Apple stores faced with iPhone 3G outages, lineups at day's end - Page 2

I still don't have a phone. I will not be getting one anytime soon. People are in line and moving 50 ft in 2 1/2 hours? If you're a retailer, and your job description is getting product out the door, then you've failed.

That in-store activation -- 20+ minutes per phone -- was a very bad idea. And unnecessary. I still don't get why I can't walk in, say "16gig black iPhone please" and be out in 7 minutes. Why the need to be the retail police? Limit it to 1 phone per transaction, require a credit card, and call it good.

Basically, I'm left frustrated and angry. That's my customer-experience: frustration and anger. Kinda reminds me of -- when was that? -- right! -- when I owned and used a Window box. It's been a long time, but it's all coming back to me now.

My experience at the Apple store in the Northpark mall in Dallas showed that Apple was in a dilemma between providing good customer service for people in the store vs. people still waiting in line.
There were maybe 50 people ahead of me and it took 2.5 hours to process them. Which means that this Apple store sells maybe 250 phones a day. Not very many... They still had all versions in stock this afternoon.
A big problem is with customers who aren't prepared or inconsiderate. I noticed one guy chatting with an Apple employee for 45 minutes after activation apparently expecting a personal tour of the iPhone..
The employees don't try to finish quickly but instead are super courteous at the expense of people waiting in line.
I didn't ask any questions and had my old account nr plus password ready and was out the door after 13 minutes total.

Steve totally Ballmered this launch.

Looks like stupidity is certainly not in short supply. Or perhaps it is the quality of your upbringing that is talking.

Just sayin'......

"Apple stores faced with iPhone 3G outages, lineups at day's end"

Don't you mean shortages?

I must say that I find it all rather laughable. I don't understand why people feel so compelled to line up for hours on the first day to get ANYTHING, unless they live in a country where they're going to starve to death if they don't. Furthermore, almost any technology roll-out is going to suffer from glitches (be it Apple or any other company) and these are made more likely by increased load. Sure Apple has good advertising and builds a compelling product, but they didn't tell you to go wait in line for hours upon hours for their doors to open on launch day.

That's because I don't think that Apple has any intention of "getting product out the door" as quickly as possible. Here's why: those who have decided to purchase an iPhone on the first day of availability and wait in a line to do so are VERY likely to purchase that iPhone regardless of how long they have to wait, or even if they have to come back the next day, or the day after. Apple knows this, and is probably willing to lose a very few sales to customers disgruntled by the wait in exchange for an enormous perception of demand for the iPhone created in the general public by day long lines wrapping around its stores.

Think about it...what do Americans truly wait in line for anymore? The mere presence of a line for a retail product to an American consumer signifies incredible demand for that product. The more perceived demand for the iPhone, the "cooler" having one appears to Joe Public, and the more Joe Public begins to want one for himself. What better way to display that demand than with ridiculously long lines in high traffic, high end retail areas...which is where most Apple stores are located? The perception of a consumer driving by and witnessing such a spectacle is likely to be that hoardes of affluent, successful people, with the means to buy whatever product they want, are willing to spend large amounts of their time in line...therefore the product MUST meet or exceed expectation. I think the Nintendo Wii, the XBox 360 launch, and the PS3 and 2 launches all exhibited similar phenomenon in buliding buzz and serving as free advertising for the product, though perhaps to a lesser extent.

I think that this was more about brand positioning and product positioning than any absolute need of Apple to activate the iPhone instore for financial/protection reasons.

Oakbrook and Schaumburg are out of 16GB Black.

Seems Apple underestimated the number of 16GB Black iPhones they needed...since that seems to be THE model they keep running out of.

Going to be at least Monday before I get mine.

Apple has done a really crappy job with this launch on all aspects. The vast majority of people went to AT&T stores. The vast majority of AT&T stores? Had no where near enough to fulfill demand. The only reason why people are still lining up outside Apple stores is because AT&T stores didn't have any...getting shipped 20 or 40 at a time to try to server 100-200 people per store...what a freaking joke. Now Apple stores are running out. They wouldn't be running out if people at AT&T stores could actually get phones there.

The hoarding at Apple stores strategy is hurting them more than helping them now...since they are pissing off a lot of people trying to get the phone. I'm hoping most people are laying the blame where it belongs, with Apple, instead of AT&T...

Apple should have waited to launch it at least another couple of weeks if not another month...just to make enough to meet demand.

As a long time Apple customer this has been the worst week for a customer ever.

MobileMe: 3 days and counting to actually work as advertised for most users. This is 2008, there is no reason why there should have been this many problems.

iPhone 2.0 software: Servers crashing and delayed and pulled releases for the Touch? Sad.

New iPhone: Horrible, just horrible. They made it sound like everyone could buy a phone for 199. This wasn't the case. They could have helped this situation by stating very clearly "For qualified upgrade only and have a link "Click here, enter your phone number to see if you are qualified" This would have saved people time across the board. They wanted the line's to look long for the news letting people wait for hours without the knowledge that they would have to pay full price. Sad, almost as sad as those looser that waited on line for 12 hours.

No, I blame AT&T for forcing in-store activations . The first iPhone launch was awesome. The line moved fast, I was in and out of the store quickly, and everyone that wanted a phone on launch day could get one.

Compare that to right now. The Apple store had a 4 hour line all day yesterday, and currently has a 6 hour line. The line isn't tremendously long (maybe 150 people) it just that it takes so long to get people in and out.

Did AT&T crash Apple's servers?

Seems to me it was Apple that required in store activations or at least unbricking. Some stores (both Apple and AT&T) started to go to at home activations when they started to run into trouble with servers and such. So clearly it was a foolish thing Apple required. AT&T has never required in store activations for iPhones...my dad bought his in late May (and will be getting a free ugprade) from an AT&T store and activated at home.

AT&T is only at fault if they have more phones than they have distributed. If they are controlling the store supplies then they are screwing up as well. But with other carriers in the UK and Canada (among other places) running out quickly as well...I think we have to place the blame on Apple not providing enough to the carriers. Everything I look at points to Apple being at fault. I'm sure this is difficult to realize as an Apple fanboy...which I guess isn't a surprise considering the site I'm posting on, but look at the facts...Apple has clearly screwed the pooch big time here.

Keep in mind that iPhone launched in 10+ countries this weekend. They might have been stockpiling them during some of the time that the original models weren't available.

I'm not really worried about it. I had ordered one at an AT&T store and hopefully I'll be able to pick it up in a week.

I'm going to be giving my AT&T store another try on Monday morning, and if I strike out there I'll give my two closest Apple stores a try (they are currently out of 16GB Black). If that fails I'll go order one at my AT&T store.

'Nuff said.

Please.... Like you haven't heard the stories of people that work for Apple getting fired for much less than posting on a forum shining a negative light on the company. Snarky? I think his comment was serious and right on the money, they don't even allow Apple employees to post to their own forums.

For real? You couldn't call AT&T or log onto your AT&T account online days/weeks earlier to find out if you were upgrade eligible? I'm definitely not an Apple apologist, but on your last point, that's your fault not theirs.

OK, so here is what I really don't get now....

I went to the Washington Square Mall Apple Store (Portland) to pick up a few accessories this morning and consider purchasing one of the 30" displays for my office conference room.

I walk up to the front door and I am denied entry. Mind you, the store was 2/3 empty!

When I asked what's the deal, I was told it was "out of respect for the people in line to buy the iPhone." I then pointed out that I had already done that the night before. To my amazement, the Apple folks told me I would have to stand in the iPhone line again even if I was purchasing other items or products.

OK, so let's do the math.....

Apple profit for 30" display = $1800
Apple profit per iPhone = $300 to $350 (after AT&T kick back)

ARE THEY NUTS??

Like......... I have.

You missed the point of my post if you think that's OK. (And, I say that as a shareholder of Apple).

People who express themselves are not necessarily stupid.

Um, you'll be going in a loop then... The mind control patrol has got you!

Thou dost protest too much, methinks.

i'm amazed at the number of people who blindly allow themselves to be detained against their will because of "corporate policy"

For next time, once you've paid for the item in the shop and been given a receipt, the phone is yours. You are perfectly within your rights to leave the store at that point. If the Apple employees detain you, call the police and tell them you are being detained against your will.

My plan has changed a little. Going to give the Oakbrook store a try tomorrow...if they don't have the 16GB Black like the Apple site says I'm heading to the Michigan Avenue Store in downtown Chicago...it's almost a straight shot from Oakbrook on 88/290. Now if THEY don't have it...then maybe I'll go order one at AT&T. The Michigan Ave store is like the 5th Ave Store in NY...it's one of their flagship stores...they are keeping those stocked no matter what.

Only difficult part of that plan is finding parking in Downtown Chicago near the Apple store. So I'm hoping Oakbrook will have some.

So if you ran a company and had people that worked for you airing dirty laundry in a public forum, you would be OK with that? Maybe I am missing your point.

Apple has been run this way for a long time now, being a shareholder only means you are trying to make money. If this was a real moral high ground issue for you, you wouldn't have the stock.

I got up earlly and arrived at the Fayettville,Georgia att sore around 7 am and I was very impressed with the staff. About 20 minutes before they opened at 8am the store manager went down the line and asked everyone which phone they wanted and if they had enough so they wouldn't have to wait in line if they didn't have enough. They had plenty of phone except they ran out of the 16Gb Black and some people setled with a White one. 3 hours later I had my phone and working. Overall, great experience. oh, and the phone is a great little device.

I was one of the people that had to activate their new iphones at home because the servers crashed. it was weird leaving the store not being able to use your "jesus phone" right away. It was the longest 3 hours of my life but it works now.

For me that was the only day I had off that week and it only took 3 hours of waiting in line and I brought a lawn chair and coffee.

Huh?

The convoluted argument in your post totally escapes me.

You seemed to be taking the stand that you thought it was not the right way to treat people in a company (ie not allowing them to post to public forums etc..). By stating that you were a shareholder it says that although you don't like the way the company treats people you will invest in it anyway if you can make a couple of $$.

no iphone at my att store nearest apple store 150 miles
went in today and "ordered" my wife's 8gb and me a white 16
when they come in the manager will call me, having already done most of the work, activation he says will take minutes then, he will transfer my contacts from my moto v551, 557 in store says it will be very fast. should come this week.
so it's wait in line or order, i don't know if the entire US is sold out and waiting for refresh,
just wonder if that is true.....to bad apple doesn't have a counter on its website or a way to locate an iphone link

i think as far as "failing" i think most if not all realized as per the first iphone, it's about as good as possible when everyone wants one.
its to be expected to be the first during the first weekend.
no body else is talking about minimal accessories at the apple store and att store, every thing iphone is out out out

How exactly can he do that? Doesn't the phone need to be tied to an itunes account on a specific computer before syncing? I thought they were like ipods.

Waited in line starting at about 8am in soho. Got my phone by 11. I was in the first quarter of the line. the line tripled in size by 930.

Wow, as if the Friday catastrophe was not enough, today was worse. Went to the 14th Street Apple store this afternoon and, despite the fact that the website said they were in stock, I was told that they "weren't selling iphones today" because of some problem with registering them. Amazing. If this was some on line retail book store or something and they had computer issues, I could understand it but . . . this is a COMPUTER company. How embarrassing. I was ready to race out and get one but after the Friday problems, all the reports of defective screens, and this arrogance and time wasting... Well, I'm over it...over it.. over it. This all happened because of this in store set up thing (not selling from the online store and all that). Greed screws things up every time.

RANT ON - What is it about the Apple faithful that makes so many of them whiny B!@tches. "It's a disaster, its an embarrassment, I'm not going to buy one, Apple is a disgrace" Blah, Blah, Blah.
If you are the kind of sad sack that needs to buy it on the first day, get in the queue, jam the servers, not check if you were eligible for the upgrade price and ignore all the warnings about mandatory in-store activations etc. then you get what you deserve.
I got my iPhone 4 days after the mad rush last year, upgraded to 2.0 on the 10th (no activation issues). I managed my own experience, not that it really matters. What does is the fantastic year of use and the year ahead of me full of apps etc.
Anyone who will deny themselves that because of one day's experience is an idiot. Enjoy your LG/HTC/Sammy clone phone... no queue for those.
Trite little comments about "they are a computer company" etc. may make you feel cleverer than SJ but remember what a big deal this is - global launch, hundreds of thousands of iPhones being bought and activated - all because customers wanted a subsidized phone. If you wanted to pay $600 for your iPhone (again) then it would have been easier.

RANT OFF - I know people had a crappy day, I feel bad for them, but don't pretend you didn't see it coming - we all knew about in-store activation. Deferred gratification people...

BTW - what do we think the lost productivity in the US and other economies has been because of the iPhone? It's a lot of wasted hours.

[QUOTE=Capnbob;1278121]RANT ON - What is it about the Apple faithful that makes so many of them whiny B!@tches. "It's a disaster, its an embarrassment, I'm not going to buy one, Apple is a disgrace" Blah, Blah, Blah.


Its odd that somebody objects to the concept of people complaining about bad service. Sounds like an Apple plant to me. Hope you are enjoying your job at Apple. All the Best.

[QUOTE=jeChe;1278143]
Nice try... pretend I'm a shill to make you seem less of a whiner. Look, be proud of your whine... Oh, and I have friends who work at Apple - it's no picnic - no thanks.

[Seattle has been out of all iPhones for the last 3 days---today is July 16th---

apparently 21 states are out of suppy--

This is really a black eye for Apple---

I am also waiting for 2 days to hear from me.com about my not getting my password to work---

Unusually crummy service from Apple---understocked and under responsive

Any word on the current availabilty and wait times a the major Apple stores in NY, LA, etc? Has anyone figured out a way to get a phone without standing in line? Do ATT stores take orders over the phone?

[I don't think you can get one without being authorized at the time of purchase--

I doubt if ATT takes phone orders----

I think we will have to wait a couple of weeks after the stores are stocked to purchase and not

have to stand on line--