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For those of you with RESERVATIONS...

Bawstun said:
This.

It's HAPPENED to me. Actually happened.

I worked all day during launch day, couldn't get there to stand in line for 5 hours (lol) and I got there before the close of the business day and there were NO PHONES available. Had a slip, had a reservation, everything. No phone.

They will sell phones, money is money. Either by holding your reservation and not allowing someone else a phone, or selling your reservation and not allowing you a phone, a customer will be angry. It's a lose/lose and they know it. They'll sell it.

People put way too much faith in Apple and especially AT&T. It's a business. Business is money. Money is sales. They don't care about your little piece of paper because they know you'll probably be loyal anyway and be just as naive for the next iPhone release. Sorry to be blunt but it's true. :(
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We're talking about Apple here, not AT&T. The employees at the apple store do not OWN the store, they're not money-hungry. They're trained employees who follow procedures. They're not going to ignore the rules because they want to make a sale.
 
DiamondMac said:
Question: Will they hold it for the following day as well? Or is the "hold" just for the 24th?

My girlfriend has one for a local Apple store but we may not be able to get there to pick it up on the 24th. Will they hold it until the 25th?
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Of course not. Read your reservation email.
 
MacAztec said:
I just talked with my local Apple Store (Valley Fair). I had made a reservation from my iPhone, and the eMail address on my account is no longer one I have access to.

The woman checked, and said "Yes, we have you here for one. We'll hold it"

She said I can come in any time on that day and pick it up. No need to be there early. They aren't going to sell the reserved phones.
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As cool as that is, I want my phone ASAP. Ill get my phone and then sleep, hah!
 
This money is money talk is crazy. As if all of the people that walked in with out making a reservation are going to just give up and refuse to buy a phone the next day if the store is sold out of non-reserved phones.

Its not like they're holding them for a week, its ONE DAY! They should be able to honor that short of a commitment. The ones that are not picked up on the 24th will be sold out before lunch the next day.

They only stand to lose by looking like they cant keep their commitments.
 
dtboice said:
This money is money talk is crazy. As if all of the people that walked in with out making a reservation are going to just give up and refuse to buy a phone the next day if the store is sold out of non-reserved phones.

Its not like they're holding them for a week, its ONE DAY! They should be able to honor that short of a commitment. The ones that are not picked up on the 24th will be sold out before lunch the next day.

They only stand to lose by looking like they cant keep their commitments.
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This.

Granted, not saying Apple will do this (I'm going tomorrow to ask my store just to make sure). But if they did sell reserve phones that day to those who didn't reserve them, it si a really stupid move for PR. First of all, if there is that much demand for a product, they'll easily sell the phone the next day. Second of all, it makes them look really bad when they tell customers they have til the end of the day to pick up the phone and then sell the customer's phone before the end of the day.

It's just not a smart way of running business. (and I'm hoping Apple is smarter than that and I think they are. But if they aren't, I really do think that's a shoddy way of running business. They should tell you then that reserving gives you a spot in a special line or that you have to buy before 12 PM or however they decide reserving a phone works). Actually, I have faith apple is smarter than that. What I don't have faith in is that they may have some dumb managers who decide to run things differently or bend the rules so experiences may vary depending on store (though I bet you could get those managers in real big trouble if you threaten to tell Apple that they sold your phone. Of course, I bet the managers wouldn't tell you they sold the phone rather than they didn't get enough stock or there were broken ones so they had less than they needed or some other way they don't have to admit they sold your phone).
 
Maybe I'm jaded because I work in retail. Maybe it's because Apple has done it to me in the past...

Maybe you are all just TOO LOYAL to Apple. It really makes me facepalm sometime and I LOVE Apple products. They are a COMPANY. An openly traded company with stock for purchase. They don't give a CRAP whether or not your reserved iPhone flies out the door in someone else's hand...because you didn't pay for it in advance, and either way THEY ARE MAKING MONEY.

Sometimes people overthink the 'customer is always right' rule. You are ONE person...giving away a few reserved phones because you get there too late isn't going to create some huge PR ****storm that Apple can't undo, and they know that. Seriously...why are people so naive? Why do you think it's 'your' phone when you haven't even paid for it? If and when they run out of stock I wouldn't be surprised if they sell off a few reserved phones in the meantime. THEY DID IT TO ME and not just me, search the forums...others as well.
 
Y'all do realize that most of these people talking about apple selling the reserved phones are wishful thinkers that didn't get it reserved. They are hoping that because they get up and wait inline apple will sell your reservations to them.

They didn't sell reserved iPads and they are not going to sell reserved iPhones. In fact, they will watch as the reservation line move as the first come, first served line waits. That is exactly what they recently did with the iPad.
 
I see several reasons for not even allowing people with out a reservation buy a iPhone on the 24th.

1) Distributes the weight, not everyone will rush the store on the very first morning, splits it up a little.

2) People will be a LOT less pissed if they are told not to bother waiting in line if they don't have a reservation than they would be if they wait 5 hours just to be told they are holding the phone for someone that may or may not come in.

3) Most likely they could sell out with just reservations but on the off chance they dont the unclaimed phones will sell out before lunch the next day.

4) a few less people trying to active the new phone on-line.

5) People will be a little more calm on the 24th if they know its not a race to beat the clock

They are only held for a day, from that day and for the next 30 or more days after they will sell out every phone in the store.
 
Bawstun said:
Sometimes people overthink the 'customer is always right' rule. You are ONE person...giving away a few reserved phones because you get there too late isn't going to create some huge PR ****storm that Apple can't undo, and they know that. Seriously...why are people so naive? Why do you think it's 'your' phone when you haven't even paid for it? If and when they run out of stock I wouldn't be surprised if they sell off a few reserved phones in the meantime. THEY DID IT TO ME and not just me, search the forums...others as well.
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And I think you missed the point that it would be bad business in the long run. I doubt Apple the company sees any advantage in selling reserved phones to customers who didn't reserve. It is not good business and it is not good for them making money. Why?

1. If the iphone is in that much demand, they'll sell it easy the next day if you don't come in. So they really aren't losing money by not selling it to some one who didn't reserve it. They'll just sell it the next day.

2. It gives off a lot of bad PR and hurt feelings towards them. Apple does some of its sales by at least making the appearances of a company that cares (note, I didn't claim they cared, I agree, they are in it for the money. But their marketing strategy hinges on people assuming they have good customer service. Telling people you will hold a product for them and hten not doing it is quite the opposite of good customer service).

Sure, if they were Best Buy who doesn't make a point of selling by making the appearances of caring it wouldn't harm them too mcuh to do this (it still would harm them. There's plenty of people including me who won't shop there cause they've been burned there but Best Buy does more of their selling by being low priced or at least the appearances of low prices).

Where I will concede is that I could see a manager who doesn't see the big picture doing exactly what you claim will happen. This doesn't mean every store will do that or that Apple condones the managers doing that (they probably simply don't know).

And by the way, I work retail. I wouldn't *think* of selling something I told some one was on hold to some one else. I don't even know why I would do that. I could care less about some *******'s wrath who thinks i should sell some one's reserved items to him. I care more abotu the wrath of some one who has every reason to be pissed off (the person that I would have lied to if I sold the item I told him I'd hold). I doubt any of my coworkers would do that either. What they might do is not notice the hold tag on the item and put it back on the shelf or forget to put a hold tag on the item so it gets sold to some one else. But I get the feeling Apple has a better system than we do for reserved items ;) (we just put notes on things we tell customers we'll hold for htem).
 
sparkomatic said:
I love how the email says "Please note that your reservation will be held until close of business on June 24."

Then at the bottom says "Pre-authorization does not guarantee iPhone availability at an Apple Retail Store. iPhone is sold on a first-come, first-served basis."

I guess technically you could say that they're holding your "reservation" but not a phone.

And, "pre-authorization" is used. It doesn't say "Your reservation does not guarantee iPhone..."

Hmmm...tricky language there.
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Then whats the point of the reservations? :rolleyes:
 
For what it's worth, I went to the LAS and talked with one of the employees there and asked about my reservation and the little blurb at the bottom about how pre-authorization doesn't necessarily mean the phone will be available. He said it should be exactly like the iPad launch in that people who have a reservation will be in one line with a phone set aside for them. There will be a second line for first come first served. He did mention not to wait until the end of the day to come in but if I came in earlier during the day, I shouldn't have an issue.
I plan on getting there before they open anyway as I'm up early and it's basically on my way to work so that should help my chances. I was concerned all day until I had a chance to talk to someone at the store who would know as opposed to all the rumors you see online. Now to just relax and get something done until the launch.
 
Also is the apple store sticklers on the account holder being there to pick up and iphone. Example my mom holds the account but I happen to have the day off work, can I go pick up a reserved iphone?
 
I reserved from the Apple App, got my confirmation email, but it disappeared from the App. Assuming it would be harder than just clicking a link, I clicked the "Cancel your reservation" to see if it was still active. I then went straight to a page saying "Your reservation has been canceled."

So just a warning, NEVER click this! Luckily I was using it as a backup to my pre-order.
 
If you're worried about the reservation as well, you might take a copy of the e-mail in and if they say you don't have a reservation in the system, you could have that copy (or on your iPhone if you still have it or on your laptop or whatever). It would at least show that you did make the reservation. Just a thought if you're worried in any way.
 
I'm just worried that they'll say this isnt your last 4 digits of SSN. And there for not give me an iphone. Even tho my id will show same last name and the such.
 
tylertech said:
I reserved from the Apple App, got my confirmation email, but it disappeared from the App. Assuming it would be harder than just clicking a link, I clicked the "Cancel your reservation" to see if it was still active. I then went straight to a page saying "Your reservation has been canceled."

So just a warning, NEVER click this! Luckily I was using it as a backup to my pre-order.
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My Apple ID account never registered that I reserved an iPhone 4 at my local apple store. I called the store up to find out if they had my name confirmed there and they did, so I'm trusting Matt who helped me out to be truthful =) I have a phone log and my e-mail on the day of launch if I have to argue with some Apple people to get my phone!
 
Look, those of you with reservations, THEY ARE HOLDING A PHONE FOR YOU...

When I called, the woman specifically asked for my eMail address, and then proceeded to say my name. I'm in the system. You need to have a photo ID so they can match up the name for the reservation.
 
MacAztec said:
Look, those of you with reservations, THEY ARE HOLDING A PHONE FOR YOU...

When I called, the woman specifically asked for my eMail address, and then proceeded to say my name. I'm in the system. You need to have a photo ID so they can match up the name for the reservation.
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When I reserved it, since AT&T servers were down, it said my price was 'full price' of some 600 dollars. I am eligible for an upgrade. Could I still buy the phone for the upgrade price even though it was somehow reserved for the full price?
 
MacAztec said:
Look, those of you with reservations, THEY ARE HOLDING A PHONE FOR YOU...

When I called, the woman specifically asked for my eMail address, and then proceeded to say my name. I'm in the system. You need to have a photo ID so they can match up the name for the reservation.
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I'm this has been answered already but now I'm nervous. I did the reservation (entering my phone number, social, etc), but I never logged into my Apple account so I'm assuming I won't get an email. Am I still reserved? This happen to anyone else?
 
Blorzoga said:
So, basically you're saying the employees at the Apple store will be intimidated and sell the reserved stock to an irate customer that is apparently demanding that they do so? I don't think so. This is not some third world country. I'm pretty sure the Apple store employees will follow their rules.
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Not really when the 3g came out my father waited in line for hours and then they told him no phones left he screamed and made the biggest show in the store it got so bad I had to leave I was ashamed lol out of no where came some 3g iPhones when they said they don't have any
 
Yes, they are holding the phone for you, but there is another thing to consider when you see the language that says that just because you have a reservation doesn't guarantee you will have a phone and that it is first come first served EVEN FOR those with reserved phones at the Apple Store.
For example, if the particular store you have your reserved phone sent to doesn't get its full allocation of phones (for whatever reason), or if there are any that aren't functioning, broken etc, the people with reservations in line first will get first dibs on the phone stock in hand. If you don't get there till the end, there is no guarantee you will have a phone waiting.
 
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