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Lines and purchasing in CA Bay Area
- Thread starter John Musbach
- Start date
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I've just about given up getting a black 16BG. I've been to Downtown SF, Stonestown, Chestnut St., Burlingame, and Palo Alto several times this week. All have been sold out.
That's odd, but expected. I've been checking the availability by store list and Stonestown seems to NOT be able to update the availability status, b/c they continue to show "having all three 3G iPhones available!"
http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/availability.html?state=CA
Sounds like HYPE...
What time did you go into the stores? I was in Burlingame APPLE store today around 3pm and they actually had some 16gb black ones earlier. You need to go early in the morning/afternoon.
Oakridge Mall (San Jose) has consistently had phone, but lines have been 2 - 4 hours long.
Walnut Creek had the no phone sign out both Tuesday and Wednesday when I went by ~5PM
Stoneridge Mall (Pleasanton) had no phones Wed at 4PM and Wed night showed no inventory for the next day (today - Thursday), but when I went at 5PM today (Thursday), they were out of black and had several white with no line. 20 mins later when I left, there was a line of about 5 people.
Walnut Creek had the no phone sign out both Tuesday and Wednesday when I went by ~5PM
Stoneridge Mall (Pleasanton) had no phones Wed at 4PM and Wed night showed no inventory for the next day (today - Thursday), but when I went at 5PM today (Thursday), they were out of black and had several white with no line. 20 mins later when I left, there was a line of about 5 people.
Try Burlingame. I was there as I mentioned earlier around 3pm. They had all models from Morning until 3pm. Around 3pm they sold out of everything except the 16gb WHITE. But the lady said they probably won't get a shipment for tomorrow. Which the online thing verfies her statement also, because it shows sold out on all three phones. Check again tomorrow night online for FRIDAYS inventory for Burlingame. Good Luck.
Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara yesterday. Got into line at 1pm, left the Apple store at 4pm, unfortunately iPhone-less. Resolve some issues with AT&T regarding my credit check. Then back to the Apple store today. Had a card that let me go right inside without going through the line again. Another 2 hours of dealing with Apple and AT&T (mostly AT&T) and finally left today with an 8GB in hand.
Apart from dealing with AT&T (which is always a hellish experience), it was a very pleasant experience. An Apple employee came through the line with a phone, so we could handle it and ask any questions. Even though the store was busy and crowded, the employees were very pleasant and willing to help in any way.
And the two very lovely ladies I was in line with made the hours in line very enjoyable. Ari and Lisa, hope you're enjoying your phones as much as I'm enjoying mine.
Apart from dealing with AT&T (which is always a hellish experience), it was a very pleasant experience. An Apple employee came through the line with a phone, so we could handle it and ask any questions. Even though the store was busy and crowded, the employees were very pleasant and willing to help in any way.
And the two very lovely ladies I was in line with made the hours in line very enjoyable. Ari and Lisa, hope you're enjoying your phones as much as I'm enjoying mine.
I wonder how they will distribute iPhone stocks to each store as they become available. I would think stores like NYC or downtown San Francisco would get a bigger shipment than the smaller areas.
I'm going out of town Saturday and Sunday. I was REALLY hoping to have my iPhone for the trip. I also don't like driving long distance without a phone. (my Verizon phone kicked the bucket two nights ago)
I'm going out of town Saturday and Sunday. I was REALLY hoping to have my iPhone for the trip. I also don't like driving long distance without a phone. (my Verizon phone kicked the bucket two nights ago)
If Im out there tomorrow morning (I work for BART). I will post up how many people are in line at the store. I travel all around BART and usually end up in downtown most of the times. But if I do, I'm usually around the apple store around 830 -900am. I will keep you guys updated.
According to Thursday's availability chart, ALL San Francisco stores are out of the 8 GB and 16 GB black. If any of you want a 16 GB white model, tomorrow is your best bet. (once the weekend begins, those are most likely going to sell out too)
I'm crossing my fingers that a new shipment of iPhones get to the San Francisco store on Friday night.
I'm crossing my fingers that a new shipment of iPhones get to the San Francisco store on Friday night.
Yup, couldn't find a black 16GB anywhere in the City today. In Tahoe for the weekend, will try again Monday.
For the first time Valley Fair is showing all RED. Oakridge the place I got mine from yesterday is showing all red too. If you have to go to one tomorrow I would try Oakridge because MUCH fewer people go there. Oakridge is also HELLA SLOW in processing iphones. Valley Fair has had 2-5 hr waits every day. Probably won't be the case tomorrow.
Sigh. I knew I should have tried my luck in the Bay Area first on Sunday instead of waiting till Monday to buy it at a local AT&T store because I was already passing Emeryville to visit my Grandmother's grave in Richmond--I live in Modesto, so it's a good one hour and a half drive.
I was worried about my upgrade pricing since I had problems with AT&T not noting my account when I returned my new BB Curve, so I was informed my a CSR that it's best to get my upgrade pricing at the store where I bought and returned my Curve. Lame.
I was worried about my upgrade pricing since I had problems with AT&T not noting my account when I returned my new BB Curve, so I was informed my a CSR that it's best to get my upgrade pricing at the store where I bought and returned my Curve. Lame.
Ironically, I went to the SF Apple store the day after the launch and the line was 5 hours and I left because I felt 5 hours of my free time were to valuable to be waiting in a line. But, since that day, I've probably spent 5 hours checking the Apple site, checking these forums, calling Apple Stores and ATT stores trying to get the phone. I guess, in retrospect, 5 hours in line may have been worth it.
If I had waited in that line, I would have walked home with a 16 GB black iPhone. (those only sold out around Wednesday)
I have a feeling the situation is going to get any better until sometime NEXT week, at the earliest.
If I had waited in that line, I would have walked home with a 16 GB black iPhone. (those only sold out around Wednesday)
I have a feeling the situation is going to get any better until sometime NEXT week, at the earliest.
You make a good point about spending five hours trying to figure out who has what and where. I'm in the same boat. I don't have five hours to stand in line either.
For me, difference is that it only takes 5-10 minutes at a time to check lines, availability, etc. I can do that while I'm doing something else. I cannot, however, nuke a whole day standing in line doing nothing but waiting to buy a phone.
It looks like I'll be waiting another week or so, as well, before I get my 3G.
For me, difference is that it only takes 5-10 minutes at a time to check lines, availability, etc. I can do that while I'm doing something else. I cannot, however, nuke a whole day standing in line doing nothing but waiting to buy a phone.
It looks like I'll be waiting another week or so, as well, before I get my 3G.
I know the AT&T stores are pretty gross, but I waited 20 minutes to order mine on launch day and it arrived yesterday. I can't imagine driving all over the place hoping to find one in an Apple store.
Best of luck to all of you, but if you get fed up waiting you could always go the DF route.
Best of luck to all of you, but if you get fed up waiting you could always go the DF route.
what about the stock at ATT stores(gross isn't terribly descriptive enough)? Any word on the ones near San Jose in particular?
I'd go try my luck right now out right now only my line with verizon somehow got stuck with a 3 year plan(which I don't think they even have) and I have to wait till my folks get home to figure this out since they're the primary account holders.
I'd go try my luck right now out right now only my line with verizon somehow got stuck with a 3 year plan(which I don't think they even have) and I have to wait till my folks get home to figure this out since they're the primary account holders.
In downtown San Francisco next to the baseball stadium, a new AT&T store just opened up literally.....2 hours ago. It is across the street from my apartment and every day I saw a "Coming Soon" sign. This morning, I saw a "Now Open" and I walked in.
There were 20 AT&T employees in their brand new uniforms staring at me as if they've never seen a customer before. (I actually think I was their very first customer)
I asked them that I wanted a 16 GB iPhone and they said they'd order me one. They expect it to arrive in the store in 1-2 weeks. So I signed up for it. They said that if I end up going to the Apple Store or another AT&T store BEFORE my pre-order arrives, I can just buy it from there and call them to cancel. So, if the SF Apple store does get a big shipment soon, I might check it out. (although someone said that today a memo was sent out to Apple stores saying they aren't allowed to sell iPhones to people who have done "Direct Fufillment" orders already with AT&T)
There were 20 AT&T employees in their brand new uniforms staring at me as if they've never seen a customer before. (I actually think I was their very first customer)
I asked them that I wanted a 16 GB iPhone and they said they'd order me one. They expect it to arrive in the store in 1-2 weeks. So I signed up for it. They said that if I end up going to the Apple Store or another AT&T store BEFORE my pre-order arrives, I can just buy it from there and call them to cancel. So, if the SF Apple store does get a big shipment soon, I might check it out. (although someone said that today a memo was sent out to Apple stores saying they aren't allowed to sell iPhones to people who have done "Direct Fufillment" orders already with AT&T)
I was in the Bay Area on business this past week and encountered lines in Palo Alto and San Jose the few times I checked. But yesterday on the way to the airport I stopped at the Palo Alto University Avenue store just on a whim and was surprised to find a short line of less than 10 people. All they had was the white, which is what I wanted anyway. I waited in line for about 10 minutes and then it was only another 10 minutes to get the phone activated (as an existing ATT iphone customer).