How Apple blew the launch

[canadianipad]

Sorry, but I feel like Apple really blew the launch and here are my reasons.

• No preorder- If you wanted your iPad 2 today, you had to wait in line. That is poor planning as Apple knows their product will be in high demand. That is not looking out for your customers.
• No option to reserve- Last year they let you order by reserve and you could pick up when it became available at the store. You just wait on your email to say it's there.
• Not enough stock at apple store- At my local store they were out of stock after an hour! Yikes! Didn't expect people to want this in high demand?
• Horrible stock at other retailers- Some targets and walkways didn't get any iPad 2s. The ones that did only got a few. A quote from a local walmart was that they were sold out in 3 minutes.
• No clear and concise restock info- I checked with the local apple store and they can't tell me if or when they are getting more. Not even and idea..just told to call back.

The reason I'm pissed is not that I can't say get one today. I have the first iPad, but the poor tactics used to cause further desperation. Excuse the pun, but I feel herded like sheep. I would have preordered online or reserve one in store for when they are back in stock, but no option like last year.

I'm not going to spend the next month calling every day all over the place to see if they have one or not. Too much work for a customer to do. I WORK for my money.

I guess apple rather have me have more time to see the competition come out with their tablets. I dunno....

Suck it up princess.
This is what Apple customers outside the US have to deal with at every launch. We rarely if ever get pre-orders, and our stock is always much more limited than in the US. Our launches even get pushed back further and further so Americans can get theirs.
So boohoo.

 

[corriewf]

D

Apple actually paid the places, not the other way around. Stop thinking you are the smartest kid on the block cause you aren't.

Sorry, how did you define yourself a credible source again?

 

[corriewf]

Suck it up princess.
This is what Apple customers outside the US have to deal with at every launch. We rarely if ever get pre-orders, and our stock is always much more limited than in the US. Our launches even get pushed back further and further so Americans can get theirs.
So boohoo.

Yeah but on the other end of the spectrum, you guys normally get first find on other technology non Apple.
It works out even in the end.

 

[Godzirra]

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?

Forced to buy a version they didn't want??
No one can a force you to do anything, it's your choice to buy an Apple product, and if you're not happy with it or the way they do things, then go somewhere else and buy something else!!!

If they didn't have the version you wanted, then go back when they do, simple! Quit whining about it!

As to people moaning, that'll always happen, it's human nature that, and no matter what manufacturers bring out, they can't please everyone all the time. The unhappy ones will post their moans, the happy ones will be too engrossed in their new toys. It's the same with every product and every manufacturer.

Take a chill pill, have a beer or whatever floats your boat, sit back and realise that it's not the end of the world.

 

[corriewf]

Forced to buy a version they didn't want??
No one can a force you to do anything, it's your choice to buy an Apple product, and if you're not happy with it or the way they do things, then go somewhere else and buy something else!!!

If they didn't have the version you wanted, then go back when they do, simple! Quit whining about it!

As to people moaning, that'll always happen, it's human nature that, and no matter what manufacturers bring out, they can't please everyone all the time. The unhappy ones will post their moans, the happy ones will be too engrossed in their new toys. It's the same with every product and every manufacturer.

Take a chill pill, have a beer or whatever floats your boat, sit back and realise that it's not the end of the world.

with the lack of reservation and preorder, I didn't expect to really get one....I have an iPad one and can wait..but your missing the overall point of the thread.

 

[thesiren]

free publicity at the cost of snookering devoted fans. I'm sure they paid off the press so that they don't publish the gory details behind the 'success' here, but gosh.

snookering devoted fans? paying off the press? gory details?

what a drama queen. are you a prepubescent tween??

"WAH! I had to stand in line for something I knew was in high demand, and like, ohmuygawd, they sold out before I got one! What shady business practices!"

 

[dehlz]

Easily the most frustrating launch day(s) I've experienced. I'm not whining, but showing up at 3:30 Friday I thought was pretty early. Nope.

Showing up at 8 this morning I thought was pretty early too, nope. And how all Apple employees pretty much "don't know when we'll get more" just doesn't make any sense to me. I believe them when they are saying it, but I still can't fathom how come stores don't have numbers and delivery dates predetermined for each store depending on size ... at least for the first few days of a new product launch.

 

[Godzirra]

with the lack of reservation and preorder, I didn't expect to really get one....I have an iPad one and can wait..but your missing the overall point of the thread.

I understand the point completely, but it's not up to us, it's up to them. For all you and i know it could be the way they want to do things from now on? They might decide to get rid of all reservations, get the customers into the stores.

Speaking for myself I'd rather go into the store, test the product out, get a feel for it and then make a decision, and that goes for most of my purchases. Yes, it might intrude into your day, but I'm one of those that will make time, or at least try to.

 

[Chrisedge]

There is so much crying in this thread, it's more like this thread blows...

Whaaah. I didn't get an iPad. Whaaaah I work a job. Whaaaah I needed my sleep.

Guess what? The iPad is the fastest selling consumer product ever. Lots of folks (like me) waited for v2. They sold more already than the Xoom will sell in 3 months. They offered lots of different configurations so that made it harder to "get the one you wanted". (I had to go a size bigger to 64gb blk AT&T, I wanted 32gb ones...yea I bought 2)

I got in line at 3:20pm and if I hadn't got them I would have gone home and had them in 3 weeks. BIG DEAL.

The iPhone 3G was a worse launch if you want to know.

 

[thesiren]

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.

No, you're missing the point. The title of this thread is "How Apple Blew the Launch".

Thats called sensationalism. A bait-and-switch type of ploy intended to trick members into clicking on his thread thinking there's some newly discovered news story that contradicts all the reports of an outrageously successful first day and complete sell-out-- only to find that this is just a sad little girl's bitchfest rant-and-whine.

Apple didn't blow the launch. The thread should have been titled:

"The iPad 2 Launch Was a Big Fat Failure Because I Didn't Get One"


edit: this just in: "iPad 2 Launch a Big Fat Success Because I, Along With 500,000 Other Incredibly Smart People, Got One"

 

[3goldens]

Sorry, but I feel like Apple really blew the launch and here are my reasons.

BLEW IT? SURELY YOU JEST! SOLD OUT EVERY WHERE IN 24 HOURS!

• No preorder- If you wanted your iPad 2 today, you had to wait in line. That is poor planning as Apple knows their product will be in high demand. That is not looking out for your customers.
  
  Looking out for their customers, OMG, ypur kidding, right? This is a business that works for its money! They wanted to do one thing, have a successful launch and they certainly did that a million times over!
  They also had more clients to serve this time around, not just the early adopters like you and I. They had more SKU's, an additional color, all of this need to be manufactured and distributed!
  
  
• No option to reserve- Last year they let you order by reserve and you could pick up when it became available at the store. You just wait on your email to say it's there.
  
  Yea right! never going to happen in major cities, perhaps in smaller venues. I think from a marketing and PR point of view they scored unbelievably, created anticipation, sold out all available products, thereby creating even more demand and desire for the product. Coupled with the reviews it got this will only further create demands and backlogs of stock. They wont catch up for months! I think a lot of retailers would love to be in this position in what is still considered very poor economic conditions around the world. !
  
  
• Not enough stock at apple store- At my local store they were out of stock after an hour! Yikes! Didn't expect people to want this in high demand?
  
  
  And how were they supposed to anticipate this, take a survey?
  
• Horrible stock at other retailers- Some targets and walkways didn't get any iPad 2s. The ones that did only got a few. A quote from a local walmart was that they were sold out in 3 minutes.
  
  They probably decided to have more stock at the Apple stores rather than their partners. anyone who thought they would be able to get one at a third party rather than an apple store is nuts! Unless they were the first in the door. One should always go to the Apple stores if they can or order on line, and if you really want one sooner rather than later get the hell out of bed when Rhett start taking orders!
  
  
• No clear and concise restock info- I checked with the local apple store and they can't tell me if or when they are getting more. Not even and idea..just told to call back.
  
  I think for the most part that was pretty clear, I was told 14 days exchange, no restocking at the Apple store at least. I understand the other third rate retailers had huge restocking fees!

The reason I'm pissed is not that I can't say get one today. I have the first iPad, but the poor tactics used to cause further desperation. Excuse the pun, but I feel herded like sheep. I would have preordered online or reserve one in store for when they are back in stock, but no option like last year.

No, I think your pissed, and it's ok to be angry, next time you'll be prepared, one of life's little learning moments! Y know very well y could have ordered on line but didn't, you took a risk just like the rest of us that did the same thing, some got em, some didn't, luck of the draw my friend.

I'm not going to spend the next month calling every day all over the place to see if they have one or not.

They probably wouldn't tell you anyway, if you called the stores, and even I you did no guarantee their would be stock when you got there!

Too much work for a customer to do. I WORK for my money.
I guess apple rather have me have more time to see the competition come out with their tablets. I dunno....

I'm afraid that's the case with everybody, not really sure what your getting at here. I know one thing is for sure, Apple is not worried one bit about competition, because, and you know this, there is none.
I'm sure in a weeks time you'll have cooled out and will break down and get one like everyone else.

 

[scmguru]

They didn't blow it. They got people to stand in lines at the Apple stores and no where else. Beautiful publicity once again.

Yeah.. too bad that pesky earthquake and tsunami stole their thunder.

 

[Andrew K.]

This is the simple case of Supply and Demand. Supply is low which boosts the Demand and the fuels the hype and the "need" for Apple's iPad. Come on, why else would they wait til 5pm for launch? Apple knows what they're doing and it works!

 

[krnboy503]

D

Sorry, how did you define yourself a credible source again?

I asked the pretzel employee who passed around pretzels to the people in line. Again, don't act smart kiddo.

 

[goMac]

No, you're missing the point. The title of this thread is "How Apple Blew the Launch".

Thats called sensationalism. A bait-and-switch type of ploy intended to trick members into clicking on his thread thinking there's some newly discovered news story that contradicts all the reports of an outrageously successful first day and complete sell-out-- only to find that this is just a sad little girl's bitchfest rant-and-whine.

Apple didn't blow the launch. The thread should have been titled:

"The iPad 2 Launch Was a Big Fat Failure Because I Didn't Get One"


edit: this just in: "iPad 2 Launch a Big Fat Success Because I, Along With 500,000 Other Incredibly Smart People, Got One"

This isn't a "I didn't get an iPad and I'm going to whine about it" thread. I didn't get my 3G iPad 1 for months because it was on backorder and I didn't care.

This is a "Apple wasted my Friday and they're continuing to waste my time because they can't do a pre-order" complaint.

I honestly would not care when I got my iPad as long as I had a place in "line", which doesn't seem to be a problem for any other consumer launch. It's called a pre-order, it's not that hard.

I'm assuming you're someone who got in line Friday morning and got an iPad. Good for you? I had to be in line behind 20 scalpers who took 40 iPads, which would not have been a problem if Apple had done pre-orders (and I would have gotten my iPad.)

 

[thesiren]

This isn't a "I didn't get an iPad and I'm going to whine about it" thread. I didn't get my 3G iPad 1 for months because it was on backorder and I didn't care.

This is a "Apple wasted my Friday and they're continuing to waste my time because they can't do a pre-order" complaint.

I honestly would not care when I got my iPad as long as I had a place in "line", which doesn't seem to be a problem for any other consumer launch. It's called a pre-order, it's not that hard.

I'm assuming you're someone who got in line Friday morning and got an iPad. Good for you? I had to be in line behind 20 scalpers who took 40 iPads, which would not have been a problem if Apple had done pre-orders (and I would have gotten my iPad.)

If you didnt/don't care when you get your iPad, why not just order online like the thousands of other sane, non-whiney smart people? Not only does it guarantee you an iPad, it completely eliminates the "place in line" drama!

 

[corriewf]

I asked the pretzel employee who passed around pretzels to the people in line. Again, don't act smart kiddo.

A few friends of mine handle some of the marketing and trust me when I say, those companies are writing off the food as advertising. It's publicity for those companies. I don't need to act smart.....and I bet I'm older than you kiddo.

 

[corriewf]

This is the simple case of Supply and Demand. Supply is low which boosts the Demand and the fuels the hype and the "need" for Apple's iPad. Come on, why else would they wait til 5pm for launch? Apple knows what they're doing and it works!

I have no problem with supply and demand. I think just about anyone with half a brain knew they would run out sometime on launch day. The demand would be there regardless. What was not expected was a lack of any real organization dealing with such large numbers of sales. For those that are loyal Apple customers, it came across a bit rude and unprofessional. It's off putting to say the least. I can certainly live without an iPad 2. I found it very degrading though to make people run around town waiting in multiple lines for nothing. Since they didn't do any form of reservation, they had no idea what to send where. That resulted in odd numbers of certain types of iPads that very few actually wanted but settled for. That's why you see a lot of, I wanted white but settled for black, or I wanted Verizon but settled for an att one. There were targets that never received any, and walmarts that only received one.

For those reasons I call this launch a failure. They pissed off a lot of customers by wasting their time. There are countless reports of this all over the forums. I don't recall so many unhappy customers in any prior product launch.

 

[billhelm]

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?

Nobody was forced to buy anything. I could have compromised and bought something else at the Best Buy I was at, but chose to order online and get the model I actually wanted.

Reservations would have been nice but the reality is that there would still be lots of people out there waiting for one who reserved. Supply not meeting demand in either case.

 

[ayz]

I have no problem with supply and demand. I think just about anyone with half a brain knew they would run out sometime on launch day. The demand would be there regardless. What was not expected was a lack of any real organization dealing with such large numbers of sales. For those that are loyal Apple customers, it came across a bit rude and unprofessional. It's off putting to say the least. I can certainly live without an iPad 2. I found it very degrading though to make people run around town waiting in multiple lines for nothing. Since they didn't do any form of reservation, they had no idea what to send where. That resulted in odd numbers of certain types of iPads that very few actually wanted but settled for. That's why you see a lot of, I wanted white but settled for black, or I wanted Verizon but settled for an att one. There were targets that never received any, and walmarts that only received one.

For those reasons I call this launch a failure. They pissed off a lot of customers by wasting their time. There are countless reports of this all over the forums. I don't recall so many unhappy customers in any prior product launch.

"Wahh, I didn't get an ipad".

Yet you're coming back for more.

The launch was hardly a failure. Orders are going in. People who want ipads are still going to buy ipads. If Apple offered full inventory to every buyer at launch, do you think that it would create nearly as much hype on launch day? Nobody would care, or plan, or wait in line, and just randomly wander into the store.

Also, from a business perspective, trying to meet 100% demand would be an absolute nightmare and cost the company a ton of money in inventory. You have a vague idea of your biggest market, but you really don't know what the demand is for the product nor in each store. Overflowing the stores with ipads sitting on shelves makes no sense as then you have to deal with reallocating inventory around; furthermore, upon launch, if there are some defects in the manufacturing process that are noticed and need tweaking, having a ton of inventory on shelves just makes it that much more expensive/difficult for you.

the launch is not a failure just because everyone that wanted an ipad didn't get one. those orders are still going to go in. quit crying.

 

[ayz]

also, those of you complaining about other retailers: none of that is apple's fault.

Wal-Mart orders ipads from Apple. How many to which Wal-Mart stores those go to is Wal-Mart's call, not Apple's call.

 

[ayz]

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.

are you retarded?

you really think it's cost effective for apple to figure out the exact product mix of ipads to each store and package and ship them out accordingly?

on an unrelated note, my guess on why apple didn't take pre-orders is simply because of expectations and timing. apple can't manufacture these things fast enough to sell out. they have to stock their stores, maintain relationships with some major retailers (like best buy) and stock their shelves as well, plus online ordering. if they allowed people to pre-order, then all of their stock for the next 2 months would be accounted for and you would be unable to get an ipad in store, which is TERRIBLE for their brand. likewise, if they maintained a reasonable level of stock in-store, and you placed a pre-order with expected 6-8 weeks until arrival, you would be pretty pissed as well.

the solution is no preordering.

 

[ayz]

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?

nobody forced anybody to buy anything.

i would argue that they aren't unhappy because they bought the damn thing anyways.

also, that is far from failure. quite the opposite, in fact. i would argue that from a company's perspective, if a consumer wants to spend $500 on a 16gb WiFi ipad, and i managed to upsell you to a $700 64gb version, that is a success.

after skimming this thread i'm firmly convinced a bunch of posters on here (especially the thread starter) are either retarded or high school/college kids with no common sense.

 

[Richmond1958]

I don't think Apple blew the launch at all. I feel bad for people who lined up well in advance and got shut out. At least where I was (Mall of America, Minnesota), I suspect that everyone that lined up at least 1 1/2 - 2 hours in advance probably got the one they were looking for (based on the fistful of cards, separated by type, that store employees were carrying around). And maybe a lot more than that.

I dont think it was any more devious than, because of the Verizon iPhone rollout, Apple wanting lines at opening and deciding not to offer pre-orders very much in advance or in-store pickup. I was in a line for three hours with a bunch of really nice people who love Apple products. In the big picture, that's not so bad.

 

[Martyimac]

snookering devoted fans? paying off the press? gory details?

what a drama queen. are you a prepubescent tween??

"WAH! I had to stand in line for something I knew was in high demand, and like, ohmuygawd, they sold out before I got one! What shady business practices!"

Outstanding post from a newbie. Put's some of the regulars to shame.