Best Buy Preps for April 3rd iPad Launch

[SpinThis!]

That still doesn't change the fact that they will generally require a certain number of units at whatever price and quantity they advertise, MSRP or not.

Who is is "they?" It's certainly not the government. That leaves Best Buy policy. jaw04005 wanted a reason... they could have said "store policy."

If you're referring to the FTC's truth in advertising acts, no consumer is going to sue Best Buy because they were out of stock on a TV being "advertised" in the paper for MSRP, as jaw04005 mentioned.

The whole point of those "min x per store" weasel words in an advertisement is to protect companies from being sued for deceptive advertising. There's nothing deceptive about a TV being featured in a circular for full retail price. In this case, Best Buy wouldn't even have to state their minimum quantities in the ad because they would likely given a "raincheck" for that price, honoring the advertisement.

In this case, it was Best Buy being Best Buy, plain and simple, wanting to charge the customer full price.

 

[talkingnewmedia]

What about the 3G version? The non Apple store-in-stores sell the iPhone. Could this be an exception?

MacRumors is reporting that only the Best Buy stores with Apple store-in-stores will carry the product, so I doubt it.

My guess is that Apple would like to keep the iPad and iPhone as separated as possible. I also think that having the iPad with Apple's Macs is a good idea -- more traffic in the Apple area.

This would be better than just letting the iPad be stocked like any other product. At my local BB the Slingbox units are stuck in a corner, out of sight, and hence no one looks at them, Even if a customer were to find the devices no BB sales person would notice the customer since they are tucked away from everything else.

 

[kpierce]

If you had tried to buy the TV before black Friday or a large shopping day in the holidays that's why they could not sell you those tv's. The week before black Friday we had 32 dynex TV's in and i couldn't sell them because they are being held for another day. There could have a number of different issues, I bet those employees wanted to sell you that TV.

 

[MacGuffin]

No one with any sense or dignity would shop at this right wing, George Bush-loving sewer of a box store.

 

[gwynne]

When this story broke last night, all I could think about are my two most recent experiences at my local Best Buy:

1) A few months ago, decided to buy a Razer gaming mouse. Confirmed online that my local store had stock of the item I wanted. Went to the store on my lunch hour. Looked at the gaming mice--it wasn't there. Looked at the normal mice--it wasn't there. Wandered the whole PC department. Wasn't there. Tried to get a floor rep to help me. No luck. Went and stood in line at the actual CS desk. CSR was able to confirm that yes, they had them, but no idea where they were. He summoned a sales rep to help me. We walked around all the spots I had visited already. During this trip, he stopped a few times to chat with friends and ignore me. On his last stop to talk to a group of his bros, I gave up and went back to work.

2) A few weeks ago, decided to buy a WDTV Live (Western Digital network media extender). Confirmed online that my local store had stock of the item I wanted. Went to the store on my lunch hour. (Yes, I had forgotten the Razer experience at this point). I admit this item is more of a niche product. I went to the home theater section first, where I found a different model but not the one I wanted. Went to the harddrive aisle (it's not a harddrive but it's made by western digital). Not there. Went to the network devices aisle (this could fit in that category). Not there. Played the whole sales rep/CS desk game again. "Yes we have them, no we don't know where they are." Walked the whole store again with a floor rep. Pointed out the different model in Home Theater. We found another stock of that model, and this was hilarious, with the gaming mice. I was about to give up--and to be honest this guy was really trying--when he spotted them on a shelf near the CD/DVD media and airdusters. Which makes...no sense whatsoever.

So basically I avoid Best Buy unless I have 45 minutes to kill. I get that some people are happy because they have Best Buy but no Apple Store, but it still sounds like a recipe for annoyance. I can very easily see walking into my Best Buy (w/Apple Store) on the 3rd, and not being able to find a single person in the store who has any idea WTF I'm talking about. "Do you mean iPod?"

 

[puppyflightclub]

Is there a way you guys that work at Best Buy's can find out which stores will have them for sale on launch day? It would save me from waking up very early & driving 1.5+ hrs to Richmond, VA for the nearest Apple Store. I live in Charlottesville, VA.

Any info on which stores will carry it would be helpful.

thanks,

look for this:

 

[Xibalba]

After their Laptop Hunter ads (those were Best Buys) and the misleading Windows 7 training/product-push for their employees, it'll be a cold day in hell before I buy an Apple product from Best Buy.

Agree - I rarely shop at Best Buy anymore but primarily because the closest one is about an hour away. I pretty much buy almost everything from Amazon.com - no tax and prime shipping is free 2-day and only $3.99 overnight.

Still, I'm glad to see Best Buy selling the iPads - this is a smart move for Apple as this is the best way to get the average consumer to lay hands on an iPad by selling them at 675 BB locations in the US.

As for me, I will probably receive my iPad mid-morning on April 3 from FedEx and all I will have to do is wake up and open my door - no lines, no driving, no hassles. Hmmm, maybe I should get a gift for my FedEx guy for delivering me such joy...

 

[Trek2100]

It would be better if you didn't mix fact with assumption.

Fact: price means little on cables, expensive ones are pretty much a ripoff
Fiction: any cable is ok for digital

Actually, when HDMI first came out, some of the worst performing cables were $100+ Monster Cables. Some of the best were under $20.

One question for you. Where in my statement did you read that I said any cable is ok for digital? I was pointing out that buying expensive cables is like burning your money. My statement about digital is 100% correct. Its on or off, there or not there and to make it clear its ones or zeroes. Any manufacturer's cable may be of low quality. I never referenced the original HDMI specification and made no assumptions regarding good or bad brands. I mentioned the cables I purchased because they are excellent, had high ratings and low cost.

 

[MBPLurker]

When this story broke last night, all I could think about are my two most recent experiences at my local Best Buy:

1) A few months ago, decided to buy a Razer gaming mouse. Confirmed online that my local store had stock of the item I wanted. Went to the store on my lunch hour. Looked at the gaming mice--it wasn't there. Looked at the normal mice--it wasn't there. Wandered the whole PC department. Wasn't there. Tried to get a floor rep to help me. No luck. Went and stood in line at the actual CS desk. CSR was able to confirm that yes, they had them, but no idea where they were. He summoned a sales rep to help me. We walked around all the spots I had visited already. During this trip, he stopped a few times to chat with friends and ignore me. On his last stop to talk to a group of his bros, I gave up and went back to work.

2) A few weeks ago, decided to buy a WDTV Live (Western Digital network media extender). Confirmed online that my local store had stock of the item I wanted. Went to the store on my lunch hour. (Yes, I had forgotten the Razer experience at this point). I admit this item is more of a niche product. I went to the home theater section first, where I found a different model but not the one I wanted. Went to the harddrive aisle (it's not a harddrive but it's made by western digital). Not there. Went to the network devices aisle (this could fit in that category). Not there. Played the whole sales rep/CS desk game again. "Yes we have them, no we don't know where they are." Walked the whole store again with a floor rep. Pointed out the different model in Home Theater. We found another stock of that model, and this was hilarious, with the gaming mice. I was about to give up--and to be honest this guy was really trying--when he spotted them on a shelf near the CD/DVD media and airdusters. Which makes...no sense whatsoever.

So basically I avoid Best Buy unless I have 45 minutes to kill. I get that some people are happy because they have Best Buy but no Apple Store, but it still sounds like a recipe for annoyance. I can very easily see walking into my Best Buy (w/Apple Store) on the 3rd, and not being able to find a single person in the store who has any idea WTF I'm talking about. "Do you mean iPod?"

Easiest solution is to either order online for in-store pickup or call the store and they will pull and hold the item. Works like a charm at my local store.

Lots of people think it's trendy to bash Best Buy (and sometimes they deserve it) but they do offer some nice things. I've found the prices for their sale items are usually better than Amazon or Newegg. Of course, they will push warranties and services in order to make profit since they don't mark up the computers very much, but it doesn't bother me since it's the only way a brick and mortar store can staff people that can help the 60 year olds buy computers.

 

[Sleazy E]

Easiest solution is to either order online for in-store pickup or call the store and they will pull and hold the item. Works like a charm at my local store.

they have said that it will not be offered on bestbuy's online store so I believe ordering for in-store pickup will not be possible for the ipad.

 

[puppyflightclub]

i think people just want to be guaranteed their pad on the first day. i dont blame them.

it would be great if they release iPad's at bestbuys, because apple store is about an hour away..and i plan on camping.

 

[iSecretApples]

Best Buy iPad playbook

.

 

[puppyflightclub]

Finally decided to make and account. Ill give u a taste of my secrets. lol will post the full pdf soon (i dont know where) the playbook details stock minimum stock counts and procedures. Also explains about warranty and classification as a "tablet:" . follow me @isecretapples (twitter). I sent macrumors tip line the full pdf so hopefully they will post it if someone can get their attention. Much Thanks.

 

[puppyflightclub]

heres a pic of his pdf

 

[charlituna]

we get nothing on apple stuff

from what i've been reading on other sites, even Apple employees can't get a discount on the ipad at this point. they also are prohibited from pre-ordering or reserving. If they want an ipad right now they have to go stand in line with everyone else. No special treatment.

This is good, since no one will be able to buy one anywhere else on April 3rd until after 3PM.

Please make sure that you and every one else understands this:

There will be no iPad sales outside of Best Buy until 3 PM on April 3rd. Reservations ONLY at the Apple Store until 3 PM. No walk ins.

source please?

the email I got when I reserved my 2 ipads said that reservations are being held only until 3pm.

my local store told me they are opening at 9am for whoever is there. no mention of reserves only until 3pm.

so they would appear to be labeling or counting off enough for reserves. which by the by ended last night (which makes sense cause they need to tabulate units, pad for walkins and actually get them shipped out). there will likely be a small padding even if it's just topping off a box like say they factory ship in a multipack of 20 units. a store needs 101 for reserves but rather than break a box, just let them have the extra 19 for walkins.

they take everyone in order of arrival so some yahoo that shows up at 4am but no reserve doesn't start a scene cause he has to wait all day when there are sellable units. at 3pm they do one last scan of the line for late arrivals with reserves and then toss any lists and just sell whatever there is. Same gig I managed through 4 Harry Potters and 2 Twilights.

 

[AttilaTheHun]

from what i've been reading on other sites, even Apple employees can't get a discount on the ipad at this point. they also are prohibited from pre-ordering or reserving. If they want an ipad right now they have to go stand in line with everyone else. No special treatment.



source please?

the email I got when I reserved my 2 ipads said that reservations are being held only until 3pm.

my local store told me they are opening at 9am for whoever is there. no mention of reserves only until 3pm.

so they would appear to be labeling or counting off enough for reserves. which by the by ended last night (which makes sense cause they need to tabulate units, pad for walkins and actually get them shipped out). there will likely be a small padding even if it's just topping off a box like say they factory ship in a multipack of 20 units. a store needs 101 for reserves but rather than break a box, just let them have the extra 19 for walkins.

they take everyone in order of arrival so some yahoo that shows up at 4am but no reserve doesn't start a scene cause he has to wait all day when there are sellable units. at 3pm they do one last scan of the line for late arrivals with reserves and then toss any lists and just sell whatever there is. Same gig I managed through 4 Harry Potters and 2 Twilights.

if I compair it when the last iphone the 3GS came out I was in line but those that pre reserved it where going in 1st only when no reseve person was in line they let one by one to come in the moment that reserved person showed up he went in right away

 

[charlituna]

if I compair it when the last iphone the 3GS came out I was in line but those that pre reserved it where going in 1st only when no reseve person was in line they let one by one to come in the moment that reserved person showed up he went in right away

my local shop did one line for the iphone. my cousin was at a location with two lines and say they did it on a 3/2 system. first 3 specialist took someone from the reserve line, next two from the nons and so on.

so each store might be able to do what works for that location.

 

[gwynne]

Easiest solution is to either order online for in-store pickup or call the store and they will pull and hold the item. Works like a charm at my local store.

Lots of people think it's trendy to bash Best Buy (and sometimes they deserve it)

Ordering for store pickup is what I ended up having to do with the Razer mouse I was trying to buy. I just don't understand why there is apparently at least one person in the store who has access to the information about where items are stocked/shelved, but that information cannot be distributed in some fashion to the floor reps. And apparently they will not ask that person (the online order puller) for help with walk-in customers.

I can assure you 'trendy' is among the least of my concerns; it's more 'why won't this company make it easier for me to give them my money?'.

 

[Ports]

"catch on with housewifes"?

This is the first mac item that I know I def. will pass on, but I think it will catch on with housewifes and people who read ebooks for sure, but I just have no need for it already having a macbook pro and iphone

You should get out more..

 

[javaGuru]

I hate Best Buy as much as the next guy, but.....

doesn't this mean that I can get my iPad with:
a) 6-month to 18-month 0% financing
b) cheaper using the Best Buy Rewards. They give 1 point for every $1 spent. 250 points = $5 best buy 'reward certificate'. So I can get $10 off a 16gb iPad just by going to Best Buy over my Apple store.

Of course, I could always order through MacMall or someplace online and save $50+ on taxes.

But then I'd have to WAIT. Isn't 'WAITING' a sin for an Apple fan?

I was curious about point (a) here. Do the special financing deals apply to the iPads? I really want to take advantage of this when the 3G versions come out.

 

[MBPLurker]

I was curious about point (a) here. Do the special financing deals apply to the iPads? I really want to take advantage of this when the 3G versions come out.

Sometimes it varies by the store, but 18 months no interest is currently good for any purchase over 500.

Also, as far as discounts go, I've found out from an employee that there IS a BB employee discount on the iPad (there is nothing on iPods and other computers). The discount ranges from $30 to $50 off as you go from the 16gb to 64gb. Not bad at all.