Sure, but isn't that an issue you have with WalMart, BB and Target? I'm not sure how much influence Apple really has over their ordering and point of sale practices.
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How Apple blew the launch
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Sure, but isn't that an issue you have with WalMart, BB and Target? I'm not sure how much influence Apple really has over their ordering and point of sale practices.
I agree with this. As for the retail supply, Apple probably knew well ahead of the launch that many stores would fall short of demand, especially with particular models. I believe they did what they could to get as many out as possible.
See, I think there is a breakdown here...
No one is complaining that Apple isn't going to sell iPads, and no one is complaining about the store staff (they were actually great), everyone is complaining that Apple is wasting our time by not letting us reserve and having us sit in lines instead.
I mean, it's great they sold 500k... But that doesn't have anything to do with why I think this was the worst launch they've ever done.
The number of units they sold doesn't change how they wasted my time, moreso than the iPhone 4 launch where even though the lines were crazy, I knew I was going to get one. Nothing is worse than standing in long lines and then not getting one in the end.
I thought they had this all figured out after the iPhone 4. Apparently not.
I've seen this story before...
Company makes great products
Company becomes extremely popular
Company exploits the "good will" capital it has built up over the years
Company becomes known for its hubris
Company loses customers to competitors
People enjoy watching the company become insignificant
Mr. Jobs is currently at step 4, and doesn't seem to have learned from others' mistakes.
Company makes great products
Company becomes extremely popular
Company exploits the "good will" capital it has built up over the years
Company becomes known for its hubris
Company loses customers to competitors
People enjoy watching the company become insignificant
Mr. Jobs is currently at step 4, and doesn't seem to have learned from others' mistakes.
Bingo!
Apple also handled all shipments to other retailers. That's how they roll. They control everything about their product including where it is placed in store. That's why Verizon didn't get the first iPhone, they didn't want to give Verizon control. That was great then, now they are control freaks.
There were 12 new models of IPad added to the line up this year, not including the 6 from last year. There were a total of 18 different models to choose from. When there is THAT much complexity, you do reserves. If you don't do a reserve in time and wait in line, you understand the risk. The reserve system has been used in the past for a reason. Despite the idea that apple wanted more lines, the people that would have done reserves would still have waited in line just like the iPhone 4 launch.
I just don't appreciate mass hysteria. It is total BS and Apple loss some of my trust. Plain and simple.
So, we have a situation where every single current iPad 2 owner had to be motivated enough to make a serious time commitment to get one, the vast majority of whom are happy with the product now and are likely to tell others as much.
Yeah. Monumental fail. What was Apple thinking??
Yeah. Monumental fail. What was Apple thinking??
Feel like Apple doesn't care too much their customers and only care about their publicity exposure and beat competitor. But right now, seems news doesn't care about Ipad2. Apple must be very disappointed.
They created great publicity. Of course you can be upset that there was no preorders or reservations but the people I met in line who loved Apple products as much as me were there to say they'd do it 10x over.
Considering world events of the last couple days, I doubt Apple could have done anything, up to and including giving every iPad 2 away for free, to make much dent.
Again, missing the point. No one is upset that people are happy with their iPads, or that Apple has sold a bunch...
It's more that I took time off from work to get one, and it ends up to even get one I would have had to have taken the entire day off...
With the reservation system, as long as I get there on the first day, I get one. Yes, it still had crazy lines, but it meant I wasn't totally wasting my time.
Maybe you should take your own advice pal.
Originally Posted by Surf Monkey
I'm just at a loss to understand why the experience and/or opinion of one anonymous guy on an Internet message board is supposed to trump that of hundreds of thousands of others. I submit that it's actually you who is attempting to suggest that you're better than everyone else.
I think corriewf is the only one i know who's complaining about this "Apple Failed at Launch" crap.
I believe they did an outstanding job and they knew hundreds would camp out for it and they came prepared. Who brings free coffee, donuts, and snacks for everyone in line? Apple.
I've been to five apple launches a day before and I think they haven't failed at any of the launches.
And have you ever seen so many posts from people unhappy that they were forced to buy a version they didn't want? Or a color?
Geesh! You DO know that vendors do that for marketing and publicity right? I wouldn't be surprised if apple got paid from those companies to distribute those products in their lines. It's kind of like product placement in movies you know. Sometimes you gotta think more independently, you know.
I don't get the indignation. None of us know why Apple refused reservations this time. Any number of factors could have caused it, marketing strategy being only one amongst many.
I haven't seen a single post where someone was forced to buy anything, actually.
One thing Apple does know is there are more options for Ipad 2 this time (White or Black, Verzion or ATT). So it means more variance. Since it's harder to predict each demand for such variance. That' s why they should take preorder and do more forecasting, lower the deviation.
Geesh! You DO know that vendors do that for marketing and publicity right? I wouldn't be surprised if apple got paid from those companies to distribute those products in their lines. It's kind of like product placement in movies you know. Sometimes you gotta think more independently, you know.
Apple actually paid the places, not the other way around. Stop thinking you are the smartest kid on the block cause you aren't.
Well. I do think they must have done the cost-benefit analysis for this. They may think the benefit from publicity exposure will be greater than any cost. But they never know all headlines are anything but Ipad.
Yeah, they blew it allright, they had to hire a fleet of trucks to carry all the money to the bank!
So? Not taking pre-orders was stupid and caused problems. What was the last major product that you can think of where pre-orders were not taken? Every Apple product I can think of for years had some sort of pre-order.
Expecting people to take an entire day off to get one is just ridiculous.
It also makes things tremendously easy for scalpers who have nothing else to do anyway. Pre-orders make it much harder for scalpers to horde stock. Yesterday you had scalpers with groups of 20 people in line taking two units each. That's 40 units just for that group!
I'm trying to get my hands on an ATT model and am having issues. Tons of Verizon ones are still available though. I theorized that this is due to scalpers hording GSM models, and according to the news just posted to the front page, I'm probably right.
So my options are:
a) Have no life at sit outside the Apple store trying to beat the scalpers to a 3G model.
b) Get the model I don't want.
If legitimate buyers were scooping up the 3G models, I wouldn't be upset. That's just how things go. But instead, it's just a bunch of scalpers.
Pre-orders and wait lists would have solved this like they did with the iPhone 4. But Apple has done neither. If I could get my name on a list and be informed when mine comes in, that would be fine. But instead I'm in a position of constantly trying to beat scalpers to the store.
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