How about being able to purchase via iTunes? It would be offered on a country by country basis to sync with the planned launch.
Also, prioritize sale according to how long a user has been in the iTunes ecosystem. To prevent possible privacy violation, it would only be based on months, not individual users. Older users get priority, but only if they act fast, otherwise, the next in queue gets a shot until inventory runs out.
This would be in addition to online and retail offerings.
The current system shafts the legitimate user base big time.
The current system treats everyone the same.
Seniority is not a good policy to institute for most consumer-buying situations. Companies want new customers. That's real growth. Heck, over half of Mac sales in Apple's retail stores have been to first-time Mac buyers.
Besides, seniority means nothing. Let's say I set up an iTunes account in 2005 and purchase $5 in songs a year. Should I have priority over someone who set up their account in 2009 and spends $350 annually?
Your suggestion is dangerously close to entitlement.
Maybe, Apple doesn't seem to care too much about it apparently.
It seems like you are trying to defend people who are gaming the system.
Let's say I won the lotto and I'm filthy rich by the time the iPad3 comes out, I should hire 1000 people to stand in line for days and buy out the entire stock of a few Apple stores, and then go on to make a nice profit from that. That would be no different than what the current scalpers are doing, and I assume that you would be defending my actions then right?
Just went to the Apple store in Santa Monica, 15mins after opening, and they sold all of their IPad 2s that they received last night. I asked for details, like how many they sold, what time did people get in line, would they have more in the next few days? I got the same answer for all my questions "We are SOLD OUT". It was a little cold, but it sounds like they have been instructed to say the same thing to every customer that wants one. It stinks but got to hand it to someone that got their earlier then me, even if they go and re-sell it on EBay. No biggie, I'll get one eventually.
I'm not sure the labor costs of having to employ and manage a 1000 people would outweigh the margins by stocking and reselling IPads. Sounds like a bad business, better to take your "lotto" winnings and buy AAPL stock at 335.
Wait until the banks start capping the debit card purchase limits to either 50 or 100 bucks. This should go into affect by some banks in July.
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
Unfortunately he is serious. I’ll try to find a link.
Apple would undoubtedly prefer to receive cash payments, as the transaction costs are much lower. Don't forget that roughly between 2% and 3% of the CC sale goes to the processor. There's also the relatively small risk of credit card fraud as well.
ROFLMAO!!!
Really? So you are saying that Apple would rather have taken in (roughly) FIVE MILLION in cash at their NYC flagship store on opening day? I cant envision any problems risks associated with that that using credit cards would allieviate...other than the need to hire 20 armed guards with a 99% likelyhood of robbery occuring otherwise, massive potential for employee theft, bank fees for processing that much cash, Just finding the room to store that much cash short term in the store, etc. etc. etc...
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
Many debit cards have spending limits. Mine has a $500/day cash limit and $1000K/day purchase limit and I have excellent credit. It's just the bank's policy.
Maybe somebody can survive online with cash only, but it sounds extremely inconvenient. And don't those third party services cost extra money to use?
Only poor people and people who live in the ghetto use cash only, in my opinion.
Don't forget your other bogymen: Asian and Russian scalpers, crack addicts, homeless, foreigners . . .
Free advice for you, since you are always giving it out: I really think you ought to put the computer to sleep and go out, meet people, that sort of thing.
Ok, so instead of this whole cash vs credit card thing what about this:
Why doesnt Apple just accept internet orders with in-store pickup for the first month. Then after the first month or so, they put them in the stores and resume "normal" purchasing. I think this would not eliminate the scalpers, but at least give them another road block in purchasing them while doing the sales perfectly legal. They could set something up, like a Apple Buyer Club or something where you register and enter your info and credit card info and such on your account for easier checkout and then pick it up in-store for like the first month or so. I dont know, just a suggestion. Don't see how that wouldn't work.
But then of course, you have the people on here that will want to argue with anyone about everything.
It doesn't have to be a credit card, a debit card works just as good. I don't buy stuff on credit, I use my debit cards.
I agree 100%. Apple should take the same kind of approach they did with the iPhone. Peope pulling this buy ten and put it on ebay shit for a crazy price needs to end. While I know it isn't illlegal Apple has put a stop to it before and it would be nice for them to do so again.
True, but to be fair Apple is operating at a different volume than any other company in the world right now.
I have been to the Boylston Apple Store everyday since Friday (but not today). I have been to the Store also a few days after the launch of the otiginal iPad, and also the iPhone.
I was there at 5pm last Friday. Since I was not buying the iPad2, I did not line up and was among the first to get in (after I have taken a few shots outside). My goal on Friday was to get a general impression of the kind of people buying the iPad.
The process was very orderly, even if it was very busy. The weather was bad until early afternoon, and the line was long but not overwhelming. What amazed me though was that the lines got even longer and was still quite long, until well past 830pm, More than likely because of the office workers. Those in line were assured that there were plenty of stocks.
From what I overheard, before I left, they did not give away any tickets to latecomers last Friday. who were not already in line. They were advised to come the following day and be served on a first come-first serve basis.
Some of the staff were talking about it the following day, and they have to work overtime. You can see it in their faces too. The Store remained busy since Friday, and I have not encountered anyone to suggest that there were shortages. There were no line inside the area reserved for customers that intend to buy the product that was launched. The staff number though remained high, more than the usual days. There wee buyers and there were many in the iPad2 sections.
Between last year and this year, I would say the iPhone4 was most sustained. There were many customers waiting in line inside many months after. I think they instituted the ticket system since the original iPad so that people who lined up previously had already assured reservation to get one the following day or whenever they can come.
So, either the Boylston staff and management were more efficient since last year since the launch of the original iPad.
What is different this year is that there are more outlets selling the product, iPad2 from day one. Near my place, there are three Apple Stores that can be accessed through the subway or bus. There is a fourth one that could be reached also via the subway but it is too far. The Boylston Apple Store is the most busy because it has more staff that cater to customer services, including the only one providing the Professional Services, as of now.
Apart from the Apple Store, there is also a Best Buy and a Target near my place, and there are Verizon and AT&T stores all over the city. One of the salesmen at the Verizon store also at Boylston St, was agressively selling the Xoom, and badmouthing the iPad2. No mention of the Samsung Galaxy at all. It was also suspicious that the iPad2 on display when I visited had malfunctioning Wifi connections but both the Xoom and the Galaxy were working, at least when I tried to view my website. I did not bother checking more because thee was no problem with the Wifi versions of the iPad2 at the Apple Boylston Store.
Also, my site (website version) loaded much faster on the iPad2 (Boylston Apple Store). .Moreover, the website version of my site had less of an "El Greco" look that was quite how it looked in the Samsung Galaxy. The Android optimized version of the site that appeared in the Galaxy looked ugly and not functioning well, so I might disable the version for the Android.
Like it or not, those scalpers are doing nothing illegal and are paying for those iPads.
Exactly. Why does everyone think that Apple should be preventing people from legally buying an iPad? It doesn't matter what they intend to do with it!?!
They're violating the TOA, by purchasing multiple times. Why bother to have a 2 iPad limit, if it's not going to be enforced? There was even some Russian guy who came back multiple times wearing a disguise.
WHA?!?!
I don't know about you but I don't sign anything when I buy an iPad. What terms are you thinking they are violating?
Another reason America is being left behind the rest of the world.
Talk about a step backwards. There is no such move happening in the rest of the world. Debit Cards are used in preference to cash, with no charges and no debt created. It's a more responsible way of managing your money, rather than running up debts that you don't have the funds to cover.
Exactly. Why does everyone think that Apple should be preventing people from legally buying an iPad? It doesn't matter what they intend to do with it!?!
If there were absolutely no ill effects a company could suffer from selling the same number of units to a few buyers who aren?t the end user and who are then forced to pay a premium for the artificially inflated supply than selling the same number of units to all end users, then they would not be stopping people from trying to purchase as many as they wish.
The bottom line is that it can have a detrimental effect on business. Being legal or illegal is not the issue. If it was illegal then Apple wouldn?t be making the rules on unit sales, the government would, like with event ticket scalping in multiple countries.
Comments
apple should require a credit card and refuse to sell more than one or two ipads per card per month
They tried this already... here's what happened: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ide&id=7447037
Has previously debated in court, it is illegal to refuse cash in a store.
It is not illegal to refuse cash in a store. http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ide&id=7447037
How about being able to purchase via iTunes? It would be offered on a country by country basis to sync with the planned launch.
Also, prioritize sale according to how long a user has been in the iTunes ecosystem. To prevent possible privacy violation, it would only be based on months, not individual users. Older users get priority, but only if they act fast, otherwise, the next in queue gets a shot until inventory runs out.
This would be in addition to online and retail offerings.
The current system shafts the legitimate user base big time.
The current system treats everyone the same.
Seniority is not a good policy to institute for most consumer-buying situations. Companies want new customers. That's real growth. Heck, over half of Mac sales in Apple's retail stores have been to first-time Mac buyers.
Besides, seniority means nothing. Let's say I set up an iTunes account in 2005 and purchase $5 in songs a year. Should I have priority over someone who set up their account in 2009 and spends $350 annually?
Your suggestion is dangerously close to entitlement.
Would you even care about scalping if you and everyone else could get one today or tomorrow?...
No I wouldn't, because then their actions wouldn't be affecting normal customers.
Maybe, Apple doesn't seem to care too much about it apparently.
It seems like you are trying to defend people who are gaming the system.
Let's say I won the lotto and I'm filthy rich by the time the iPad3 comes out, I should hire 1000 people to stand in line for days and buy out the entire stock of a few Apple stores, and then go on to make a nice profit from that. That would be no different than what the current scalpers are doing, and I assume that you would be defending my actions then right?
Just went to the Apple store in Santa Monica, 15mins after opening, and they sold all of their IPad 2s that they received last night. I asked for details, like how many they sold, what time did people get in line, would they have more in the next few days? I got the same answer for all my questions "We are SOLD OUT". It was a little cold, but it sounds like they have been instructed to say the same thing to every customer that wants one. It stinks but got to hand it to someone that got their earlier then me, even if they go and re-sell it on EBay. No biggie, I'll get one eventually.
I'm not sure the labor costs of having to employ and manage a 1000 people would outweigh the margins by stocking and reselling IPads. Sounds like a bad business, better to take your "lotto" winnings and buy AAPL stock at 335.
Wait until the banks start capping the debit card purchase limits to either 50 or 100 bucks. This should go into affect by some banks in July.
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/10/pf/d...imit/index.htm
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
Unfortunately he is serious. I’ll try to find a link.
edit: Pipped by cpr1. Good show.
Apple would undoubtedly prefer to receive cash payments, as the transaction costs are much lower. Don't forget that roughly between 2% and 3% of the CC sale goes to the processor. There's also the relatively small risk of credit card fraud as well.
ROFLMAO!!!
Really? So you are saying that Apple would rather have taken in (roughly) FIVE MILLION in cash at their NYC flagship store on opening day? I cant envision any problems risks associated with that that using credit cards would allieviate...other than the need to hire 20 armed guards with a 99% likelyhood of robbery occuring otherwise, massive potential for employee theft, bank fees for processing that much cash, Just finding the room to store that much cash short term in the store, etc. etc. etc...
You're not serious - debit cards are becoming the de facto payment standard in the world (maybe except the US?) and do not have (and never will have) any transaction limit except for the balance of your account.) Those of us with money would rather not create debt unnecessarily.
Many debit cards have spending limits. Mine has a $500/day cash limit and $1000K/day purchase limit and I have excellent credit. It's just the bank's policy.
Maybe somebody can survive online with cash only, but it sounds extremely inconvenient. And don't those third party services cost extra money to use?
Only poor people and people who live in the ghetto use cash only, in my opinion.
Don't forget your other bogymen: Asian and Russian scalpers, crack addicts, homeless, foreigners . . .
Free advice for you, since you are always giving it out: I really think you ought to put the computer to sleep and go out, meet people, that sort of thing.
Why doesnt Apple just accept internet orders with in-store pickup for the first month. Then after the first month or so, they put them in the stores and resume "normal" purchasing. I think this would not eliminate the scalpers, but at least give them another road block in purchasing them while doing the sales perfectly legal. They could set something up, like a Apple Buyer Club or something where you register and enter your info and credit card info and such on your account for easier checkout and then pick it up in-store for like the first month or so. I dont know, just a suggestion. Don't see how that wouldn't work.
But then of course, you have the people on here that will want to argue with anyone about everything.
It doesn't have to be a credit card, a debit card works just as good. I don't buy stuff on credit, I use my debit cards.
I agree 100%. Apple should take the same kind of approach they did with the iPhone. Peope pulling this buy ten and put it on ebay shit for a crazy price needs to end. While I know it isn't illlegal Apple has put a stop to it before and it would be nice for them to do so again.
True, but to be fair Apple is operating at a different volume than any other company in the world right now.
I have been to the Boylston Apple Store everyday since Friday (but not today). I have been to the Store also a few days after the launch of the otiginal iPad, and also the iPhone.
I was there at 5pm last Friday. Since I was not buying the iPad2, I did not line up and was among the first to get in (after I have taken a few shots outside). My goal on Friday was to get a general impression of the kind of people buying the iPad.
The process was very orderly, even if it was very busy. The weather was bad until early afternoon, and the line was long but not overwhelming. What amazed me though was that the lines got even longer and was still quite long, until well past 830pm, More than likely because of the office workers. Those in line were assured that there were plenty of stocks.
From what I overheard, before I left, they did not give away any tickets to latecomers last Friday. who were not already in line. They were advised to come the following day and be served on a first come-first serve basis.
Some of the staff were talking about it the following day, and they have to work overtime. You can see it in their faces too. The Store remained busy since Friday, and I have not encountered anyone to suggest that there were shortages. There were no line inside the area reserved for customers that intend to buy the product that was launched. The staff number though remained high, more than the usual days. There wee buyers and there were many in the iPad2 sections.
Between last year and this year, I would say the iPhone4 was most sustained. There were many customers waiting in line inside many months after. I think they instituted the ticket system since the original iPad so that people who lined up previously had already assured reservation to get one the following day or whenever they can come.
So, either the Boylston staff and management were more efficient since last year since the launch of the original iPad.
What is different this year is that there are more outlets selling the product, iPad2 from day one. Near my place, there are three Apple Stores that can be accessed through the subway or bus. There is a fourth one that could be reached also via the subway but it is too far. The Boylston Apple Store is the most busy because it has more staff that cater to customer services, including the only one providing the Professional Services, as of now.
Apart from the Apple Store, there is also a Best Buy and a Target near my place, and there are Verizon and AT&T stores all over the city. One of the salesmen at the Verizon store also at Boylston St, was agressively selling the Xoom, and badmouthing the iPad2. No mention of the Samsung Galaxy at all. It was also suspicious that the iPad2 on display when I visited had malfunctioning Wifi connections but both the Xoom and the Galaxy were working, at least when I tried to view my website. I did not bother checking more because thee was no problem with the Wifi versions of the iPad2 at the Apple Boylston Store.
Also, my site (website version) loaded much faster on the iPad2 (Boylston Apple Store). .Moreover, the website version of my site had less of an "El Greco" look that was quite how it looked in the Samsung Galaxy. The Android optimized version of the site that appeared in the Galaxy looked ugly and not functioning well, so I might disable the version for the Android.
CGC
Like it or not, those scalpers are doing nothing illegal and are paying for those iPads.
Exactly. Why does everyone think that Apple should be preventing people from legally buying an iPad? It doesn't matter what they intend to do with it!?!
They're violating the TOA, by purchasing multiple times. Why bother to have a 2 iPad limit, if it's not going to be enforced? There was even some Russian guy who came back multiple times wearing a disguise.
WHA?!?!
I don't know about you but I don't sign anything when I buy an iPad. What terms are you thinking they are violating?
http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/10/pf/d...imit/index.htm
Another reason America is being left behind the rest of the world.
Talk about a step backwards. There is no such move happening in the rest of the world. Debit Cards are used in preference to cash, with no charges and no debt created. It's a more responsible way of managing your money, rather than running up debts that you don't have the funds to cover.
Exactly. Why does everyone think that Apple should be preventing people from legally buying an iPad? It doesn't matter what they intend to do with it!?!
If there were absolutely no ill effects a company could suffer from selling the same number of units to a few buyers who aren?t the end user and who are then forced to pay a premium for the artificially inflated supply than selling the same number of units to all end users, then they would not be stopping people from trying to purchase as many as they wish.
The bottom line is that it can have a detrimental effect on business. Being legal or illegal is not the issue. If it was illegal then Apple wouldn?t be making the rules on unit sales, the government would, like with event ticket scalping in multiple countries.
Only poor people and people who live in the ghetto use cash only, in my opinion.
Ridiculous statement.