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New Yorkers, we have little chance of getting an iPad 2 from Apple store anytime soon
- Thread starter GadgetAddict
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The guys standing in line all night to make $100 must be living a hard life. You'd have to pay me a lot more than that.
On the other hand, the ringleaders are d-bags. I kinda wish someone would go rob the guy who has either $10,000's in cash sitting on him or a pile of iPads. A little bit of karma if you will. I'm actually surprised that with all the press they are getting now none of them have been robbed yet.
On the other hand, the ringleaders are d-bags. I kinda wish someone would go rob the guy who has either $10,000's in cash sitting on him or a pile of iPads. A little bit of karma if you will. I'm actually surprised that with all the press they are getting now none of them have been robbed yet.
No but its better than going around the city from Apple store to Apple store like a madman, getting upset at Asians on line, getting frustrated, writing letters of complaint to Apple and still ending up with no iPad the next morning... Especially for something that can be had without all the hassle in a week or 2
Well as I said, when I'm pissed I do crazy stuff but I'm not going to miss St. Patty's Day!! Neither am I going to lose sleep over it... again!
I honestly think this is an issue (big, small it depends) and I stated my opinion. That's it.I feel sorry that people have made this an act of racism. Scalpers are scum and that's all, I don't care where they come from, how they look, smell, speak, walk etc.
you should try that. u think they're walking around with 10's of thousands of dollars and a ton of ipads without protection?
im more curious as to how they're getting it into HK without paying the HK duties... they've gotta be well connected to move that volume of ipads daily
You are not understanding the point. The point is that scalpers ARE customers. Money is money. What someone does with an iPad once they purchase it and OWN it is their choice. If a million people want to line up in front of you, buy an iPad and then sell them, that's THEIR choice. Would you still be upset if all the scalpers were using their devices for personal use? The end result would still be the same -- you wouldn't have an iPad. What you're talking about is trying to police what people do with a device once they legally own it, which is wrong. You should be mad at Apple for not providing enough supplies/pre-orders, etc, rather than at people who are LEGALLY purchasing the device. If you want one bad enough, make the sacrifice and make sure to get in line before the scalpers. Whining about scalpers buying devices instead of 'NY customers' is silly.
Put the blame where it truly belongs, and that ISN'T on customers purchasing the iPad legally.
Guaranteed there is a group of dudes in NYC somewhere gnarlier than the gnarliest protection the scalpers can hire.
All this racism talk is silly.
There's an organized effort to buy up iPads for resale, and whoever's behind it is paying people to stand in line for them. The people they're hiring are predominantly Asian, and many are older than the usual "wait for hours to buy a gadget" crowd would be.
NOTHING about that is racist; it's all fact that's been observed in person. If you think that's racist then maybe you didn't read the whole thread, or maybe you're living in a suburban politically correct bubble somewhere, or maybe you're just hyper-sensitive where someone saying "asians" instead of "people (who seem to be of asian descent)" throws you into a rage.
I think the saddest part is: while the people waiting in line are probably getting paid a little bit, the people above them are making MUCH more. And they're making it by taking advantage of the less fortunate. Let these resellers stand in line themselves instead of getting their elders to do it for them.
(But, I'm probably just a filthy racist.)
Anyway, thanks to the original poster. I'm in brooklyn and figured I'd just pop over to the soho store at 9am one of these mornings and pick one up. This thread has made me rethink that plan!
There's an organized effort to buy up iPads for resale, and whoever's behind it is paying people to stand in line for them. The people they're hiring are predominantly Asian, and many are older than the usual "wait for hours to buy a gadget" crowd would be.
NOTHING about that is racist; it's all fact that's been observed in person. If you think that's racist then maybe you didn't read the whole thread, or maybe you're living in a suburban politically correct bubble somewhere, or maybe you're just hyper-sensitive where someone saying "asians" instead of "people (who seem to be of asian descent)" throws you into a rage.
I think the saddest part is: while the people waiting in line are probably getting paid a little bit, the people above them are making MUCH more. And they're making it by taking advantage of the less fortunate. Let these resellers stand in line themselves instead of getting their elders to do it for them.
(But, I'm probably just a filthy racist.)
Anyway, thanks to the original poster. I'm in brooklyn and figured I'd just pop over to the soho store at 9am one of these mornings and pick one up. This thread has made me rethink that plan!
As far as the scalpers I noticed the same phenomena on line at a Boston area store. A bunch of scruffy kids were hanging out with a "ringleader" giving out packets of cash to each of them.
It's kind of crazy to think that these iPads, built in China, may be making their way back to their homeland.
It's kind of crazy to think that these iPads, built in China, may be making their way back to their homeland.
Glad I have my ipad 2, enjoying the show of all the complainers. Here in DC, most of the people were just buying one for themselves. As much as I love NYC, I would never buy any big ticket item from the city.
Too many scalpers trying to make an extra buck at the expense of others.
Too many scalpers trying to make an extra buck at the expense of others.
At the expense of who? These people are paying customers like everyone else and they are free to do whatever they want with their iPad 2 after purchasing it.
Okay 1) Glad to see you get your kicks watching other people's annoyance
and 2) Why wouldn't you buy a big ticket item in NY? Buying one from an Apple Store in NY or Washington is no more dangerous. The scalpers aren't the boogey man.
I got my iPad 2 (just one) in NYC (5th Ave) and I did not quite see this "gang" approach. But in the future, I think if Apple really cares about getting the iPads into the hands of the people who will really use it, is to have mandatory personal setups. I think this will reduce some of the gang traffic.
You guys, they are making much more than $100 or $200 dollars.
Go to the Hong Kong craigslist. They are being sold for 16GB $7500 HKD ($961 USD) and 32GB $8500 HKD ($1090).
Keep in mind Hong Kong has one of the higest GDP per capitas in the world so you know people are snatching these up. We're talking profits of $500 easily per iPad. WOW!
The same prices are showing up in Beijing's craigslist. Some state they are being shipped from the US.
Go to the Hong Kong craigslist. They are being sold for 16GB $7500 HKD ($961 USD) and 32GB $8500 HKD ($1090).
Keep in mind Hong Kong has one of the higest GDP per capitas in the world so you know people are snatching these up. We're talking profits of $500 easily per iPad. WOW!
The same prices are showing up in Beijing's craigslist. Some state they are being shipped from the US.
At least in New York, there are ringleaders who are giving the people in line something like $100 per iPad that they can buy (as well as giving them a wad of cash to buy the iPads). At least in some cases, it sound like the ringleaders themselves are working for importers or retailers in places like China, who are commissioning and financing the whole thing. So the people in line are making $200 for two iPads, the middle men are probably doing pretty well, and the overseas resellers are making a killing.
How do you know those of non Asian are not scalpers? Those put them on eBay are not likely Asian grandma
iPads are being sold by the official Apple reseller in Vietnam for 30% more than the price in the US. iPad 2s haven't officially been released in Vietnam yet but there are some there from the gray market selling for $1300 for the base model. There is money to be made.
Given the massive secondary market for theater tickets, events at the Garden etc I find it laughable that people in NYC are complaining about 'Asian Scalpers' for an ipad 2. Scalping is how things are done in NYC.
No one is doing anything illegal by standing in line for hours, buying a product and selling it for a profit.
Stop your racist whining, New York. You are experiencing capitalism at its purest.
P.S. Just go buy one on-line at WWW.APPLE.COM and avoid all the bullsheet. Sure, you'll wait a few weeks but your life will not be impacted in any by doing so.
This is so true!
Part of life people, get over it.
Ridiculous. I really hope B&H or my school store gets a shipment already. I don't want to end up waiting until may to get it from Apple.
