*IF* Apple's new ad campaign is successful, they still have a problem.

[CosmoNut]

Many of us agree that Apple's ad campaign is a good thing. More people will be buying Macs.

My question is, how is Apple's supply chain for the future? We saw the disaster that was the new iMac's rollout. If Apple managed to double market-share, don't we see even worse delays in shipping products, etc.?

But then, maybe I don't know enough about that kind of stuff, but it seems to me that what I learned in grade school still applies: When demand goes up, supply goes down.

[eVo]

Didn't Apple just switch iMac suppliers to alleviate the supply problem? But yeah, EVERY new Apple product seems to have a supply delay for a while after it comes out, and that needs to change.

[low-fi]

Another reason why it takes so long for Apple to get machines to lucky buyers is because any new product from Apple will not have been in production. They have to overcome initial production problems when they should be shipping in volume. Part of this is to do with the secrecy behind Apple, being worried about the new product pics being released if they enter production before being officially released.

low-fi

[ 06-11-2002: Message edited by: low-fi ]</p>

[MacsRGood4U]

eMacs are being delivered on time and the iPod was delievered on time. You make it sound as if EVERY product is delayed. Just not so. The iMac was a dramactically different manufacturing situation in which a vendor couldn't do the job at first. Only current Apple "fans" bitch all the time over everything. Non-Apple potential buyers could care less. When the product is in the stores they look. If they like they buy. And the beat goes on.

[low-fi]

Clarification: I didn't say Apple ship things late. All was pointing to the reasons why there is a long lead time between announcement --&gt; shipping product.

All my stuff from Apple has been bang on time, if not early.

low-ƒi

[There is no g5]

Ideally, you'd want production to be consistent with sales.

But if, for a variety of reasons (mostly due to Apple's insistence on total sececy for surprise announcements and 'must release on Stevenote' philosophy) you cannot, it is better to have production lag behind sales, rather than vice versa.

No one wants a warehouse full of highly depreciating merchandise.

In other words, don't fret.

Jettal