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How does standing in line work?

A

ApplesAndOrangs

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 30, 2011
181
0
For those, who have stood in line for the iphone, (first week of launch)

Don't the stores only get like 12 iphones a store? (Last time it was less than that) What if they get out of stock? You wait 5 hours and then then they tell you to go home?

Have never stood in line, online only.
 
Last edited:
ApplesAndOrangs said:
For those, who have stood in line for the iphone, how does it work?

Don't the stores only get like 12 iphones a store? What if they get out of stock? You wait 5 hours and then then they tell you to go home?
Click to expand...

You walk up to the store, you then find the line, and you position yourself standing behind the person in front of you.

It all depends on where you go, but it's always smart to give that store a call to find out the inventory before you decide to wait.
 
No offense, but what the heck kinda thread is this? Seriously, who makes threads asking how it is to stand in line??

You drive to the store, get out of your car, walk to the line, and stand in it. What else is there to say?

"Uhh, the length of the line is about 24.63712 feet and the average height of the people in the line is 5 foot 9. The Apple Store is approximately 50.492 feet away from Best Buy Mobile so that means there is about 25.385 feet from the end of the line to Best Buy Mobile."
 
To elaborate, if you arrive at an Apple Store at 4am you will get an iPhone at 11am. If you don't arrive until 6am you will be in line until 2pm when they run out of iPhones. The manager will do this entirely inaccurate line count and tell you they won't have an iPhone for you. Many will leave after being told this despite the fact they and many others WILL get an iPhone.
 
batting1000 said:
No offense, but what the heck kinda thread is this? Seriously, who makes threads asking how it is to stand in line??

You drive to the store, get out of your car, walk to the line, and stand in it. What else is there to say?
Click to expand...
Did you actually bother reading OP's entire post?
 
uh... they definitely get more than 12. When you preorder you give specify which store you're going to pick it up from, then they have an estimate of how many to ship and where. If you don't pre order you're an idiot. When you get there there will be 2 long lines, a pre order line and a normal line. They usually let 3-4 pre order people in for every one non pre order. Depending on where you are and the demand for iphones, who knows how long the line will be. Last year I was stupid and showed up at 6:30 (the store opened at 7:00) and the line was already super long and I had to wait 4 hours for preorder.
 
Pooshka said:
Did you actually bother reading OP's entire post?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's all common sense. Just get there early so you don't have to worry about stock. Getting it launch day can be next to impossible as people usually camp out anyways. Just preorder to make it easier.
 
When you show up about an hour or so before the store opens an Apple employee will come out with an iPhone and take your name and what iPhone you want, e.g. iPhone 4, Black, AT&T 16GB.

They give everyone a number on their list and they typically have an idea of how many units they have. Once they fill the list they will tell the remaining people in line that the chances of you getting a device are slim but you are welcome to stay anyway.
 
batting1000 said:
Yes, it's all common sense. Just get there early so you don't have to worry about stock. Getting it launch day can be next to impossible as people usually camp out anyways. Just preorder to make it easier.
Click to expand...
Actually the last iphone, when i was calling there was only 12 iphones a store or so. I don't want to take my chances with standing in line with that.

----------
superstrikertwo said:
When you show up about an hour or so before the store opens an Apple employee will come out with an iPhone and take your name and what iPhone you want, e.g. iPhone 4, Black, AT&T 16GB.

They give everyone a number on their list and they typically have an idea of how many units they have. Once they fill the list they will tell the remaining people in line that the chances of you getting a device are slim but you are welcome to stay anyway.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. Makes sense.
 
ApplesAndOrangs said:
Actually the last iphone, when i was calling there was only 12 iphones a store or so. I don't want to take my chances with standing in line with that.
Click to expand...

So you are using prior knowledge to come to a conclusion which proves how pointless this thread was. Why are you asking when you already knew from your experience last year??
 
batting1000 said:
So you are using prior knowledge to come to a conclusion which proves how pointless this thread was. Why are you asking when you already knew from your experience last year??
Click to expand...
Because it was just my experience, maybe I'm wrong and people have had other experiences. I've not made a definite conclusion, based on just my experiences.

What is shoved up your ass today dude?
 
Actually i have a question how does waiting in line work when the apple store is in the mall before the mall opens? Say if i were to go early before the mall opens up is there a line outside (there are also multiple entrances but there is one in front of the apple store) or do we wait at he door and try to run to the apple store and get on line? I have waited on line in the mall before but i went later and got on line when the mall was already open.
 
Dr Kevorkian94 said:
Actually i have a question how does waiting in line work when the apple store is in the mall before the mall opens? Say if i were to go early before the mall opens up is there a line outside (there are also multiple entrances but there is one in front of the apple store) or do we wait at he door and try to run to the apple store and get on line? I have waited on line in the mall before but i went later and got on line when the mall was already open.
Click to expand...
Did you actually get one?
 
You stand in line (preferably in the middle) and fart, till you see people evacuating. You will be the lucky one along with a few brave souls who still stand in line.
 
ApplesAndOrangs said:
Did you actually get one?
Click to expand...

Yes i went in line for the iPad 2 i got to the mall around 3 and got the one i wanted. I was around 60-80th on line but this time i want to go early in the morning so i want to know how it works. Im in staten island so i don't think there as many geeks waiting on line for apple products here lol.

on a side note there was a guy who him and his friend got there in the morning and were first in line and he was just running around all happy that he was first. I would like to be that guy this time. :D
 
ApplesAndOrangs said:
For those, who have stood in line for the iphone, (first week of launch)

Don't the stores only get like 12 iphones a store? (Last time it was less than that) What if they get out of stock? You wait 5 hours and then then they tell you to go home?

Have never stood in line, online only.
Click to expand...

Wow everyone is bashing on the OP for a legitimate question. Seriously guys, chill.

1) I am sure the stores get more than 12 iPhones - but you can call and check. Sometimes they have online availability status (at least they did when the 3GS was released).
2) If they run out of stock, then yeah, you'll have to leave and come again later. I've heard that the employees will mention how much stock is left, so the people at the end of the line can just leave if there's not enough.

Certainly they get more than 12 iPhones though. Maybe at 3rd party such as Walmart or Bestbuy, but definitely not Apple.
 
Looon said:
Is it really acceptable to you to make that statement
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, I got burned pretty bad in Monterey. The police almost got involved to resolve "line-cutting" quite silly in retrospect but many pissed off people behind several bulk buyers.
 
I went to the 4's launch last year and was about 60th in line when I got there. By the time the Apple store opened at 7am there were at least 700 people in line. Good thing the Apple store had more than 2000 iPhones because they allowed everyone to to buy a max of 2 per person.

Overall it was a fun experience as long as you go with friends, and I am doing the same thing this year as well.
 
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