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Bumpers. Is it really that hard? Why wasn't Apple prepared?

rrjr80

rrjr80

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 11, 2008
102
104
Don't get me wrong, I love my phone but all I want is a damn bumper now. Are they having that much difficulty producing these things? Not to mention the stores have only carried the black so far. Of course, when I'm in line last week I mention that I'd like to just buy a bumper and return later to pick up a phone since my lunch break was over. The Apple store employee says, "Oh we have a ton of them, we will have plenty". Yeah well, of course they sold out of bumpers by noon. Oh, and of course I wasn't permitted to purchase one before I had my phone.

Also, is it that completely ridiculous that I'd like to look at the colored bumpers in store before I decided which one I want? Instead, my only chance to get one is ordering online and waiting two weeks. All of the local Apple stores that I've gone to say, "Sorry, no bumpers. We have no accessories of any kind for the iPhone 4 and we don't know when we are getting any". Why doesn't Apple at least inform the stores when they can expect more? I just don't get it. Do any of the Apple stores have these things?
 
I had no trouble obtaining a bumper on launch day last week in NYC. I just walked in and was out in less than five min...they had TONS of them too. FWIW, I am returning my bumper today as I an not satisfied with it.
 
ps49556n said:
I had no trouble obtaining a bumper on launch day last week in NYC. I just walked in and was out in less than five min...they had TONS of them too. FWIW, I am returning my bumper today as I an not satisfied with it.
Click to expand...

what color is it?
 
I could have had a bumper as well on launch but I didn't want to pay $30 for that piece of rubber. I changed my mind and ordered one last night after calling ever Apple store in m area. They are all out of them. Mine will ship in 5-7 days.
 
I might break down and order one myself, unless anyone in the NYC area is looking to get rid of theirs.

If they are, let me know.
 
noekozz said:
I might break down and order one myself, unless anyone in the NYC area is looking to get rid of theirs.

If they are, let me know.
Click to expand...

I would just go ahead and order one. That's what I ended up doing. If you decide you don't want and you are in NYC, I am sure you could find someone to buy it off of you. The sooner you order, the sooner you'll get it.
 
SpaceKitty said:
I could have had a bumper as well on launch but I didn't want to pay $30 for that piece of rubber. I changed my mind and ordered one last night after calling ever Apple store in m area. They are all out of them. Mine will ship in 5-7 days.
Click to expand...

I ordered one on the 25th... it just shipped this morning with an expected delivery of July 8. Seems like a long time for FEDEX to get it to me, but whatever. I should have paid the extra to overnight, but I already feel like a sucker for buying the bumper in the first place.

Edit: I left LA to come to grad school in Tucson AZ (Pop 486,699). This city has only ONE apple store, and nobody else carries bumpers.
 
UCLAKoolman said:
I ordered one on the 25th... it just shipped this morning with an expected delivery of July 8. Seems like a long time for FEDEX to get it to me, but whatever. I should have paid the extra to overnight, but I already feel like a sucker for buying the bumper in the first place.
Click to expand...

Normally I pay for overnight on anything I order but since this won't ship for 5-7 days, I don't thik overnight is worth it.
 
They had about 100 at my local store, all black. I had to return mine minutes later though, it wouldn't work with my car adapter.
 
the Apple Store near me (so they say) is getting them in tomorrow. various colors. I doubt it. i would like to get the orange one to change things up but word is the bumper really doesn't help in any type of drop protection. 2 people I know have dropped their i4s and one has a nick in the glass and the other a tiny scuff. both have gone to different cases and returned the bumper (before letting me know). I still want one but I am looking for drop protection. I think the CandyShell is going to be the winner. I use to like the Defender a lot but its too overkill.
 
I feel the same way, Apple should have better prepared themselves for the launch. especially after seeing the number of preorders they should've anticipated the demand for some kind of protection for the device.

I do want to get a white bumper but I'd rather get one in-store rather than online but I doubt they're gonna have any anytime soon. bummer.
 
mlukens said:
They had about 100 at my local store, all black. I had to return mine minutes later though, it wouldn't work with my car adapter.
Click to expand...

They accepted a return of a opened bumper? Seems unlike apple, atleast the stores near me.
 
xmtgx said:
They accepted a return of a opened package?
Click to expand...

Apple store is like that. Last winter, they told me to bring my opened package of Crystal Support films back because I didn't like the way they looked on the phone. I mistakenly bought the clear ones and not the anti glare. They had no problem exchanging them even though I had placed one on the phone already.
 
! phone and realize how muc

rrjr80 said:
Don't get me wrong, I love my phone but all I want is a damn bumper now. Are they having that much difficulty producing these things? Not to mention the stores have only carried the black so far. Of course, when I'm in line last week I mention that I'd like to just buy a bumper and return later to pick up a phone since my lunch break was over. The Apple store employee says, "Oh we have a ton of them, we will have plenty". Yeah well, of course they sold out of bumpers by noon. Oh, and of course I wasn't permitted to purchase one before I had my phone.

Also, is it that completely ridiculous that I'd like to look at the colored bumpers in store before I decided which one I want? Instead, my only chance to get one is ordering online and waiting two weeks. All of the local Apple stores that I've gone to say, "Sorry, no bumpers. We have no accessories of any kind for the iPhone 4 and we don't know when we are getting any". Why doesn't Apple at least inform the stores when they can expect more? I just don't get it. Do any of the Apple stores have these things?
Click to expand...


For the same reason the IPhone4 pre-order/ launch was an operational disaster :) Plus Apple is laughing all the way to the Bank with 1.8 million phones sales in three days and a stock price climbing by the minute.

Excessive demand for the phone has blown away even Mr. Jobs. I think they had no idea that there would be that many up-graders and new adopters.

I have been an early adopter of many of Apple technologies, computers, ipods, laptops and phones. I know what I am getting myself into with each new purchase; under supported beta testing. There will no doubt be solutions and OS patches once Apple Engineering gets their arms around the issues and corrects them. just like there will be store racks filled with Bumpers and all other cases and accessories extra-ordinare! Apple always come through.

If you want to be on the cutting edge of technology, you have to be prepared to bleed. Bleeding here means some bugs, OS glitches, some engineering tweaking, not many accessories etc. If you want a perfect iPhone4 experience, then wait 6 months until all of the issues are worked out and there are more accessories than Carter has liver pills. It'll happen.

If want remarkable innovation of well designed hardware/software with a great user experience, that train boarded with the pre-sale and left the station last Thursday.

When I use my Iphone 4, I only have to think back three years to Generation One, year "0" hand piece. There have been and will continue to be constant stream of innovation and feature sets with the end goal of enhancing the best possible customer experience. This has driven Steve Jobs and the team he has assembled to deliver products and services that enhance, improve and enrich customers experiences.

Call me a fan boy if you like, but I enjoy living on the edge and yes, prepared to bleed as well.
 
OP: if you'd like a black bumper, I can swing by my Apple store this afternoon and pick one up for you.
 
The same reason why I am waiting 5 weeks for my iPad case. They are focused on churning out the major profit gains, accessories come after the fact.
 
mbhforum said:
The same reason why I am waiting 5 weeks for my iPad case. They are focused on churning out the major profit gains, accessories come after the fact.
Click to expand...

My store had iPad cases today. I can check on it for you also?
 
mbhforum said:
The same reason why I am waiting 5 weeks for my iPad case. They are focused on churning out the major profit gains, accessories come after the fact.
Click to expand...

Huh? It's not like the iPhones and bumpers are made on the same production line or even factory. Also Apple can chew gum and walk at the same time. They aren't some mom and pop outfit.

The likely explanation is that Apple had no way to gauge demand before they went on sale. There is an array of case options and not everyone who buys an iPhone 4 is going to want a bumper. Better to be backordered for a week than have crates of them rotting in the warehouse for weeks or longer. Same thing goes w/ the iPad case. Apple is very conservative when it comes to inventory. They follow a variant of the "just in time" model.
 
The Boston store has hundreds of them on display today so they are definitely available in some places! Only black ones, though.
 
FYI anyone in the detroit area, the apple store at somerset mall has about 30 bumpers in stock as of 5 PM today.

I went and picked one up and am really not impressed with it on the phone. My griffin reveal came today too and i prefer that to the bumper.
 
I think they erred on the side of caution and it's coming back to bite them.

They underestimated how much this device needed the protection (whether for a voodoo reception fix or because of it's fragility.) They are liklely more dissapointed than anybody here because they are missing the narrow window of opportunity while third party manufacturers are gearing up production.

When there is a wide range of bumpers and cases available, a lot of people are going to balk at the $30 Apple bumper. But with options limited right now, they probably could have sold a boatload if they had the inventory.
 
ijen0311 said:
OP: if you'd like a black bumper, I can swing by my Apple store this afternoon and pick one up for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks I appreciate it, but luckily I found someone today that had an extra one that their wife didn't need and he sold it to me.
 
Looks like Black Bumpers are being stocked now. I just emailed one of the guys that work at the Apple Store and he said they got them in at 530pm. They have at least 100 of them so... sounds like they are up to par again.

I think I'll get one but I really want an Orange one. So I might just wait. He said the color ones should be arriving soon.
 
They should have released the Bumpers in all colors a few days before launch. Then everyone would "splurge" on the silly item when they purchased their iPhone on launch day, or beforehand so they could drool over it. I know a lot of people that waited for the colors (including me) rather than buying basic black on launch day.

Silly item yes, but it did fix my antenna issue, so I can't complain too much. :D

I preordered a pink bumper on the 15th and just got it yesterday. I don't think colors will be in stores for at least another few weeks, but that's just my random SWAG.
 
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