Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Best Buy preorders - press release & clarification

Travisimo said:
Best Buy officially announced their preorder plans for the iPhone 4 this morning. However, I'm not quite clear if this preorder is only for shipping to your home, or if you can preorder at Best Buy and pick up in the store on launch day? Here's the Engadget article that links to the press release.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/14/best-buy-announces-official-iphone-4-pre-sale-for-june-15th/
Click to expand...

You're right it doesn't specify. Nor does it specify if they'll stop taking pre-orders once they have run out of their initial "batch" of phones or if they'll just take them to take them.

Really, the idea of going to Best Buy to pre-order isn't as appealing as ordering online through Apple or At&t. It doesn't sound like online pre-ordering as available via Best Buy.
 
jashsayani said:
With Apple, ATT, Walmart, BestBuy and Radioshack, people are mostly going to Apple. In that case Radioshack would end with with some stock! :)
Click to expand...

RS has a decent trade in program, but unlike Best Buy they've yet to announce any details about their preorder program.
 
JohnnyQuest said:
The Engadget article says for delivery to your home.
Click to expand...

My conversation with best buy.com
just now:


11:28 AM Amber:
This session may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. Thank you for contacting Best Buy Mobile where we provide Impartial, Informed Advice, and straightforward pricing.
How can I help you today?
11:28 AM Me:
I was just notified of a press release from best buy about pre-orders for the iphone 4 tomorrow, however it was very vague in stating how those pre-orders can be accomplished (online, in store, delivery to home or pickup in store). Can you clarify?
11:29 AM Amber:
They will be held in the local Best Buy stores.
11:29 AM Me:
are they reserving me one for guaranteed pick up on the 24th?
11:30 AM Amber:
If you preorder yes
11:30 AM Me:
thanks it was just very vague in the pre-order process and i wanted clarification i appreciate your help.
11:31 AM Amber:
Your welcome
11:31 AM Amber:
Are there any other questions that I can help you with today?
11:31 AM Me:
no thank you very much
11:31 AM Amber:
Thank you for contacting Best Buy Mobile. If you have any additional questions, please call us at 1-888- BESTBUY or visit us on our website. Have a great day

Hope this helps.
 
JeninNC said:
My conversation with best buy.com
just now:


11:28 AM Amber:
This session may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. Thank you for contacting Best Buy Mobile where we provide Impartial, Informed Advice, and straightforward pricing.
How can I help you today?
11:28 AM Me:
I was just notified of a press release from best buy about pre-orders for the iphone 4 tomorrow, however it was very vague in stating how those pre-orders can be accomplished (online, in store, delivery to home or pickup in store). Can you clarify?
11:29 AM Amber:
They will be held in the local Best Buy stores.
11:29 AM Me:
are they reserving me one for guaranteed pick up on the 24th?
11:30 AM Amber:
If you preorder yes
11:30 AM Me:
thanks it was just very vague in the pre-order process and i wanted clarification i appreciate your help.
11:31 AM Amber:
Your welcome
11:31 AM Amber:
Are there any other questions that I can help you with today?
11:31 AM Me:
no thank you very much
11:31 AM Amber:
Thank you for contacting Best Buy Mobile. If you have any additional questions, please call us at 1-888- BESTBUY or visit us on our website. Have a great day

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Cool! Thanks. I will be there as soon as they open!
 
Looks like the preorders will be for in-store pickup on the 24th! This might actually be better than doing delivery from Apple because you could presumably get the phone at Best Buy faster than waiting for UPS/FEDEX to delivery the phone to your house.

The only other thing not quite clear is whether you actually do the preorder at Bestbuy.com for in-store pickup OR if you have to go into the actual store to place the preorder on the 15th?

EDIT: Sorry, forgot the link:

http://modmyi.com/forums/iphone-news/714069-best-buy-radioshack-iphone-4-preorders-start-tomorrow.html
 
Travisimo said:
Looks like the preorders will be for in-store pickup on the 24th! This might actually be better than doing delivery from Apple because you could presumably get the phone at Best Buy faster than waiting for UPS/FEDEX to delivery the phone to your house.

The only other thing not quite clear is whether you actually do the preorder at Bestbuy.com for in-store pickup OR if you have to go into the actual store to place the preorder on the 15th?
Click to expand...

Based upon what the lady said to me in my conversation with her posted above was that you go into the store and pre-order she said nothing regarding online so i'm assuming in store only based upon her response. Hopefully this helps and this does seem better if you can absolutely guarantee it on the 24th and not later.
 
Here's a bit more from CNET:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20007599-260.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Looks like preorders can be made at Best Buy Mobile or Best Buy Stores. What is Best Buy Mobile? Is that a special brick and mortal store, or does that refer to the online store? Can we place preorders for the iPhone 4 at bestbuy.com for in-store pickup, or do we have to go to Best buy stores when they open tomorrow to preorder?
 
Travisimo said:
Here's a bit more from CNET:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20007599-260.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Looks like preorders can be made at Best Buy Mobile or Best Buy Stores. What is Best Buy Mobile? Is that a special brick and mortal store, or does that refer to the online store? Can we place preorders for the iPhone 4 at bestbuy.com for in-store pickup, or do we have to go to Best buy stores when they open tomorrow to preorder?
Click to expand...

Best Buy Mobile is their instore phone area.

I would like them to clarify if they will pre-order for only a certain amount of phones so you are guaranteed the phone on the 24th because I would like the reward points from them, and their warrenty service would be nice as well. Lining up to pre-order only to be told they are out of phones would kinf od suck. I guess this is my 2nd option in case Apple .com fails me for some reason.
 
So here's what we know so far:

Best Buy will begin preorders tomorrow in their stores for pickup on the 24th.

Here's what we DON'T know yet:

We can probably assume (but don't KNOW) that preorders will begin when the stores open tomorrow.

We don't know how much you have to put down or if you have to prepay all up front.

We don't know if they are guaranteeing stock on the 24th for all who preorder tomorrow.

We don't know what time you'll be able to pick up your iPhone at Best Buy on the 24th. Will they have them when the store opens, or will we have to wait for deliveries later in the day? If they have them when the store opens, this might be a good way to get the phone faster than waiting for UPS/FEDEX from Apple.com. On the other hand, if they have to wait for shipments just like the rest of us, Best Buy might not have them until later in the day anyway!

So what do you guys think? I'd like to get the RZ points but not at the expense of the possibility that I won't get it on the 24th.
 
Hmm... I was planning to preorder via Apple and just have it shipped to me. If Best Buy can guarantee that they'll have one in stock for me on the 24th, that may be a better way to go.
 
Travisimo said:
So here's what we know so far:

Best Buy will begin preorders tomorrow in their stores for pickup on the 24th.

Here's what we DON'T know yet:

We can probably assume (but don't KNOW) that preorders will begin when the stores open tomorrow.

We don't know how much you have to put down or if you have to prepay all up front.

We don't know if they are guaranteeing stock on the 24th for all who preorder tomorrow.

We don't know what time you'll be able to pick up your iPhone at Best Buy on the 24th. Will they have them when the store opens, or will we have to wait for deliveries later in the day? If they have them when the store opens, this might be a good way to get the phone faster than waiting for UPS/FEDEX from Apple.com. On the other hand, if they have to wait for shipments just like the rest of us, Best Buy might not have them until later in the day anyway!

So what do you guys think? I'd like to get the RZ points but not at the expense of the possibility that I won't get it on the 24th.
Click to expand...

I would maybe call your local best buy sometimes stores do things differently and they would know better than an online rep since they will have to deal with the process directly. Just advice :)..Id love to order mine with best buy for the rewards as well, but I don't want to risk seeing a line tomorrow when the store does open tomorrow and pass up getting one on the 24th from apple.com. :)
 
according to the local BB near me, they have no clue yet. Management is reviewing and will release info shortly... but one sales kid said if you are that fanatical about getting the i4 on launch day then you best just pre-order from Apple, that's what I'd do, he said.

Wally World is even worse, the guy said "what is coming out on the 24th?" :p
 
i just called my best buy and they said their preorders will be guaranteed for the 24th and they will have the bumpers :)

let's hope it's true.
 
BB and family plan

Tilpots said:
Anyone know if new to AT&T customers be able to pre-order more than one iPhone for a family plan account thru Best Buy?
Click to expand...

Last year I got two iPhone 3GS through BB. I pre-ordered them (because of a fiasco at the Apple Store) and picked them up on the release day. It was our first iPhones and our first contract with AT&T. NOTE: I am NOT saying that this is how it will work this year for the iPhone 4 - I don't know what their plan is...
 
Travisimo said:
Here's a bit more from CNET:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20007599-260.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Looks like preorders can be made at Best Buy Mobile or Best Buy Stores. What is Best Buy Mobile? Is that a special brick and mortal store, or does that refer to the online store? Can we place preorders for the iPhone 4 at bestbuy.com for in-store pickup, or do we have to go to Best buy stores when they open tomorrow to preorder?
Click to expand...

Best Buy Mobile is both their own store and a sub-section of existing Best Buy big box stores. I only know this because i wanted to play with the HTC Incredible on Verizon and walked by the Best Buy Mobile store in the mall. It was it's own store, just like a Gamestop. Funny thing was that it set up shop right in front of the Verizon kiosk.
 
I just spoke with my local Best Buy and as far as he knew pre-orders are only taken in-store. And that it was only available for in-store pickup and could not be shipped but it would guarantee me an iphone 4 on the 24th... there will be a package with my name on it waiting for me to come pick it up. He also said that there wasn't a store limit of pre-orders so I shouldn’t worry about them 'running out' of pre-order sales... so I guess I don't have to be there at opening to get my order in. Opening by the way is still just at 10am here.

And to make it an even sweeter deal to pre-order though BB.... they are currently offering 18 months no interest on your best buy card for orders of $249 + so I verified with him that this can be applied for iPhone pre-orders!
 
lyndeam said:
I just spoke with my local Best Buy and as far as he knew pre-orders are only taken in-store. And that it was only available for in-store pickup and could not be shipped but it would guarantee me an iphone 4 on the 24th... there will be a package with my name on it waiting for me to come pick it up. He also said that there wasn't a store limit of pre-orders so I shouldn’t worry about them 'running out' of pre-order sales... so I guess I don't have to be there at opening to get my order in. Opening by the way is still just at 10am here.

And to make it an even sweeter deal to pre-order though BB.... they are currently offering 18 months no interest on your best buy card for orders of $249 + so I verified with him that this can be applied for iPhone pre-orders!
Click to expand...
Good news, but how about if I'm switching from Verizon, can bestbuy port my # and do all the switching to AT&T??
 
mnilan said:
Last year I got two iPhone 3GS through BB. I pre-ordered them (because of a fiasco at the Apple Store) and picked them up on the release day. It was our first iPhones and our first contract with AT&T. NOTE: I am NOT saying that this is how it will work this year for the iPhone 4 - I don't know what their plan is...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think this year is different from years past, but thanks though. Didn't get a straight answer from BBs reps when I called.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back