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Best Buy Delays iPhone 5 Pre-Orders Up to 28 Days, Walmart and Sam's Club Also Seeing Delays

Best buy low on stock

I blame Apple for this. If they told stores there getting so much units so they presell them and it never comes. It's not really their fault. I think Apple under estimated the demand. So they decided to short ship to keep more stock in their stores.
 
I ordered my 64gb phone on the 14th at 10:am at the AT&T store. The email says 14-21 days. Sure I would like it now but I'll live. It gave me time to order a couple of cheap cases and a couple of cheap lightning adapters so at least I'll have something when the phone finally arrives.
 
Best Buy is about pushing the products out the door, Apple (usually) is just as interested in getting you what you need and making sure you know how to use it. I've railed against the Best Buy Apple kiosks because of the rough way Best Buy 'salespeople' mangle things but the Apple Store experience (at a larger store) is fantastic. To be able to touch the products, ask questions of knowledgable people, be able to sit down at will and experience an Apple toutorial is great. It's too bad the larger Apple stores are in Chicago and New York from here (maybe Toronto)...
 
Motor18 said:
I blame Apple for this. If they told stores there getting so much units so they presell them and it never comes. It's not really their fault. I think Apple under estimated the demand. So they decided to short ship to keep more stock in their stores.
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I ordered at the AT&T store because I wanted to make sure I kept my plan and discount. That was more important to me.
 
Methinks this isn't an Apple issue. I'm sure Apple notified vendors of exact stock quantities ahead of time, or at least told them when they would know an exact number. It's on the vendor if they ignore this information or get antsy and take preorders without doing their homework. Way to go BB!
 
Motor18 said:
I blame Apple for this. If they told stores there getting so much units so they presell them and it never comes. It's not really their fault. I think Apple under estimated the demand. So they decided to short ship to keep more stock in their stores.
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Nice to know the Best Buy management is now ready MacRumors :D
 
Please explain to me what is so hard going to apple.com and purchasing a phone..then just waiting for ups or fedex to arrive at home...This isn't rocket science people!
 
I work part time at Best Buy... my real job pays for my iPhone, so I ordered mine through AT&T Premier and it will be delivered today... but I ordered some for my good friends at Best Buy.

They are seriously oversold on the pre-orders. I looked up their order of a 32GB White AT&T last night, and very few stores received ANY of that particular model. Only 2 stores in my region received that particular model, and it was the same story for several other models. My store received no Verizon models at all. The most ordered model appeared to be the 16GB in black, and we received some AT&T and Sprints, but not enough to come close to covering demand.

So I can confirm, it will be a while before Best Buy and other retailers get caught up on pre-orders. Earlier in the year Best Buy had a promotion where, if you signed up (without obligation) to upgrade before the end of 2012 you get a $50 gift card. I think that is probably driving a lot of demand to Best Buy.
 
will this affect the orders that were already pushed back to 2 weeks after the initial pre-orders sold out? I hope my oct 5th date still is accurate. I have a feeling that we will be pushed back to fulfill these orders from the retail stores. I was all for returning from Costa Rica on the 13th of Oct and having my new phone waiting for me...now I am not sure if that will even be the case. :confused:
 
Quahog said:
Earlier in the year Best Buy had a promotion where, if you signed up (without obligation) to upgrade before the end of 2012 you get a $50 gift card. I think that is probably driving a lot of demand to Best Buy.
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I did this Phone Freedom deal and thats the reason I pre ordered from Best Buy. What a joke!

After I get my iPhone 5, I personally will stop doing business with Best Buy all togeather and stick with oniine retailers. Makes sense that Apple would take care of there own customers first then the retailers if you think about it.
 
crisss1205 said:
Just came back from an AT&T store about 30 minutes ago (had to switch lines since I used someone elses upgrade) and they still had enough stock of pretty much all the models. People were walking in, and then walking out with their new phone. No pre-order needed.
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So how did AT & T switch the number? They gave you a new Nano Sim or they just use their scanner and computer to switch your number. I believe when you bought it at Apple Store they automatically transfer the no# that you use to upgrade. Which in my case is gonna be my wife no# and she will be piss. Lol!
 
NutFlush920 said:
I did this Phone Freedom deal and thats the reason I pre ordered from Best Buy. What a joke!

After I get my iPhone 5, I personally will stop doing business with Best Buy all togeather and stick with oniine retailers. Makes sense that Apple would take care of there own customers first then the retailers if you think about it.
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Yeah, the only reason I preordered at Best Buy is due to the Phone Freedom offer I enrolled in early this year. I got my Black 16gb though. AT&T.
 
sephiroth61787 said:
Yeah, the only reason I preordered at Best Buy is due to the Phone Freedom offer I enrolled in early this year. I got my Black 16gb though. AT&T.
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Lucky you.

I Can't believe my Best Buy didn't get a single 32gb black at&t one. I'm first on the list so, would know if they did.
 
No Problems here

I preordered at best buy last saturday, mid day. Got a call last night to set up a time, and walked out with my new iphone at 9:30 this morning. No lines, no hassle. And I got a 25$ gift card.
 
kellygeorge said:
I preordered at best buy last saturday, mid day. Got a call last night to set up a time, and walked out with my new iphone at 9:30 this morning. No lines, no hassle. And I got a 25$ gift card.
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How did you get a $25 gift card? What was that for?
 
Pre-ordered from Walmart

My Wife and I were the 7th & 8th on their pre-order list. They sell each for $10 discount. And we have other discount so we are saving $40. We are not in a big hurry so the saving is worth some wait. Just hope it won't be too much delay. The store said they don't have it yet.
I think Apple over-sold to retailers or delay shipment to retailer just to make sure their own stores are stocked.
 
"Best" use of a Best Buy. I avoid buying anything from them.

Best-Buys-New-Sign.jpg
 
I had a really terrible experience with Best Buy a couple years back for an iPhone 4 preorder. According to them I was their fifth preorder and I would definitely receive it on launch day. On launch day no iPhone and no idea when I could have one. Turned out they got some in and provided them to people who preordered in more or less random order.

Since then I only shop BB if there are no viable alternatives - which is almost never. I sadly had to preorder a Wii U at BB (they claim I will get it on launch day) but given their track record I'll probably receive my online order first.
 
Phew!

While I frequent this site daily, I don't comment much, however this thread stirred something. As a major fan of the RewardZone program, I have always cringed at the thought of the lost points resulting from buying from Apple directly. This time around I almost gave in to the draw of the points with BestBuy, but decided at the last minute to throw away 2k points and buy direct again. I can't speak for the local store, so there is a chance I would have been okay, I am nevertheless glad I didn't take the chance.

The fact that Best Buy won't refund a preorder deposit under these circumstances is deplorable. I wish everyone who's in this situation the best of luck.
 
I pre ordered mine through Apple on Friday the 14th, but according to their site I will get it Oct 9 -15. I called my local Best Buy & Radio Shack out of curiosity, they are sold out, but RS said they should be getting some buy Wed.
So odds are I probably can just walk into a store next week & pick one up faster than I'll get my Apple pre ordered one.

From what I've read the 30 to 8 pin adapters won't be released until October, so even if I got the phone today I'd still have to keep my iphone 4 to listen to music in my car via my Belkin fm transmitter.
 
mykelala01 said:
So how did AT & T switch the number? They gave you a new Nano Sim or they just use their scanner and computer to switch your number. I believe when you bought it at Apple Store they automatically transfer the no# that you use to upgrade. Which in my case is gonna be my wife no# and she will be piss. Lol!
Click to expand...

I had to activate the iPhone 5 with the number of the upgrade, so make sure your wife is with you as she will be pissed since her old phone gets disconnected. Then AT&T gave both lines a new SIM, a new nano sim with my number, and a new micro sim for the upgraded number.

The sales rep was telling me that it is going to take a really long time to do it because their computers were very slow. (I knew that was bulls*** because the activation went smoothly and I think he works on commission and rather sell an iPhone than help me transfer my number). Yet the entire process took no more than 10-15 minutes.
 
I preordered the black iPhone 5 32GB for Sprint at Best Buy on Monday and I also got the email saying that it'd be up to 28 days.

I went over to a Sprint store and I was able to buy the black iPhone 5 64gb at about 11:30 am central.

Although I had to pay $100 more than the 32 GB because the 64 GB was the only option left in the black, it was better than waiting up to 28 days for soon-to-be-bankrupt Best Buy.
 
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