I am thinking about going to Best Buy tonight around 5:30pm Central to pre-order the iPhone 5. Does anyone know if this is an in-store pickup or a shipment? Any idea of the chance of me even being able to get one on the 21st if I wait until 5:30 to pre-order?
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Best Buy in-store pre-order
- Thread starter RevolvingSheep
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It is a crap shoot even if you were the first one this morning. I trust online ordering more than in store but it doesn't hurt to do a pre-order through BB.
It would be an in-store pickup so you'd have to rely on their in store stock.
All I can tell you is personal experience - which is that preordering at Best Buy doesn't guarantee anything.
My wife preordered the 4S there last year (and, I think, may have made a deposit of some sort - not sure.) In any event, she went to Best Buy straight after work on launch day and was told they had already given out their complete stock of preorders - it's still first come, first serve among preorders and she would have to wait until their next shipment, when it would again be first-come, first serve among preorders. She just left BB and went over to the Apple Store in the local mall and picked up a 4S with no wait.
Mike
My wife preordered the 4S there last year (and, I think, may have made a deposit of some sort - not sure.) In any event, she went to Best Buy straight after work on launch day and was told they had already given out their complete stock of preorders - it's still first come, first serve among preorders and she would have to wait until their next shipment, when it would again be first-come, first serve among preorders. She just left BB and went over to the Apple Store in the local mall and picked up a 4S with no wait.
Mike
I had a horrible experience with Best Buy preordering last year too (they never got a shipment) and ended up having to go to the Apple Store instead. But I'll do BB again this year due to two big reasons. Long return policy (45days for Reward Zone Silver) and Best Buy Credit Card (2yrs to pay it off).
The reason this is important is because I have to sell my 4S and I'm worried the resale market won't give me a reasonable price due to it being flooded.
The reason this is important is because I have to sell my 4S and I'm worried the resale market won't give me a reasonable price due to it being flooded.
i would say slim if you want a specific color/size based on my previous experience...i went around noon for iphone 4 and was around 15 on the list..at 5:30, they'd likely at least double that number.
they might get 60-100 phones, but with 3 carriers, 2 colors, 3 storage capacities, and 25-40 of those phones being reserved before it even gets to you -- getting a black, 32 GB on verizon for example may be tough, but if you will take any iphone available on your carrier, id say your odds are better.
maybe try calling the store and ask if you could at least add you to the queue and you'll come buy to put a deposit later today.
they might get 60-100 phones, but with 3 carriers, 2 colors, 3 storage capacities, and 25-40 of those phones being reserved before it even gets to you -- getting a black, 32 GB on verizon for example may be tough, but if you will take any iphone available on your carrier, id say your odds are better.
maybe try calling the store and ask if you could at least add you to the queue and you'll come buy to put a deposit later today.
Just ordered mine this morning inside best buy. No problems. During the transaction I even received an email stating I had a 32gb on reserve and that I would be notified when I can pick it up. The rep told me they call as well. I paid a 50 deposit. I was the first customer on their list. I stayed around and noticed that most preorders where AT&T customers.
It is actually 60 Days now for Silver members... and the best buy credit card should get you double points...
The problem with Best Buy, is even if you pre-order it, they will not turn down customers who line up on launch day (thats what it was like last year at least)
So in my opinion, their pre-order option is pointless.
I am friends with all the people at my local store because I used to work there...
With the 4S, the vast majority of them were16 GB models, only a few 32's, and only 1 64 GB on launch day. A lot of AT&T and Verizon, and Zero for Sprint. The whole thing was a mess.
I would never preorder there... you still might not get it on launch day unless you are willing to get their Really early, which defeats the point of a preorder IMO. Especially since they don't sell anywhere near as much as a local Apple store will.
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Positive Experience
I've had positive experiences preordering from BB. I've preordered the 4S and now the 5 (well, the wife did the 5 for me...)
Last year for the 4S, I went to the store when it opened up, I was the first one there. I put in a preorder for an ATT White 32GB, paid the $50 GC fee, and was off. The day before release, I got a phone call from the store telling me the phone would be there for me. I got there 3 hours early, And about 15 min before opening, they opened the doors and started a line by the mobile section. They had a clipboard, they asked us what we preordered, and gave us a slip of paper indicating our model. I was second in line, so I got out of there in about 30 min. I was pretty pleased with my experience.
This morning, my wife (I was stuck at work
) went over to the store an hour after it opened, put in an order for an ATT Black 64GB, was given a bunch of papers that I need to bring, and made an appointment for 1030 next Friday to pick up my phone. They stressed the importance of being on time because they have appointments in 30 min increments, and if they don't finish everything within your 30 min window, you would have to come back the next day. Seems reasonable to me. She said the rep was friendly and helpful.
Anybody else have a similar experience?
I've had positive experiences preordering from BB. I've preordered the 4S and now the 5 (well, the wife did the 5 for me...)
Last year for the 4S, I went to the store when it opened up, I was the first one there. I put in a preorder for an ATT White 32GB, paid the $50 GC fee, and was off. The day before release, I got a phone call from the store telling me the phone would be there for me. I got there 3 hours early, And about 15 min before opening, they opened the doors and started a line by the mobile section. They had a clipboard, they asked us what we preordered, and gave us a slip of paper indicating our model. I was second in line, so I got out of there in about 30 min. I was pretty pleased with my experience.
This morning, my wife (I was stuck at work
) went over to the store an hour after it opened, put in an order for an ATT Black 64GB, was given a bunch of papers that I need to bring, and made an appointment for 1030 next Friday to pick up my phone. They stressed the importance of being on time because they have appointments in 30 min increments, and if they don't finish everything within your 30 min window, you would have to come back the next day. Seems reasonable to me. She said the rep was friendly and helpful.Anybody else have a similar experience?
I went to my local Best Buy at about 10:30 this morning, and there was actually a line in the mobile department for Pre-orders. I was told that I was about number 40 and that I should be receiving mine on launch day. I was also told that regardless of what time I come in on that day, that my iPhone 5 32GB in White should still be there waiting on me. So I don't think this store is doing the whole "first come, first serve" thing.
I Pre-ordered through Best Buy when I got my iPhone 4 2 years ago, and the whole thing went off without a hitch really.
I Pre-ordered through Best Buy when I got my iPhone 4 2 years ago, and the whole thing went off without a hitch really.
As a previous employee of Best Buy, here's how the preorder system works for everything IN STORE (tablets, phones, etc)
The store will get an initial wave of shipments for a certain product. The quantity varies depending on how busy of a store it usually is. Customers can walk in and "preorder" the product. The term "preorder" is pretty crappy in these situations.
When you "preorder" something in the store at best buy, all it will do is email you when one actually comes in for availability. You have 72 hours to go pick it up, or they will put it on the sales floor. They don't order one especially for you just because you "preordered" it. It's first come first serve, and you won't get your phone until they get another wave of shipments from Apple. Apple's truck delivery dates are never announced to employees for ANYTHING; they simply get dropped off randomly every week or two.
Basically, if you preorder something from Best Buy, all you're doing is getting it put on hold for you for 72 hours. No one is going into the POS systems and actually "ordering" it for you. You just have to wait until you're number is called.
The store will get an initial wave of shipments for a certain product. The quantity varies depending on how busy of a store it usually is. Customers can walk in and "preorder" the product. The term "preorder" is pretty crappy in these situations.
When you "preorder" something in the store at best buy, all it will do is email you when one actually comes in for availability. You have 72 hours to go pick it up, or they will put it on the sales floor. They don't order one especially for you just because you "preordered" it. It's first come first serve, and you won't get your phone until they get another wave of shipments from Apple. Apple's truck delivery dates are never announced to employees for ANYTHING; they simply get dropped off randomly every week or two.
Basically, if you preorder something from Best Buy, all you're doing is getting it put on hold for you for 72 hours. No one is going into the POS systems and actually "ordering" it for you. You just have to wait until you're number is called.
I pre-ordered mine through a Best Buy mobile in our mall. I was there right at opening and there was no line. I didn't really understand how the pre-orders worked, but I assumed that I would be receiving my device on launch day as I was the first person in the store. Fingers Crossed. I called the 800 # for Best Buy mobile today and was told that Apple will fulfill their own orders first, then ATT, VZW, Sprint, THEN Best Buy will get theirs if there are any left!?! This sounds less promising as Apple says they have had more than 2,000,000 pre-ordered. I then called the actual Best Buy mobile store I pre-ordered at and was told there should be no problem getting it launch day. They said they were able to fulfill all of the iphone 4s pre-orders plus have extras to sell. They said they obviously couldn't guarantee Friday, but they would no in the next day or two what models they were receiving and would start scheduling appointments to pick them up. again, FINGERS CROSSED!