Whatever you think about the marketing benefits to Apple, the launch of the iPad 2 from a consumer perspective is just somewhat of a nightmare.
After generating long product lines and high demand for releases from the last 5 years, you would think that Apple might have learned some lessons and would try to make this process a little bit easier for their loyal paying customers.
I thought they had this process pretty well down for the iPhone 4 launch. You were able to pre-order and have shipments arrive on the launch day. You were able to reserve a particular phone and even though you still had to wait in line, you were guaranteed a phone when you finally got in the store. They had enough supply to meet most of the demand the first week, even though it was an extremely hot seller. They limited retailers who sold the phone so that inventory could be focused on the Apple stores themselves so they were assured stock. They posted availability per store after the initial release day.
For some reason, they threw that success right out the window with the iPad 2 launch. They did NOTHING from the iPhone 4 launch that was successful. No preorders. Launch day preorders were at a ridiculous 4 AM time. No reserving phones. They release 18 versions (crazy really) at 6 different retail stores without nearly having enough stock to do so. You were not guaranteed a retailer would even have your particular version even if you were in the first 10 in line the first day (which happened to ME). After launch day there is complete and utter chaos as to what store would have what inventory when - lines form randomly at stores or in the morning without knowledge of what's available where and when. Foreigners are buying up USA inventory faster than probably US people are because they can sell them at huge profits oversees. Lack of supply has caused 4-5 week delays in online orders. It also didn't help that it's still COLD in most Northern states so people are waiting 5+ hours outside in 35 degree weather.
Whatever you think of Apple, I would think that this process could have been handled much better from a consumer standpoint. Here's my suggestion for next launch.
1) WAIT on the release until you have enough supply to at least meet the first few days demand for your product. I know that's hard to predict, but this was a big miss by Apple.
2) Limit sales to ONE device per person, not TWO. I would guess that many of people buying two are either buying them up for the foreign markets or selling the 2nd one for a profit. If you have a friend that wants one, he needs to wait in line just like you.
3) Allow people to RESERVE a product online for first day pickup. There is no down side to this - Apple still gets the line they want and the consumer is guaranteed that the result of their 5 hour wait is an actual product in their hands.
4) If you want to have 18 versions of your product, stagger the release so that you can ramp up production for them per release date and also more assure that the people who want a particular model have a better chance at getting if it they wait in line. Apple should have waited a month to release the white versions. (BTW - I myself can't see why people want white - there's a reason why all TV bezels are black. Plus it's a putrid yellowish-white).
5) Limit the number of different retail stores selling it the first few weeks. It probably should have been just the Apple store and maybe Best Buy (for those areas without Apple Store presence). This will put inventory where there is most demand.
6) And give the consumer INFORMATION about stock levels. Tell people what stock is available where and when. It's 2011, you have the technology!
Yeah, none of this is really a big deal, but it's still frustrating none the less for a lot of people.
Tony
After generating long product lines and high demand for releases from the last 5 years, you would think that Apple might have learned some lessons and would try to make this process a little bit easier for their loyal paying customers.
I thought they had this process pretty well down for the iPhone 4 launch. You were able to pre-order and have shipments arrive on the launch day. You were able to reserve a particular phone and even though you still had to wait in line, you were guaranteed a phone when you finally got in the store. They had enough supply to meet most of the demand the first week, even though it was an extremely hot seller. They limited retailers who sold the phone so that inventory could be focused on the Apple stores themselves so they were assured stock. They posted availability per store after the initial release day.
For some reason, they threw that success right out the window with the iPad 2 launch. They did NOTHING from the iPhone 4 launch that was successful. No preorders. Launch day preorders were at a ridiculous 4 AM time. No reserving phones. They release 18 versions (crazy really) at 6 different retail stores without nearly having enough stock to do so. You were not guaranteed a retailer would even have your particular version even if you were in the first 10 in line the first day (which happened to ME). After launch day there is complete and utter chaos as to what store would have what inventory when - lines form randomly at stores or in the morning without knowledge of what's available where and when. Foreigners are buying up USA inventory faster than probably US people are because they can sell them at huge profits oversees. Lack of supply has caused 4-5 week delays in online orders. It also didn't help that it's still COLD in most Northern states so people are waiting 5+ hours outside in 35 degree weather.
Whatever you think of Apple, I would think that this process could have been handled much better from a consumer standpoint. Here's my suggestion for next launch.
1) WAIT on the release until you have enough supply to at least meet the first few days demand for your product. I know that's hard to predict, but this was a big miss by Apple.
2) Limit sales to ONE device per person, not TWO. I would guess that many of people buying two are either buying them up for the foreign markets or selling the 2nd one for a profit. If you have a friend that wants one, he needs to wait in line just like you.
3) Allow people to RESERVE a product online for first day pickup. There is no down side to this - Apple still gets the line they want and the consumer is guaranteed that the result of their 5 hour wait is an actual product in their hands.
4) If you want to have 18 versions of your product, stagger the release so that you can ramp up production for them per release date and also more assure that the people who want a particular model have a better chance at getting if it they wait in line. Apple should have waited a month to release the white versions. (BTW - I myself can't see why people want white - there's a reason why all TV bezels are black. Plus it's a putrid yellowish-white).
5) Limit the number of different retail stores selling it the first few weeks. It probably should have been just the Apple store and maybe Best Buy (for those areas without Apple Store presence). This will put inventory where there is most demand.
6) And give the consumer INFORMATION about stock levels. Tell people what stock is available where and when. It's 2011, you have the technology!
Yeah, none of this is really a big deal, but it's still frustrating none the less for a lot of people.
Tony
Last edited:
