Apple Retail Open Early, Issuing Tickets

[bobbleheadbob]

I think they've been trying their best to deal with the situation so far. They were giving out bottled water and sun block the day I waited in line outside the Boston Apple Store.

The whole in-store activation requirement is a mess. If there's anyone to blame, I would put it on ATT more than Apple. But they're just reacting to all of the unactivated phones that were unlocked last year and ended up all over the world.

In any event, improvements to the process should be welcome by everyone.

 

[twoodcc]

well, this is much better than long lines. i hate waiting in lines

 

[swingerofbirch]

Anyone have a pic of the ticket? I know it's silly, but anything Apple branded is cool I think....

 

[Karpfish]

^It's just a ticket.....

Westchester Mall Apple Store had a very long line on sunday I couldn't believe it.

 

[d21mike]

Marketing. Line ups draw people's attention, are talked about, and make good news stories.

I can understand this for the first weekend or mabye even the first week. But this is the third week. Time to think about the customers now. Camera crews are not out there now.

 

[wonderbread57]

...avoid lengthy line waits in line.

This sentence is like newt's line in ALIENS. After the drop ship crashes the team is stranded and newt warns ripply about the aliens. She says, "they mostly come out at night, mostly". The actor who played newt commented that if her friends want to get her angry they tease here with a line similar to that, such as "we mostly go to the movies at night, mostly". This commentary is found on the aliens special edition dvd. I'll wait till a high def transfer to own this classic.

 

[megfilmworks]

Yesterday the line at the Sherman Oaks store in So Cal was around 2 hrs after you got your ticket, and it stayed about that long or longer all day.
These new iPhones are selling like nothing ever has. Amazing.

 

[weing]

Yesterday the line at the Sherman Oaks store in So Cal was around 2 hrs after you got your ticket, and it stayed about that long or longer all day.
These new iPhones are selling like nothing ever has. Amazing.

Yes, but when you do the math, each store is probably selling less than 100 (or less...) each day.
But with all the retards willing to wait in line for hours it seems so much more dramatic than that. The same store probably sends as many macbooks out the same door each day too and that's not news. Is it?

Its not "selling" like nothing ever has, its being SOLD like nothing ever has.

 

[Fartboy]

About time they did this. I picked up my iPhone about a week and a half ago and I waited in line for almost 5 hrs. They had plenty of phones for the people in line, but the problem was the stupid activation process took so long and they didn't have enough people working on the activations. They were only processing 10-12 people an hour and this is at the main Apple store in Houston, TX.

Opening earlier wouldn't have made my wait any shorter, but either having more people to activate the phones or letting me input all the data about my old cell phone account online and letting them process it would have been a lot faster than the stone age process they were using. The guy taking my info had some sort of tablet computer/credit card processor and he had to input all the info with a little pencil on the tiny touch screen that was marginally bigger than the iPhone. Then he had to repeat everything back to me and make sure it was correct. If they had just let me input the info into a computer when I came into the store instead of this guy having to poke everything into his little tablet one character at a time, it would have taken half as much time.

Maybe Apple wanted long lines since they had limited stock and they probably would have sold out within a couple hours each day if they processed people in a reasonable amount of time. If they only had 100 phones a day earlier, who cares if it took 10 hours to sell them all because they are going to be gone whether it takes 2 hours or 10 hours and they don’t have to pay to have extra people working. Now that they have sufficient inventory it is to their advantage to sell more than 10 phones/hr.

 

[arn]

Anyone have a pic of the ticket? I know it's silly, but anything Apple branded is cool I think....

http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20080728/iphone/

 

[megfilmworks]

Yes, but when you do the math, each store is probably selling less than 100 (or less...) each day.
But with all the retards willing to wait in line for hours it seems so much more dramatic than that. The same store probably sends as many macbooks out the same door each day too and that's not news. Is it?

Its not "selling" like nothing ever has, its being SOLD like nothing ever has.

They sold over 100 in the hour and a half or so I was in line. We watched and talked with everyone.
It was a great experience in line with my daughter, both of us getting one.
Most people were buying more than one.
Easily 2-3 times the traffic at the stores in LA compared to the original release last year.
Mind blowing.
The actual figures that ATT released alone were through the roof, just in the USA.

 

[SirOmega]

About time they did this. I picked up my iPhone about a week and a half ago and I waited in line for almost 5 hrs. They had plenty of phones for the people in line, but the problem was the stupid activation process took so long and they didn't have enough people working on the activations.

This is the problem. I don't think the issue is the phone supply anymore (every day I check the stores in NV all have all models). The issue is how many activations they can do per day. If they only have 2-3 people doing them, and it takes 15-20 minutes per phone, why does Apple even have to bother shipping that many to the stores? Just make sure there are enough on hand for the entire day (based on sales patterns of each model) and go from there.

I'd be pissed if I was Apple - they can only sell ~150 phones per day per store (~150 stores) or 22,500 phones/day. That means per quarter (90 days) Apple stores themselves can only sell 2 million phones (at least in the US). ATT has to pick up the slack if Apple wants to hit their 10M target.

 

[megfilmworks]

My daughter and I both bought a phone, a case, and a few other accessories, out the door in less than 10 minutes. I saw some activations that took less than 3 or 4 minutes. They were doing them on handhelds,
The only customers who took longer didn't have their id or their CC was denied, etc.
I'd say the average was 4-6 customers taken from the line into the store every 5 minutes or so.
They must sell about 50 or so an hour.

 

[sammick]

I called at 8:00 this morning ( July 29th) and there were already 25 people

in line at the Univ Village--(Seattle) Apple store.

 

[nickXedge]

Best Buy has been doing this on Black Friday for a few years now. Wake up Apple retail, get up to speed with your innovation team!

 

[nickXedge]

Yes, but when you do the math, each store is probably selling less than 100 (or less...) each day.
But with all the retards willing to wait in line for hours it seems so much more dramatic than that. The same store probably sends as many macbooks out the same door each day too and that's not news. Is it?

Its not "selling" like nothing ever has, its being SOLD like nothing ever has.

Relax. And also, proofread. "...less than 100 (or less...)..."
Don't be so quick to insult people.

 

[jrhone]

Best Buy has been doing this on Black Friday for a few years now. Wake up Apple retail, get up to speed with your innovation team!

Its funny that EVERYONE has an answer NOW....but here goes. You are Apple. You have an AMAZING product that you expect to sell well. You are hampered by 2 things...availability (yes just about EVERY Apple Store sells out their inventory of phones every day) and the system AT&T uses for activation. So what do you do? Well a seperate line for these phone installs is the first thing. Then allocate as many people to do them while still being able to sell computers. Then sell as many as you can. Now you want them to implement claim tickets, pre orders, calling HUNDREDS of people when they come in every day, and what iff they cant be reached? Do you hold a phone until you can reach them? WHat about the people that are next on the list? Should they have to wait for you to come back from vacation when they are ready to pick up right now? How much resources do you devote to calling people to come and pick up vs people standing there for people waiting to buy on the spot? Do they ever do this? NO....not for any product so why do it differently than any other product. I am with Apple on this one. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Adding all these levels of difficulty ESPECIALLY on launch day would have made it far far worse. Bottom Line. Its a hot product. They are selling far more than they imagined. There are issues with supply and inventory. If they could sell more per day they would. Be happy the Apple Store is doing this. Imagine if Apple shipped the majority of phones to the AT&T stores.....it would be madness. Instead, they are selling a record number of phones and it still happens day after day after day.....oh and I LOVE my 3G iPhone!!!!!

 

[belmardays]

I was finally able to purchase a Black 16 GB this past friday (Fashion Show, Las Vegas) because they implemented this system. It took them less than 15 minutes to figure out who wanted what phone, and what was available. I had previously waited in line (several times) for more than an hour to find out they had run out....

btw- exactly NO ONE left the line after they got their "golden ticket!"

i got one there (fashion mall) last week wed i think), one of the store clerks TODD, seems to be playing side deals...tried telling me they were sold out after i wat from 7:30am till 11am ...and yes i was prequalified by the girl rachelat the door ...

 

[manhattanboy]

What, when that LTE iphone comes out?? Or the clearwire wimax iphone??

Yeah right, most of the country is not even on 3G yet.

 

[VDA]

Ah yes! I can just hear the collective sigh of 1 million+ iphone users around the planet: "Is this it? Is this what all the excitement was about???"

Yep, I was a first gen owner and made the switch but now I'm kickin' myself because there truly is nothing "new" here. And I'm really gonna be pissed off come next year when they release another updated model, possibly with a front-facing video cam built-in....grrrrr!!

The GPS function really doesn't offer any great leap in functionality over the basic Google Maps app from the 1st gen. I'm having major problems with the satellites pinpointing my position -- especially if I'm inside my house or a building. And unless you have 3G enabled while using it the animation of the pulsating blue dot lags and is jerky at best...sometimes even with 3G enabled!!!

If you're new to iphone you can exhaust exploring all the cool "features" of the iphone 3G within a few hours at the most. After that, what else is there?? And am I the only one who hasn't downloading any apps (well, except for the BofA mobile banking app) --- mostly because I find the vast majority of them gimmicky and rather childish and far too G-rated?? When's the adult-rated content supposed to arrive?! lololol

Oh and did I mention there is a pathetic lack of decent cases available sofar to protect and accentuate it?? Just peruse the case rack at your local iphone or AT&T store to see what I mean!

I must admit, though, the "feel" of the phone in my hand is very satisfying...it doesn't feel cheap as I thought it would with the plastic back. Also, the screen is just as beautiful if not moreso as the original...but you can forget about trying to apply a screen protector without gathering air bubbles and lint underneath it!! Is that not the most frustrating thing you've ever experienced?!! lolol

Next up: The Garmin Nuvifone. I hear AT&T will be the carrier. With all the needless shortcomings of the 2nd gen iphone this would be an excellent opportunity for Garmin to capitalize on!!! We already know the GPS functionality will be vastly superior so if they can make the phone aspect as good as that on the iphone this could very well be the "iphone killer" that other phones have tried and failed to be. I don't think any phone will be able to improve upon or beat the Safari web browser interface though. It simply rocks --- even without flash support!! lol

 

[mbnt]

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous.

Are people really that sheepish and desperate for a stupid piece of technology?! No patience?! What's wrong with society!

OMG, I *MUST* have the new iPhone 3G! If I don't get it the nanosecond it comes out, I am going to melt and die!

Wow, grow up! This kind of human behavior is scary.

 

[Rob01]

wow am i the only who doesnt see the iphone going out of stock everywhere? the apple store in Manhattan is def. sold out but the at&t stores near me alllll have the iphone, all models and plenty of them. lucky me i guess.

im getting mine in december, cuz my contract ends in freaking dec. stupid tmobile

 

[DiamondMac]

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous.

Are people really that sheepish and desperate for a stupid piece of technology?! No patience?! What's wrong with society!

OMG, I *MUST* have the new iPhone 3G! If I don't get it the nanosecond it comes out, I am going to melt and die!

Wow, grow up! This kind of human behavior is scary.

I guess so

Apparently this "stupid piece of technology" is more than just that and millions want it

 

[weatherman316]

wow am i the only who doesnt see the iphone going out of stock everywhere? the apple store in Manhattan is def. sold out but the at&t stores near me alllll have the iphone, all models and plenty of them. lucky me i guess.

im getting mine in december, cuz my contract ends in freaking dec. stupid tmobile

What AT&T stores? Where are you located? I'll be in Manhattan on Thursday night, hoping to get an iPhone from the 5th Ave store Friday morning.

 

[Rob01]

What AT&T stores? Where are you located? I'll be in Manhattan on Thursday night, hoping to get an iPhone from the 5th Ave store Friday morning.

uh well the 5th ave store is sold out im pretty sure, just check out any at&t stores in manhatten. but if you have time go to the at&t store on kings highway and coney island avenue, or the one on 86st. they are def. in stock i was their today.