Best Buy pre-order question.

[jamesryanbell]

I went to Best Buy (in person) and reserved a 16GB version at the store. I asked how many people were on the list, and I was number 40. I asked how many they'd get in for the first shipment and they said they place the order for the entire amount when they're done. YET, he told me we'd be 100% sure getting them on launch day - and happened to be the store manager. Then I hear "Apple is sold out".

What's the deal? Anyone know if we'll in fact be getting one on launch day?

 

[Travisimo]

Truth be told, Best Buy probably has clue at this point how many they will actually get. They will certainly order as many as they can, but that doesn't mean they will get them all. So they will simply fill preorders (hopefully) in the order they got them, and when they run out, they run out!

One would hope each store will get more than 40, but who knows? And just because Apple and AT&T are sold out online doesn't mean Best Buy isn't going to get any on the 24th. They have to allocate so many for online preorders and so many for in-store locations. Of course, no one but Apple knows the mix of how that works.

 

[jamesryanbell]

Thx for the reply. Any other insight on this?

 

[boshii]

Well they'll be calling the people who preordered in the order that they ordered so they'll probably only call the people they have phones for on the 22nd or 23rd. If you don't get a call, they don't have a phone for you yet.

I don't think they can order however many they need.

 

[lorenwade]

Thx for the reply. Any other insight on this?

These might help:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939562/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939646/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939518/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939602/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938831/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938584/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938802/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938743/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938220/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/937526/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/936479/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938257/

 

[JustinP81]

From my experience working at Best Buy, I don't ever recall anyone in store placing orders. Ordering is done outside of the stores. No one in the mobile department at BB has the authority to place an order of iPhones.

Each store has, most likely, been allotted a number of phones based on store location and store sales rank. Busier area = more phones. Like, NYC based BB stores will get more than some BB in the middle of nowhere Kansas.

Wait until Wednesday to check back in. They SHOULD have their phones by then.