Apple extends retail Personal Pickup to iPhone 5s, 5c
Apple on Monday extended its popular order-online, pick-up-in-store option to the newly launched iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.
The Personal Pickup program, in which customers can choose to order their device online and pick pick it up at their local Apple store rather than wait for the item to be shipped, has proven popular with consumers. Apple says that in most cases, products ordered for personal pickup can be collected within one hour.
Facing "incredible" demand for the new flagship iPhone 5s and mid-range iPhone 5c, Apple sold more than nine million of the devices in their opening weekend. Shipping times for the handsets from the Apple online store have since slipped to "October," and the new gold model is reportedly in particularly high demand.
By choosing the Personal Pickup option, customers can cut their wait down to the time it takes to drive to the nearest Apple retail store ? AppleInsider has verified that some models can be picked up immediately, with the iPhone 5c showing generally wider availability than the iPhone 5s. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said that the company completely sold out of its launch supply of the new Touch ID-enabled iPhone.
The Personal Pickup program, in which customers can choose to order their device online and pick pick it up at their local Apple store rather than wait for the item to be shipped, has proven popular with consumers. Apple says that in most cases, products ordered for personal pickup can be collected within one hour.
Facing "incredible" demand for the new flagship iPhone 5s and mid-range iPhone 5c, Apple sold more than nine million of the devices in their opening weekend. Shipping times for the handsets from the Apple online store have since slipped to "October," and the new gold model is reportedly in particularly high demand.
By choosing the Personal Pickup option, customers can cut their wait down to the time it takes to drive to the nearest Apple retail store ? AppleInsider has verified that some models can be picked up immediately, with the iPhone 5c showing generally wider availability than the iPhone 5s. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said that the company completely sold out of its launch supply of the new Touch ID-enabled iPhone.
Comments
I waited in line 3 hours for my space grey 64 and I'm am so happy with it. I hope everyone get theirs the sooner the better because it is fantastic. I really feels more like a mobile computer now more than ever. I totally get now how SJ and Apple led the vision. Absolutely amazing!
I got up in the middle of the night and had ordered my Space Grey 64 GB literally less than one minute than they went live, but it won't deliver until October 10th-16th. And now stores are being restocked with new supply already. This might have been a successful launch, but gotta say, I think they're really screwed the pooch on who gets priority.
Oh, and by the way AI, your iPhone app is hosed on the iPad under iOS 7. Hope someone is updating.
I first got up in the middle of the night but saw that it could only be delivered and said - forget that. SO I went make to bed for 2 hours and got up at 5 then in line at 6AM at the Soho store here in NYC. The line was already far past where it was during the 4S launch. I knew Apple was going to have amazing numbers today but not like this!
The gold and silver were gone if 15 minutes. I originally wanted the gold but just as happy with the space grey. I saw a pic of the space grey blown up on the store's wall- It's classy.
I'm unable to choose an unlocked iPhone through their mobile app. Only contract ones. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
If you mean me, silver and a gray, both 16gb.
Yes, had the same issue with their iOS App. Couldn't choose the unlocked version. So I ordered it on their website.
I was wondering if it's worth trying to get up early and wait in line. Has anyone been able to purchase an unlocked (t-mobile) version in an Apple Store? Or does T-mobile sell them in their stores?
Mine should be arriving today. Got the tracking info. Much better than the 10/10 delivery I was promised.
Did you buy a dock, case, or other accessory? If so, THAT is what will be arriving today, not your phone.
So you’d say it’s 11/10, then.
By choosing the Personal Pickup option, customers can cut their wait down to the time it takes to drive to the nearest Apple retail store ...
Last year, the iOS Apple Store app had a stock estimation feature. You could launch the app after 10pm, then see whether or not your nearest Apple store would have the product in stock the next day. I got my iPad mini in the first week of availability that way. Checked after 10pm, bought through the app, walked right into the store at my convenience the next day, walked out with my iPad mini after verifying my identity.
I can't find that feature in the current rev of the Apple Store app, but maybe Apple will add it back for the new iPads next month. I think that could help eliminate some line-waiting after the initial release day.
Wait, wait: Apple says Thursday in my email, but UPS site showing Wednesday. Ya hoooo
Did you buy a dock, case, or other accessory? If so, THAT is what will be arriving today, not your phone.
Nope, just the phone. I ordered at 2:30am CDT on launch day.
EDIT: But thank you for scaring me, I just had to double check.
So you’d say it’s 11/10, then.
In this case, yes, yes I would.
Pity they can't do something about them showing up in lines and getting them. In some places they were real jackasses according to reports by folks in the lines. Perhaps Apple needs to go to some kind of system like China everywhere. I know it sucks for the honest folks because they might not get their iPhone on day one but it is just a phone after all. Or perhaps just a basic reserve online and get a ticket via email system with zero walkins. And have the system watch for repeated emails, IPs etc to try to stop the resellers. Maybe require an Apple ID but any new ones set up after the reservations open get put on a delay before they can actually reserve while the system checks for possible repeats. They could just hide it as 'servers being busy'
Why don't you wait until you see stores actually have that exact model and your order wasn't bumped up to basically now before you yell about Apple's priorities.
This happens every year. They over estimate the wait so that they don't get yelled out for delays and then when the launch weekend is over and they have a better idea of what needs to be fed into they online channel many orders ship out by. Mon-Tues and deliver that same week.
I have AT&T - was not eligible for instore pick up.
Don't think it had to do with personal credit - no problem there.
So a lesson in patience - APPLE is worth it:-)
Ordered a 32 GB T-Mobile unlocked 5s in Space Grey right at 12:05am PDT (the website didn't go live until 12:03am), and it's scheduled for delivery on Thursday (per UPS) or Friday (per Apple). I recall that some configurations didn't start showing "7-10 days" on the availability indicator until at least 15 minutes later.
I think the personal pickup option looks useless right now for the 5s, since just about all inventory that trickles into the stores will likely get snapped up right away. However, for the 5c, I have seen inconsistent availability for different color, capacity, and carrier options. So, with that model, this pickup availability indicator will be more useful until the 5s supplies start lining up better with demand.