Chances of actually buying Ipad 2 on March 11th?

[482214]

Hi guys.

As mentioned in a previous thread I was planning to pick up an ipad while in LA. Obviously with the confirmed arrival date of ipad 2 i'm going to wait for that. On Friday March 11th I will be Florida and on Saturday 12th I will be returning to the UK on an early morning flight. Thus I have a 1 day window to potentially buy an ipad.

I've contacted the local apple store and as I thought they don't reserve units, even if paid for in full up front. No harm in asking!... They said the model I want (3g 16gb) is less popular than others and I'm willing to be flexible and buy any one of the 3 different size units with 3g if its in stock.

My question is will I actually be able to get into an apple store to buy one. I've never bought a product on its launch day - I suspect they'll be huge lines with people queing over night, etc. I will be coming back to the US at the end of March so I'd rather wait a few weeks then stand in a que for hours and not actually get one... and I'm not quite ready to que overnight for my apple fix.

I'm guessing there must be a few hardcore apple users that have been to an apple store on a products launch day before?

Thanks in advance for your time and help with this.

Chris

 

[482214]

Oh - and it doenst matter if its black or white.

Just has to be 3g GSM

 

[JRoDDz]

You shouldn't have a problem, however I would get to the store a bit earlier than 5pm How early? Who knows.

 

[applemacman]

I believe I heard that Best Buy and Walmart will carry them launch day.
You obviously will have better luck going to an Apple store (they will have tons more in stock) but as a last resort it's at least another option.

 

[Stealthipad]

If you really want to know what happens on release day, go back in these forums and look at what happened when the iPad 1 was released.

 

[482214]

thanks guys

 

[Yaboze]

Yeah, but millions of iPad 1's were already sold and it was a new item last year.

I doubt everyone is getting the iPad 2, which is a marginal update. Only the fanboi's and people that have been holding out for new model will be flooding the stores.

 

[sniffies]

Yeah, but millions of iPad 1's were already sold and it was a new item last year.

I doubt everyone is getting the iPad 2, which is a marginal update. Only the fanboi's and people that have been holding out for new model will be flooding the stores.

Does not apply to Apple products.

iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, all had crazy lines.

iPad 2 will be no exception, trust me.

 

[djransom]

I believe I heard that Best Buy and Walmart will carry them launch day.
You obviously will have better luck going to an Apple store (they will have tons more in stock) but as a last resort it's at least another option.

The fact that those retailers will be carrying the iPad 2 as well should relieve some of the stress off the Apple stores.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

If you have the money you will have your iPad. Lines may be long but they go quick.

 

[482214]

Great thanks... As stated Walmart and Best Buys doors open at 5pm like you said.

Works out a couple of hundred pounds cheaper buying in the US... but dont tell the tax man shhhhhh

 

[Lindat]

Buying ipad in US

Can I ask you a quick question if you're buying in US please?
Our family is travelling to Florida in the Summer and I was thinking of picking an ipad up for my birthday.
Can you tell me if you can pick up some sort of paperwork from an Apple Store to get US sales tax back, and if so, what do you ask for and where do you take this paperwork before flying back to UK?
Thanks.

 

[482214]

Sorry I dont actually know the answer to that. I just pay the sales tax (around 10% normally I think) and accept it as part of the complete cost.

It still works out a lot cheaper than the UK.

Also, if you start hasselling for US taxes back then questions might be asked re UK import tax, etc.

Sometimes all that time and hassell spent trying to save 20 odd pound just isnt worth it.

Once I bought an ipod in Thailand which was then stolen in India - that was an insurance claim nightmare!

 

[djransom]

If you have the money you will have your iPad. Lines may be long but they go quick.

This is the part most overlook. I was just in the Apple store last weekend and sure enough it was packed, but they had just as many employees handling the customers. It shouldn't take too long for them to setup an iPad as oppose to an iPhone anyway IMO.