Like may here, I was planning to pick up an iPad 2 on launch weekend. I didn't want to wait in a crazy line (and had other plans on Friday night). I figured if I could get one over the weekend, great. Waiting a few days/weeks for things to settle down wouldn't be that big a deal either.
The quick sell-out doesn't bother me as it was a strong possibility. What is very frustrating is some of the crap retailers are pulling. There are other posts here about retailers allowing long lines when they had nowhere neat the stock to cover all the people. That's not right.
I went to my local Apple store this morning about 10:30. Already about 50 people on line. I asked the Apple employee at the front of the line if this was the ipad line. As she said yes, these two complete twits answer at the same time "no, the pope is here blessing iPads and we want to see." I bit my tongue... can't people mind their own business?
So I then ask the rep "do you have enough stock to cover the people waiting in line?" She shrugs her shoulders and says "no idea." The twits chime in with some sarcasm "no, we are all waiting here for no reason."
At which point I explain that I don't want to wait on a line if there is nothing to buy, which is what has happened at some retailers like Best Buy. The apple idiot makes a face and says "Ewww... why would you shop there? That's why you should shop at the Apple store." Apparently there is a reason they have this kid acting as a "line monitor" rather than dealing with customers inside the store.
So I wait in line for about 10-15 minutes with nothing happening. Then a rep comes out of the store and asks for the "next person for a 16BG wifi." Hmmm... what's that about? I ask the person in front of me if she knows how the line works. No one around me does. Finally, someone near the front of the line hears us talking and explains they only have a few 16GB wifi models. Seems everyone (at least those who were told how the line works) is standing there on the possibility that a shipment may arrive today.
I don't have a problem with that. But why the heck couldn't the idiot managing the line explain that when I asked her a direct question? Once we found this out, myself and 4-5 others left.
I was going to give up, but my wife decided to call some Verizon stores (I want a 64GB Verizon model). Some had white available, but I want black.
Finally get someone on the phone at a mall about 40 minutes away (Verizon store). They have 3 in stock. At first they say they can't hold them, but then ask for my name and say to see them when I get there.
I decide to take the drive. I get there and ask for the person. She acknowledges that my wife called and says she will be with me as soon as she is done with her current customer. I ask "you still have it" and she says "yes." Sounds good.
As she is finishing with her customer, she asks another employee to go get something. He comes back with a white 64GB. She looks at it and says something about "we have 3." He says "we are not allowed to sell those."
She then come to me and says they had 5 when I called but all sold (and they can't hold them). "But the white one is the same thing." I told her forget it.
Pretty insulting that she thinks I didn't hear the conversation about the three in the back they "are not allowed to sell," which are the ones she originally told me were available. What a completely avoidable waste of my time.
I can't believe the BS games these retailers play. Just say "not in stock" instead of wasting people's time.
FWIW, If anyone is looking a 64GB White Verizon model, a few of the Verizon stores on Long island (NY) have them.
The quick sell-out doesn't bother me as it was a strong possibility. What is very frustrating is some of the crap retailers are pulling. There are other posts here about retailers allowing long lines when they had nowhere neat the stock to cover all the people. That's not right.
I went to my local Apple store this morning about 10:30. Already about 50 people on line. I asked the Apple employee at the front of the line if this was the ipad line. As she said yes, these two complete twits answer at the same time "no, the pope is here blessing iPads and we want to see." I bit my tongue... can't people mind their own business?
So I then ask the rep "do you have enough stock to cover the people waiting in line?" She shrugs her shoulders and says "no idea." The twits chime in with some sarcasm "no, we are all waiting here for no reason."
At which point I explain that I don't want to wait on a line if there is nothing to buy, which is what has happened at some retailers like Best Buy. The apple idiot makes a face and says "Ewww... why would you shop there? That's why you should shop at the Apple store." Apparently there is a reason they have this kid acting as a "line monitor" rather than dealing with customers inside the store.
So I wait in line for about 10-15 minutes with nothing happening. Then a rep comes out of the store and asks for the "next person for a 16BG wifi." Hmmm... what's that about? I ask the person in front of me if she knows how the line works. No one around me does. Finally, someone near the front of the line hears us talking and explains they only have a few 16GB wifi models. Seems everyone (at least those who were told how the line works) is standing there on the possibility that a shipment may arrive today.
I don't have a problem with that. But why the heck couldn't the idiot managing the line explain that when I asked her a direct question? Once we found this out, myself and 4-5 others left.
I was going to give up, but my wife decided to call some Verizon stores (I want a 64GB Verizon model). Some had white available, but I want black.
Finally get someone on the phone at a mall about 40 minutes away (Verizon store). They have 3 in stock. At first they say they can't hold them, but then ask for my name and say to see them when I get there.
I decide to take the drive. I get there and ask for the person. She acknowledges that my wife called and says she will be with me as soon as she is done with her current customer. I ask "you still have it" and she says "yes." Sounds good.
As she is finishing with her customer, she asks another employee to go get something. He comes back with a white 64GB. She looks at it and says something about "we have 3." He says "we are not allowed to sell those."
She then come to me and says they had 5 when I called but all sold (and they can't hold them). "But the white one is the same thing." I told her forget it.
Pretty insulting that she thinks I didn't hear the conversation about the three in the back they "are not allowed to sell," which are the ones she originally told me were available. What a completely avoidable waste of my time.
I can't believe the BS games these retailers play. Just say "not in stock" instead of wasting people's time.
FWIW, If anyone is looking a 64GB White Verizon model, a few of the Verizon stores on Long island (NY) have them.
