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Guy trying to buy 200 Iphones in Apple Store

A

acrafton

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 18, 2006
268
3
So I was just in the Southlake, TX Apple store returning a case and chatting with the Apple guy while to my right a guy was in a heated discussion with another Apple employee about buying IPhones. I asked my guy what was going on and he said that the guy was trying to buy "a lot of phones, like 200." I listened in on the conversation and they guy was trying to convince them that they were for his "big, extended family" in Europe. No dice, five phone limit.

After he left they were both chatting with me and said they get this about once a day since the unlock is widely known and easy. Not usually 200 phones, but an attempt to buy 50 regularly. I asked "what would he do with them" and he said "unlock them and ship them to Europe by tomorrow.".

They also mentioned that in Norway (I think) ALL phones sold must be unlocked and when the IPhone sells there (shortly) they will come from Apple unlocked. Don't know if it that is true about Norwegian law though. . .

Adam
 
If it's not straight true, it's pretty close. The Scandinavian countries are the least tolerant of carrier/phone locks. Apple probably sees it as harmless even if they 100% break all unlocks in lockable countries as to import a Norwegian iPhone, with the higher price, cost to ship, etc., would likely exceed the benefit of an unlocked phone for all but a very few customers.

acrafton said:
So I was just in the Southlake, TX Apple store returning a case and chatting with the Apple guy while to my right a guy was in a heated discussion with another Apple employee about buying IPhones. I asked my guy what was going on and he said that the guy was trying to buy "a lot of phones, like 200." I listened in on the conversation and they guy was trying to convince them that they were for his "big, extended family" in Europe. No dice, five phone limit.

After he left they were both chatting with me and said they get this about once a day since the unlock is widely known and easy. Not usually 200 phones, but an attempt to buy 50 regularly. I asked "what would he do with them" and he said "unlock them and ship them to Europe by tomorrow.".

They also mentioned that in Norway (I think) ALL phones sold must be unlocked and when the IPhone sells there (shortly) they will come from Apple unlocked. Don't know if it that is true about Norwegian law though. . .

Adam
Click to expand...
 
Lets see 200x399=$ 78,000 dont know what the commission is but hey even at a paltry 3% =$2,340 Seems to me I personally would see if i could make the deal happen. And I aint gonna ask what they want 200 iphones for, there has to some kind of corporate sales dept/program.

rj
 
When I got mine 1 week after release, I could only buy 2 and only if I had one other person with me. That was when just about every store in my area was sold out.
 
Thats probably someone that plans on unlocking them and selling them on ebay.
Maybe ship them overseas like Europe, Australia etc.....
 
rjflyn said:
Lets see 200x399=$ 78,000 dont know what the commission is but hey even at a paltry 3% =$2,340 Seems to me I personally would see if i could make the deal happen. And I aint gonna ask what they want 200 iphones for, there has to some kind of corporate sales dept/program.

rj
Click to expand...

I didn't see any cash with this guy but the Apple store guys told me that the people trying to buy lots of IPhones ALWAYS want to do it with cash - never check or credit.
 
rjflyn said:
Lets see 200x399=$ 78,000 dont know what the commission is but hey even at a paltry 3% =$2,340 Seems to me I personally would see if i could make the deal happen. And I aint gonna ask what they want 200 iphones for, there has to some kind of corporate sales dept/program.

rj
Click to expand...

That was my thought. Maybe they are out of stock. I would have said, buy 5 and come back in 30 min and buy 5 more and the come back and so on and so on.
 
I was at the apple store the other day (exchanging my iPhone with the negative black issue) for a new one and there was someone who purchased 25 iPhones in front of me. The reps actually had him fill out some type of special high volume purchase application.
 
he's not that smart. I'm sure the mall has an apple store and at least one at&t store. just buy 10 a day.
 
rjflyn said:
Lets see 200x399=$ 78,000 dont know what the commission is but hey even at a paltry 3% =$2,340 Seems to me I personally would see if i could make the deal happen. And I aint gonna ask what they want 200 iphones for, there has to some kind of corporate sales dept/program.

rj
Click to expand...

Generally in order to get a corp discount you need documentation. Someone running a hack the iphone and export it business is probably not big on tax ids.

Speaking from a former retail manager perspective, there's almost no way in hell someone with no documentation of their business needs would ever be allowed to buy that much of a product on credit without a ******** of proof of card ownership...there'd be too much loss prevention risk, and if the sale did go forth it would be carefully documented. Some of the scams that could be run could involve using stolen cash/cards, or using counterfeit money, then selling it for a profit. Or, using a stolen card, then returning them to another store with "no receipt". Even with the restocking fee, you're walking out with cool apple credit in your pocket that you can resell or buy more crap to scam out to people. I've seen people run similar scams with DVDs and small electronics. Hell, people even try it with dictionaries. When I was at Borders we got what should have been a dream call; "Hello, I need to order $10,000 worth of dictionaries for my company....do you ship to Nigeria?" Needless to say, the credit card they provided as proof of identity came up stolen.
 
If you want them that badly buy 5, drive 5 miles to your next at&t, buy 5, repeat over and over. If i was inclined i'd hire someone to go around and get em for me. $10 for each you buy or something.
 
aerospace said:
If you want them that badly buy 5, drive 5 miles to your next at&t, buy 5, repeat over and over. If i was inclined i'd hire someone to go around and get em for me. $10 for each you buy or something.
Click to expand...

lol I know right... very inefficient turnaround... but most of these ppl are the ones who jump on the bandwagon a little too late and try to pretend they know what they're doing... I.E. the people who bought a PS3 hoping to sell it for mad money on eBay... the Wii situation, and well now the iPhone... *sigh*
 
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