iPod touch How do I get the iPod Touch the quickest?

[lionsnwings]

I am new to Apple, just purchased my iMac about 6 months ago and I am going to get the iPod touch, primarily for the larger screen as I am a frequent flyer and watch TV/Movies in the air.

My question is, what is the fastest way to get it when it is released? I am assuming going to an Apple store, hopefully they will have plenty and not sell out. I am not interested in standing in line for hours, what is the best time to go to the store, just prior to closing on the day it is released? What about first thing on the day following release?

What about if I pre-order from Apple online, will they ship it a day or to prior to the release, or will they ship it after the release? I am assuming Amazon will not be pre-shipping it either.

Any suggestions?

 

[jsw]

Since you've yet to order and so are not at the top of the shipping list, you'd probably be able to pick one up at a Store before you could receive it, but your safest bet is still to order it and sacrifice a potential day or two delay to be sure of getting it - they may be plentiful in Stores on the day of release, or they might sell out every shipment within minutes for weeks. For example, the BT headsets arrived fairly steadily to those who ordered them, but the Stores had a hard time keeping them in stock. On the other hand, other products have been plentiful on release day.

So: safest bet is order and expect to get it a day or two after release. Risky move which could gain you a day or two is buy in store. Expensive option is to do both and return the ordered one if you can buy it in the store first.

But, if you're going to the Store, get there when the shipments arrive, not in the evening. Shipments arrive at different times and also vary by store. The one nearest me tends to get things in late morning and then throughout the day.

 

[klb028]

I was wondering the same thing. By the time I decide to order mine, I'm afraid I might have to wait even longer, so I was thinking it might be quicker to drop by a store and pick one up. Who knows how long they'll have them for, though! Any other opinions on this?

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Here is how I handle my Apple pre-order dilemmas:

1) Order from Apple online. They don't charge your card until the item ships. Shipping is free and since the Touch comes from China there is no point in upgrading to faster shipping since its ALL air service from China.

2) As we get closer to the 28th monitor your online order for shipping status changes. At the same time keep up with forums like this one for "Touch sighting" posts. It's very possible the local Apple Stores will get stock before the online store ships.

3) If you find a local store has stock before your Touch ships buy it and then use the Macs in-store to cancel your online order. (Be sure to put safari in Private mode). It's very easy to cancel an order that has not shipped.

This risk is that your order ships the same day you find one in-store. If that happens and you want to keep the one you bought in-store then just return the online order once it arrives. It will cost you about $10 with UPS, FedEx, or USPS including insurance.