Why are there no iPhones available?

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Wasn't Apple well prepared for this release? I called the Apple stores in my area that have the iPhone in stock and they said they are receiving daily shipments of them. The ones that don't haven't gotten a shipment since Saturday. What's going on here?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    ajb723ajb723 Posts: 13member
    There are 3 Apple stores within 10 miles of my home in northern NJ. None have had the iphone in stock since 7/11. The website erroneously states they have daily shipments. When I am able to phone the store (it is rare that you get a human response) they profess to have no knowledge of when they are getting them. None of the ATT sores have them either.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    AT&T is taking orders, but you won't get the phone until 10-21 days. So even if AT&T gets a shipment, they are already ordered. I'd rather cross my fingers and hope Apple gets them.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    mac voyermac voyer Posts: 1,294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ajb723 View Post


    There are 3 Apple stores within 10 miles of my home...



    Same here in Portland, OR. I finally got one five days after launch. Only one store has received any stock, and that, only small numbers not including all models. My suspicion is that there is a problem with the 3G reception as there have been many complaints about that. I think they may be suppressing availability until some problem is diagnosed and fixed. This will cut down on the number of units they have to recall. Just my theory.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    justflybobjustflybob Posts: 1,337member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ajb723 View Post


    None of the ATT sores have them either.



    You know, at first I thought you made a typo, but the more I think about it, I think calling them "ATT sores" is appropriate.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    King of Prussia PA lists all three models available for tomorrow. I am going to be there and hour early to see if I can snag one.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    justflybobjustflybob Posts: 1,337member
    On a more serious note...



    Yeah, I am beginning to suspect that something is up as well. I spent many a year in hardware development for third party Apple partners. There is just no way you go to market with this few number of units unless you have a planned update, recall or major product in-store fix already in the works.



    The client and media backlash just isn't worth the price of admission. Unless, of course, you thought your stock was going to take a major bath in this very volatile market if your planned release was delayed. In that case you might consider doing what we have seen so far.



    Just my two nickels worth
  • Reply 7 of 14
    davegeedavegee Posts: 2,765member
    Well to be fair... the did go thru a million+ phones in the matter of what 48 to 72 hours (give or take)... A million devices in 3 days.... thats a boat load of iPhones and if Apple was indeed blindsided by the demand for the new phone then thats a really good sign (long term)... So long as they can quickly ramp up manufacturing to meet the demand before people move on to something else.



    Dave
  • Reply 8 of 14
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaveGee View Post


    Well to be fair... the did go thru a million+ phones in the matter of what 48 to 72 hours (give or take)... A million devices in 3 days.... thats a boat load of iPhones and if Apple was indeed blindsided by the demand for the new phone then thats a really good sign (long term)... So long as they can quickly ramp up manufacturing to meet the demand before people move on to something else.



    Dave



    That's what it was. They underestimated the initial demand. Either that, or they simply couldn't make enough. I can't think of another product that has sold like that, or another company that could get that many out in such a short period of time.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    bitemymacbitemymac Posts: 1,147member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Contegni View Post


    Wasn't Apple well prepared for this release? I called the Apple stores in my area that have the iPhone in stock and they said they are receiving daily shipments of them. The ones that don't haven't gotten a shipment since Saturday. What's going on here?



    Even if you find a store with iphones in stock, your wait time to acquire one is so long and painful. I just got a black 16G iphone the other day, but I had to wait in line for 2hrs for only 14 people in front of me and had to wait another 1.5hrs to sort of the ATT glitches on the discount eligibility. It was a horible experience. I was ready to go ahead and just pay for the full price until the manager decided to activate the phone manually.



    Don't get me wrong, I love my iphone, but I am not sure if it is worth all the trouble.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    That's what it was. They underestimated the initial demand. Either that, or they simply couldn't make enough. I can't think of another product that has sold like that, or another company that could get that many out in such a short period of time.



    1 million phones in 22 countries

    10 million app downloads



    Not bad for a 3-day period.



    Hasn't anybody heard of the phrase "Sold Out"? Concert tickets sell out in hours, hotel roos near games do, too, as do books, emergency supplies and popcorn at the theater. Almost any "hot" product.



    1 million is not a small number, and if it takes them two weeks to get stock, so what?



    They went 6 weeks after the first gen sold out... they don't seem to mind, and there is plenty of demand.



    No, in this case, Apple made a serious mistake and now the customers are truly suffering.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bergermeister View Post


    1 million phones in 22 countries

    10 million app downloads



    Not bad for a 3-day period.



    Hasn't anybody heard of the phrase "Sold Out"? Concert tickets sell out in hours, hotel roos near games do, too, as do books, emergency supplies and popcorn at the theater. Almost any "hot" product.



    1 million is not a small number, and if it takes them two weeks to get stock, so what?



    They went 6 weeks after the first gen sold out... they don't seem to mind, and there is plenty of demand.



    No, in this case, Apple made a serious mistake and now the customers are truly suffering.



    Yep. Theres a huge difference between the 74 days it took for the first iPhone to sell 1 million and the new iPhone 3G to sell 1 million in the first weekend.



    Apple just didn't see it coming.



    I personally didn't think they did a good enough job advertising. So many people still ask me what kind of phone I have and what it does. And I was the first person to line up at my Apple store at 12:30am and nobody else showed until 3:45am.



    Just imagine if they did a better job marketing this phone. Every store in Florida is sold out with exception of Miami which has all 3 iPhone 3G models.
  • Reply 12 of 14
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    Update:



    Just went to Apple King of Prussia, PA. I got there an hour and fifteen minutes early, expecting either no line or perhaps a small one.



    Yeah. There were about 75-100 people in two lines (not sure what that was about...different models?). I came home as I have an appointment laster this morning and can't wait that long. At this point I plan on waiting at least 2-4 weeks until stock is replenished.



    There is pure craziness over this product. I've never, ever seen anything like it.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    att knew that there would be shortage, that's why they allowed, unlike V1, to "order" the phone therefore keeping you from getting some other smartphone. they have my money since last sunday. so att knew

    didn't someone post how apple made two orders for the iphone an initial order then a delayed order

    someone should be able to check shipping info as done before to find those containers going through customs.



    the wait has allowed me to find a case, since at the local store all were gone, i didn't want to get one without a protective case.
  • Reply 14 of 14
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,016member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NOFEER View Post


    att knew that there would be shortage, that's why they allowed, unlike V1, to "order" the phone therefore keeping you from getting some other smartphone. they have my money since last sunday. so att knew

    didn't someone post how apple made two orders for the iphone an initial order then a delayed order

    someone should be able to check shipping info as done before to find those containers going through customs.



    the wait has allowed me to find a case, since at the local store all were gone, i didn't want to get one without a protective case.



    AT&T knew just from the numbers of phones they were getting. Let's say the US got 500,000 of the first 1,000,000 phones. That's what...maybe 1,200 outlets selling iphones nationwide including Apple stores. If Apple divided them equally, that's around 400 phones per store. That's why they're gone.
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