My guess is that when something is "in inventory", it is either in Apple's warehouse at the Shenzhen airport's freight terminal (where Apple pays export duties, taxes, etc.), or in an Apple Retail Store. A transfer between the warehouse and an Apple Retail Store might not be in inventory since it is likely that Apple would place the liability of goods into the hands of the freight agent.
Once it leaves the loading dock at the airport, it is no longer in inventory, whether it's a direct shipment to a consumer (i.e., someone who buys from store.apple.com) or to a channel partner (like a pallet of iPads headed to Best Buy).
If the online store says something will ship in 1-2 days, it's not in inventory either. It's still on the manufacturing line. If the online store says "available now or ships in 24 hours" it's in inventory.
If this story is to be believed, what's more incredible is Apple's ability to manage this down to their bricks-and-mortar stores. My hunch is that Apple's online store has an inventory turnover of one or two days and that their physical stores are closer to 7-10 days. It's clear that Apple's bricks-and-mortar stores aren't like Home Depots or IKEAs with lots of inventory on site. They are paying for some prime commercial real estate and it makes little fiscal sense to use that pricey square footage for storage.
This also hints at how scalable the supply chain is. Apple's manufacturing partners can mobilize extra workers or reconfigure lines very quickly. The largest Foxconn plant in Shenzhen allegedly employs 450,000 workers.
Your post is a guess, as you say. It's not quite true either. Apple gets deliveries to their stores every day to two days, in most instances, not every 7 to 10 days.
It's not in inventory until its checked in at wherever it goes once it leaves the factory, not when it first leaves.
Your post is a guess, as you say. It's not quite true either. Apple gets deliveries to their stores every day to two days, in most instances, not every 7 to 10 days. It's not in inventory until its checked in at wherever it goes once it leaves the factory, not when it first leaves.
That's not always true. There are different shipping methods - and ownership changes depending on the terms.
For example, if the product is shipped 'ex factory', ownership changes when it leaves the factory.
If it is shipped 'FOB' ('Freight on Board'), ownership changes when it is placed onto the ship.
Ownership can change when it clears customs or when it arrives at the terminal in the US, or any other time. The different shipping methods are described here:
That's not always true. There are different shipping methods - and ownership changes depending on the terms.
For example, if the product is shipped 'ex factory', ownership changes when it leaves the factory.
If it is shipped 'FOB' ('Freight on Board'), ownership changes when it is placed onto the ship.
Ownership can change when it clears customs or when it arrives at the terminal in the US, or any other time. The different shipping methods are described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_Works#Ex_Works
We're not talking about ownership. Inventory is different from ownership. Something can be on a ship in the middle of the Pacific, and Apple can own the products in that ship, but they are very definitely not in inventory. When I ordered materials and products for my companies, I owned most of it the moment it was shipped, but it wasn't in inventory until it was stocked at my company's stock rooms. The Apple online store has inventory at their warehouses. The stores have inventory in their own stockrooms or warehouses. But it's not in inventory until it arrives at Apple, at least, and not at a point of sale until it reaches there.
It's been a problem. Much more so for my iPad than for my Mac Pro. They're working on it.
I sure hope so. I find myself coming here far less often since the update. Frankly, I'd rather they went back to the previous iteration. It wasn't that great, but then again it wasn't terrible.
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is it me or is AI comment section awful to read on an iPhone - its just what high resolution is not about
Your post is a guess, as you say. It's not quite true either. Apple gets deliveries to their stores every day to two days, in most instances, not every 7 to 10 days.
It's not in inventory until its checked in at wherever it goes once it leaves the factory, not when it first leaves.
It's been a problem. Much more so for my iPad than for my Mac Pro. They're working on it.
Dell's is 10 days, and Apple has the best inventory control in industry, so it's quite believable.
That's not always true. There are different shipping methods - and ownership changes depending on the terms.
For example, if the product is shipped 'ex factory', ownership changes when it leaves the factory.
If it is shipped 'FOB' ('Freight on Board'), ownership changes when it is placed onto the ship.
Ownership can change when it clears customs or when it arrives at the terminal in the US, or any other time. The different shipping methods are described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_Works#Ex_Works
We're not talking about ownership. Inventory is different from ownership. Something can be on a ship in the middle of the Pacific, and Apple can own the products in that ship, but they are very definitely not in inventory. When I ordered materials and products for my companies, I owned most of it the moment it was shipped, but it wasn't in inventory until it was stocked at my company's stock rooms. The Apple online store has inventory at their warehouses. The stores have inventory in their own stockrooms or warehouses. But it's not in inventory until it arrives at Apple, at least, and not at a point of sale until it reaches there.
I'm surprised McDonalds turns over their inventory so fast. I mean it's not like they sell something perishable like food.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
It's been a problem. Much more so for my iPad than for my Mac Pro. They're working on it.
I sure hope so. I find myself coming here far less often since the update. Frankly, I'd rather they went back to the previous iteration. It wasn't that great, but then again it wasn't terrible.