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foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
Hey y'all.. so a friend is traveling to Miami in two weeks, and I was hoping she could buy me the new iPhone 13 Pro in 256 GB since my iphone 7 is about to die. But I'm afraid that she will return with empty hands since the stock availability has been affected a lot recently. Is that shortage limited to online purchases only or is it generalized to physical purchases too? Because I never expected her to buy the phone online, our plan was that she'd walk in any Apple Store and purchase the phone at the moment. However, I'm not sure if that will be possible since every time I check on Apple page for "pick-up purchases" it says that those units aren't available at any nearby store. Does any of you know if this works this way? That, as long as in the apple page shows that no iphone is available for pick up in a certain location that also means that if you go to that store without agenda the employees are also going to tell you that they don't have any unit available for sale. If so, when do you expect this situation to be normalized? And do you advice me to buy the phone online for pick up as soon as I see it available on the site, or can i be sure to risk myself and tell my friend that she can found the phone whatever day she decides to pass by? She will be returning on November 8th, if that helps.
 

BugeyeSTI

macrumors 604
Aug 19, 2017
6,805
8,664
Arizona/Illinois
Keep checking online and jump on one when it's available. Then schedule in-store pickup. If you check every morning around 9-10 am usually you can find a few although might not be color or capacity you want
 

foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
Keep checking online and jump on one when it's available. Then schedule in-store pickup. If you check every morning around 9-10 am usually you can find a few although might not be color or capacity you want
Yeah, but my problem is that whenever I want to buy it online and pick it at a certain store, it asks me for my phone number, an American phone number, which I obviously don't have since I don't live in that country :( That's why I wanted her to walk into a store and buy it, but since the stock is so limited I'm afraid that is not an option
 

sjperformance

macrumors 68000
Oct 7, 2013
1,994
2,146
Miami 305
I live in Miami. Tell her good luck and count her blessings. iPhone 13’s sold across the board at all South Florida area Apple stores. A lot of tourist and locals snatching them up quick. Good luck. It’s always like that in Miami with all iPhone releases.
 

ddavid

macrumors 6502
Jan 4, 2008
265
51
November 8th is a long time in Apple supply terms. They normally would have demand settled down a bit by then and supply catching up. Unfortunately, our US economy is doing so well that shelves are bare right now and we don’t have enough people working to fill them back up, so I dunno if Apple has thought ahead on this or not. The phones come from China and cargo is backing up right now.

Still, Apple has found ways in the past to overcome high demand issues, so hopefully they have resources others don’t?
 

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
12,442
22,999
There's a global shortage of electronic components so the iPhone 13 Pro is low on stock everywhere.

But if your friend arrives early at the Apple Store, there should be stock to choose from. The stores get restocked daily and have priority over online orders.
 

sjperformance

macrumors 68000
Oct 7, 2013
1,994
2,146
Miami 305
Miami is a different animal too. Add international tourist from over seas and Latin America who are also walking into an Apple store trying to secure an iPhone 13. Miami is the gateway of the americas. Tell your friend to try her best at the dadeland or the falls store in Miami. Miami Beach/Brickell/Aventura are the stores with the major tourist traffic.
 
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foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
There's a global shortage of electronic components so the iPhone 13 Pro is low on stock everywhere.

But if your friend arrives early at the Apple Store, there should be stock to choose from. The stores get restocked daily and have priority over online orders.
How early? I’m seeing almost all apple stores open at 10 am, but I’m pretty sure there’s a big line at that time, so she should be in line 30 minutes or 1 hour before the store opens? Thank you
 

foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
November 8th is a long time in Apple supply terms. They normally would have demand settled down a bit by then and supply catching up. Unfortunately, our US economy is doing so well that shelves are bare right now and we don’t have enough people working to fill them back up, so I dunno if Apple has thought ahead on this or not. The phones come from China and cargo is backing up right now.

Still, Apple has found ways in the past to overcome high demand issues, so hopefully they have resources others don’t?
I hope so. This is my chance of getting a phone that in my country costs 1700 dollars
 

foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
Miami is a different animal too. Add international tourist from over seas and Latin America who are also walking into an Apple store trying to secure an iPhone 13. Miami is the gateway of the americas. Tell your friend to try her best at the dadeland or the falls store in Miami. Miami Beach/Brickell/Aventura are the stores with the major tourist traffic.
What about the Lincoln road Apple store? My friend was planning to go there on the weekend, earlier as possible. But I dunno if she’ll find any unit left since I’ve heard the Lincoln store is super visited.
 

foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
How early? I’m seeing almost all apple stores open at 10 am, but I’m pretty sure there’s a big line at that time, so she should be in line 30 minutes or 1 hour before the store opens? Thank you
Another question: what day of the week would you say that is more likely to find stock? My friend was hoping to go to the Apple store either or Saturday or Sunday.
 

foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
November 8th is a long time in Apple supply terms. They normally would have demand settled down a bit by then and supply catching up. Unfortunately, our US economy is doing so well that shelves are bare right now and we don’t have enough people working to fill them back up, so I dunno if Apple has thought ahead on this or not. The phones come from China and cargo is backing up right now.

Still, Apple has found ways in the past to overcome high demand issues, so hopefully they have resources others don’t?
I was hoping that by then the supply would have settled down, however every time I check the Apple webpage, the delays for the pro and pro max seem to be bigger than before, unlike with the iPhone mini and 13 that are almost always available and the shipping takes one or two weeks, and the 13 pro takes from three weeks to a month to ship to your address
 

sjperformance

macrumors 68000
Oct 7, 2013
1,994
2,146
Miami 305
What about the Lincoln road Apple store? My friend was planning to go there on the weekend, earlier as possible. But I dunno if she’ll find any unit left since I’ve heard the Lincoln store is super visited.

This is the most visited Apple store by tourist. It’s in Miami Beach.
 

Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
Honestly online stock for in-store pick up and physical inventory appears to be the same. Just 2 days ago, I placed an online for in-store pick up, but nothings going through and is stuck in processing. I then go to that store and sure enough their system shows that it's unavailable. I pretty much cancelled the online order for pick up and sure enough on their system it shows that there is 1 available for that one that I ordered that got stuck and was able to snag it. So I don't necessarily believe that they are two different inventories, just one inventory. But launch day might be slightly different. But after a while it's the same.

So even if you or her sees it online, you gotta act fast.
 

Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
I highly doubt that the walk in inventory and the apple.com showing in-store pick up is different inventory (maybe on launch day to allow walk in's). as I posted on your other thread. 2 days ago, I place an order for in-store pick up and there was only 1 unit left showing on apple.com and once I placed the order, the availability became unavailable. So my order got stuck in processing and feared that apple would cancel. It's been known that sometimes Apple just cancels your order.

Anyways I go walk to that store (I live right across from the Apple Store). Their system shows that nothings is available. So I did a risky thing and cancelled the online order that was stuck. I asked them to check again and sure enough that one I ordered that I cancelled did appear available in their system. I was still able to get it. So it shows that at some point the inventory for walk in and that appears on apple.com will be the same.
 
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foreignuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2021
24
6
I highly doubt that the walk in inventory and the apple.com showing in-store pick up is different inventory (maybe on launch day to allow walk in's). as I posted on your other thread. 2 days ago, I place an order for in-store pick up and there was only 1 unit left showing on apple.com and once I placed the order, the availability became unavailable. So my order got stuck in processing and feared that apple would cancel. It's been known that sometimes Apple just cancels your order.

Anyways I go walk to that store (I live right across from the Apple Store). Their system shows that nothings is available. So I did a risky thing and cancelled the online order that was stuck. I asked them to check again and sure enough that one I ordered that I cancelled did appear available in their system. I was still able to get it. So it shows that at some point the inventory for walk in and that appears on apple.com will be the same.
Thank you for telling me your experience. I wasn't 100% sure of it since someone here said that some apple employees buy those available units instantly so they have units for sale when the customers arrive the next day. So i thought that they were prioritizing the walk in purchases.
 

SpecMode

macrumors 6502
Jun 27, 2007
335
620
NorCal
Yep, component shortages are having massive, widespread effects across the tech industry; this just happens to be the first major Apple product to be affected (and it is not the only one by far), and I would not expect the situation to improve anytime soon — the impacts to the rest of the industry have been getting steadily worse over the last few months, and Apple is not likely to be spared from those impacts.
 
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dstew201

macrumors 6502a
Jan 6, 2016
998
957
Depends…. I went into an apple store to replace a 1tb SB phone , thinking I would have to wait for the replacement and they had a 512gb available.. which did not show on the website.
 

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2015
2,341
3,144
UK
My local store gets the Pro's in 1tb configuration regularly but not lower storage tiers - pricing customers up who cannot wait?
 
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Shadowbech

macrumors G3
Oct 18, 2011
9,038
5,894
My local store gets the Pro's in 1tb configuration regularly - pricing customers up who cannot wait?
Seems like Apple likes to stock up the 256 GB and 1 TB at the apple store near me but in Pro max. I haven't seen any of the Pro's stocking up in my local apple store. Just the Pro max's. Not sure why that is.
 

Cardsfan85

macrumors newbie
Sep 22, 2012
25
2
One thing that may be helpful for you to know is that in the U.S. there are other retailers that also sell the iPhone and have in store purchase options. Best Buy, Walmart, and Target all sell iPhones. One of the Best Buy stores in my area of the country (not Florida) recently showed as having the 13 Pro available for pickup on their website.
 
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