Radio Shack to accept pre-orders for iPhone 4 alongside Apple
In a rare vote of confidence, Apple has authorized third-party iPhone retailer Radio Shack to participate in its iPhone 4 pre-launch which kicks off early next week, AppleInsider has learned.
Radio Shack locations nationwide received a brief on the matter earlier this week, followed by a series of conference calls between Apple, regional Radio Shack managers, and individual store representatives, according to people familiar with the matter.
Those same people say store representatives will soon begin advocating the pre-order option to walk-in customers, who can then schedule an appointment for next Tuesday, June 15th, when they can return to the store and formally reserve one of the new handsets for pickup on June 24th, when device is scheduled to go on sale nationwide.
Several Radio Shack locations, including those which don't currently offer the iPhone, may even open shop a couple of hours early on Tuesday to field pre-order signups.
A spokesperson for the electronics retailer confirmed to AppleInsider that it had been authorized by Apple to participate in the pre-launch but said further details, such as per-store inventory allotments and the precise reservation process, were still being hammered out.
Radio Shack instantly became the second-largest third-party retailer of iPhones in the U.S. by storefronts when it began selling the iPhone 3GS in 3,000 of its 4,500 locations on March 28th. It joined AT&T, Best Buy and Wal-Mart as the only national retail chains authorized to market the device, of which only the latter operates more stores.
Radio Shack had been working towards that milestone since January, expanding sales of the Apple handset to hundreds of new stores each week, following a successful pilot program that began late last year in a handful of locations around Manhattan and its home base of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
Radio Shack locations will also be touting their cell phone Trade-In Program as a means for customers to obtain a new iPhone for a fraction of the cost. Specifically, the program offers customers the option of turning in their old phone in return for a Radio Shack gift card that they could turn around and use towards the purchase of a new iPhone or other product.
For example, a previous-generation 16GB iPhone 3G that appraises "in fairly good condition" could net up to a $185 Radio Shack gift card, if it is tied to an expiring or expired two-year contract, bringing the cost of a new 16GB iPhone 4 down to just $14 before taxes and AT&T's standard $36 new phone activation fee. Similarly, a 16GB iPhone 3GS in good condition could pay up to $256.84 while the 32GB model could net customers as much $329.
In addition to Radio Shack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and AT&T will also participate in Apple's iPhone 4 rollout on June 24th. For its part, however, Wal-Mart will not be participating in pre-launch reservations, the company said Friday. It remains unclear whether Best Buy and AT&T will offer the pre-order option to its own customers.
Radio Shack locations nationwide received a brief on the matter earlier this week, followed by a series of conference calls between Apple, regional Radio Shack managers, and individual store representatives, according to people familiar with the matter.
Those same people say store representatives will soon begin advocating the pre-order option to walk-in customers, who can then schedule an appointment for next Tuesday, June 15th, when they can return to the store and formally reserve one of the new handsets for pickup on June 24th, when device is scheduled to go on sale nationwide.
Several Radio Shack locations, including those which don't currently offer the iPhone, may even open shop a couple of hours early on Tuesday to field pre-order signups.
A spokesperson for the electronics retailer confirmed to AppleInsider that it had been authorized by Apple to participate in the pre-launch but said further details, such as per-store inventory allotments and the precise reservation process, were still being hammered out.
Radio Shack instantly became the second-largest third-party retailer of iPhones in the U.S. by storefronts when it began selling the iPhone 3GS in 3,000 of its 4,500 locations on March 28th. It joined AT&T, Best Buy and Wal-Mart as the only national retail chains authorized to market the device, of which only the latter operates more stores.
Radio Shack had been working towards that milestone since January, expanding sales of the Apple handset to hundreds of new stores each week, following a successful pilot program that began late last year in a handful of locations around Manhattan and its home base of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.
Radio Shack locations will also be touting their cell phone Trade-In Program as a means for customers to obtain a new iPhone for a fraction of the cost. Specifically, the program offers customers the option of turning in their old phone in return for a Radio Shack gift card that they could turn around and use towards the purchase of a new iPhone or other product.
For example, a previous-generation 16GB iPhone 3G that appraises "in fairly good condition" could net up to a $185 Radio Shack gift card, if it is tied to an expiring or expired two-year contract, bringing the cost of a new 16GB iPhone 4 down to just $14 before taxes and AT&T's standard $36 new phone activation fee. Similarly, a 16GB iPhone 3GS in good condition could pay up to $256.84 while the 32GB model could net customers as much $329.
In addition to Radio Shack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and AT&T will also participate in Apple's iPhone 4 rollout on June 24th. For its part, however, Wal-Mart will not be participating in pre-launch reservations, the company said Friday. It remains unclear whether Best Buy and AT&T will offer the pre-order option to its own customers.
Comments
Now, they're the largest third-party retailer of iPhones, and will sell the iPhone 4 alongside Apple.
As they say, success has a thousand parents.
How times change. In a visit to my local Radio Shack (a real shack) a couple of years ago, the owner spent all his time dissing Apple and my iPhone, and tried to sell me some ugly Verizon phones.
What can you do. It's literally their job.
Best Buy got 15 iPads per store on release day. :LOL:
My local Authorized Apple Reseller didn't get one iPad, and still doesn't have any.
Neither are they allowed to carry anti-glare versions of the MacBooks.
It's whacked working with Cupertino, drama king city.
The difference in value is that the online web appraisal requires you to mail your existing iphone to RS and within "3-4 weeks" they will mail you back your gift card (stated as such if you proceed far enough into the online trade site). Certainly does NOT make any sense in the case of a phone used daily. The in-store trade value is instant.
We checked the in store value for a 16GB 3GS it is also about $40 bucks lower than the on line trade-in quote.
Now I will be able to use the credit towards an iPhone 4. Sweet!!
But, given some comments above, seems I've got protect my honor against their corporate sleaze. Some things never change.
So, on July 15th I can make an appointment for a phone that will have been out for three weeks?
Does anyone proof read this stuff? "who can then schedule an appointment for next Tuesday, July 15th, when they can return to the store and formally reserve one of the new handsets for pickup on June 24th"
So, on July 15th I can make an appointment for a phone that will have been out for three weeks?
The iPhone 4 is not yet out. Apple begins taking pre-orders 15 June. Official first day of sale is 24 June (if I am not mistaken).
In addition to Radio Shack, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and AT&T will also participate in Apple's iPhone 4 rollout on June 24th.
So 5 countries to start with 18 more the next month and 88 total in just a few months. In the US they will be sold in 222(?) Apple Stores, over 1,000(?) Best Buys, over 4,000(?) Wal-Marts, over 4,000 RadioShacks, and over 1,800(?) AT&T stores for a grand total of about 11,000 locations to buy the iPhone on launch day. They must really have a lot of product at the ready to be this confident.
AND - with the experience of delays on the iPad, I'll bet that a lot of people will pre-order!
Any bets on 2M sold in first week?
Investors: This is a great time to buy in the dip! By the end of the month, the iPhone 4 launch will be history, and the stock price will have responded.
I can see though, where it will give Apple an early gauge of demand.
What this means is that Apple is very confident that they will be able to meet demand. That is, they have prepared for huge demand and are going after it aggressively.
AND - with the experience of delays on the iPad, I'll bet that a lot of people will pre-order!
Any bets on 2M sold in first week?
Investors: This is a great time to buy in the dip! By the end of the month, the iPhone 4 launch will be history, and the stock price will have responded.
I see your 2M and move it to the first weekend and raise you to 3M in the first full week (assuming there are no shortages which pretty much gives me an out
With AT&T allowing most 3GS buyers to get the iPhone 4 at the Upgrade Eligible price it's a no brainer for many. I've even coached people on how to make money on getting this next iPhone for "free" in two weeks.
Sad to see that Canada was not one of the initial launch countries (most of us are only 2 years into our disgusting 3 year contracts of course). We waited forever for the iTunes store, the iPhone, the iPad was only a little late.
I don't understand why Steve doesn't love us...
Is it the food? On behalf of the Frozen North, let me apologise to all vegans for Canadian Bacon and other meat based food atrocities:
We're sorry Steve!
Now give us the iPhone too.
Please?
.....
With AT&T allowing most 3GS buyers to get the iPhone 4 at the Upgrade Eligible price it's a no brainer for many. I've even coached people on how to make money on getting this next iPhone for "free" in two weeks.
3GS upgrade at reduced price at launch? Can you double check that? Did not think that was true until at least next year for 3GS owners? Or is there something for mega-users(heavy users, multiple phones etc)
My store guy did say they would hold my reserved phone for me until my gift card gets mailed back to me. But he can't honor the quote given to me from the online website. Must be the stores are getting a cut of the trade in cash when they do a trade in there.
I just dropped into my local RS store. They actually knew about the iPhone 4 prelaunch and the trade-in policy, BUT, right off the bat they started to low ball the trade-in value. I had verified the value of my 16GB 3G iphone on the RS website before driving to the store, so I already thought I knew the value, BUT I was told the that value on my 16GB mint 3G was $100, not the $185+ price that their website offered. Being polite, I told them that their own website quoted a very different price, so they went into their in store trade-in appraisal screen and came up with a quote of $145+ (agreeing that my phone was in mint condition). They showed me the printout they got from RS on the program and it does states that ALL 3G iphones, regardless of condition will be valued at a minimum of $100. but until I pressed the issue, they were not aware that my phone would appraise on their system at the higher $145+ value.
The difference in value is that the online web appraisal requires you to mail your existing iphone to RS and within "3-4 weeks" they will mail you back your gift card (stated as such if you proceed far enough into the online trade site). Certainly does NOT make any sense in the case of a phone used daily. The in-store trade value is instant.
We checked the in store value for a 16GB 3GS it is also about $40 bucks lower than the on line trade-in quote.
I see your 2M and move it to the first weekend and raise you to 3M in the first full week (assuming there are no shortages which pretty much gives me an out
With AT&T allowing most 3GS buyers to get the iPhone 4 at the Upgrade Eligible price it's a no brainer for many. I've even coached people on how to make money on getting this next iPhone for "free" in two weeks.
Please tell us you tips & tricks.
3GS upgrade at reduced price at launch? Can you double check that? Did not think that was true until at least next year for 3GS owners? Or is there something for mega-users(heavy users, multiple phones etc)
So instead of having to wait until next year, any contract that will be eligible for a maximum new phone discount by the end of 2010 can get that maximum discount now.
3GS upgrade at reduced price at launch? Can you double check that? Did not think that was true until at least next year for 3GS owners? Or is there something for mega-users(heavy users, multiple phones etc)
It appears if your contract Upgrade Eligible date wass anytime in 2010 AT&T would let you buy the iPhone 4 come June 24th at the Upgrade Eligibile price, not at the Ugrade Early price which is an additional 200 more.
Please tell us you tips & tricks.
Sell my 3GS on eBay or Craig's LIst or through the Radio Shack buyback program called cexchange, which makes it seem less than legit. Since I have some pricey accessories that won't work with the new iPhone I'll be selling via Craig's List for an asking price of $400 and accepting $350.