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Camping Out for the New iPad

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piplipa

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 7, 2011
4
0
Hey ya'll,
so last year, when the iPad 2 was released, I went and 'camped out' to buy one... but I was a couple weeks past the release date. Next week I'm planning on buying the iPad(3? HD?) the day of it's release, so I need to camp out big time... the only problem is, I don't know how early I should go, what I should bring, things like this. If you've ever camped out at an Apple store before, share your experience/ideas/opinions here.
Thanks!
 
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Why wouldn't you just preorder one now? I can't believe this... Why are you trying to make it 20x harder than it needs to be?
 
First off, I'm not planning on camping out because I need to... but it would be a truly fun experience. I've got a few buddies that I'd be doing it with, and together we'd make the whole ordeal a fun time. That's why I'm not pre-ordering.
 
So let me get this right

You plan to camp out for a new iPad even though you can pre-order one and get it delivered on the 16th by 10am? And hang out with your friends in a queue?

Really? Seriously...really?

My suggestion is to pre-order one, then wait until the 16th at 10am when yours arrives at your home, have a 12 pack in the frig or some chronic in the vaporizer and invite your friends over for beer or weed and ipad fun.

It is 2012 and waiting in line for a piece of consumer electronics is so 2007.


:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
Last edited:
My buddies and I "Camped out" last year for the iPad 2. It was fun. This year I pre ordered.

Do what you feel like.

And on what time, that's hard to guess. Last year there was no pre order, so the in store demand was huge. If the pre orders continue to have a March 16th ship date then it's safe to say you could be one of only a few people in line.
 
piplipa said:
First off, I'm not planning on camping out because I need to... but it would be a truly fun experience. I've got a few buddies that I'd be doing it with, and together we'd make the whole ordeal a fun time. That's why I'm not pre-ordering.
Click to expand...



Can you please exPlain how that is fun? Lol

My mind is boggled why you'd even waste your time. Unless your time is worthless.

If the preorders are any indicator there will be enough on launch day to walk in
 
In 2007 I camped out for 12 hours with my daughter for the first iPhone. It was a great experience. We actually were on on TV too.

John
 
Natesac said:
If the pre orders continue to have a March 16th ship date then it's safe to say you could be one of only a few people in line.
Click to expand...

Not to mention the allocation that Apple has set aside for other retailers too. Queuing will not be necessary and my intuition is that anyone who wants a new iPad next weekend will be able to get one without much hassle.
 
I'll preorder for day-of-release delivery every time, but I will say when Apple does make you camp out, like last years iPad, at least they feed the troops. The store I was at distributed Chick-Fil-A nuggets, SoBe and Vitamin Waters, and brownies (no, not that kind). I declined the water b/c the bathroom was a long travel from the massively snaked line. Life in the Apple Army.
 
I went to a local phone store for the iphone 4 launch and wouldn't do it again but it was quite a fun experience, there wasn't many of us there though. What I will tell you though is that no matter how early you get there, somebody will always be there first!
 
Radio said:
Can you please exPlain how that is fun? Lol

My mind is boggled why you'd even waste your time. Unless your time is worthless.

If the preorders are any indicator there will be enough on launch day to walk in
Click to expand...

What he should do is buy it online, get it on the 16th, take it to the first long line he see's from those that are waiting for there's at Best Buy or Apple store and sit with them just for the Fun experience...:D
 
I was thinking to do the same " go for the store "
I preordered one online for my brother but I wanna get it in store, at least if you go early you sure will be holding it on your way home.
With online preorder if you didn't get it on Friday the16th you may need to spend the weekend just biting your nails for it to come on Monday. I hate nail biting. :rolleyes:
 
I'm done with release day line ups, very glad they have lots of preorder stock this time and even gets delivered on release day.
 
As of this morning it still says mar 16th deliverY for pre orders. I'm going to guess camping out is probably not a necessity.
 
Personally, I'd rather sleep in the comfort of my own bed knowing that I preordered it online - but that's just me
 
maflynn said:
Personally, I'd rather sleep in the comfort of my own bed knowing that I preordered it online - but that's just me
Click to expand...

Right on! I'm not camping out for any product, ever. I'll stand in a line for a short time, if need be, but camping out? Nah.
 
I don't see any reason to camp out. Last March I showed up at Best Buy roughly 2 hours before the iPad 2 went on sale at 5pm and had no problem getting the 64gb WiFi model. I do plan on getting the new iPad next Friday at Best Buy, only because I have a $130 BB gift card and $95 RZ certificate expiring on the 17th that I can apply towards the purchase. And rack up additional RZ points. I'm hoping they'll put the iPads on sale at store opening this time and not 5pm. With Apple accepting pre-orders this time around, there should be less people waiting in lines than there were last year.
 
I would pick delivery on the 16th any day. Even if I did not have to camp out, our local Apple store is too crowded for me on the weekends and I would hate to be near it on Friday. Not comfortable on shoulder to shoulder crowds.

Some say they like the excitement! Not for me!
 
elgrecomac said:
You plan to camp out for a new iPad even though you can pre-order one and get it delivered on the 16th by 10am?
Click to expand...
Where did you read "by 10 am"? I dunno of any major delivery company that promises delivery to any residential address by 10 am.
 
piplipa said:
... the only problem is, I don't know how early I should go, what I should bring, things like this. If you've ever camped out at an Apple store before, share your experience/ideas/opinions here.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Instead of listing off all the reasons that I don't want to camp out or think it's a terrible idea, I will answer the OP's question.

Who knows how early you need to go. It probably depends on where you are, how many stores are in your area, and the fact that pre-orders seem to be holding up may mean that Apple had plenty of pre-order stock on hand, or the orders/demand isn't what they expected. I wouldn't think it's like a non pre-orderable product where you'd have to be there days in advance.

Bring some snacks and drinks, warm drinks if it's cold. Perhaps a comfortable chair. Some form of entertainment.

Good luck.
 
DreamPod said:
Where did you read "by 10 am"? I dunno of any major delivery company that promises delivery to any residential address by 10 am.
Click to expand...

When I ordered mine, there was a place to check that indicated it is a business address. This will get before 3pm delivery. Home deleivery for both FedEx and UPS can and will at times be late or 6,7 and even 8 oclock if they are really overloaded.
 
My mind is also boggled. You guys realize there are plenty of other places to camp out rather than in a line of shuffling cattle? Preorder your ipad, spend the 2-10hours you would have spent in line with friends outdoors at a park or camp site. Heck, you can even bring your ipad with you.
 
The line would be fun if everyone played by the rules. Unfortunately with deadbeat scalpers acting like its their day job to buy up all the iPads it has become and increasingly stressful situation. I spent 6 hours in line last year and barely got 1 because an hour before the store opened the line infront of me quadrupled as everyone infront of me was a scalper and gave everyone walking by $50 to stand in line with them to get more iPads. I got one of the last AT&T iPads as the scalpers were outside the store holding 100s of bags. Apple did nothing. It's still available for preorder don't chance spending all the time in line and not getting one.
 
last time, I found a store in a smallish town, showed up 2 hrs before on sale, and got my ipad 2. It was fun, without taking up an entire day. This time, I pre-ordered, but I may try the same thing again, just to hang out and enjoy the atmosphere.
 
Even without a item like the new iPad going on sale, the Apple store near me is sometimes impossible to get in with all the people taking up all the counter space and playing with all the displays. Several times they have to stop more people from coming in until several people leave. I did not need an A5X chip to calculate the convenience of that pre-order button. Not only will I save who knows how many hours that day and frustration, but I'll save a few bucks of $3.75/gal gas. Ok...some people like the experience of standing in the line. Great! Strange... but glad for ya'.
 
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