Apple re-working iPad 2 inventory shipments strategy
Apple is apparently trying to slow down the iPad 2 madness. A new report from AppleInsider claims that the company has instituted a new policy with iPad 2 shipments, requiring stores to keep received iPad 2 units in store for up to a day before actually releasing them for sale. That actually makes plenty of sense -- just pushing them out for sale as they arrive could really mess up inventory, and this policy gives the store managers enough time to make sure shipments are received and logged-in before they start going out the door to customers.
Of course, this means that customers may be lied to when they come in the store asking for iPad 2s. Employees may be telling those asking that shipments came in the same day, when they likely were received a day before (and, of course, you could be told the store doesn't have any product when it actually does in the back room). But this seems reasonable -- the report says it's "utter havoc" when iPads are going out as fast as they're coming in, and I believe it.
It's worth noting that Apple hasn't made any official statements on this one, but it's unlikely that it would share information on an internal policy like this anyway. If you're still hunting an iPad 2 at your local Apple Store and are told they're "expecting a shipment tomorrow morning," you might want to show up nice and early the next day.
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Apple is apparently trying to slow down the iPad 2 madness. A new report from AppleInsider claims that the company has instituted a...
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People are stupid u know apple has everyone of the SN on record and have u ever heard of find my iPhone and iPad as soon as they plug them in to iTunes the police will be at there front door be for its done syncing
March 18 2011 at 6:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyOr not. All you have to do is turn off wifi etc and the device is invisible to 'Find My'. Delete the email address off it manually or plug it into iTunes and it's gone for good.
The only time it might be an issue is if you took it in for service. but come on, if you know you have a stolen item and you do that, then you deserve to get caught for being a moron.
They do it like that so they don't have hundreds of people hanging out in the store waiting for fedex guy to get there if the store is packed with people sholder to sholder how are they going to sell anything else
March 18 2011 at 6:20 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHere's what the apple stores in pittsburgh are doing. They hold anything that comes in during the day until the next morning for sale at 9am. If you call before they close (8:30ish) they will usually be able to tell you if any product will be available in the morning. It's how i got mine yesterday. Seems reasonable and gives everyone the same chance since you know the time they will be available as opposed to being a lucky schmuck hanging out in the store when UPS comes in the middle of the day.
March 17 2011 at 12:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIn the real world we have this concept called capacity planning, the key word being "planning". all the big companies do it. It's the professional thing to do. Apple's management should give it a try sometime.
March 17 2011 at 9:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIn the real world there is also a thing called not shooting off your mouth unless you have facts to back it up.
March 20 2011 at 3:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyOr, they could ... I dunno ... just make 'em faster.
March 17 2011 at 4:06 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyReally, lying. That is not lying as it is just stating they do not have any to sell. As any retailer there are certain SOP's. I think the term lying is not appropriate in this post.
March 17 2011 at 2:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI think it was done this way back when the iPhone 3G was released. Whatever they received on a particular day was put on sale at the beginning of the next.
As far as the inventory issue, I work at a big retailer, and we are able to sell stuff as soon as it is checked in. The counts may not update in our system immediately, but the system tracks the number received and the number sold, so it all equals out.
You know, this really irks me a little. I stood in line for 6 hours on Friday, only to have them sell out to the 7th person ahead of me. Then, they told me to come back monday, so I did. They of course said, come back tuesday... I did.. Didn't have them. Told me to come back Wed (today) - I did. Sold out to the guy right in front of me. There was only 6 of us in line. Told me to try again tomorrow on Thursday.
I am debating whether or not to even waste my time and gas. It takes me a half hour to get there. I leave at 7 am, make my way through rush hour traffic. Stand at the doors until they open and get screwed 4 times in a row. I even went to best buy and stood in line there on Friday. They sold out as well.
I really dislike being lied to when they have stock in the back. If they payed attention they'd see I've been there nearly every morning they have opened since the damn thing has launched.
I hardly think they are purposely holding stock back. The job of the Apple store is to make money by selling product so when its available they sell it to the next person in line. You were there early, but like you said just not the first one in line so didn't get one. It's pretty simple. At this point stores who get them in stock probably get a dozen or less per day- if they et any at all. Stock arrives every day to Apple Stores and they usually don't know what they will get until it arrives. You are free to take your chances but if they don't have it in stock, they can't sell you one. The iPad 2 is a popular product and thousands and thousands of people want one.
It must be frustrating to see the last one sold right in front of you but you either have to be the first person in line when they have them available or just wait a month or so. There will be plenty to go around soon enough I'm sure!
Hi, I got a question, I live outside the US and I have uncle who will be there until the 20th of April, my question is, is better to buy the iPad online and wait the 4-5 weeks, or wait until 19th of april and look for one in the physical stores?
Thanks and please help me!
You can always order it online and if the delivery date gets pushed to far back, I believe you can cancel the order and try your luck in a physical store (up til the point it physically gets shipped to your door it should be no problem).
T.
PS: Nothing in this post should be construed as legal advise. Check with an Apple representative to make sure that this is correct.
or they could admit it was a gigantic managerial mistake to not offer pre-orders... everything went far smoother during the release of the 1st generation ipads.
March 16 2011 at 8:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyAccording to my sources that is a potential nightmare which is why they didn't do it. There will always be tons of folks that don't want to wait for a shipment even if it is supposed to be day of launch. too many preorders and they don't have stock for the stores. they cut off pre orders and folks get on the blogs bitching about delays etc (ya know, just like now).
Same issues with reservations. For every one there's someone that didn't. But then they have to either turn those folks away, which can be nasty with cussing etc or set aside a portion to keep those folks happy. but they rarely get the right amount or it leaks out that they are doing that and folks that did reserve are pissed that they had to wait an extra 3 days but some jerk that just walked in got 'their' ipad. Or folks don't show up and it could have been sold already. Or they don't show up but then claim they never got the email and demand to be sold one right away or be put at the top of the list etc.
Inventory alert pages have also been tried but that was another nightmare. There was no way to promise that anything would still be there and there were tons of complaints. Especially about the fact that it wasn't real time updated and didn't include numbers of units (a security issue cause it would show which was the best store to try to go rob etc)
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TUAW (or The Unofficial Apple Weblog) is a website devoted to tips, reviews, news, analysis and opinion on everything Apple.
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