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One Week After iPad 2 Launch: Long Lines Still Abound

Botched Launch

Even the North Koreans are laughing at how badly Apple has botched their iPad 2 launch. Not only are numerous customers being turned away but fights among people standing in line are becoming commonplace in NY. As a result, Apple and it's partners are opening themselves up to possible lawsuits for creating unsafe conditions. In fact, Best Buy suspended their pre-purchase iPad 2 program on Wednesday, March 16th because they could not meet exisiting demand and lines were becoming increasingly unruly. According to magangers at several Best Buy stores in New York, no stores have received a shipment for iPad 2 since the day before launch over a week ago.

Creating artifical demand when there is a loyal consumer base eager to buy the device is unacceptable. Apple, Best Buy and other companies need to do a better job controlling the delivery of their future products and provide a safe and reliable process to order products. Unfortunately, it will probably take someone getting seriously injured or hurt before something is done to manage this disaster.
 
Bigcase said:
Now who's laughing, yeah I woke up at 3:10 am central time, and ordered online, and I got it yesterday! That was the first one, for the second one I stood in line at best buy for around 5 hours but I got it day of! Who's laughing now!!! I love my Ipad, and the wife loves her's! :D
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Same here, ordered @ 4AM EST. Stumbled into my local Target @ 5PM Friday (after work) got an iPad in 10 minutes. Canceled online order while waiting for checkout.
 
the vj said:
In the rest of the world people make lines to get some food and this bunch of loosers do it for a leasure device. What a shame.
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Would you rather these particular people be in a line for food? Are you suggesting it's a shame there was no earthquake and tsunami in New York? I don't understand your disappointment.
 
I avoid lines like this. I hate wasting time shopping. I've never once gone shopping on black friday. I'd rather pay a little extra to avoid all that. Besides the black friday shopping makes you prone to impulse buying that you may regret. Better to take your time.

I'm glad to see the demand is high. But I'd wait to get one of these until the supply issue is resolved. Take the time to put more money away. If you were thinking of charging it, by waiting a month, you can pay some of it up front with cash.
 
Last edited:
its 75 degrees and sunny in NYC today. So that picture is clearly not from today.


Assume its from last Friday....maybe
 
really?

the vj said:
In the rest of the world people make lines to get some food and this bunch of loosers do it for a leasure device. What a shame.
Click to expand...

What is really a shame is the fact that you thought leisure was spelled leasure. :rolleyes:
 
Judging by its quality, the second picture was taken with an iPad 2, and the first by an iPhone 4. :D (end of "non-abusive", "non-arrogant", "non-rant" rant.)
 
There are lines for the Xoom too:

Rychtarik_QueensPlaza_EmptyPlaza_12.jpg
 
iOrlando said:
its 75 degrees and sunny in NYC today. So that picture is clearly not from today.


Assume its from last Friday....maybe
Click to expand...

Um, try again. From the photo, anyone can see the sun was rising. And, it was chilly in the northeast this morning (at least here in Philadelphia). So, if you've been waiting in the pre-dawn hours, you'll want a jacket. No controversy here. Move along...
 
My Experience

I went to the local Rochester NY store in the Eastview mall on Tuesday morning because I heard of the rumor of them opening early for inventory they might have in stock. They had two units and I was the first one in line at 8am. I already had a meeting on that side of the city anyways so it was no big deal.

I didn't get the model that I wanted as they didn't have it in stock, but I was able to do a fair exchange with a guy on craigslist with the one that I did want. It all worked out in the end. I waiting for my iPad a whopping 1 hour for it. Oh, by the way, the folks behind me seemed to be of Asian decent and knew little English.
 
Didn't order online myself.... Got off work at 4pm on launch day. Got in line at Best Buy at 4:15pm and 9th in line for 10 units. Ticket in hand at 4:45, paid for and out the door right after 5pm. Not even an hour's wait.

Loved the first iPad...love the second one even more!
 
infidel69 said:
Aren't they even slightly embarrased standing in long lines for what amounts to a toy? I'm kinda embarrassed for them. I'm not saying the ipad2 sucks I'm just saying it's not an essential item and the lines will be gone in a few days anyway.
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It's not a toy. It is an amazing computer.

And the iPad 2 is essential.

You're just jealous.
 
And I thought my waiting in the cold for 2.5 hours last Friday was crazy (considering I'm one to never do that).

This makes me glad I didn't wait.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F190 Safari/6533.18.5)

There must be a severe shortage of AT&T GSM models. I've been to the Apple Store Lenox Square Atlanta every morning this week--still no luck. There was a near riot on Tuesday morning and to placate all the irate customers vouchers were given. Had phone message from the store this morning saying, it could be quite awhile before the GSM 3G (AT&T) models would be in stock and my best option would be to order from Apple's Online Store. I ordered online last Saturday March 12 with an April 11th ship and 14th delivery date. (I was promised a 3 to 4 week ship date but it is actually closer to 5 weeks.)
 
DCJ001 said:
It's not a toy. It is an amazing computer.

And the iPad 2 is essential.

You're just jealous.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the laugh.


Yes, I do like the iPad, and will be getting the iPad 2, when it becomes available (but I may not keep it, if it has backlight bleeding).
 
ARobets said:
Even the North Koreans are laughing at how badly Apple has botched their iPad 2 launch. Not only are numerous customers being turned away but fights among people standing in line are becoming commonplace in NY. As a result, Apple and it's partners are opening themselves up to possible lawsuits for creating unsafe conditions. In fact, Best Buy suspended their pre-purchase iPad 2 program on Wednesday, March 16th because they could not meet exisiting demand and lines were becoming increasingly unruly. According to magangers at several Best Buy stores in New York, no stores have received a shipment for iPad 2 since the day before launch over a week ago.

Creating artifical demand when there is a loyal consumer base eager to buy the device is unacceptable. Apple, Best Buy and other companies need to do a better job controlling the delivery of their future products and provide a safe and reliable process to order products. Unfortunately, it will probably take someone getting seriously injured or hurt before something is done to manage this disaster.
Click to expand...

There's no way to know if it's artificially generated supply shortages. Given the desire to keep things "secret" until the rollout must be incredibly difficult if they ramped up volumes significantly in advance (e.g. ipads would no doubt be leaked).

To your point, however, I do agree that they need to manage crowds better. I was there on launch day in Canada for the iPhone 4 at Square One and there were more than a few moments when the crowd was surging toward the door, arguments were breaking out in line, and the glass windows were straining inward dangerously. To paraphrase, it's all fun and games in the "first day line" until someone loses an eye. There's got to be a better way to manage this.
 
I hope everyone knows that 95% of the people on line at the 5th ave store are scalpers, almost all Chinese, who barely can speak English. Otherwise, the line probably wouldn't be as bad. See them everyday on my way to work.
 
I can understand lining up for something for one day....but to do it each and every day makes me question not only the sanity of those people but if they even have jobs.


happy2000hk said:
I hope everyone knows that 95% of the people on line at the 5th ave store are scalpers, almost all Chinese, who barely can speak English. Otherwise, the line probably wouldn't be as bad. See them everyday on my way to work.
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I wouldn't doubt most, if not all are scalpers. Sure makes Apple's policy for purchasing the first iPad at launch sound pretty good now.
 
Let this serve as a learning experience for Apple. This way when I finally jump on the iPad bandwagon when they offer retina, they will be better prepared.
 
What's the big deal?
Canadians lined up every day for more than a month after the launch of the iPhone 4 because of low supply and high demand.
Americans just getting a taste of what other countries go through with each new launch.
 
ARobets said:
Creating artifical demand when there is a loyal consumer base eager to buy the device is unacceptable. Apple, Best Buy and other companies need to do a better job controlling the delivery of their future products and provide a safe and reliable process to order products. Unfortunately, it will probably take someone getting seriously injured or hurt before something is done to manage this disaster.
Click to expand...

Why would Apple need to create an artificial demand when they've already got an incredible, real demand. Really popular products run out of stock.
 
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