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Given a choice, where would you buy your iPad 2?

S

Saberj

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 15, 2010
180
0
Assume for a moment that every store would logically carry the iPad 2 actually did. And also assume that normal stock limitations are in place. Where would you prefer to buy your iPad 2 from? And why?

I have an Apple store, Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Verizon, and AT&T store all within 2 minutes of my house. They are almost all literally across the street from each other. But I work until 3:30pm on Friday. I could theoretically choose any of those stores, but I feel like if I make the wrong choice, I won't be able to get one.

At first, I was thinking that I could just order one online, and wait out the delivery. And that's still a viable option. The delivery time would give me time to wait and see impressions, component breakdowns, reviews, etc. It would be nice to know for certain how much memory the device has, for example.

However, I am also heavily considering quickly driving back to that area after work, and picking one up in person. I mean really, there aren't too many things that can go wrong that I would need to wait out. If I picked it up in person, I would PREFER to get it at Best Buy. I could get reward points, and use a $20 reward certificate in the process. But I'm going to get one of the Black 16gb 3g models, and I don't know how likely that model is to stay in stock. Obviously, I'd have the best chance at probably either the carrier stores or Apple, but then I toss away the reward points in the process.

So that made me wonder where everyone else would try to buy their iPad 2's if they could choose any store, and why. Online? Apple Store? Best Buy? Wal-Mart? Target? K-Mart?
 
Saberj said:
So that made me wonder where everyone else would try to buy their iPad 2's if they could choose any store, and why. Online? Apple Store? Best Buy? Wal-Mart? Target? K-Mart?
Click to expand...

I don't think Target and K-mart will have the iPad on launch day.. unless I missed that memo. at&t and verizon you can only get their respective 3G devices. Apple will probably have the most stock, but also the longest lines.

If you can get there by 3:30 I would recommend the Apple store, but if you end up getting delayed till 5 then just head to BB or walmart
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
I don't think Target and K-mart will have the iPad on launch day.. unless I missed that memo. at&t and verizon you can only get their respective 3G devices. Apple will probably have the most stock, but also the longest lines.

If you can get there by 3:30 I would recommend the Apple store, but if you end up getting delayed till 5 then just head to BB or walmart
Click to expand...

The first line said to assume that everyone that logically would, did. But yeah, there have been rumors about Target, but nothing set in stone. And nothing at all about K-Mart. But anyway, why would you suggest BB if I get there at 5 if Apple is the one likely to have the most stock? Out of curiosity.

And AT&T and Verizon are obviously only going to carry their own products, but since I'll be getting one of the two, that isn't such an issue.
 
If I had the choice I would buy from the Apple store... I ordered my iPad 1 online last year and when it arrived I had dust under the screen. I had some free time so I decided to drive to the Apple store to get it exchanged. The second one did not have any dust, but I did discover dead/stuck pixels so I had to go back. I ended up going through three iPads and the fourth was flawless (at least to my eyes). The whole time the Apple employees were nice and accommodating and did not give me any problems.

With that said, I probably will be buying from Best Buy if my local one has them at launch. My Apple store is over an hour away, so I would rather not have to make that trip if I don't have to. My biggest concern is how would Best Buy handle a similar situation if it arises?
 
In a perfect world I'd preorder from Apple and they would deliver on launch day.

But things being as they are, and based on past history, the Apple Store is the only place to go on launch day. Target, WM, BB will only have a token amount and will not receive all models. Apple is letting these guys sell on launch day b/c they will have so few units to sell they can issue a press release that says these places sold out. It's all a well orchestrated play.

My own experience last time: I went to BB for the 3G launch to avoid the Apple lines. I was #8. All the store received were 7 units. It was 5:15 when they told us. I walked across the street to the mall and got in the ginormous, but quick moving line. They had plenty in stock except for 16GB which I think Apple intentionally short shipped b/c its a low profit model.
 
Saberj said:
The first line said to assume that everyone that logically would, did. But yeah, there have been rumors about Target, but nothing set in stone. And nothing at all about K-Mart. But anyway, why would you suggest BB if I get there at 5 if Apple is the one likely to have the most stock? Out of curiosity.
Click to expand...

Wait, so is this some completely hypothetical dreamworld asking what is our favorite store in the world? Or you asking for advice on where to go? (because my impression was that you were asking the hypothetical to gain real-world advice for where to go) If your sole purpose is hypothetical thought, then what is really the point? Why ask about stores that won't have the iPad? All stores will sell the same iPad, what's the diff between target and walmart. The real question is Apple store vs the rest.

And the reason I suggest BB or walmart for late comers is because I would imagine little to no lines. Everyone will go to the Apple store.

Say the Apple store has 75 iPads and walmart and best buy both only have 40 each. At 5pm lets guess there are 60 ppl in line at the Apple store and maybe 5 people at BB and walmart. If you go to the Apple store line you will only have 15 iPads left when you get to the front and the chance of running out of your iPad model is higher, plus now it's already 6pm and now BB and walmart are both out of your model as well. But if you went to BB there would be less a line so even if BB didn't have ur model there is still time to jump to walmart.

That's just my opinion. I could be way off
 
Mad Mac Maniac said:
Wait, so is this some completely hypothetical dreamworld asking what is our favorite store in the world? Or you asking for advice on where to go? (because my impression was that you were asking the hypothetical to gain real-world advice for where to go) If your sole purpose is hypothetical thought, then what is really the point? Why ask about stores that won't have the iPad? All stores will sell the same iPad, what's the diff between target and walmart. The real question is Apple store vs the rest.

And the reason I suggest BB or walmart for late comers is because I would imagine little to no lines. Everyone will go to the Apple store.

Say the Apple store has 75 iPads and walmart and best buy both only have 40 each. At 5pm lets guess there are 60 ppl in line at the Apple store and maybe 5 people at BB and walmart. If you go to the Apple store line you will only have 15 iPads left when you get to the front and the chance of running out of your iPad model is higher, plus now it's already 6pm and now BB and walmart are both out of your model as well. But if you went to BB there would be less a line so even if BB didn't have ur model there is still time to jump to walmart.

That's just my opinion. I could be way off
Click to expand...

Semi-hypothetical. It's not unreasonable to think those stores could get them. And it seems like Target was confirmed by Target's twitter account. But the question was really, "Assuming you could take your chances with any location that would have the iPad 2, which location would you choose."

I think I'll end up deciding between Best Buy and Apple, personally. But customer service has no effect on me when I go in knowing exactly what I want. So my preference is going to be Best Buy. So it'll probably be a call before I leave work that makes the decision for me.

Plus, my Apple store is about 6 months old, and the customer service doesn't seem that great, IMO. The one I went to outside of my city to get my original iPad was really good, though. But they were also really slow, so it didn't really blow me away, either.
 
I would say either Apple.com or Amazon.com. In both both cases, you can usually get 0% interest financing for 6 to 12 months depending on the total purchase price.

At Amazon.com in my state, I would not have to pay sales tax and no shipping if you use the Free Super Saver Shipping option.
 
osxnewbe said:
I would say either Apple.com or Amazon.com. In both both cases, you can usually get 0% interest financing for 6 to 12 months depending on the total purchase price.

At Amazon.com in my state, I would not have to pay sales tax and no shipping if you use the Free Super Saver Shipping option.
Click to expand...

This is the reason I'll be going to BB, where they will likely have 18 mon no interest.
 
Given a choice I would have preordered on the Apple website and received it on the 11th. But, since that isn't a choice I will likely order on the 11th from the Apple website. Not willing to stand in line this time.
 
osxnewbe said:
I would say either Apple.com or Amazon.com. In both both cases, you can usually get 0% interest financing for 6 to 12 months depending on the total purchase price.

At Amazon.com in my state, I would not have to pay sales tax and no shipping if you use the Free Super Saver Shipping option.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I don't think Amazon will be an option. It would be great if it was... I have $200 in credit with them and have free Prime.
 
also less douchey and smug-filled at a BB or any other non-Apple store. Too many idiots (aka "Mac Genius) at the Apple Store.
 
I am debating between the Apple Store and BB. I usually buy from the Apple Store, but at BB I would get the points towards a discount coupon through their rewards program.

I guess I will decide on Friday morning when I head to make the purchase.
 
+1 on Best Buy

Your out of there quick and you get reward zone points. I just got my premier silver rewards card and I got a crap load of points when I bought my MBP :)
 
Famous Last Words...

"We love our users so much we've built 300 Apple retail stores for them -- Steve Jobs" (Do people actually believe this crap? )

Decoded translation: "We love our users *** MONEY *** so much we've built 300 Apple retail stores for them -- Steve Jobs"

No wonder there are lines so long.. anything to please Uncle Steve :)



I'm using my MBP and ordering online. A mere minutes and I'm done with it.

I wouldn't get within a mile of the bleeping store.
 
walmart only because im 5 minutes away from walmart and an hour away from any apple, bb, target..
 
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