Availability frustration: What gives?

[jponte55]

I've been trying buy buy an iPhone for weeks now and am getting tired of calling the local stores and being told "we don't have any" and "we don't know when they are coming in" every time I call. I was just told by one saleswoman that "even if" she knew when they were coming in they were "prohibited by law" from divulging the information.
This is a terrible way to sell a product and foster customer loyalty. They obviously know where these phones are in the system. (I can track an order I place with Amazon.com from warehouse to my front porch and S Jobs Inc. is more sophisticated than that.)
This is making me want to just forget about the iPhone and go out and buy a Droid or some other smartphone.
If they tell me they have a shipment coming in tomorrow (or next week) I'd be happy. But when they say they have no idea when they are getting in a new batch it makes me think that they are either a)incompetent or b)deceptive.
Calling the store every day to be given the same rote answer of Apple ignorance is not fostering a sense of Apple loyalty in this long-time Mac enthusiast.

Check Radio Shack. I live around Boston and they have had them in stock for a few weeks now. They gave me $420 for me and my wifes 3GS too. Free upgrade!

 

[big9erfan]

My favorite part about this post is the OP hasn't returned to reply. Troll mayhaps?

 

[JustinSaneV2]

I ordered 2 32GB from an AT&T store on Friday (8/6) and they are ready for pickup today (3 business days later).

 

[lush242000]

My favorite part about this post is the OP hasn't returned to reply. Troll mayhaps?

Could be. I was frustrated trying to find one as well, but I keep calling stores, and bamm...."yep, we have 5 in stock". done. Just don't give up.

 

[LCW]

My guess is just walk into a store... they probably tell all phone inquiries the same thing - we don't have any, since they don't want to bother holding it for anyone... Best bet. Start going in person.

 

[noaim]

why not just order it?

 

[greenapple]

three weeks quite a while to wait

a coworker of mine made a reservation and when she didn't receive an email confirmation a few days later she went back to check and the apple rep apologized and said that she can purchase it for her and her bf there and then. my coworker was surprised and asked you have iphones available? the rep goes, "well technically we're not suppose to 'have' them but since we messed up on our part.."

 

[jhamilton3]

I passed on ordering because I didn't want to wait weeks. Started trying Walmart's early ever morning and found two 16GBs 2 days later.

 

[basketball45231]

I live in Seattle. Went to the ATT store on Sunday, they were out and ordered me one. Its coming today (Tuesday). They told me to expect a 3 week wait.

 

[cnc7]

Mine came in 4 days. It was very simple, UPS tracking said it came out of Texas and Emailed me when it hit the store

 

[thinblueline]

I walked in to my local ATT store to place an order. The sales rep asked me if I had a credit card. I said I only have a debit card or cash. He said they don't use debit cards for orders. So they want to penalize me for using cash or debit??

 

[jumpman2033]

I walked in to my local ATT store to place an order. The sales rep asked me if I had a credit card. I said I only have a debit card or cash. He said they don't use debit cards for orders. So they want to penalize me for using cash or debit??

Most debit cards (if not all) can be used as credit cards.

 

[touchyphone]

I walked in to my local ATT store to place an order. The sales rep asked me if I had a credit card. I said I only have a debit card or cash. He said they don't use debit cards for orders. So they want to penalize me for using cash or debit??

WOW, you and the sales guy, not the sharpest tools huh?? Ummm debit cards can be used as CC's. /post

 

[stkywik]

WOW, you and the sales guy, not the sharpest tools huh?? Ummm debit cards can be used as CC's. /post

Correct. I use my debit card in the Apple store all the time.

As far as the OP is concerned, I think he may have been overstating his level of effort in finding an iP4. there is no way he was checking with the store daily for weeks and was still striking out.