Apple opens iPad mini reservations for next-day in-store pickup

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
With Apple's initial batch of iPad minis sold out online as well as brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, the company has initiated online reservations for the new tablet that allows interested customers to purchase a unit online for next-day in-store pickup.

iPad mini Reservation


Instead of having to wait the two-week delivery time Apple is currently quoting, those interested in buying the 7.9-inch tablet now have the chance to reserve one through the Online Apple Store each night starting at 10 p.m. The reservation system, aimed at customers looking to be one of the first iPad mini owners, has been used before with other major Apple launches.

The service is perhaps the best way to guarantee a unit as Apple Stores around the country are taking delivery of only a limited number of units each day as they trickle in from Chinese manufacturing plants.

It is unclear how many units are allotted to online reservations, and stock at each Apple Store undoubtedly fluctuates, however interested consumers can visit the Online Apple Store to check availability starting at 10 p.m. local time.

To use the system, customers need to go through the steps of placing an online order, but choose the "Pick up" option at checkout instead of "Ship." Inventory is updated nightly.

The reservation service is akin to Apple's pre-order system it employed in China, most recently for the iPad 3, where customers were able to reserve a unit within an allotted time period and subsequently given a specific time to pick up their device the next day.

With all preorder and launch day units sold out, one analyst believes Apple will have shipped 850,000 iPad mini units in its first week of availability.

Apple unveiled the mid-size iPad at a special event in October, with preorders for the device selling out within hours. The tablet officially hit stores on Friday in 34 countries as part of Apple's largest product rollout ever.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    How many units are allotted to online personal pickup?

    Th many does the store have. Unlike unpaid reservations, these are sales. The store isn't going to hold back to maybe get a sale from a walkin if there's someone online itchy to punch in that credit card. For this, the iPhone or anything else.
  • Reply 2 of 32


    I don't believe the analyst-driven anti-Apple hype when it comes to the mini, but I wonder how the lines will look once the LTE-enabled minis hit the stores? I'm guessing there may be more demand for the wireless-enabled models. I'd love to have one mainly for use as a GPS in my car.

  • Reply 3 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    I don't believe the analyst-driven anti-Apple hype when it comes to the mini, but I wonder how the lines will look once the LTE-enabled minis hit the stores? I'm guessing there may be more demand for the wireless-enabled models. I'd love to have one mainly for use as a GPS in my car.

    Going in-dash? I expect to see a decent market for this.
  • Reply 4 of 32


    Went down to look at it and came away unimpressed. Compared to my iPad 3 the screen was quite a step down but otherwise just a smaller iPad. Would like to see some new ideas from Apple.

  • Reply 5 of 32


    These are sold out everywhere I go. I didn't expect it to be completely sold out as there is a lot of negative news on it, but good for Apple. I just wanted to see it and hold it in hand, but even my local Best Buy didn't have any display units despite a having the product info sheets outs. I wonder if they'll be able to hold any inventory before Christmas is past

  • Reply 6 of 32
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member


    But I thought we were told that nobody was buying these, etc. 

  • Reply 7 of 32
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OriginalG View Post


    These are sold out everywhere I go. I didn't expect it to be completely sold out as there is a lot of negative news on it, but good for Apple.



     


     


    It's Apple. They'll deliver on their product's promise. The only thing you can trust are their numbers. Everything else is just smoke. 

  • Reply 8 of 32
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    But I thought we were told that nobody was buying these, etc. 



    Who said no one was buying??

  • Reply 9 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    seanorse wrote: »
    Went down to look at it and came away unimpressed. Compared to my iPad 3 the screen was quite a step down but otherwise just a smaller iPad. Would like to see some new ideas from Apple.

    Why would you go to see an iPad mini and expect "new ideas"? It's the iPad 2 resolution using the iPhone 3GS PPI so they can make a smaller tablet that already has a thriving ecosystem built in. It's a new device but outside of that I can't imagine what revolutionary new paradigm you were expecting.
  • Reply 10 of 32
    ifij775ifij775 Posts: 470member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Why would you go to see an iPad mini and expect "new ideas"? It's the iPad 2 resolution using the iPhone 3GS PPI so they can make a smaller tablet that already has a thriving ecosystem built in. It's a new device but outside of that I can't imagine what revolutionary new paradigm you were expecting.

    Yea, apple is falling behind all of the new ideas like the revolutionary line of Nexus devices. *sarcasm*
  • Reply 11 of 32
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    Why would you go to see an iPad mini and expect "new ideas"? It's the iPad 2 resolution using the iPhone 3GS PPI so they can make a smaller tablet that already has a thriving ecosystem built in. It's a new device but outside of that I can't imagine what revolutionary new paradigm you were expecting.


     


    They were expecting products coated in Unicorn horn shavings sprinkled in pixie dust.



    I just shake my head in disappointment when I read that nonsense from posters.  "I want to see new ideas from Apple" whining just gets old.



    Want to see new ideas??  Ask the countless other Samsungs out there why they can't come up with anything.  Apple is doing just fine with the way they innovate.  


     


    Besides, the next "oh wow" moment will shortly be followed by "Okay, I'm bored.  My ADHD is kicking in so I need Apple to make another new idea" line each and every time.



    I think they came out with new iPads in the schedule they did simply so they can cover all their products with the lightning connector and move forward.  With the iPhone 5 and the holiday season coming up, to me it seemed like the right thing to do.  If it weren't for that, I suspect we would have seen the 4thGen iPad in its usual spring launch.

  • Reply 12 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    As an addendum to my previous post here is what Nokia was doing when they dominated the mobile market and Apple was hard at work actually developing a good mobile OS and ecosystem foundation....

    [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15723/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15720/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15721/width/200/height/400[/IMG]

    [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15719/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15722/width/200/height/400[/IMG] [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/15724/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
    [I](click for larger images)[/I]

    Surely every reasonable person can see that evolving a market is more important to what it can achieve over the long term over making up crazy new shit to sell just because it's different.
  • Reply 13 of 32
    nasseraenasserae Posts: 3,167member


    I tried to reserve an iPhone 5 for next day pick up 4 nights in a row with no luck. Decided to go ahead and order for delivery and just wait 4 weeks for it to get to me. I hope the situation is better for those who want the iPad mini. I already got mine (pre-ordered and delivered on 11/2). I love it.


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    As an addendum to my previous post here is what Nokia was doing when they dominated the mobile market and Apple was hard at work actually developing a good mobile OS and ecosystem foundation....





    (click for larger images)

    Surely every reasonable person can see that evolving a market is more important to what it can achieve over the long term over making up crazy new shit to sell just because it's different.


    Oh no!! You said Nokia!! Guess who is going to show up to defend them now!

  • Reply 14 of 32
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member


    Well, Yay, I guess, for those who take advantage...


    but its a little disappointing to have ordered 6 minutes after the store re-opened that night,


    and then have someone who thinks they might want one 


    later this week go pick one up, when I haven't even received a ship notice yet :-( 

  • Reply 15 of 32


    Just feel they have milked about everything out of their existing product lines.

  • Reply 16 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    seanorse wrote: »
    Just feel they have milked about everything out of their existing product lines.

    So your issue is with Apple continuing to upgrade their existing product lines? :\
  • Reply 17 of 32


    No, just that they may be about painted into a corner with little to improve.

  • Reply 18 of 32


    Originally Posted by SeaNorse View Post

    Just feel they have milked about everything out of their existing product lines.


     


    Sounds like it's time for OS XI. Steve himself said it in 1996 before he officially came back as iCEO: "I'd milk the Mac for all it's worth and move on to the next great thing."


     


    Well, sixteen FURTHER years; that's a pretty good milking run.


     


    Originally Posted by SeaNorse View Post

    …little to improve.


     


    Do you want the literal or figurative rebuttal to this, because both are valid.

  • Reply 19 of 32


    I wouldnt expect they would have a retina display for the low cost product. They need some diffrenciation. Going with 1024 res I think was the right thing , this way there is no major fragmatation of products for games. Just have two resolutions to support.

  • Reply 20 of 32

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by OriginalG View Post


    These are sold out everywhere I go. I didn't expect it to be completely sold out as there is a lot of negative news on it, but good for Apple. I just wanted to see it and hold it in hand, but even my local Best Buy didn't have any display units despite a having the product info sheets outs. I wonder if they'll be able to hold any inventory before Christmas is past



     


    i dont think they will be able to hold inventory.. i can't believe how sold out it all is.. everywhere! :( 


     


    side question - why does apple keep flooding the air waves with mini commercials when they can't even have any to sell?

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