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iPhone 5S stock in London UK

F

FredrikNOR

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hi guys,

I was one of those guys who travelled all the way from Norway to London trying to get hold on a 5S on launch day. My attempt was unsuccessful. Now, a few weeks since the first launch, I would like to try again! 😱

How is the stock level in the UK (London) at the moment? Has it stabilized, or is it still short on stock? Queues every morning? Restock every morning?

I will be thankfull for any input! Thanks! 🙂
 
I believe there is a small restock every morning but every time I have walked past a store there has been the "Sorry we are out of stock for today" sign.

This sign has been in place as early as 11:30am but I think that if you got there just as they were opening you might be more lucky.

If you go into a three store (as I tested this week), they do have stock and will sell you one there and then for £639 for a 32gb 5S. I am a three customer so I didn't enquire about unlocking but I would expect for a charge of £10-15 they would do it for you no problem.
 
I will be going to a few apple store in the UK most of them at opening time so I hope to pick one one up at some point!
 
acearchie said:
I believe there is a small restock every morning but every time I have walked past a store there has been the "Sorry we are out of stock for today" sign.

This sign has been in place as early as 11:30am but I think that if you got there just as they were opening you might be more lucky.

If you go into a three store (as I tested this week), they do have stock and will sell you one there and then for £639 for a 32gb 5S. I am a three customer so I didn't enquire about unlocking but I would expect for a charge of £10-15 they would do it for you no problem.
Click to expand...

£15.32 to unlock, they will process a PAYG unlock immediately, after 30 days for contracts.
 
FredrikNOR said:
Hi guys,

I was one of those guys who travelled all the way from Norway to London trying to get hold on a 5S on launch day. My attempt was unsuccessful. Now, a few weeks since the first launch, I would like to try again! 😱

How is the stock level in the UK (London) at the moment? Has it stabilized, or is it still short on stock? Queues every morning? Restock every morning?

I will be thankfull for any input! Thanks! 🙂
Click to expand...

To add, looks like some branches are keeping stock in for at least half the day.

MLAM said:
For anyone near Basingstoke Festival Place, I phoned them up earlier regarding something else and asked them about the 5s's on a side note and the guy said to me he has 16GB Gold and 32GB Space Grey in at the moment, this was at about 14:00 BST
Click to expand...
 
FWIW, I always walk past the Reading Apple Store at about 4pm, and every day they've had the 'out of stock' signs up.
 
Cannot speak for the apple store but almost every EE and 3 store in London seem to have stock. They are even putting boards outside the store to indicate that they have stock.
 
Thanks guys! Due to warranty I have to buy the 5S from the Apple Store!

Does anyone else have any info on the stock level? Restock every day? Lines? Still a 2-per-customer-policy?
 
FredrikNOR said:
Thanks guys! Due to warranty I have to buy the 5S from the Apple Store!

Does anyone else have any info on the stock level? Restock every day? Lines? Still a 2-per-customer-policy?
Click to expand...

Still 2 per day, and most stores seem to have some stock every morning, so if you get there just before opening you should have a chance at getting one (depending on colour and capacity of course).
 
Yesterday Regent Street had space grey on a first come, first served basis. When I was there at 11:00 it was just the 32GB model. I was told that they have hardly received any gold over the last few weeks.

Today - Stratford City, Regent Street and Covent Garden did not have stock (I visited the three stores from 10:00 to 12:00). All said that they hadn't received stock today.

I wish they'd reintroduce the online reservations that they've had in previous years or the buy and collect that they've had in the US this year. Would make shopping for the iPhone a somewhat less torturous experience.
 
That's great! Thanks for the info! 🙂 So it looks like they have some stock each day 😀

Anyone got some more intel on the stock level?
 
FredrikNOR said:
That's great! Thanks for the info! 🙂 So it looks like they have some stock each day 😀

Anyone got some more intel on the stock level?
Click to expand...

It appears that the stores get stock delivered Tuesday to Saturday (although some stores have received stock on Mondays according to some users).

Yesterday (Saturday), the Regent Street store appeared to have loads of the Space Grey model. I turned up at 08:30 and the Apple employee had three bags of reservation tickets for all sizes of Space Grey. Stratford City did not have any stock available by 09:05 when I arrived. I didn't try Covent Garden or White City yesterday. I suspect more stock goes to Regent and Covent Garden as they are the main London stores.

The only other thing I have noticed, and it's only anecdotal, stores don't seem to be receiving stock every day so if they receive stock one day, they might not receive it the next.
 
dlondon said:
It appears that the stores get stock delivered Tuesday to Saturday (although some stores have received stock on Mondays according to some users).

Yesterday (Saturday), the Regent Street store appeared to have loads of the Space Grey model. I turned up at 08:30 and the Apple employee had three bags of reservation tickets for all sizes of Space Grey. Stratford City did not have any stock available by 09:05 when I arrived. I didn't try Covent Garden or White City yesterday. I suspect more stock goes to Regent and Covent Garden as they are the main London stores.

The only other thing I have noticed, and it's only anecdotal, stores don't seem to be receiving stock every day so if they receive stock one day, they might not receive it the next.
Click to expand...

Thank you! That's useful! Tickets will be booked for a tuesday, so I should just keep my fingers crossed! 😉
 
FredrikNOR said:
Thanks guys! Due to warranty I have to buy the 5S from the Apple Store!
Click to expand...

You are entitled to the same 1 year Applecare warranty wherever you buy your phone. It really makes little difference apart from having to unlock your phone so that you can use it in Norway.
 
weckart said:
You are entitled to the same 1 year Applecare warranty wherever you buy your phone. It really makes little difference apart from having to unlock your phone so that you can use it in Norway.
Click to expand...

Thanks! That's good to know 🙂 Do you know if the unlock at the carrier-stores is a permanent official unlock? Do they perform it right then and there?
 
FredrikNOR said:
Thanks! That's good to know 🙂 Do you know if the unlock at the carrier-stores is a permanent official unlock? Do they perform it right then and there?
Click to expand...

The only company that will currently unlock is Three.

They don't do it instore or while you wait, you would have to buy the phone and then load credit to the PAYG sim, once loaded you would need to complete the unlock request on their website or phone them to request it. They phone back a day or 2 later to arrange it and it's unlocked a day or 2 after that.

The unlock cost is £15.32 and is a permanent official unlock.

You would be far better off trying to find one in an Apple Store, unless you will be in England for a week or more to make sure the unlock process by Three is successful.
 
d123 is correct, but if you cannot find the iPhone you want in an official store then the option with 3 is the least painful, assuming you are in the UK for a couple of days.

The unlock is official and permanent.
 
d123 said:
The only company that will currently unlock is Three.

They don't do it instore or while you wait, you would have to buy the phone and then load credit to the PAYG sim, once loaded you would need to complete the unlock request on their website or phone them to request it. They phone back a day or 2 later to arrange it and it's unlocked a day or 2 after that.

The unlock cost is £15.32 and is a permanent official unlock.

You would be far better off trying to find one in an Apple Store, unless you will be in England for a week or more to make sure the unlock process by Three is successful.
Click to expand...

weckart said:
d123 is correct, but if you cannot find the iPhone you want in an official store then the option with 3 is the least painful, assuming you are in the UK for a couple of days.

The unlock is official and permanent.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info! I will only be in the UK for 36h, so I guess the Apple Store is my only choice!
 
Regent Street had space grey only today. They were advising people to go online and get it delivered to your door within 2 weeks. I think they were being a little bit optimistic on that time frame!
 
Hey

Hello, I'm going to London on the 30th until the 31st (wednesday til thursday) What is your advice to have the best chances at getting an iphone? And as the ipad air will be launching on friday (when I'm gone), is there a chance that the phones will only arrive with the new ipads? I guess my chances of getting a golden one are pretty slim but is there hope for a white one or am I stuck with space grey? Which apple store should I try (Regent or Convent Garden)? At what time? I have a meeting at 9 am should I go before or after ( I'm not sure when it's finished but I'm guessing at 11am)... Or should I try wednesday when I arrive at 2pm or is it useless to try that late?
Thank you for the help really appreciate it! :apple:
 
tomhart said:
Hello, I'm going to London on the 30th until the 31st (wednesday til thursday) What is your advice to have the best chances at getting an iphone? And as the ipad air will be launching on friday (when I'm gone), is there a chance that the phones will only arrive with the new ipads? I guess my chances of getting a golden one are pretty slim but is there hope for a white one or am I stuck with space grey? Which apple store should I try (Regent or Convent Garden)? At what time? I have a meeting at 9 am should I go before or after ( I'm not sure when it's finished but I'm guessing at 11am)... Or should I try wednesday when I arrive at 2pm or is it useless to try that late?
Thank you for the help really appreciate it! :apple:
Click to expand...

Your timings are quite unfortunate as you'll miss Wednesday morning and Thursday's meeting will mean it will be difficult for you to buy on Thursday too.

Generally speaking, you need to go to the store in the morning as they give out reservation tickets to the people in the queue before the store opens at 9am. That's if they receive a delivery (they don't always receive iPhones everyday). That said, I managed to go to the Regent Street store at around 11am one day and they still had stock of the grey models but not the gold or silver variants.

Regent Street would be your best choice unless your staying nearer Covent Garden. Can your Thursday meeting start later? My understanding is that you can't leave the queue once you have your ticket so if you go Thursday morning you might be late for your meeting.
 
Does anyone have updates on Stratford City? Will probably go there tomorrow around 7, hope I have a good chance of getting a silver 32 GB.
 
mnob said:
Does anyone have updates on Stratford City? Will probably go there tomorrow around 7, hope I have a good chance of getting a silver 32 GB.
Click to expand...

I think deliveries of silver and gold to stores has been limited recently. There have been some reports of stock but not much. I suspect that most of the stock being made was being sent to those who ordered online. I was in the Regent Street store today and asked the employee about silver stock and she said to me that the deliveries had been sporadic.

I don't think you need to get to Stratford that early but the early bird catches the worm and all that. The store opens at 10am but they have opened for iPhone sales early (usually from 9am) when they have had stock.

Good luck.
 
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