also separated us into pavilion and lawn possibly. Pavilion tickets sell out much quicker than lawn tickets (although at a Buffett show, who knows)... And it's not like Jimmy is hurting for money. He's already got more money than God. (Sorry Bill Gates) The concert sold out in less than 5 minutes (just as I stepped to the window)... I haven't waited that long for something that was over that quick since 'the first time'...

But any way... I was on a plane when the iPhone went on sale... Safe at 30,000 feet.

----------

My small company deals with the biz team of one of the nearby Apple Stores. Just chatted with them this morning. (Still waiting for a gold 64GB for my wife, and just checking on status!)

Anyway, she said, yeah, some mornings there's already a line. Other times, they'll get a shipment in during the business day, and within a few minutes, there will mysteriously be a line forming.

Somehow these people know when the shipment arrives. Even though it's kept as secret as possible, I'm guessing some people know what the big crate looks like, and where it enters the mall or the store, and perhaps a tweet or text goes out and voila, you have a line.

But I'm a sucker for conspiracy theories.

Anyway, when you care about such things (and an inordinate number of people do), you gotta put up with a fair bit of hassle.

'My' FedEx guy would tip me off when there was a shipment to the local BestTry store that looked like it was from 'you-know-who'. I dropped by after a hot tip, and the WorstPry guy was like 'How do you people know? We don't even know where it's from, and you are the fourth person to ask in the past ten minutes!'.

I was pissed that he wasn't 'MY' FedEx guy, but apparently shopping around for someone better.... The slut...

 

[cmichaelb]

AND the douche bag and his friend only bought 2 (TWO!!!) lawn tickets!

The line inhabitants had all had a discussion, of which the douche bag and his friend were part of, that who ever got to buy tickets, they would get the maximum number possible as quickly as possible and resell what they didn't want to others farther down the line. It's a cash only deal, so people had the cash money IN HAND. Trouble is everyone in front of me actually wanted lawn tickets (?), and I was looking for pavilion... (Being groped by friends is one thing, strangers? PASS!) They (the ticket venue) should have also separated us into pavilion and lawn possibly. Pavilion tickets sell out much quicker than lawn tickets (although at a Buffett show, who knows)... And it's not like Jimmy is hurting for money. He's already got more money than God. (Sorry Bill Gates) The concert sold out in less than 5 minutes (just as I stepped to the window)... I haven't waited that long for something that was over that quick since 'the first time'...

But any way... I was on a plane when the iPhone went on sale... Safe at 30,000 feet.

----------



'My' FedEx guy would tip me off when there was a shipment to the local BestTry store that looked like it was from 'you-know-who'. I dropped by after a hot tip, and the WorstPry guy was like 'How do you people know? We don't even know where it's from, and you are the fourth person to ask in the past ten minutes!'.

I was pissed that he wasn't 'MY' FedEx guy, but apparently shopping around for someone better.... The slut...

LMAO! Actually that was a great idea for the person up front to buy the max and resell. Too bad it didn't work out (I'm not going to judge the taste in music ).

Nice job on the FedEx guy.... My cousin did that for a product and would clean up before anyone else.

 

[Steviejobz]

I posted this in another thread. They are asking people to line up at 6AM for phones to be sold at 8AM at the Apple West Side, Apple Fifth, Apple Ridge Hill, Apple SoHo stores in NYC.

Yep, I called all of them. I've pretty much given up on getting a 5s at this point, and probably will stick with my plain old 4 since my "hype" over the phone is about worn out. (The phone would be free for me also, since my job pays the bill.)

Kind of sucks when you can get 5s for free and still get turned off by Apple store policies.

if you ordered it online on friday you would have one by now. Not sure why people roll the dice trying to get one on launch day and then complain about not being able to get one for months later after they strike out. After 6 years, you think folks would know by now that iphones typically sell fast.

 

[Lucille Carter]

Apple stores have always held phone back from that days shipment to sell the next day. This nothing new. It makes it fair for the people who WORK and can't camp out at the store

 

[BeeGood]

if you ordered it online on friday you would have one by now. Not sure why people roll the dice trying to get one on launch day and then complain about not being able to get one for months later after they strike out. After 6 years, you think folks would know by now that iphones typically sell fast.

. I was online at 3am Friday and when I saw 1-3 days shipping, I decided to leave ASAP and go to the mall. I rolled the dice hoping to get what I wanted that day. I didn't get exactly what I wanted but I'm cool with that because it's the risk I took to get a 5S early.

What's going on here is different. We are talking about walking into an Apple store that has phones, and being told you can't buy one because they are being held for someone who neither reserved or paid for the phone, AND being told that the reason that guy gets the phone is because they are going to show up the following morning.

And to top it off, the Apple rep tells you this is "fair".

 

[J@ffa]

Just because Apple gets stock in an hour or two before they close doesn't mean they're obligated to sprint from the delivery area to the store and rush to sell them before they close. They have to do things on a defined schedule for consistency across stores, let alone the hassle of mobs constantly badgering them. Much better to sell them in one go each morning to the people who've queued (Apple can't go around judging whether people are scalpers or not) and have the line be 'We don't have any in, queue or wait a month or so', rather than have the hundreds of people who wander by or call every day tie up multiple staff members by constantly checking whether any have turned up in the last ten minutes.

 

[jenlevin]

my local apple store does not hold stock for the morning (or if they do, they only hold a portion of it). they sell in the afternoon when it comes in. also, no lines outside in the morning.

 

[Lucille Carter]

. I was online at 3am Friday and when I saw 1-3 days shipping, I decided to leave ASAP and go to the mall. I rolled the dice hoping to get what I wanted that day. I didn't get exactly what I wanted but I'm cool with that because it's the risk I took to get a 5S early.

What's going on here is different. We are talking about walking into an Apple store that has phones, and being told you can't buy one because they are being held for someone who neither reserved or paid for the phone, AND being told that the reason that guy gets the phone is because they are going to show up the following morning.

And to top it off, the Apple rep tells you this is "fair".

Is it more fair for Apple to tell you that the phones that just arrived are being reserved for tomorrow and to be sold only to the people who can camp out?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

LMAO! Actually that was a great idea for the person up front to buy the max and resell. Too bad it didn't work out (I'm not going to judge the taste in music ).

Nice job on the FedEx guy.... My cousin did that for a product and would clean up before anyone else.

I've given up on Buffett. He's a money machine. The only way I got to go to a concert this year was because he plays at Tiger Stadium now and there are more tickets available. I'm noticing more and more that there are no black people at his concerts. At least in Detroit. It's become more of a redneck event, and it's not making me comfortable. I get that people drink to excess at his concerts. But the rudeness and debauchery has gotten pretty bad. Plus walking the streets of downtown Detroit at night is rather risky. Especially now... PLUS he's getting too old to tour. He blew lyrics, started singing a song they weren't playing that tour, and I swear he was lip synching at one point...

The FedEx guy did tip me off on shipments of Wii's, and that's how I scored one rather early in the national orgasm of having to have one NOW Veruca...

I've decided to wait for the 6. Now, if I can only tell my inner child that we are waiting...

 

[Lucille Carter]

my local apple store does not hold stock for the morning (or if they do, they only hold a portion of it). they sell in the afternoon when it comes in. also, no lines outside in the morning.

They do hold stock for the next day and yes it is only a portion.

This gives everyone a shot at getting a phone.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

. I was online at 3am Friday and when I saw 1-3 days shipping, I decided to leave ASAP and go to the mall. I rolled the dice hoping to get what I wanted that day. I didn't get exactly what I wanted but I'm cool with that because it's the risk I took to get a 5S early.

What's going on here is different. We are talking about walking into an Apple store that has phones, and being told you can't buy one because they are being held for someone who neither reserved or paid for the phone, AND being told that the reason that guy gets the phone is because they are going to show up the following morning.

And to top it off, the Apple rep tells you this is "fair".

YOU try camping out for a product and not get it. See how 'fair' that feels... But I'm getting crabby. Stuck inside, and it's sunny outside... (See: Inner Child)

Holding a portion for 'campers' seems reasonable... (BTW: In Australia 'camping' has a slightly different meaning used casually)

 

[GadgetGeek407]

yeah I am in orlando and went this morning at 930 they open at 10, apparently for the 10 people in line since 8am they handed tickets out and had 0 stock for att 16 or 32 and had that stock since yesterday too.

I completely disagree with apple holding stock over for the morning, wrong all the way around

 

[BeeGood]

Is it more fair for Apple to tell you that the phones that just arrived are being reserved for tomorrow and to be sold only to the people who can camp out?

Well that's kind of what they did here isn't it?

According to the OP, the entire shipment was being withheld for the next days customers. What if I can't queue up in the morning because I work or go to school?

In my honest opinion, what's "fair" is first come first served. None of this withholding stock nonsense. Or even better, do 100% online reserves. You buy the phone online when it's available and pick it up at your convenience the next day.

----------

YOU try camping out for a product and not get it. See how 'fair' that feels... But I'm getting crabby. Stuck inside, and it's sunny outside... (See: Inner Child)

Holding a portion for 'campers' seems reasonable... (BTW: In Australia 'camping' has a slightly different meaning used casually)

The only reason there are any campers at all at this point is because apple is withholding stock for them. If they'd stop doing that these guys all come in durning normal business hours like normal people.

 

[Steviejobz]

. I was online at 3am Friday and when I saw 1-3 days shipping, I decided to leave ASAP and go to the mall. I rolled the dice hoping to get what I wanted that day. I didn't get exactly what I wanted but I'm cool with that because it's the risk I took to get a 5S early.

What's going on here is different. We are talking about walking into an Apple store that has phones, and being told you can't buy one because they are being held for someone who neither reserved or paid for the phone, AND being told that the reason that guy gets the phone is because they are going to show up the following morning.

And to top it off, the Apple rep tells you this is "fair".

OMG not a whole 1-3 days! Oh the agony of waiting 1 whole day. /sarcasm


This is quite fair because Apple will get inventory and as they have always done sell it when they open on a first come first basis to a line of people who wait for the phone. Not to some people who walk in pretending they want to browse for a mac and then try to get a salesperson to give them an iPhone. Around launch day there has always been lines in the morning for people waiting to see if new stock will arrive. That sounds about as fair as you can get.

- Sent from my iPhone 5S (ordered online)

 

[BeeGood]

OMG not a whole 1-3 days! Oh the agony of waiting 1 whole day. /sarcasm


This is quite fair because Apple will get inventory and as they have always done sell it when they open on a first come first basis to a line of people who wait for the phone. Not to some people who walk in pretending they want to browse for a mac and then try to get a salesperson to give them an iPhone. Around launch day there has always been lines in the morning for people waiting to see if new stock will arrive. That sounds about as fair as you can get.

- Sent from my iPhone 5S (ordered online)

I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I was looking for some sort of sympathy. Or perhaps you misunderstood me when I said I was cool with my choice?

In any event, we clearly have differing opinions on what is fair. What I see here is Apple purposefully creating lines (that would not exist otherwise) by withholding stock and then saying, "Hey, since these people are going to be out there, we need to save some phones for them", which causes more people to queue up in the morning because they can't get the phone that day.

This makes no sense outside of a marketing/advertising perspective.

 

[Lucille Carter]

Well that's kind of what they did here isn't it?

According to the OP, the entire shipment was being withheld for the next days customers. What if I can't queue up in the morning because I work or go to school?

In my honest opinion, what's "fair" is first come first served. None of this withholding stock nonsense. Or even better, do 100% online reserves. You buy the phone online when it's available and pick it up at your convenience the next day.

.

I know several people who currently work at our local Apple store and they spread the stock out with some being held for the next day and some to be sold that day. This has been comon practice for a long time.

I respect your "honest opinion" but if Apple sold them as they came in the door, while supplies are short, there would never be any phones for the campers. I do not think that campers would think that is fair.

I suspect that the Apple stores are doing the best they can to be fair to everyone. No way to make everyone happy when there is such demand for an item of limited supply.

----------

OMG not a whole 1-3 days! Oh the agony of waiting 1 whole day. /sarcasm


This is quite fair because Apple will get inventory and as they have always done sell it when they open on a first come first basis to a line of people who wait for the phone. Not to some people who walk in pretending they want to browse for a mac and then try to get a salesperson to give them an iPhone. Around launch day there has always been lines in the morning for people waiting to see if new stock will arrive. That sounds about as fair as you can get.

- Sent from my iPhone 5S (ordered online)

You would NOT think it is fair if you could not take the morning off to wait in line because you worked.

 

[joeshmo2010]

Well talked to a apple employee this morning and asked if any stock comes in the day would they be able to sell they said no. They will hold till the next morning for the campers and said would be unfair if they sold during closing time to me. What kind of BS is this i now have to camp outside at 6am to get a phone that they maybe have in stock. This is in the boston/mass area.

first world problems