rMB: So why would Best Buy have them and Apple Stores don't?

[vistokid]

Does anyone actually know why Best Buy have them readily available and Apple Stores don't? Or are they just selling out that quickly at Apple Stores? I can't understand why Apple would prefer to let a 3rd party retailer sell them over their own stores. It seems like the opposite of what Apple normally does.

 

[noobinator]

Does anyone actually know why Best Buy have them readily available and Apple Stores don't? Or are they just selling out that quickly at Apple Stores? I can't understand why Apple would prefer to let a 3rd party retailer sell them over their own stores. It seems like the opposite of what Apple normally does.

My only guess is they didn't even make enough to cover the initial orders and are playing catch up. They probably had stock set aside for bestbuy and someone made a decision to keep that stock for bestbuy rather than use it to fill internal orders.

 

[LoveToMacRumors]

My only guess is they didn't even make enough to cover the initial orders and are playing catch up. They probably had stock set aside for bestbuy and someone made a decision to keep that stock for bestbuy rather than use it to fill internal orders.

Isn't this a big stupid mistake by Apple? Shouldn't they at least have 90-95% of the entire stock for Apple and a 5-10% of the entire stock for Best Buy?

 

[xPad]

Because both Best Buy and Apple have decided to allocate their stock differently.

Apple wants to get them out to people fastest, so they are sold only online until supply can better meet demand.

Best Buy wants people to come into their stores, so they are making them available in store.

 

[vistokid]

So about the title of the thread, not sure what happened there Fixed now.

Seems like a total shift between iPhone launches where they want you to come in there store to buy.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Because both Best Buy and Apple have decided to allocate their stock differently.

Apple wants to get them out to people fastest, so they are sold only online until supply can better meet demand.

Best Buy wants people to come into their stores, so they are making them available in store.

Just got an email from BB this morning that had the rMB as "the future of the notebook" with a "Shop Now" link. They have available stock of silver 1.1/1.2 and gray 1.1 models. The other models quote later ship dates.

 

[drusoicy]

Because both Best Buy and Apple have decided to allocate their stock differently.

Apple wants to get them out to people fastest, so they are sold only online until supply can better meet demand.

Best Buy wants people to come into their stores, so they are making them available in store.

And yet you've been able to buy them, lots of models with overnight shipping, on BestBuy.com in addition to in Best Buy stores.

 

[mattopotamus]

Not nearly as many people ordered from best buy as from Apple. Say Apple promised best buy 10,000 units, they still have stock of those units. Apple obviously will fulfill their commitment to best buy before individuals.

 

[moxxey]

Does anyone actually know why Best Buy have them readily available and Apple Stores don't?

It's probably just a simple case of Apple beefing up it's third party supply, perhaps under contract. When supply was more constrained than Apple had imagined, as they were under contract, they prioritised Best Buy.

Let's face it, it's a huge issue on Apple's part. Clearly Apple Watch has taken manufacturing priority and the MacBook pushed back.

 

[thadoggfather]

I wonder how long before the SG base sells out and both remaining Silver SKUs. I don't see any rational explanation for this except fewer people do shop BB for Apple stuff. Still, I wouldn't think BB is that esoteric.

maybe I should try selling my gold locally thats backordered when my SG arrives instead of returning.

 

[PDACPA]

My issue was I wanted to use my Barclay no interest card and it only works if you buy from Apple. I can get my Macbook SG tomorrow from Best Buy, but it is a 4-6 wait from Apple and I need it before 4 weeks.

Does anyone know if the expected shipping will change once you order? In other words, will they ship much sooner if they have caught back up on their back orders?

 

[mattopotamus]

I wonder how long before the SG base sells out and both remaining Silver SKUs. I don't see any rational explanation for this except fewer people do shop BB for Apple stuff. Still, I wouldn't think BB is that esoteric.

maybe I should try selling my gold locally thats backordered when my SG arrives instead of returning.

meet your rational explanation.

It's probably just a simple case of Apple beefing up it's third party supply, perhaps under contract. When supply was more constrained than Apple had imagined, as they were under contract, they prioritised Best Buy.

Let's face it, it's a huge issue on Apple's part. Clearly Apple Watch has taken manufacturing priority and the MacBook pushed back.

 

[xPad]

And yet you've been able to buy them, lots of models with overnight shipping, on BestBuy.com in addition to in Best Buy stores.

So? That has nothing to do with the point being made.

Apple has more stock, and they are selling them all online. Best Buy has less stock, and is offering them both in store and online.

 

[mattopotamus]

So? That has nothing to do with the point being made.

Apple has more stock, and they are selling them all online. Best Buy has less stock, and is offering them both in store and online.

not really. Apple does not have stock, hence the 4-6 week wait. They need to be built. Best buy actually has stock on hand in the US. They probably have a contract with apple for "x" amount of units. Also, most best buy stores do not have stock. Maybe 2 or 3 tops.

Bestbuy is just selling the stock they got directly from apple. Imagine best buy being one person who bought 10,000 units and is selling them. That is what is happening.

 

[ZipZap]

My issue was I wanted to use my Barclay no interest card and it only works if you buy from Apple. I can get my Macbook SG tomorrow from Best Buy, but it is a 4-6 wait from Apple and I need it before 4 weeks.

Does anyone know if the expected shipping will change once you order? In other words, will they ship much sooner if they have caught back up on their back orders?

Be sure you can make another purchase at 0%. That is usually only allowed for new accounts.

 

[xPad]

not really. Apple does not have stock, hence the 4-6 week wait.

Correct, but not the point. Apple had more launch window (which we are still in) MacBooks than Best Buy did. Apple just sold through their stock first, for obvious reasons.

Imagine best buy being one person who bought 10,000 units and is selling them. That is what is happening.

Completely irrelevant to the question. Apple isn't selling them in store at all right now, and Best Buy is. Apple could have allocated their launch stock to their stores, like Best Buy did, but chose not to. I explained why this is in my initial post, which is the "obvious reasons" I mentioned above.

Specifically, with Apple's method, there won't be MacBooks sitting in a store that someone in another state would have liked to buy.

 

[ZipZap]

Clearly apple has stock. They are fulfilling orders. My guess is that each organization receives their shipments at the same time. I doubt BB got all they are expecting. They simply got A shipment.

BTW...You don't know how many units Apple has already delivered to customers. I bet its way more than BB sold. You can't go by postings on this site as an indicator of fulfillment.

 

[thadoggfather]

it seems like Best Buy is so backordered with the higher spec'd gold, they aren't accepting new orders at the moment ('add to cart' is greyed out)

 

[newellj]

it seems like Best Buy is so backordered with the higher spec'd gold, they aren't accepting new orders at the moment ('add to cart' is greyed out)

Interesting. There's probably no way to know whether that reflects popularity, or Apple making fewer of those, or just production/delivery timing differences.

 

[PDACPA]

I assume Apple would make more money on the sale if I bought direct from them, but Best Buy can ship it today (and not 4-6 weeks) so they received my order and money.

Just a heads up: I received the email from Best Buy and started the order fairly quickly. In the time I was doing my order, the shipping dates slipped from next day, to 3 days, to a week and now are sometime in May.

 

[animatedude]

because she comes from a retail background of a totally different industry.

She probably thinks ppl will wait for their custom made alligator Burberry check briefcase till christmas...

 

[saifrc]

My issue was I wanted to use my Barclay no interest card and it only works if you buy from Apple. I can get my Macbook SG tomorrow from Best Buy, but it is a 4-6 wait from Apple and I need it before 4 weeks.

Does anyone know if the expected shipping will change once you order? In other words, will they ship much sooner if they have caught back up on their back orders?

I'm in the same boat. I applied for the no interest BarclayCard at checkout, and I'm convinced that the extra minute cost me a couple of weeks of shipping time on my gold 1.2/512 model. But I don't want to waste the opportunity for no interest financing, so I didn't want to attempt to order from Best Buy. now, Best Buy and Apple are both sold out of that model.

My ship date is still early May, and I haven't seen any changes. Has anyone else seen their ship date change from Apple?

 

[NewbieCanada]

Let's face it, it's a huge issue on Apple's part. Clearly Apple Watch has taken manufacturing priority and the MacBook pushed back.

It's not like they're built on the same assembly lines - probably not even in the same facility.

My ship date is still early May, and I haven't seen any changes. Has anyone else seen their ship date change from Apple?

Mine had a May ship date right up till when it shipped. Even when it was "preparing for shipment" it said it was coming in May. My original was "ships in 3-4 weeks." It just landed in Anchorage, Alaska a little while ago, and says it will deliver Monday - which makes little sense.

 

[PDACPA]

@saifrc - I had the Barclay card from a previous purchase with 0 balance and was just going to use Apple/Barclay free financing since I had it, but in the end I took the Amex points and bought it from Best Buy. The short time frame made my delivery date slip, but I will get it Friday (or so Best Buy says).

I need it for Memorial Day and early June vacation. I could not gamble the Apple 4-6 unconfirmed date.

 

[3bs]

It's not like they're built on the same assembly lines - probably not even in the same facility.



Mine had a May ship date right up till when it shipped. Even when it was "preparing for shipment" it said it was coming in May. My original was "ships in 3-4 weeks." It just landed in Anchorage, Alaska a little while ago, and says it will deliver Monday - which makes little sense.

That's somewhat reassuring but we already know Apple is prioritising the US and now Canada for orders so unless we're from there, who knows if we will actually have to wait till mid May or not.