iPhone 3G Selling Twice as Fast as Original

[pustudent]

Ebay Question?

I bought the original iPhone right after Apple dropped the price down to $399 for the 8GB model. Fortunately, I was able to sale it on ebay for $450 to get my new black 16GB iPhone 3G model for $299 after standing in line for 3 hrs on its day of debut. Now, my phone is going for up to $2300 on ebay. Who is in a similar predicament as me, and is thinking of selling their new 3G on ebay, and just waiting for the supply/demand to stabilize?

 

[Solkar]

Yeah, unfortunately I think people are once again falling for the "wow it's cheaper upfront!" thing and not bothering to do the simple math to see what it actually costs.

And I don't buy these "easier for people to acquire" arguments, because if you can't afford the extra $200 for the phone, then you REALLY can't afford an overpriced ~$84/month MINIMUM on the phone's plan. (I'm certainly in that category. I'd shell out $600 for the phone if I could use it with a reasonably priced plan, but I can't justify spending roughly an extra $34-58 a month more than I already spend on my current phone plan).

If I could get one without a data plan I'd consider it...

The iPhone data plan ($30/month) is actually $10/month less than I was paying for my existing data plan, which I pretty much have to have for my job, saving me $240 over the term of my contract compared to my BlackJack. That will pay for all but $60 of my iPhone. I considered that a pretty sweet deal.

 

[rywat]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5A347 Safari/525.20)

The iPhone 3G is NOT cheaper!

The buy in price IS $300 cheaper than the original. Most people don't sit down and figure out that this phone is actually more expensive over the 2 year contract.

They see the $199 / $299 price.

he probably means that the phone is still the same price as the original, it's just cheaper for us because it is subsidized. We should not expect a lower quality device just because it is subsidized by AT&T.

 

[stagi]

I wonder how many they have sold since launch, if they hit 1mil in the first 3 days they should have maybe 2-3mil by now? Guess we will just have to wait till they hit that 10mil total mark for an announcement

 

[compuguy1088]

Ya, it's a little crazy. But waiting for the iPhone was a lot worth it than having to hunt around for the Wii last Christmas. THAT was ridiculous.

I guess I was lucky then...I've had a Wii since December 2006. Its ridiculous that there is still shortages of the Wii over a year and a half later!

 

[.:R2theT]

I bought the original iPhone right after Apple dropped the price down to $399 for the 8GB model. Fortunately, I was able to sale it on ebay for $450 to get my new black 16GB iPhone 3G model for $299 after standing in line for 3 hrs on its day of debut. Now, my phone is going for up to $2300 on ebay. Who is in a similar predicament as me, and is thinking of selling their new 3G on ebay, and just waiting for the supply/demand to stabilize?

Do it. Put it on eBay and get back in line! Who needs the stock market?

 

[Wolfpup]

The iPhone data plan ($30/month) is actually $10/month less than I was paying for my existing data plan, which I pretty much have to have for my job, saving me $240 over the term of my contract compared to my BlackJack. That will pay for all but $60 of my iPhone. I considered that a pretty sweet deal.

That's really cool it worked out that way for you, but it's more expensive as compared to the previous iPhone (although I suppose arguably worth it for 3G).

 

[cameronjpu]

I want an iPhone like anyone else but I'm getting tired of thinking about it.

I'm tired of tracking the inventory to see if my local store has them. I'm tired of calling them to see if they have run out yet. My wife is tired of me talkiing about it. I'm tired of trying to find the time to go to the store. I'm tired of having to stand in line to get one. I don't have that kind of time on my hands right now. I stood in line for forty minutes one time and gave up because I had to go to a meeting. Plus, standing in line doesn't guarantee you'll get the model you want either.

I'm to the point that I could care less about it anymore. I'm just tired of talking about it. I'm a diehard Apple fan and I will get one eventually but I'm tired of the rat race just to get the phone. It's like a freakin' game.

Go to the ATT store and put your name on the direct fulfillment list. They will email you when your phone comes in. ZERO waiting in line. I can't believe everyone isn't doing this.

 

[ARK]

Naa, I think they COULD care less, but are choosing to in fact care a lot more.

I'm saying that I'm burned out on the process of trying to get the phone.

 

[newyorksole]

Went to my local Apple Store yesterday at around 5:00 p.m and there was a line of 20 people. Also saw a lady in the Apple Store buying 2 iMacs, a printer, about 6 different softwares and 2 iPod Touches.

Apple is doing the damn thing right now..

Just wish the phone was built a little bit better (no dust under screen, dark screen, certain areas not flush) and hopefully the new firmware comes soon.

 

[michaellockermd]

AT&T Paying customers

All right, so why doesn't AT&T PAY people to get an iPhone, and then increase the cost even more?

Interesting economic proposal--willl likely begin when Hell freezes over

Michael Locker MD

 

[spooty]

I bought the original iPhone right after Apple dropped the price down to $399 for the 8GB model. Fortunately, I was able to sale it on ebay for $450 to get my new black 16GB iPhone 3G model for $299 after standing in line for 3 hrs on its day of debut. Now, my phone is going for up to $2300 on ebay. Who is in a similar predicament as me, and is thinking of selling their new 3G on ebay, and just waiting for the supply/demand to stabilize?

The eBay market is collapsing right now. Many iPhones are going unsold, and I would be surprised if people weren't backing out of bids.

 

[ARK]

Go to the ATT store and put your name on the direct fulfillment list. They will email you when your phone comes in. ZERO waiting in line. I can't believe everyone isn't doing this.

From the stories I've heard its taking two weeks plus to get it delivered. I opted to try the store out but the line is too freaking long all the time. If I had the time to wait in line I would have it by now.

 

[Shasterball]

Or because it is selling at 1/3 the price of last time ...

Or because more were available upon launch than last time ...

Or ...

When you consider that most places are constantly out of stock, if there had been 3x as many available at launch, these articles would be saying that it is selling 5-6x as fast as the original.

Nah... can't have anything to do with that.

 

[pustudent]

The eBay market is collapsing right now. Many iPhones are going unsold, and I would be surprised if people weren't backing out of bids.

A quick browse of ebay's completed listings over the past 24 hours does not jibe well with your statement that the ebay market is collapsing. In fact, those willing to ship overseas, to places like Indonesia, are making a killing. Major newspapers reported this morning that the prices are steadily increasing as buyers realize a new supply will not be available for at least a month.

As for folks backing out of deals, the product is not shipped until payment is verified with paypal, so this is a none issue.

 

[franzmueller]

And Apple is launching in another 20 countries in the next month ? great my local shop ( in Spain ) got 5 UNITS 5 ,five, cinco, fünf ,on launch date and
since then they haven´t received NONE , 0 , cero , nada , nichts nothing !!!!!

This is ridiculous !!!!

When do you think I will get mine , in three Months ? if I am lucky

Saludos

 

[bytethese]

I bought the original iPhone right after Apple dropped the price down to $399 for the 8GB model. Fortunately, I was able to sale it on ebay for $450 to get my new black 16GB iPhone 3G model for $299 after standing in line for 3 hrs on its day of debut. Now, my phone is going for up to $2300 on ebay. Who is in a similar predicament as me, and is thinking of selling their new 3G on ebay, and just waiting for the supply/demand to stabilize?

Um, if you sell your 3G you will screw yourself. You are locked into a 2yr agreement with AT&T. So even if you DO sell it, you can't get another $299 iPhone and will have to tell them you "lost" your iPhone and buy a new one for $500 I think. So unless you get more than $500 for a 3G iPhone (doubtful), it doesn't seem to be worth the hassle.

 

[diamond.g]

Apple is not to blame. Keep in mind it takes time to manufacture and assemble these things overseas. I don't think even Apple thought they'd sell over 1m phones in the first 72 hours.

Even if they are building 50,000 per day, that's hardly enough to keep up with worldwide demand right now. and 50,000 per day is probably pushing it in manufacturing capability since that would be more than 2,000 per hour.

They should be able to do more than that an hour. It is just a phone. Shoot if Nintendo can produce 2 million Wii's a month (about 60k a day) I sure hope Apple could produce just as many if not more iPhones. Especially since Apple is bigger than Nintendo, and has more money.

 

[iOrlando]

I do think this whole iphone Saga essentially makes it near impossible that apple will refresh macbook line before September 15. Apple stores are already packed with people due to iPhone, and the macs are the more popular products to see face-to-face before purchasing due to their price (i'm fine with ordering it online..but I am just guessing). How can you have people interesting in buying macs fight the iphone crowd in stores that are already crowded? Yes i know alot of online orders take place, but just the overall craze of iphone bothers me.

Final push of laptop purchases for college will probably be week of August 4 or August 11.

The big issue?? This whole margin talk due to product transition in the current quarter. Unlike most on this site, I think this is simply in reference to the macbook refresh. It doesnt make too much sense to do some big product annoucment when we just had iPhone 2 weeks ago. But...if they refresh laptops in september..will that really impact margins that much...the current started July 1. It doesn't make sense. Unless this whole back to school thing is really hurting on margins, but i figured that has already been in the estimates.

Looking to buy macbook, and leaning towards buying it now rather than wait. I figure i spend 1000 on macbook...and they update okay..not huge..If i spent 2000 on a pro and they update..i would be more upset.

 

[Romanesq]

hey....

It was worth it for me as I'll never forget being the first customer out of the AT&T store near City Hall in NYC, I came out to an ovation.

I hate to break it to you but they weren't cheering for you. They were cheering an iPhone that had been released into the wild...

... And you probably think this post is about you.... Your so....

I was just past City Hall. That's cool that the downtown jaded financial sector could get excited though.

 

[Romanesq]

disagree...

I do think this whole iphone Saga essentially makes it near impossible that apple will refresh macbook line before September 15. Apple stores are already packed with people due to iPhone, and the macs are the more popular products to see face-to-face before purchasing due to their price (i'm fine with ordering it online..but I am just guessing). How can you have people interesting in buying macs fight the iphone crowd in stores that are already crowded? Yes i know alot of online orders take place, but just the overall craze of iphone bothers me.

Final push of laptop purchases for college will probably be week of August 4 or August 11.

The big issue?? This whole margin talk due to product transition in the current quarter. Unlike most on this site, I think this is simply in reference to the macbook refresh. It doesnt make too much sense to do some big product annoucment when we just had iPhone 2 weeks ago. But...if they refresh laptops in september..will that really impact margins that much...the current started July 1. It doesn't make sense. Unless this whole back to school thing is really hurting on margins, but i figured that has already been in the estimates.

Looking to buy macbook, and leaning towards buying it now rather than wait. I figure i spend 1000 on macbook...and they update okay..not huge..If i spent 2000 on a pro and they update..i would be more upset.

It's the activation process that's been the killer for folks in terms of time to buy. My guess is that the stock will be ramped up and by Aug. 15th things will be smoother as you can get a phone with less wait time.

And then I suspect we will be seeing the newly unveiled notebook(s).

 

[gmcbay]

It's primarily based-off of people's constant desire to 'have' and 'want' things, which in-turn stems from materialism. People feel the need to spend their money frivolously on items of 'haute couture' in order to be greeted with some type of acceptance in society.

It's a sad reality.

....

__________________
1.8GHz MacBook Air | (SOON)
2.2GHz MacBook | C2D, 4GB RAM
B&W Zeppelin | 40GB tv | 16GB iPhone 3G | 8GB iPod Nano | 1GB iPod Shuffle

 

[CandyShop]

Go to the ATT store and put your name on the direct fulfillment list. They will email you when your phone comes in. ZERO waiting in line. I can't believe everyone isn't doing this.

For realz. That's what I did because I was sick of wasting time trying to hunt down an iPhone. I did direct fulfillment, and 4 days later had my hands on a white iPhone.

 

[Wolfpup]

For realz. That's what I did because I was sick of wasting time trying to hunt down an iPhone. I did direct fulfillment, and 4 days later had my hands on a white iPhone.

Did you have to activate in-store, or do they let you do that at home after signing a contract or whatever?

 

[avigalante]

....
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u231/cheezeguy/n725075089_288918_2774.jpg

Extremely professional; you deserve a round of applause.
--
If you actually bothered to read the on going dialogue, I was adding reason to the above poster's claim of 'why people stand in-line for products'. Never did I say that I wasn't victim to materialism. Fact is, we're all victim to materialism at one point or another, some more than others.

Not sure if it's all that necessary to point to my taste in electronics in order to assert yourself, but if that's what floats your boat, please go right ahead.