Retina iPad Mini Launching with Personal Pickup, but No U.S. In-Store Availability Yet [Updated]

Chupa Chupa said:
Ordered 2 16GB WiFi + one 16GB Cellular (VZW) this morning. Was lucky and spotted a local store w/ 16GB Cellular so picked up one but too late to cancel one of the online orders as it was already "preparing to ship."
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Where did you see a cellular model available locally?
 
FrozenDarkness said:
are there any theories on why this is a quiet launch.

At first, the apple supporter in me was like well Apple really cares about its loyal customers and doesn't really care about simulating demand with massive sellouts within hours.

Then after calmly reflecting, I realized Apple probably just purposely don't want to tell people to buy an ipad mini with retina because ipad air maeks so much more $$$
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I think they didn't want to announce a " ORDER THIS FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT!" because they figured their stock can't handle the demand. They don't want people angry that it sold out in a minute and had no real shot at getting one at all. I know I feel a bit annoyed when that happens. Sure, it makes for a great headline, but it's still not ideal.

Also, if the low-yield rate of the iPad is true, this could be seen more of a soft launch, gearing up for black friday week sales. It makes the sales seem steady.
If anything, the mini could look TOO HOT, if it was selling out like crazy while the Air is still within 5-10 days shipping.

I am a bit surprised it isn't a sellout into December yet - however, even though it is already 1PM (PST), I bet there are tons of people who really want one and still don't know it is out!
 
darkslide29 said:
Just curious, what was the deciding factor for you to go from full size to mini? Thanks.
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Darkslide, I think the deciding factor for me in going from the iPad to the iPad Mini is that when I lay down on my back on a couch or bed to read and I have to hold the device up above me...the regular iPad gets awfully heavy so I just end up using my Kindle. I played with the iPad Air to see if the lighter weight made a difference and it doesn't...so iPad Mini it is and I am so happy...ordered the 128GB wifi + cellular T-Mobile deal. Hope that helps.
 
Seems like in store availability is creeping west.....I'm in Dallas and none of the stores near me have it, but one in Arkansas does.....

Hopefully they show up before the day is done or I'll just order online and wait until the end of the week.
 
jrswizzle said:
Seems like in store availability is creeping west.....I'm in Dallas and none of the stores near me have it, but one in Arkansas does.....

Hopefully they show up before the day is done or I'll just order online and wait until the end of the week.
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They're showing up all over in the West Coast. And in Vegas and Phoenix.
 
gsmumbo said:
Yup, I've been checking the Dallas stores all morning lol
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Me too - called the one closest to me and he said they expected to get them around noon but hadn't gotten anything yet - that was at about 2pm central....

I'm shocked none of the Dallas stores have them.....must mean they are just late. Couldn't have been left out could we?
 
darkslide29 said:
I think they didn't want to announce a " ORDER THIS FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT!" because they figured their stock can't handle the demand. They don't want people angry that it sold out in a minute and had no real shot at getting one at all. I know I feel a bit annoyed when that happens. Sure, it makes for a great headline, but it's still not ideal.

Also, if the low-yield rate of the iPad is true, this could be seen more of a soft launch, gearing up for black friday week sales. It makes the sales seem steady.
If anything, the mini could look TOO HOT, if it was selling out like crazy while the Air is still within 5-10 days shipping.

I am a bit surprised it isn't a sellout into December yet - however, even though it is already 1PM (PST), I bet there are tons of people who really want one and still don't know it is out!
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Also, Walmart emailed out their Black Friday ad today, and the 1st gen Mini is the big doorbuster this year (largest pictured item on the front page), with a $100 gift card included. So there could be some contractual things going on with not interfering too much with the Black Friday sales by saying "Look here's new Mini with Retina!" lol
 
giantfan1224 said:
Don't see anything in Utah or Colorado either
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Ya nothing in Houston, Louisiana or Mississippi. Seems to just be spotty.....though one would assume, if Apple were to only pick and choose markets to send limited stock to, they'd chose one of the 5 largest metroplexes in the country.....

This is how I convince myself I'll have one before the day is over :p
 
I am in Frisco and have been hitting refresh all day on inventory for Dallas. Hoping they have one before I get on the plane for Montreal tomorrow. I will just have to take my Air that I will return with me if not. :)
 
jrswizzle said:
So its just us in Texas somehow.....ugh
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Apparently...went to BOTH local stores here in San Antonio this morning and the both turned me away. No stores show pick-up availability online and they "said" they had no stock at all this morning.

Not sure I believe that. Poor experience for Apple's most loyal customers.
 
ckeck said:
Apparently...went to BOTH local stores here in San Antonio this morning and the both turned me away. No stores show pick-up availability online and they "said" they had no stock at all this morning.

Not sure I believe that. Poor experience for Apple's most loyal customers.
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They won't allow walk-ins, even when they DO have stock. From what I read, anyone going in to pick one up in-store should have already ordered online.

That's what I'm waiting on though. Been checking all day and so far nothing. Store near me said they expected to have some but nothing yet - that was at 2pm central.
 
jrswizzle said:
Been checking all day and so far nothing. Store near me said they expected to have some but nothing yet - that was at 2pm central.
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Kids at Stonebriar wouldn't say when they expected. I would have thought FedEx would have dropped by now.
 
I was able to reserve one for pickup earlier today in San Diego. I kept refreshing and saw one store that had numerous models in stock. It seems Chula Vista Best Buy also has some models available for pickup.
 
jrswizzle said:
They won't allow walk-ins, even when they DO have stock. From what I read, anyone going in to pick one up in-store should have already ordered online.

That's what I'm waiting on though. Been checking all day and so far nothing. Store near me said they expected to have some but nothing yet - that was at 2pm central.
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That's such a joke, but whatever. I will order "online" for pick-up except it's now coming up on 4PM CST and still unavailable in all stores. How do the West and East Coast stores seem to have plenty and Texas is completely unavailable? Sheesh.
 
ejfontenot said:
Kids at Stonebriar wouldn't say when they expected. I would have thought FedEx would have dropped by now.
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Yup - guy at Willow Bend also couldn't give me an expected time.....just gotta keep checking I guess. I'll probably run by Best Buy too, just in case. They supposedly don't have any (if their website is correct), but I've read of people going in and being pleasantly surprised.

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ckeck said:
That's such a joke, but whatever. I will order "online" for pick-up except it's now coming up on 4PM CST and still unavailable in all stores. How do the West and East Coast stores seem to have plenty and Texas is completely unavailable? Sheesh.
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I agree with Texas being left out.....no clue how that could happen. DFW and Houston are top 5 metroplexes. How do you not get them to your biggest hubs?
 
jrswizzle said:
Yup - guy at Willow Bend also couldn't give me an expected time.....just gotta keep checking I guess. I'll probably run by Best Buy too, just in case. They supposedly don't have any (if their website is correct), but I've read of people going in and being pleasantly surprised.
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I was just down that way at lunch and didn't even think of asking. Maybe I will run up to the one off El Dorado. Its off the beaten path.
 
ejfontenot said:
I was just down that way at lunch and didn't even think of asking. Maybe I will run up to the one off El Dorado. Its off the beaten path.
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Ya - post if they have some. Website says "shipping in 3-5 days" for every store in the metroplex, but you never know.....

Would be shocking for BBY to have some and the Apple retail stores not to though.....
 
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