Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

How efficient do you think the line will be at Apple stores tomorrow?

B

BLee17

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 12, 2008
74
0
Sacramento, CA
So I am one of the unlucky few (or many) who did not reserve an iPhone for launch day. So I called my local Apple Store to ask about walk-ins. They said they'd have "some," and will have two lines, one for pre-orders and one for walk-ins. I wanted to get some more info on this since I will be sacrificing my whole day to stand in this line.

I asked them how long do you think they will take per customer, i.e if I get there at 7:30 am, am in the back of the line, how long will it take to get to the front? I know that is a hard question to answer, but he stated that they're now using iPod touches and some new software to make things smoother. He still wouldn't give me much of an answer though. I work nights, so if I have to wait more than 4 hours or so it might now be worth it if I have to work that night. Anyone have any ideas? Can you think back to the 3GS or 3G launch to remember how long the line was at Apple? I was at an AT&T store for the 3G launch and the lines were atrocious. At least 5 hours with 50 people or so ahead of me.
 
What I'm curious about is once they take you into the store, how long will it be before you're done and can leave? I'm showing up to my store at 5am and I have a reservation. The store opens at 7am and I have to be to work at 9am. I'm hoping that I won't be sitting there for 3 hours only to have to leave because I don't have enough time to wait.
 
AbjectEvolution said:
What I'm curious about is once they take you into the store, how long will it be before you're done and can leave? I'm showing up to my store at 5am and I have a reservation. The store opens at 7am and I have to be to work at 9am. I'm hoping that I won't be sitting there for 3 hours only to have to leave because I don't have enough time to wait.
Click to expand...

I'm showing up at 4 am, no reservation, got work at 9, and I'm set on trying to get a white. If I don't get a white, I'm not getting one at all.

Er, crossing my fingers?
 
I've owned an iPhone, but this is my first time actually purchasing one especially on a launch day. I will be at the store at 7am and only want to buy an accessory. Will there be a long line for that? I want to be in and out of the store in less than 20 minutes.

So for anyone who had been in the non-iPhone reserved/walk-in lines on a launch, how fast did the line move? I figure there will be people there just to buy other Apple stuff like MacBooks and iPods that I won't have to deal with the long lines.
 
I have a reservation, am planning on being there by 7 am, and have work at 8 am. I have a feeling I will be telling my boss this afternoon to not be surprised if I'm a tad late.

My main worry is that I live in California and my 7 am will be the east coast's 10 am, and therefore the chances are good that they will have already broken the servers, and we'll be screwed. But here's hoping for the best...you damn yankees. ;)
 
Savor said:
I've owned an iPhone, but this is my first time actually purchasing one especially on a launch day. I will be at the store at 7am and only want to buy an accessory. Will there be a long line for that? I want to be in and out of the store in less than 20 minutes.

So for anyone who had been in the non-iPhone reserved/walk-in lines on a launch, how fast did the line move? I figure there will be people there just to buy other Apple stuff like MacBooks and iPods that I won't have to deal with the long lines.
Click to expand...

At the 3GS launch at my local store, the only allowed people in the store if they were buying an iPhone.
 
Orlics said:
I'm showing up at 4 am, no reservation, got work at 9, and I'm set on trying to get a white. If I don't get a white, I'm not getting one at all.

Er, crossing my fingers?
Click to expand...
You may as well just wake up and go to work. You'll be wasting your time trying to get a white iPhone tomorrow.
 
BLee17 said:
How long did you stand in line, do you remember? Say, if you got there 1 hour after opening (730-745) how long did you wait?
Click to expand...

Actually the 3GS launch was nothing like this launch for the iPhone 4. The day went by and I thought I wouldn't have the money but then someone bought my 3G mid-day and I went up to the Apple store. There were two people in front of me and I had no trouble getting my phone. I didn't reserve... I was a walk in.

Times have changed.
 
What exactly is the difference between walk-in and pre-order for this? I just went to the Apple site, clicked pre-order and answered the few questions (phone number, zip code, etc.). I was then taken to a page that shows the upgrade costs and gives me the option to either add to cart (essentially order it online for shipment on July 14th) or lets me search for a local store. I'd like to try to pickup the phone tomorrow, but what line would I go to? I'm not sure if this was actually a pre-order? I was not asked for an e-mail/no confirmation was given. I'm assuming all this did was tell Apple that I plan to buy the phone and it may speed up the process when I'm actually in the store, but I'll still have to wait in the walk-in line?
 
I know you can't completely compare the iPad wait to the iPhone wait since they didn't have to activate devices. But when that launched, I stood in the non reserve line. They let all the reserves in first and by the time they got to me, it was only about an hour wait in total. And this was with two very long lines ahead of me. This is the fourth major product launch, they got the system down by now. Must have been every employee who works at the store there on launch day moving people in and out.
 
ipoddin said:
I know you can't completely compare the iPad wait to the iPhone wait since they didn't have to activate devices. But when that launched, I stood in the non reserve line. They let all the reserves in first and by the time they got to me, it was only about an hour wait in total. And this was with two very long lines ahead of me. This is the fourth major product launch, they got the system down by now. Must have been every employee who works at the store there on launch day moving people in and out.
Click to expand...

Yes I was told that all employees have to work on launch day. You make some good points. Assuming there isn't some sort of activation crash, things should move quickly. And since tons of phones were delivered today, there shouldn't be worry of a crash.
 
AbjectEvolution said:
At the 3GS launch at my local store, the only allowed people in the store if they were buying an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Thanks.

I'll probably just drop by after I pick-up my phone at BB. I figure the normal mall hours of 10am, the Apple Store "might" let non-iPhone buyers enter. Other Apple products need to sell too.

If not, then the bumper will just have to wait and probably might sell out by the time I get there at 10am or so.
 
Based on my local Apple store at big launches, I am expecting 20-25 Apple employees processing each phone in 5-10 minutes (depending on buy and go, simple new account, all the way to "I want everything transfered"), so they will be able to crank through probably 150-200 people an hour.

I'm arrivign around 6:15 for the reserve line and we'll see how it goes.
 
Platyrrhine said:
What exactly is the difference between walk-in and pre-order for this? I just went to the Apple site, clicked pre-order and answered the few questions (phone number, zip code, etc.). I was then taken to a page that shows the upgrade costs and gives me the option to either add to cart (essentially order it online for shipment on July 14th) or lets me search for a local store. I'd like to try to pickup the phone tomorrow, but what line would I go to? I'm not sure if this was actually a pre-order? I was not asked for an e-mail/no confirmation was given. I'm assuming all this did was tell Apple that I plan to buy the phone and it may speed up the process when I'm actually in the store, but I'll still have to wait in the walk-in line?
Click to expand...

Most likely you'd be in the non-reserved line. If you were able to reserve one (it would have to have been done back on June 15th) you would have gotten a confirmation email.
 
I got my reservation in on the 15th but will not be able to make it to the apple store until 4:30 PM. Still good to go right?
 
it will all depend on whether they are allowing people to take home to activate like they started doing with the 3GS. if that is the case then the line will go fast, since everyone is just picking up and then paying
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back