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Reserving for Pick Up In Store -vs- Just getting in line

M

MasterChief

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 10, 2009
60
0
Are those of us that selected the "In-Store Pickup" option going to be in a different line than those just walking up in hopes of getting an iPhone4?

The apple store I reserved my phone at is in a suburb of Miami (lots of people, lol) I'm just worried that a bunch of people will camp out over night and by the time I get to the Apple store my iPhone won't be there anymore :(

Basically, if we reserved online for pick up in store, are we guaranteed our iPhone on the 24th?

7 days people!!! 7 days!!!

(we're such losers...lol)
 
Yes. Two different inventories, two different lines. However, that doesn't mean either of those lines w/ move any faster. Same number of store employees to help both lines. You are not guaranteed b/c crap happens. FedEx trucks break down. Weather stops a UPS plane from taking off.
 
fishmd said:
Ha. Don't know how you would do that, but good luck to ya. :D
Click to expand...

I hit cancel your reservation button in the confirmation email out of curiosity because the last time it didn't instantly cancel it. I feel guilty for some reason.... So - don't do it people :D The general consensus is that Apple will hold it for you if you've reserved one, but I suggest you pick it up early rather than late.

EDIT: I called up and asked if they could still see my name on the list, which I confirmed yesterday, but now my name cannot be found, obviously. However, I was told to bring a confirmation email on 24th and I should be fine. Needless to say, I didn't say I stupidly cancelled my reservation. On a side note, although the customer rep wasn't 100% confident but an authorized user can pick it up as long as you know the primary account holder's social security, etc.
 
For the ipad in Northbrook IL, they had 2 lines and took care of in store pickups first then as employees became available moved them to the other line.
However the in store pickup line was cleared out after about 15 minutes so it was a different situation.

Kenal0
 
Kenal0 said:
For the ipad in Northbrook IL, they had 2 lines and took care of in store pickups first then as employees became available moved them to the other line.
However the in store pickup line was cleared out after about 15 minutes so it was a different situation.

Kenal0
Click to expand...

Yup. In comparison to the iP4 launch, waiting in line for the iPad is going to seem like eating all the cake you want w/ no worries of getting sick or fat. I'm grateful I was able to get mine delivered. Plus I'd feel really embarrassed if local news caught me in a hell line for a phone.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Yup. In comparison to the iP4 launch, waiting in line for the iPad is going to seem like eating all the cake you want w/ no worries of getting sick or fat. I'm grateful I was able to get mine delivered. Plus I'd feel really embarrassed if local news caught me in a hell line for a phone.
Click to expand...

Woo! so seems like those of us that reserved at the store will get them on the 24th!

(if I see local news I'm going to say screw this you should be talking about the oil spill! bastards! ;))
 
I was told at an Apple store that everyone in the reserved line will get helped before the "regular" line of people will.

I understood it so that if there was anyone in the reserved line, the regular line would stop until all reserved customers were taken care of
 
Speedracer04 said:
I was told at an Apple store that everyone in the reserved line will get helped before the "regular" line of people will.

I understood it so that if there was anyone in the reserved line, the regular line would stop until all reserved customers were taken care of
Click to expand...

Not so in my experience. They both move, but the reserve line moves faster.
 
cu2010 said:
I hit cancel your reservation button in the confirmation email out of curiosity because the last time it didn't instantly cancel it. I feel guilty for some reason.... So - don't do it people :D The general consensus is that Apple will hold it for you if you've reserved one, but I suggest you pick it up early rather than late.

EDIT: I called up and asked if they could still see my name on the list, which I confirmed yesterday, but now my name cannot be found, obviously. However, I was told to bring a confirmation email on 24th and I should be fine. Needless to say, I didn't say I stupidly cancelled my reservation. On a side note, although the customer rep wasn't 100% confident but an authorized user can pick it up as long as you know the primary account holder's social security, etc.
Click to expand...

cu2010, I am in the same situation. I'm just going to bring my printed confirmation email and stand in the reserve line. Is this what you're going to do?
 
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cu2010 said:
Oops :eek: I just cancelled my reservation by mistake! Guess I will have to wait for a while....
Click to expand...

Good luck with that, it's going to be a long wait!
 
absolut` said:
cu2010, I am in the same situation. I'm just going to bring my printed confirmation email and stand in the reserve line. Is this what you're going to do?
Click to expand...

Yup :cool: Will pretend it was Apple that cancelled my reservation. There're at least 4 people on here in the same situation, and it seems :apple: will be giving it to customers with the confirmation email after yesterday's glitch in their system.
 
ItsThatKush said:
That was how it used to be. This year I heard it will be different as they will take care of reserves first... At least I'm hoping it's true.
Click to expand...

That would make a lot more sense. After all we went through the trouble of reserving the damn thing!
 
Speedracer04 said:
I was told at an Apple store that everyone in the reserved line will get helped before the "regular" line of people will.

I understood it so that if there was anyone in the reserved line, the regular line would stop until all reserved customers were taken care of
Click to expand...
Maybe they'll do that, but that's not how they handled reservations for the 3GS or either of the recent iPad launches.

I don't see why they'd do that. They already take the product and set aside enough for everyone who has reservations. The remainder of the product goes to the walk-in line.
 
Apple store employee from the UWS in NYC said they don't know yet how they are doing it but it's possible everyone will be in the same big line. Those who reserved will just be guaranteed one
 
It would really suck if they did all the reservations first before allowing walk-ins. I'm from Chicago area and my local Apple store (Oak Brook) gets lots of traffic. There could potentially be 100s of reservers there by opening.

And if there are activation issues, it could really slow down the lines like there was when I waited for the 3G. There were about 50-70 people in front me when I got there and I didn't get my phone until like 1pm. 5 hours of waiting for that few people is rediculous. That store didn't just send people at home to activate later, they simply stopped the line. When I stood in line for the first iPhone, back when all activations were done at home, they were able to clear out 50 customers every 1/2 to hour. Now that was a fast moving line!

Some of us were having big issues and couldn't reserve or pre-order. Unfair to screw us over.

Both lines should move together IMO. Doesn't even have to be 50-50 split, I would be happy with a 70/30 split, just as long as we are all moving.
 
^so, since a bunch of people had problems getting reservations in....it should now be a problem for us who got the reservations?
They should definitely do two lines..take like 5 reserves for every 1 walk in. (did it sorta like tthis for the iPad).

Just because there were problems doesn't mean the people who actually reserved should pay for it.
 
I think we should all face the facts here: for any of the stores that say they will honor a printed confirmation even if you're not in the system, people who legitimately have reservations in the system are going to have those reservations sold out from under them. I'm one of those people who made a reservations but can't get in to he store until around 3, so I wish it weren't so, but I really don't see where else those facts could point.
 
hefeglass said:
^so, since a bunch of people had problems getting reservations in....it should now be a problem for us who got the reservations?
They should definitely do two lines..take like 5 reserves for every 1 walk in. (did it sorta like tthis for the iPad).

Just because there were problems doesn't mean the people who actually reserved should pay for it.
Click to expand...

I never said it had to be a problem for those who were able to get their reservations in. Even if their line moved much faster because Apple allocates more sales people to that line versus the walk-in line is ok by me or even as your suggested, taking more of them in at a time, but still taking some of the walk-ins as well. But moving only the reservation line while everyone else waits is a bit unfair don't you think?
 
hefeglass said:
Just because there were problems doesn't mean the people who actually reserved should pay for it.
Click to expand...
Nor does it mean that Apple should change its standing policy for how launches w/ reservations work, which has always been two separate lines, both being simultaneously helped.

An Apple reservation reserves the product. It's never guaranteed faster service picking it up, other than the reservation line is finite, where as the "regular" line can go a lot longer.
 
cu2010 said:
I hit cancel your reservation button in the confirmation email out of curiosity because the last time it didn't instantly cancel it. I feel guilty for some reason.... So - don't do it people :D The general consensus is that Apple will hold it for you if you've reserved one, but I suggest you pick it up early rather than late.

EDIT: I called up and asked if they could still see my name on the list, which I confirmed yesterday, but now my name cannot be found, obviously. However, I was told to bring a confirmation email on 24th and I should be fine. Needless to say, I didn't say I stupidly cancelled my reservation. On a side note, although the customer rep wasn't 100% confident but an authorized user can pick it up as long as you know the primary account holder's social security, etc.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing lol!

The link in the email never used to cancel it on the first click. You were able to modify the reservation actually, and that's why I clicked it...but instead it cancels it now. It's like they are trying to free up more iPhones. :(
 
stackshady said:
I did the same thing lol!

The link in the email never used to cancel it on the first click. You were able to modify the reservation actually, and that's why I clicked it...but instead it cancels it now. It's like they are trying to free up more iPhones. :(
Click to expand...

Exactly! Shame on you, :apple:!

itsmequinn said:
I think we should all face the facts here: for any of the stores that say they will honor a printed confirmation even if you're not in the system, people who legitimately have reservations in the system are going to have those reservations sold out from under them.
Click to expand...

I think not, as :apple: only sent out confirmation emails to those who successfully reserved the phone. In other words, each :apple: store didn't take more reservations than the number of units they would have for launch day. (If you didn't receive the email, your order didn't go through.) Also, due to technical glitch in their system, people who received the email got cancelled but there was no change in inventory. The same thing can be said of people accidentally cancelled their reservations. This increases availability for walk-in customers but does not affect those who reserved and are still on the list. If anything, each store has more units in reserve, since many people with family plans reserved more than one but now it seems they're only getting one.
 
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