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Reservation does NOT = guaranteed phone at launch (update - apple store says it does)

mikethebigo

mikethebigo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 25, 2009
2,433
1,597
Hey everyone,

I just got off the phone with iPhone sales at Apple. I was told in no uncertain terms that a reservation just means that they have all your information and know what you want to buy when you show up at the store on launch day. It does NOT mean you're guaranteed a phone or that they're holding one for you. He recommended I get there super early and wait in line like everyone else.

Apparently, the only people that are guaranteed a phone are those that managed to get a full paid pre-order through on the 15th.

Just FYI.
 
mikethebigo said:
Hey everyone,

I just got off the phone with iPhone sales at Apple. I was told in no uncertain terms that a reservation just means that they have all your information and know what you want to buy when you show up at the store on launch day. It does NOT mean you're guaranteed a phone or that they're holding one for you. He recommended I get there super early and wait in line like everyone else.

Apparently, the only people that are guaranteed a phone are those that managed to get a full paid pre-order through on the 15th.

Just FYI.
Click to expand...

That's BS. That defeats the purpose of a reservation. They hold the phone until the end of business.
 
I went the reservation route before I actually got a real order through on Apple and when I called them to ask more about it and make sure that it meant I was really getting a phone, I never could get the girl to tell me whether or not that was a sure thing although it seemed like she was trying to make it sound that way, but didn't want to promise. I don't trust it. It will be interesting to see what kind of mayhem June 24th will bring.
 
yeah im pretty sure a reservation does guarantee you a phone on the 24th as long as you pick it up before close, otherwise why would they even take reservations.
 
9ubspz.png
 
I'll be at my Apple store pretty early - I'm hoping to be there at 5. However, the e-mail that I received from Apple states they would hold it until the end of the business day. If, for some reason, I'm unable to be there until, for example, 10am, my phone better still be there or I will raise a commotion.
 
djransom said:
That's BS. That defeats the purpose of a reservation. They hold the phone until the end of business.
Click to expand...

I swear I'm not lying. I spoke to a dude at Apple sales. Call them yourself if you want to clarify - 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I was calling for an unrelated reason, to see if I could pick up my reserved phone but activate it to another person's account. He guy literally said, "well let me stop you right there, it seems you may have a bit of a misunderstanding about what a reservation actually is." He then went into explaining how it just lets the store know who I am and what I want without me having to say things like my social security number out loud in the store, and it in no way means there's a phone with my name on it waiting for me there.

Seriously guys, no BS. Someone else call and confirm if you want.

I'm really not trolling. I was actually upset when I was told this. The only other possibility is that the guy I was talking to had no idea what I was talking about...
 
If this is true, it will be just like almost every time I've tried to stay at a Hilton. Yes, I booked the room. Yes, I paid for the room. But I cannot have the room. But we can help you find another hotel nearby. KTHXBAI
 
mikethebigo said:
I swear I'm not lying. I spoke to a dude at Apple sales. Call them yourself if you want to clarify - 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I was calling for an unrelated reason, to see if I could pick up my reserved phone but activate it to another person's account. He guy literally said, "well let me stop you right there, it seems you may have a bit of a misunderstanding about what a reservation actually is." He then went into explaining how it just lets the store know who I am and what I want without me having to say things like my social security number out loud in the store, and it in no way means there's a phone with my name on it waiting for me there.

Seriously guys, no BS. Someone else call and confirm if you want.

I'm really not trolling. I was actually upset when I was told this.
Click to expand...
or call a local Apple Store and ask them what they plan to do.
 
mikethebigo said:
I swear I'm not lying. I spoke to a dude at Apple sales. Call them yourself if you want to clarify - 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I was calling for an unrelated reason, to see if I could pick up my reserved phone but activate it to another person's account. He guy literally said, "well let me stop you right there, it seems you may have a bit of a misunderstanding about what a reservation actually is." He then went into explaining how it just lets the store know who I am and what I want without me having to say things like my social security number out loud in the store, and it in no way means there's a phone with my name on it waiting for me there.

Seriously guys, no BS. Someone else call and confirm if you want.

I'm really not trolling. I was actually upset when I was told this. The only other possibility is that the guy I was talking to had no idea what I was talking about...
Click to expand...

As multiple people have posted, the reservation holds the phone there for you. That's why, when you finished your reservation, it says your reservation will be held til the end of the business day on the 24th. If all they had was your info for faster processing, why would they only hold your info for one day? You obviously want the phone if you set up a reservation. That Apple rep is an idiot.
 
mikethebigo said:
I swear I'm not lying. I spoke to a dude at Apple sales. Call them yourself if you want to clarify - 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I was calling for an unrelated reason, to see if I could pick up my reserved phone but activate it to another person's account. He guy literally said, "well let me stop you right there, it seems you may have a bit of a misunderstanding about what a reservation actually is." He then went into explaining how it just lets the store know who I am and what I want without me having to say things like my social security number out loud in the store, and it in no way means there's a phone with my name on it waiting for me there.

Seriously guys, no BS. Someone else call and confirm if you want.

I'm really not trolling. I was actually upset when I was told this. The only other possibility is that the guy I was talking to had no idea what I was talking about...
Click to expand...


I went into my local Apple store, confirmed my reservation in the system and asked "So I can just come any time on the 24th and it'll be here, right?" The response: "Yep."

The only scenario I could see would be where there were more reservations than they could supply units to the store, in which case it would be first come first served for those with reservations and everyone else would be SOL. But if I were to show up and my reserved unit not be there and find out that those without a reservation got one, I would raise hell.
 
mikethebigo said:
I swear I'm not lying. I spoke to a dude at Apple sales. Call them yourself if you want to clarify - 1-800-MY-APPLE.

I was calling for an unrelated reason, to see if I could pick up my reserved phone but activate it to another person's account. He guy literally said, "well let me stop you right there, it seems you may have a bit of a misunderstanding about what a reservation actually is." He then went into explaining how it just lets the store know who I am and what I want without me having to say things like my social security number out loud in the store, and it in no way means there's a phone with my name on it waiting for me there.

Seriously guys, no BS. Someone else call and confirm if you want.

I'm really not trolling. I was actually upset when I was told this. The only other possibility is that the guy I was talking to had no idea what I was talking about...
Click to expand...
It's ridiculous how no one can believe anyone on this forum. It's always "bs" or "ok troll."
 
I do not agree with what the OP said but I made sure by ALSO ordering and getting a confirmation from ATT early on the 15th! I will have mine one way or another.
 
The reservation will guarantee that there is a phone available for you to purchase in the store, but because that phone requires that you meet certain AT&T criteria to purchase it, Apple cannot guarantee that you will walk out of the store with the iPhone that they held for you.

So no, reserving a phone at an Apple Store doesn't guarantee that you'll get it.

Relax.
 
orange42 said:
It's ridiculous how no one can believe anyone on this forum. It's always "bs" or "ok troll."
Click to expand...

The OP could certainly be telling the truth about what he was told. But guess what, he was given the totally wrong information. :eek:

You are reserved a phone. The stores are to hold them till the end of the business day. PERIOD.

Of course this does not guarantee you the phone. Good lord, even pre-ordering for delivery to your house does not guarantee you the phone on launch day.

Everyone please just chill about this. There have already been multiple threads about this with some spewing forth the same exact misinformation.
 
aristobrat said:
The reservation will guarantee that there is a phone available for you to purchase in the store, but because that phone requires that you meet certain AT&T criteria to purchase it, Apple cannot guarantee that you will walk out of the store with the iPhone that they held for you.

So no, reserving a phone at an Apple Store doesn't guarantee that you'll get it.

Relax.
Click to expand...

This is it, folks.
 
rwilliams said:
seinfelds-reservation.jpg
Click to expand...

Agent: I'm sorry, we have no iPhones at the moment.

Jerry: I don't understand, I made a reservation, do you have my reservation?

Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of iPhones.

Jerry: But the reservation keeps the iPhone here. That's why you have the
reservation.

Agent: I know why we have reservations.

Jerry: I don't think you do. If you did, I'd have an iPhone. See, you know how to
take the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation and
that's really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody
can just take them.

chriskzoo said:
I went into my local Apple store, confirmed my reservation in the system and asked "So I can just come any time on the 24th and it'll be here, right?" The response: "Yep."

The only scenario I could see would be where there were more reservations than they could supply units to the store, in which case it would be first come first served for those with reservations and everyone else would be SOL. But if I were to show up and my reserved unit not be there and find out that those without a reservation got one, I would raise hell.
Click to expand...

Well... Good luck with that. It clearly says that they will hold your "reservation" not your iPhone for you until the end of the day. When you reversed it online didn't you get an email that says "this does not guarantee that you will get an iPhone" or something to that effect? I think that pretty much says it all.

I'm afraid that there are going to be a number of pissed off people who thought that they could just mosey into the Apple store on their coffee break and get their phone only to be told that they are all gone. I would definitely get to the store real early and get into the reservation line if I wasn't having it shipped to my house. Especially with how insane it's been this week. If there were 10 times as many people pre-ordering than the 3GS, then it stands to reason that there will be 10 times as many people in line at the stores. It ain't gonna be pretty.
 
Like the photo says, the iPhone is held until the store closes. You do realize those Apple reps are just minimum wage paid workers who can equally make up their own speculation as to what they think is right just like us?
 
I don't know why we get so many of these threads (or why I keep responding!)....

Apple Stores have reservations so they can gauge demand for each store. So if a store has X reservations, then Apple will send them say, 1.5 times X.

There is no reason for them to give away your reservation. If they don't sell it to you on the 24th, then they will sell it the minute they open on the 25th. Guaranteed.

A mod really needs to add a sticky to all this hub-bub!
 
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