Anyone else frustrated with Apple's inability to meet demands?

[Fausty82]

I am saying this because they have been in business for such a long time yet they keep failing in terms of anticipating demands and logistically to meet the needs of consumer. I will wait since my 3GS is okay but to have to keep refreshing availability for a gold 5s is getting silly.

I am wondering what the hell is apple doing to alleviate the huge lag in supplying the loyal consumers? No discount. No apologies. So far I only see a continued lag of supply every year.

Discount? Seriously? For a lag in supply?

Econ 101:

Very Low Supply + Very High Demand = High Price and Low Availability (Apple iPhone 5S Gold)

Low Supply + High Demand = High Price (Apple iPhone 5S)

High Supply + Low Demand = Low Price (Android/Windows/BlackBerry)

 

[km12345]

Econ 101:

Very Low Supply + Very High Demand = High Price and Low Availability (Apple iPhone 5S Gold)

Low Supply + High Demand = High Price (Apple iPhone 5S)

High Supply + Low Demand = Low Price (Android/Windows/BlackBerry)

I am half joking about expecting anything for the lag in the supply. Yes I realize the whole supply and demand thing are in effect. One would expect next year to be even worse. Maybe it will take 2 to 3 months to get anything. good work apple!


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[Fausty82]

+1 to a lot of what has been said here.

Be patient. If you absolutely needed to have it, you should have been in line at an Apple Store like everyone else.

Need is such a strong word.

 

[kataran]

First the Gold didn't show a lot of interest at first and Apple doubled down on there selection this year and there still making the 4s so I say it's normal delay

I was surprised they ran out but then again quality is formost so take your time


Sent from my iPhone 5

 

[Larry Pager]

All I want is a gray 32 and I'm still waiting. Everyone else is already talking about how great they are......

Same here.

I'm in no rush- as soon as that iPhone tracker webpage lights up green, I'm gonna go to the mall.

The conspiracy theorist side of me thinks this was intentionally done to shut up the media saying that the iPhone was dead. Put out a limited supply initially, make the masses go crazy, let the media suck on that, give October or even December ship dates, and then open the floodgates to the supply. I think supply will open up either this week or next week and after that nobody will have a problem getting one.

 

[EauRouge]

Only releasing X amount of phones per year will always ensure that you sell out the first weekend. Just sayin

 

[AMosha]

I have been contemplating on getting a 5 and preserve my upgrade for iPhone 6.

If you can get your hands on a 5 or a 5c, it's not a bad idea. I've always purchased on every design change. Missing out on the 5 last year, I purchased one outright this year and I'm saving for the 6. The 5 is still a fantastic device. Best thing to do is to head into the store and use the 5c and compare it to the 5s, but I can't imagine that the wait will be outrageous.

 

[Sekelani Zwambila]

Waiting is a pain, but it will be worth it.


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[km12345]

I can't imagine that the wait will be outrageous.

Apparently the wait means it is a good thing. The longer the wait the better, right? Hehe

Yeah if I give up on the 5s, i will just get a 5. 5c is a waste of an upgrade.


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[Fausty82]

Same here.

I'm in no rush- as soon as that iPhone tracker webpage lights up green, I'm gonna go to the mall.

The conspiracy theorist side of me thinks this was intentionally done to shut up the media saying that the iPhone was dead. Put out a limited supply initially, make the masses go crazy, let the media suck on that, give October or even December ship dates, and then open the floodgates to the supply. I think supply will open up either this week or next week and after that nobody will have a problem getting one.

The "feeding frenzy" occurs with every new iPhone release... and for those that think this was contrived or manipulated shortage, think again. Apple sold 9 MILLION of them in the first weekend.

 

[joshrocker]

I'm guessing everyone saying it's no big deal was lucky enough to snag a their phone already

My biggest frustration is apple keeps adding new carriers when they can't supply the carriers they already have. If you can't produce enough phones to meet demand how do you keep coming up with phones to supply these new carriers? Either they're sold out or they're not. Apparently they're not really "sold out".

 

[km12345]

I'm guessing everyone saying it's no big deal was lucky enough to snag a their phone already

My biggest frustration is apple keeps adding new carriers when they can't supply the carriers they already have. If you can't produce enough phones to meet demand how do you keep coming up with phones to supply these new carriers? Either they're sold out or they're not. Apparently they're not really "sold out".

Thumbs up!
I like apple products but there are something's they need to fix.

 

[anon(4698833)]

Your title makes me laugh...Apple's "inability"? You're joking right? There are so many reasons why the iPhone is supplied the way it is...but one of the most obvious is the hype surrounding a "sell out". Ever been to a big sporting event? Not like your average baseball or football game, but a playoff game, primetime game or the like...they sell out, and they sell out QUICKLY. You know why they sell out that quickly? Because of hype. People know what games are popular, people know what games are big time...and even if they don't like the time particularly, the tickets sell out quicker than the networks can sell them off.

Hype.

Now don't get me wrong, the iPhone is, in my opinion, the best smart phone out there...it's an incredible device. The thing is though, things that are amazing don't always sell out just because they are great products...you can easily walk in a store and buy a Galaxy S or Note when they are released (or at least a few days afterwards), it doesn't mean they arnt really great products, it just means they don't have the same kind of following, the same kind of hype and the same kind of release magnitude.

 

[jmr1015]

I'm guessing everyone saying it's no big deal was lucky enough to snag a their phone already

My biggest frustration is apple keeps adding new carriers when they can't supply the carriers they already have. If you can't produce enough phones to meet demand how do you keep coming up with phones to supply these new carriers? Either they're sold out or they're not. Apparently they're not really "sold out".

Look at it this way: You're Apple, selling the iPhone. You have retailers, like Best Buy and Radio Shack, and you have carriers, both moving mountains of inventory... you also have your own retail stores. Moving mountains of inventory. Then, you have individual consumers, ordering through your website. You don't have enough inventory to cover all your bases. Who gets shorted? The big dogs moving millions of dollars of product? When their bottom line (and satisfaction) is dependent on your ability to supply? Because if they don't have it, their customers will go somewhere else. Or maybe your own retail stores? Or would you pick the lesser of all evils, and short the little individual purchasers buying one phone each and wanting them delivered straight to their doorstep?

It's business. Contracts with retail businesses and carriers are worth millions upon millions of dollars over many years. They aren't the sort of people you leave high and dry if you don't absolutely have to... and Apple Stores get shipments daily.

Short answer: The phones are out there. They are in high demand. People are going to great lengths and paying over retail to acquire them. Their money is no different than your money. If the phone isn't coming to you, go find one. If you won't, someone else will.

I spent probably 17 hours spread over two days on my lap top, repeatedly searching and refreshing the inventory page of any Apple store in a 100 mile radius... and when one popped up as "Available Today for in-store pickup" and it was in the size I wanted, I clicked "Buy" and drove to get it. Didn't care how far. Luckily it happened to be only 30 miles, but I would have gone farther if necessary.

 

[Fausty82]

I am saying this because they have been in business for such a long time yet they keep failing in terms of anticipating demands and logistically to meet the needs of consumer. I will wait since my 3GS is okay but to have to keep refreshing availability for a gold 5s is getting silly.

I am wondering what the hell is apple doing to alleviate the huge lag in supplying the loyal consumers? No discount. No apologies. So far I only see a continued lag of supply every year.

Feel free to vent!

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I got your "vent" right here...

This is true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ~ George Bernard Shaw

 

[km12345]

Jmr may I know what color you got or hope for?

Hype I do agree but to me Apple does not need hype to sell out. It's relevant but unnecessary.

I m curious though, how many 5s do they produce a day? When all said n done how many i5 did they sell vs this yr with 5s?

 

[anon(4698833)]

Thumbs up!
I like apple products but there are something's they need to fix.

What do they need to "fix"? Saying this implies that there is something wrong...and from Apple's stand point, there isn't anything wrong, in fact, quite the opposite.

Truthfully, the only thing that seems to need a "fix" here is the fact that you have yet to do what it takes to actually get your hands on the iPhone you want. I've been able to snag TWO gold iPhone 5S's since release date. Both of which were obtained through walk in sales...the first at Best Buy, the second at one of my local Apple Stores itself. Dumb luck? Maybe, but even still, each of those times I could have easily left with bags full of the other colors if I wanted them. The devices are out there, YOU are not doing everything you can to get one...and yet, Apple has the problem...that's what you're trying to tell us, huh? LOL! Comedy at it's best.

Also, who said anything about Apple NEEDING the hype? Of course they don't need it, but it's part of the very VAST and successful formula that every iPhone since inception has experienced. Why change what works so ridiculously well? You're implying that one of the things that helps sell the iPhone even better be changed? LOL...Apple is sure thankful you're just a consumer and not in their business development department.

 

[km12345]

I got your "vent" right here...

This is true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. ~ George Bernard Shaw

Haha It's not just me. Even if I was lucky enough to get a gold 5s, I would still see apple failing to meet supply. Sure there are lots of great reasons why, but unfortunately it's still the same thing. Yeah I vented and I only made it for others to have a lil venting fun with me. I don't expect Apple to make any changes. Maybe they do need hype to stay afloat. No one knows for sure.

 

[km12345]

Seanhcc where are u at n u should be happy for being lucky. I've tried for a week but will keep at it. I supposed I could camp at an apple store for 2 weeks straight. Hehe.

I've check out RadioShack, target, best buy, and Walmart. Call multiple times daily n on a list. No luck yet. Most them say they have not even seen a gold one. Maybe the sales ppl r smart n buy it n resell in eBay. Who knows?

 

[Stefano_B]

Not sure if anyone has seen this link for checking apple's store current supply. I've used it to check on my 5s and it worked perfectly. Once I showed up at the store and told them they had one in stock, they were surprised lol. Check it out, it worked for me.

http://iphone-check.herokuapp.com


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