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Pre ordering - A mistake?

N

Nrwrit3r

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 25, 2010
698
126
Hey guys, just wondering...I saw a thread about how people who pre-ordered are going to be camping out maybe.

I worked in a bookstore, and we offered pre-orders for Harry Potter. When midnight came, the line for Pre-orders went out the door, and walkins could just skip the line (since we didn't have to cross off their name/hand them the books that were reserved for them) and buy one on the spot. They waited for much less time.

Could the same thing possibly happen for the iPhone? Anyone who's going to wait in line is probably smart enough to pre-order. Maybe I should my apple / at&t store and ask?
 
Nrwrit3r said:
Hey guys, just wondering...I saw a thread about how people who pre-ordered are going to be camping out maybe.

I worked in a bookstore, and we offered pre-orders for Harry Potter. When midnight came, the line for Pre-orders went out the door, and walkins could just skip the line (since we didn't have to cross off their name/hand them the books that were reserved for them) and buy one on the spot. They waited for much less time.

Could the same thing possibly happen for the iPhone? Anyone who's going to wait in line is probably smart enough to pre-order. Maybe I should my apple / at&t store and ask?
Click to expand...

At the Apple Store, it will be the same. They will have 2 lines up, 1 for preorders and 1st come 1st serve. Preorders will of course be shorter. However, each employee still has to activate each iPhone 1 by 1. So it'll be the same regardless.
 
actually an interesting point
but i would assume each apple store only has x number of iphones for preorder, keeping the line down to only a few hundred, whereas they will have 3 times that or something available to buy on the spot, so the pre-order line will most likely stay shorter unless nobody decides to go unless they pre-order

just my guess
 
apples to oranges here.

There will not be enough iPhones for everyone on launch day. I can just about promise that. Every year it is the same for me. I tell myself "I'm not going to preorder, I want to see and touch it first". So I go to apple the day of, and strike out on getting a phone, but get to play with it, and then want it so badly I kick myself for not preordering.

So this year, i'm preordering, and having it shipped to my house. Screw waiting in line. I hate that crap.
 
If you want to show up at the crack of dawn, you may have a point.

But for the rest of the day, you're far better off pre-ordering.

I pre-ordered last year at an AT&T store. They said they'd had long lines in the morning, but that they ran out of walk-up phones around 11 AM and the lines went away after that.

I showed up at 1 PM to pick up my pre-order. There was only 1 guy in line in front of me. I was out in less than 20 minutes. Sure beats getting in line at 6 AM.

I'll be doing the EXACT same thing this year.

This is why I suggest the AT&T store. They get far fewer phnoes so they'll run out sooner which is a GOOD thing if you pre-ordered. The Apple stores will have more and will probably be very crowded all day. Skip it. Go someplace that's going to run out sooner. It'll be a lot easier.
 
Even though I was intending to pre-order for pickup at the Apple Store, the more I read, I have pretty much decided to order from Apple for delivery on 6/24.

I can get up...have my protein shake...get my package...and avoid the lines, etc.
 
calvy said:
apples to oranges here.

There will not be enough iPhones for everyone on launch day. I can just about promise that. Every year it is the same for me. I tell myself "I'm not going to preorder, I want to see and touch it first". So I go to apple the day of, and strike out on getting a phone, but get to play with it, and then want it so badly I kick myself for not preordering.

So this year, i'm preordering, and having it shipped to my house. Screw waiting in line. I hate that crap.
Click to expand...

I agree although I never had to wait in a line and not get the 3G, I rather wait at my house comfortably for my phone to arrive.
 
Small White Car said:
If you want to show up at the crack of dawn, you may have a point.

But for the rest of the day, you're far better off pre-ordering.

I pre-ordered last year at an AT&T store. They said they'd had long lines in the morning, but that they ran out of walk-up phones around 11 AM and the lines went away after that.

I showed up at 1 PM to pick up my pre-order. There was only 1 guy in line in front of me. I was out in less than 20 minutes. Sure beats getting in line at 6 AM.

I'll be doing the EXACT same thing this year.
Click to expand...
Just a quick reminder, that your pre-order for an AT&T in-store pickup will not be until June 25 ( Launch Day +1 ) or later based on when you pre-order according to the offical AT&T Press Release.

Customers can also have a preorder shipped to their local AT&T store for pick up on or after Friday, June 25.​

source: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=18004&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=30863&mapcode=consumer|Wireless

Dave
 
dave006 said:
Just a quick reminder, that your pre-order for an AT&T in-store pickup will not be until June 25 ( Launch Day +1 ) or later based on when you pre-order according to the offical AT&T Press Release.

Customers can also have a preorder shipped to their local AT&T store for pick up on or after Friday, June 25.​

source: http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=18004&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=30863&mapcode=consumer|Wireless

Dave
Click to expand...

Ugh. Thanks.

I hate home delivery 'cause I have to arrange for someone to be there, but the more I read this year the more I think I'll have to make it work that way this year.
 
Small White Car said:
If you want to show up at the crack of dawn, you may have a point.

But for the rest of the day, you're far better off pre-ordering.

I pre-ordered last year at an AT&T store. They said they'd had long lines in the morning, but that they ran out of walk-up phones around 11 AM and the lines went away after that.

I showed up at 1 PM to pick up my pre-order. There was only 1 guy in line in front of me. I was out in less than 20 minutes. Sure beats getting in line at 6 AM.

I'll be doing the EXACT same thing this year.

This is why I suggest the AT&T store. They get far fewer phnoes so they'll run out sooner which is a GOOD thing if you pre-ordered. The Apple stores will have more and will probably be very crowded all day. Skip it. Go someplace that's going to run out sooner. It'll be a lot easier.
Click to expand...

Ooo that's interesting...I think I'll definitely do that!
 
I was thinking about the whole pre-ordering situation as well, and I am a little worried. I did not pre-order the 3GS as I did not get it.

As with all websites when something big is released and mass amounts of people buy it, does the Apple store site crash or become extremely slow? I want to pre-order for delivery through the Apple website, but it seems that everyone else does as well.

How do we know that we will get one for delivery on the 24th? I remember with Black Friday websites, some companies (like Office Max) sold items to people and charged them (so they did not wait in line), only to find out a few hours later that too many people ordered and stock was already gone. They would receive a credit, but at the same time, they did not get what they wanted.

What are the chances that this could happen?
 
If you get home delivery, then how do you activate it? Sim card, ect (saving contacts if you're going from non smart phone to iphone like me?)
 
Nrwrit3r said:
Ooo that's interesting...I think I'll definitely do that!
Click to expand...

Read Dave006's post above. It'll still work but apparently a day later. I didn't know about that change.

Nrwrit3r said:
If you get home delivery, then how do you activate it? Sim card, ect (saving contacts if you're going from non smart phone to iphone like me?)
Click to expand...


You activate through iTunes.

As for contacts, your old SIM card probably won't fit in the new phone anyway. I don't know if AT&T has a solution for that or if you just have to re-type everything.
 
Also a question. I'm plan on pre-ordering 2 iPhones the 15th for home delivery. Can I do that or can I only do one? What's the process of ordering 2?
 
Small White Car said:
If you want to show up at the crack of dawn, you may have a point.

But for the rest of the day, you're far better off pre-ordering.

I pre-ordered last year at an AT&T store. They said they'd had long lines in the morning, but that they ran out of walk-up phones around 11 AM and the lines went away after that.

I showed up at 1 PM to pick up my pre-order. There was only 1 guy in line in front of me. I was out in less than 20 minutes. Sure beats getting in line at 6 AM.

I'll be doing the EXACT same thing this year.

This is why I suggest the AT&T store. They get far fewer phnoes so they'll run out sooner which is a GOOD thing if you pre-ordered. The Apple stores will have more and will probably be very crowded all day. Skip it. Go someplace that's going to run out sooner. It'll be a lot easier.
Click to expand...

I just got off with AT&T, and what they told me was in line with what their press release said.

If you pre-order on the 15th, your iPhone will be delivered to the AT&T store on the 25th (the day after). If you turn up on launch day, you will be treated as a regular customer and buy a phone like everyone else. When they ship your phone for delivery, it will be charged to your account and you'll have to get the charge back and "your" iPhone back into circulation. I asked about what you said, which is what I heard happened at pretty much every AT&T store, and they said it's not like that this year since interest is a lot higher.

Take from that what you will, because we all know how they are all on the same page as far as what happens is.

I've a couple of more sources to contact, but if that is indeed the case, I'm camping out with no pre-order.
 
Nrwrit3r said:
If you get home delivery, then how do you activate it? Sim card, ect (saving contacts if you're going from non smart phone to iphone like me?)
Click to expand...

If you get home delivery you will receive the unit with a microSIM card as well. You then sync the phone with iTunes and activate it there on your computer.
Going from a non smart phone to a smartphone, that depends. If you can sync your contacts via Outlook then you can transfer them to your iPhone via iTunes.
 
Tara Luvs Apple said:
I was thinking about the whole pre-ordering situation as well, and I am a little worried. I did not pre-order the 3GS as I did not get it.

As with all websites when something big is released and mass amounts of people buy it, does the Apple store site crash or become extremely slow? I want to pre-order for delivery through the Apple website, but it seems that everyone else does as well.

How do we know that we will get one for delivery on the 24th? I remember with Black Friday websites, some companies (like Office Max) sold items to people and charged them (so they did not wait in line), only to find out a few hours later that too many people ordered and stock was already gone. They would receive a credit, but at the same time, they did not get what they wanted.

What are the chances that this could happen?
Click to expand...

It COULD happen, Tara.

There is every possibility that, for whatever reason, my pre-ordered iPhone will not get to my house on the 24th...but the way I see it, my CHANCES of getting it on the 24th are MUCH better by pre-ordering, than by taking the risk and simply waiting in what promises to be a VERY long line.

I can deal with the disappointment of not getting the phone on the 24th, but getting it on the 25th much easier than the disappointment of waiting in a line for 5 hours and then being told there is no stock left.
 
i-John said:
If you have existing service, you can order a new one for each line. If you're new, you can only order one per household.
Click to expand...

So the process is to pre order one phone then go through and do the same process to pre order the second?
 
Built said:
It COULD happen, Tara.

There is every possibility that, for whatever reason, my pre-ordered iPhone will not get to my house on the 24th...but the way I see it, my CHANCES of getting it on the 24th are MUCH better by pre-ordering, than by taking the risk and simply waiting in what promises to be a VERY long line.

I can deal with the disappointment of not getting the phone on the 24th, but getting it on the 25th much easier than the disappointment of waiting in a line for 5 hours and then being told there is no stock left.
Click to expand...

True. I just realized that I should not have phrased that question like that. I was wondering how the pre-ordering went last year with the websites and everything. I know that this year will be different, but the internet is a different ball game.

I am not really worried about what day it will come (unless it comes while I am on vacation since I leave the 28th), but more or less if stock runs out before I get to order. I was just wondering how Apple deals with that in reference to how other companies screwed people during Black Friday. Does that make sense? It is hard for me to really explain. :)
 
Tara Luvs Apple said:
True. I just realized that I should not have phrased that question like that. I was wondering how the pre-ordering went last year with the websites and everything. I know that this year will be different, but the internet is a different ball game.

I am not really worried about what day it will come (unless it comes while I am on vacation since I leave the 28th), but more or less if stock runs out before I get to order. I was just wondering how Apple deals with that in reference to how other companies screwed people during Black Friday. Does that make sense? It is hard for me to really explain. :)
Click to expand...

Totally makes sense.

I am sure the Apple site would probably shut down pre-ordering if the number of pre-orders exceeds stock on hand...but, then again, maybe not...Good question!
 
Built said:
Totally makes sense.

I am sure the Apple site would probably shut down pre-ordering if the number of pre-orders exceeds stock on hand...but, then again, maybe not...Good question!
Click to expand...

They won't exceed their limits online - usually what happens when the hit the limit is that the expected ship date just changes.

Personally I'll be ordering online, setting the phones up in the comfort of my own home and then heading the AT&T store later that day or the next to set them on the same family plan.
 
Del Monte Apple Store was frustrating for the 3GS launch. They actually let three people that arrived an hour early leave with iPhones before they'd processed ten people in the pre order that had been waiting for hours. I was very displeased with this method.
 
ntrigue said:
Del Monte Apple Store was frustrating for the 3GS launch. They actually let three people that arrived an hour early leave with iPhones before they'd processed ten people in the pre order that had been waiting for hours. I was very displeased with this method.
Click to expand...

That would REALLY upset me.

I am originally from NYC where the "sanctity of the line" is observed. Us New Yorkers are fine as long as everything is fair, and everybody is being processed IN ORDER.
 
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