Toys R Us may be next in US to sell Apple's iPad 2 starting in May

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
New evidence points toward the iPad 2 becoming available at U.S. retailer Toys R Us in May, as Apple continues to expand the brick-and-mortar presence of its popular touchscreen tablet.



According to a scoop from ModMyi, U.S.-based retailer Toys R Us is expected to begin selling the iPad 2 next month. It would be the first time that the device is available from Toys R Us, as the first-generation model was not sold at the company's stores.



Support for the rumor includes a Toys R Us-branded product sheet for the iPad 2, intended to make employees familiar with the features and specifications of Apple's device. The product sheet also indicates that the official Smart Cover, Camera Connection Kit and VGA Connector will be available for sale.



While Toys R Us has not sold the iPad before, it has for years sold various versions of Apple's iPod lineup, including the iPod touch. It also sells a number of accessories that connect to the standard 30-pin dock found on iPod, iPhone and iPad devices.



If the rumor is true, Toys R Us would become the next in a growing list of retailers that sell the iPad 2. Despite continued limited availability of the just-launched device, Apple late last month began selling the iPad 2 at 500 RadioShack locations in the U.S.







The iPad 2 arrived at RadioShack only days after Apple launched the second-generation device around the world in 25 new countries. The iPad 2 first went on sale in the U.S. in early March, and was available at Apple's retail stores, as well as Best Buy, Target and Walmart.



Apple's launch strategy for the iPad 2 has been significantly more aggressive than the debut of the first-generation device in 2010. For the initial launch, the iPad was only available from Apple and select Best Buy locations, although other retailers were added as the year went on.



Expanded retail availability of the iPad, along with crushing demand for the second-generation model, has led to high expectations in terms of sales. Analyst Charlie Wolf with Needham & Company has predicted that Apple will sell 30 million iPads in all of 2011, a total that would double the 15 million sum reached from April to December of 2010.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    Oh crap! You know what comments to expect next...
  • Reply 2 of 30
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by island hermit View Post


    Oh crap! You know what comments to expect next...



    hehe That?s what I was thinking. Assuming you were thinking about comments confirming that the iPad is nothing but a toy.
  • Reply 3 of 30
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Smart move! I don't give a damn if they sell iPad's at the supermarket!



    I got my iPad at Radio Shack, a store which I normally associate with selling crappy cables and definitely not Apple stuff. And I'm sure glad that they did carry it, otherwise I'd still be sitting here waiting on Apple to ship my iPad.



    The iPad is good for games and I can see a lot of iPads selling at Toys'R'Us. I just download some Atari games this morning, pretty cool. I'd been waiting for something like that for a long time.
  • Reply 4 of 30
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    hehe That’s what I was thinking. Assuming you were thinking about comments confirming that the iPad is nothing but a toy.



    Yup... exactly. \
  • Reply 5 of 30
    tjwaltjwal Posts: 404member
    I don't get it, why would anyone go to Toys R Us to buy an Ipad.
  • Reply 6 of 30
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    hehe That?s what I was thinking. Assuming you were thinking about comments confirming that the iPad is nothing but a toy.



    iPhobes can say what they want. I will cry all the way to the bank.
  • Reply 7 of 30
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    hehe That?s what I was thinking. Assuming you were thinking about comments confirming that the iPad is nothing but a toy.



    Well, as a parent I can tell you that the iPad makes and excellent 'toy' but I would never go as far as say it was 'nothing' but a toy. It makes a really good and reasonably priced first computer imo, but I have to say - and I hate to say - that my kids disagree because in spite of them spending a lot of time playing ios games they also like to go to flash based game and community sites. My ten year old is only interested in an 'air'. She wants keys, trackpad and flash. Whatcha gonna do?
  • Reply 8 of 30
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tjwal View Post


    I don't get it, why would anyone go to Toys R Us to buy an Ipad.



    I'd buy an iPad at Toys R Us. Who gives a shit where you buy your iPad, as long as you get one?



    It's just a small, white box. You walk in, you get your product, you pay for it, then you walk out.



    I'd probably rather go to Toys R Us instead of an Apple store at the moment, since those have become scalper infested havens for people who are not even Apple users.
  • Reply 9 of 30
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tjwal View Post


    I don't get it, why would anyone go to Toys R Us to buy an Ipad.



    Nobody, but even an iPad is an impulse buy. Specially if you have been dying to get one for ages, or if your kid won't let you get to yours, etc etc... And never underestimate the power of: "Daddy.... Daddy... Daddyyyyy... look, look, an iPad!" Followed by incessant nagging and "Pleeease's". Then multiply that with the fact that finally there is something daddy is actually interested in at TRS and under the intense shopping experience pressure is very likely to make rash decisions which come back and bite him in the arse as soon as he walks in the door and wife goes "Are you insane?" (and promptly grabs it and within minutes claims it as her own).
  • Reply 10 of 30
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Nobody, but even an iPad is an impulse buy.



    Hmmmm... let's see... gum, magazines, candy bar, iPaaaaaaaddddd!!! Yes!
  • Reply 11 of 30
    From what I've heard it's not likely that every ToysRUs store will be carrying the iPad, at least not right away. The store I work at is the only store in our district that will carry the item in store. If it sells, it's likely that will change.



    As to "why someone would go to ToysRUs to buy an iPad?", ToysRUs had a pretty decent spread of electronics beyond video games systems including iPods, netbooks, e-readers, and other tablet devices. While it may not be your first thought for an electronics purchase, ToysRUs is doing something that a lot of companies aren't right now, which is offering layaway. Walmart doesn't even offer it anymore. The layaway program was so popular over the holidays that our store had to shut it down mid season. We had no room to store any more layaway items, and our store is among the largest in the country. If you don't have the cash or credit to afford an iPad, layaway is a pretty decent alternative.
  • Reply 12 of 30
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tjwal View Post


    I don't get it, why would anyone go to Toys R Us to buy an Ipad.



    Parents are buying iPads for their kids, so this is a good move. How many Android pads are available at Toys 'R' Us?
  • Reply 13 of 30
    rhyderhyde Posts: 294member
    Apple is being incredibly smart. When you can buy iPads *everywhere*, they will completely own the market, now and forever. That was the big mistake they made with the iPhone. They seemed to have learned from that mistake.
  • Reply 14 of 30
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    hehe That?s what I was thinking. Assuming you were thinking about comments confirming that the iPad is nothing but a toy.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Well, as a parent I can tell you that the iPad makes and excellent 'toy' but I would never go as far as say it was 'nothing' but a toy. It makes a really good and reasonably priced first computer imo, but I have to say - and I hate to say - that my kids disagree because in spite of them spending a lot of time playing ios games they also like to go to flash based game and community sites. My ten year old is only interested in an 'air'. She wants keys, trackpad and flash. Whatcha gonna do?



    This is very smart in my opinion. Apple is building such a huge brand image with teenagers and and many kids play with their parent's iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads.



    This will simply introduce the kids to Apple at a very early age. Very smart.
  • Reply 15 of 30
    imoanimoan Posts: 56member
    Surprised at the positive reactions to selling iPad at Toys R Us. (How do you make a backwards R??)



    I remember when Wal Mart was going to sell the iPhone 3G there were cries of indignation amongst the forum that they would cheapen the brand. Now we are "laughing all the way to the bank."



    Hmmm.
  • Reply 16 of 30
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iMoan View Post


    Surprised at the positive reactions to selling iPad at Toys R Us. (How do you make a backwards R??)



    I remember when Wal Mart was going to sell the iPhone 3G there were cries of indignation amongst the forum that they would cheapen the brand. Now we are "laughing all the way to the bank."



    Hmmm.



    And if you don’t know, now you know…
  • Reply 17 of 30
    go4d1go4d1 Posts: 34member
    The game plan here is - Toy R will develop a high margin business selling educational software. If I were them, I'd look at producing it.
  • Reply 18 of 30
    island hermitisland hermit Posts: 6,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iMoan View Post


    Surprised at the positive reactions to selling iPad at Toys R Us. (How do you make a backwards R??)



    I remember when Wal Mart was going to sell the iPhone 3G there were cries of indignation amongst the forum that they would cheapen the brand. Now we are "laughing all the way to the bank."



    Hmmm.



    Your memory is weak... there were 4 times as many people saying to get stuffed about the idea of cheapening the brand.
  • Reply 19 of 30
    sprockketssprockkets Posts: 796member
    They'll sell it next to the gaming consoles.



    Of course, if they can sell ipads at a toy store, but not Costco, which is a nice place, what gives? Stupid apple.
  • Reply 20 of 30
    psych_guypsych_guy Posts: 486member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sprockkets View Post


    They'll sell it next to the gaming consoles.



    Of course, if they can sell ipads at a toy store, but not Costco, which is a nice place, what gives? Stupid apple.



    Yeah. Right. Apple is so stupid they've sold millions of iPads. How do you figure?



    As to the comments about it being a toy, think about it. iPad = netbook replacement. Kids and young teens getting in on the Apple ecosystem with an iPad sounds like a good idea to me.
Sign In or Register to comment.