why didn't apple prepare for launch more wisely?

[John Flud]

Carrier Sources Say iPhone 5s Inventory on Friday Will Be "Grotesquely - Ina Fried - Mobile - AllThingsD

I know that apple isn't purposely limiting supplies to score some "they sold out quick" headline because the more they can sell the more money they make, and less unhappy customers mad at apple. It doesn't seem worth losing all that extra money you'd have made or having angry customers just to score the "sold out quick" headline


but I don't know why apple couldn't have either used some of its billions to create more assembly lines to keep up with demand, or if that couldn't be done, why apple didn't hold off on China's release, or whatever so that sufficient stock would be available.

based on this I may well order online if I can. better to wait a week, rather than get stuck in a long line that sales out before I get to the front, only to then try to order online with an 8 week delivery date or something.

and I don't know if I trust places like best buy to reserve my phone. as I'm almost sure I read last year of people who did this finding out that their phones didn't get reserved after all.

I'm no expert for sure but it seems to me that apple isn't executing this very well.

 

[kch50428]

There are/have been articles of this type with every device launch I've payed attention to since the release of the Verizon iPhone4... it's sensationalism. Link bait... whatever you want to call it... trolling for blog hits... they can only make so many devices for a launch, they'll sell through those - then have a back order.... then catch up to supply meeting demand... same stuff, different product launch...

 

[ghostface147]

Well keep in mind that NTT DoCoMo is also selling the iPhone now, as well as Chinese carriers are selling it on launch day as well. That hasn't happened before. Considering those three carriers have almost as many subscribers as all cell phone users in the entire US, shipments are of course going to be constrained. That's not to say that all subscribers will get an iPhone, I'm just saying that more providers means less for the US. Imagine if China Mobile was launching...

 

[John Flud]

thats what I mean though. why didn't apple either stagger the roll out so millions of customers don't line up and wind up empty handed, or plan for this and seriously bump up the number of assembly lines?

maybe there's a good reason. I just don't know what that would be.

kch50428's point about it being link bait may be true but it seems legit to me. apple always sells out quickly so adding all these new folks on day one would make it sell out that much faster.

 

[ame]

They're probably hoping for a bigger sell out and more demand in other places than the US, land of the entitled and impatient, because they know we will still buy and still have demand for it. This launch overseas is a bigger deal than a launch in the US.

 

[John Flud]

They're probably hoping for a bigger sell out and more demand in other places than the US, land of the entitled and impatient, because they know we will still buy and still have demand for it. This launch overseas is a bigger deal than a launch in the US.

I'm not sure if its fair to call America the land of the entitled at least in reference to what I'm referring to. maybe in other countries people don't mind waiting 12 hours in line only to go home empty handed, wasting a sick day and their time off work for naught, but I don't see that as entitled. having to wait is one thing. wasting our entire day is a whole other ballgame.

aside from what I've already mentioned apple could easily solve this like they already have in china. sell the phones by reservations only, at least until supplies are less strained. that way I could know my phone will be ready in say two weeks, and I go on that day guaranteed to get one. that may suck a little, but its no big deal, and certainly beats waiting in a line for hours for nothing.

most people I think can deal with waiting. I doubt most people will handle it well if they stand in line for hours and hours only to be told the wasted their time.

thats my two cents, spend it if you like. LOL

I'm most likely placing my order online. That way I can avoid the wasting a day in line for nothing.

 

[Just_Me_D]

I'm not sure if its fair to call America the land of the entitled at least in reference to what I'm referring to. maybe in other countries people don't mind waiting 12 hours in line only to go home empty handed, wasting a sick day and their time off work for naught, but I don't see that as entitled. having to wait is one thing. wasting our entire day is a whole other ballgame.

Doing what you mentioned above is a "choice". People do the same thing for sports ticket and concerts and even on Black Friday. That is the price you pay for wanting to be among the first. You can always order online and not waste a day of work, school or whatever.

aside from what I've already mentioned apple could easily solve this like they already have in china. sell the phones by reservations only, at least until supplies are less strained. that way I could know my phone will be ready in say two weeks, and I go on that day guaranteed to get one. that may suck a little, but its no big deal, and certainly beats waiting in a line for hours for nothing.

The same thing would occur. People will get ticked because the phone lines are jammed or they keep getting a busy signal and then people will say that Apple should have hired more phone associates.

most people I think can deal with waiting. I doubt most people will handle it well if they stand in line for hours and hours only to be told the wasted their time.

thats my two cents, spend it if you like. LOL

Then again, people are fully aware of the risks when they opt to stand in line. They see it on the news with each iPhone launch, and many of them simply want to experience it or try to get on TV.

I'm most likely placing my order online. That way I can avoid the wasting a day in line for nothing.

now that's a wise decision, in my opinion.

 

[Eileen89]

You can always order online and not waste a day of work, school or whatever.

This is what I'll be doing. Even though I have off, I don't feel like standing around in a long line with the possibility that I won't get the5S I want that day anyway.

 

[ame]

I'm not sure if its fair to call America the land of the entitled at least in reference to what I'm referring to. maybe in other countries people don't mind waiting 12 hours in line only to go home empty handed, wasting a sick day and their time off work for naught, but I don't see that as entitled. having to wait is one thing. wasting our entire day is a whole other ballgame.

aside from what I've already mentioned apple could easily solve this like they already have in china. sell the phones by reservations only, at least until supplies are less strained. that way I could know my phone will be ready in say two weeks, and I go on that day guaranteed to get one. that may suck a little, but its no big deal, and certainly beats waiting in a line for hours for nothing.

most people I think can deal with waiting. I doubt most people will handle it well if they stand in line for hours and hours only to be told the wasted their time.

thats my two cents, spend it if you like. LOL

I'm most likely placing my order online. That way I can avoid the wasting a day in line for nothing.

I think you made my point for me.

 

[John Flud]

what point would that be? that by not wanting to waste my time, I'm an "entitled" american?

if thats true, let me just add it to my list of reasons I'm glad I was born here. LOL Where we have the right to gripe about long lines! america baby! LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1GEpg0c1fw

 

[jkel777]

How fast do you guys think orders will sell out online on the Apple website?

 

[Eileen89]

How fast do you guys think orders will sell out online?

If this year is anything like the last few launches, it could sell out and slip to 2 week shipping within a matter of a few hours. Hard to tell just yet but this is what I think will occur again this year.

 

[kch50428]

How fast do you guys think orders will sell out online on the Apple website?

It won't take long for ship date confirmations to start getting past a week... a matter of single digit hours most likely...

 

[John Flud]

my advice is to be online when the web store opens and order right away.

and even if you have to wait a couple weeks it kinda sucks when you're excited about it but at least you know what day you're getting it and don't have to spend hours in line for naught. The only way I'm standing in a line is if I am sure I can get one that day.

 

[Eileen89]

The only way I'm standing in a line is if I am sure I can get one that day.

I'm with you on this John.

 

[jkel777]

If this year is anything like the last few launches, it could sell out and slip to 2 week shipping within a matter of a few hours. Hard to tell just yet but this is what I think will occur again this year.

It won't take long for ship date confirmations to start getting past a week... a matter of single digit hours most likely...

Thanks for the responses guys. I was just checking that they wouldn't "sell out" in a matter of minutes lol. Glad to hear it could be hours. I plan on getting it right at midnight so it sounds hopeful that I should be able to snag one.

I was wondering because some clothing releases I've picked up at the second of online release sell out in literally a minute or less. Now, obviously this is Apple and they have a much greater quantity of phones than clothing companies do of clothes, but the issue of supply restraints concerned me.

 

[John Flud]

One thing about waiting in line is that (assuming but they do it the same way as the past couple of years) is that about an hour or so before opening, store employees will come around with cards with carrier, size, color on them. One card per phone in stock. So if they get to you and don't have what you want, you can get out of line and not have to wait to get to the front of the line to find out the stock status. Of course, you may have been in line for a few hours at that point, but at least it wouldn't be all day.

thats workable for me. maybe I show up at 6:30 AM, and then by 7:30 I know if I should stay put or leave. waiting an hour or two is no biggy.
the only question then would be how far out shipping dates would be if I then pulled out my phone and placed an order online because what I wanted wasn't in stock in store.

how quickly do the 64 gig models sell out?

 

[John Flud]

if you are in luck do they give you the card? (so that people don't cut in line and then you lose out?)

 

[Eileen89]

thats workable for me. maybe I show up at 6:30 AM, and then by 7:30 I know if I should stay put or leave. waiting an hour or two is no biggy.
the only question then would be how far out shipping dates would be if I then pulled out my phone and placed an order online because what I wanted wasn't in stock in store.

how quickly do the 64 gig models sell out?

Check with your local carrier on this too. While Apple was sold out of the 64GB iPhone 4's on release day, I was able to pick one up in my local AT&T store after work that day.

 

[anon(4698833)]

I think it's hilarious that we get a handful of new members every year that post almost the same, identical thread (like this) because they've never experienced an iPhone release before (and get caught up in the panic hype before hand).

Breath little one...there will be iPhone's for all that want them. Just because you might not get one conveniently on day one doesn't mean the world will some how end. This happens EVERY...SINGLE...YEAR.