What's the deal with the long lines at the Apple stores?

[lothar]

“I‘m not leaving without a gold one!”

After reading that article, I have a few questions...
1.) Does Apple not give the option to order directly from their website at 12:00am(8am when the Apple store opens, or whatever arbitrary time they want) on launch day? If so, then WTF are these people waiting days in lines for? This reminds me of those lining up for a PS2, Xbox, or Nintendo Gamecube console launches before Thanksgiving, except in those old days, my uncle always paid some high school kid $20 to hold our spot and call us immediately they start handing out tickets to come back in line. It's like people that camp out of StarWars movies...

2.) If Apple doesn't have the capability for online orders(my understanding is that they do, but if they're sold out on their own website), why can't these people order from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint's website?

3.) Or is it that you can only buy it unlocked and without contract from Apple's website on release day and you have to go to a physical location to get your carrier subsidized iPhone pricing?

4.) Or are these long lines all some kind of psychological brilliance from the Apple execs in creating what looks like an "artificial" shortage to boost demand and increase sales? Sounds like one of those MBA case studies.

5.) Many stores claimed that they only received a single digit number(5 units or so) of the "Gold" version, where as they received hundreds of the other colors. Is this again some kind of psychological brilliance from Apple execs in creating what looks like an "artificial" shortage on a "Gold" iPhone version, of a phone which already seems as rare as hens teeth to boost demand? In other words, creating an artificial shortage of an artificial shortage whose purpose is to create the perception of scarcity to boost sales?

6.) This "Gold" iPhone people are fighting over...Is it made of real "Gold"? In other words, if you dump the phone in a container filled with Hydrochloric acid(HCl), is it going to keep it's shape and form or will it undergo a chemical reaction and form a precipitate proving that it's essentially fake gold?

 

[Eug]

1. You can order from Apple, but there is a delay. If you go to the store, you get it on launch day. Personally I think it's stupid to wait so long though. Mind you I just walked into an Apple Store today and they had a couple of units available. I didn't even line up. I just was just going to the shoe store next door and decided to pop in.

But I didn't bother getting it because they only had grey, and that was the 3rd choice for me out of the three colours.

2&3. Well, they're often sold out too. Plus Apple sells unlocked ones.

4. ? As you said, it's just like the game console lines.

5. Maybe a combo of both. WSJ claims Apple has now told its suppliers to increase the gold. I suspect they underestimated demand for gold.

6. No, of course it's not real gold. Was that a serious question? It's a gold coloured anodization on top of aluminum.

 

[jpeyton]

What's the deal with the long lines at the Apple stores?

Every year without fail.

 

[openwheel]

The cult is strong.

 

[BladeVenom]

Gold is best! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7-RetY7fGo

 

[zerogear]

No non-offensive comment in my head that I can express. So I'll withhold my comments.

 

[thedosbox]

“I‘m not leaving without a gold one!”

After reading that article, I have a few questions...

It all boils down to marketing. Some people want to have the latest toy on Day 1 (the same attitude applies to games), and will line up to get it.

The lines in turn generate news "stories" which lets the plebs know that a new toy is out. Lining up in front of an apple store also gets you a chance to "get on TV", hence self-reinforcing.

As for the gold color, it's rare enough to signify that you have the latest toy, hence a "must have" item for those who use conspicuous consumption as a social weapon.

 

[lothar]

1. You can order from Apple, but there is a delay. If you go to the store, you get it on launch day. Personally I think it's stupid to wait so long though. Mind you I just walked into an Apple Store today and they had a couple of units available. I didn't even line up. I just was just going to the shoe store next door and decided to pop in.

But I didn't bother getting it because they only had grey, and that was the 3rd choice for me out of the three colours.

2&3. Well, they're often sold out too. Plus Apple sells unlocked ones.

4. ? As you said, it's just like the game console lines.

5. Maybe a combo of both. WSJ claims Apple has now told its suppliers to increase the gold. I suspect they underestimated demand for gold.

6. No, of course it's not real gold. Was that a serious question? It's a gold coloured anodization on top of aluminum.

1.) How many days delay? I'm assuming you will receive the the next day because I just tried buying one on their website and it gives me estimated delivery 9/24. When I change from standard shipping to 2 day shipping, it changes to 9/25. So Apple's "standard shipping" is actually "1 day shipping", meaning if you ordered on Friday morning you will receive on Saturday. Also interesting that they are charging for 2 day shipping, but not 1 day shipping...They lost me on that one.

Also, there's no way to order online and pickup in store similar to how they did it in China last year using the "order online and pickup in store with ID and receipt" reserve system? What a mess...Unless if this mess was purposely created to artificially boost sales then it makes sense of course.

2/3.) I'm assuming you will still have better luck in waking up at 11:55pm and ordering online at 12:00am(or whenever the floodgates open online) on Apple/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint's website vs. competing against a bunch of people that camp out in front of the store days or weeks before the launch. Even when the Nexus was oficially sold out online on the Play Store last year, lots of people(me included) didn't have a problem running an "Auto Refresh Plus" script in Chrome to still order and get a confirmed invoice like everyone else the same day.

6.) I knew it wasn't, but the mentioned lady stomping her feet in that article made me scratch my head a few times and question my own intelligence to think otherwise.

 

[mosco]

The 5C is available, but the 5S is already sold out until October online.

 

[lothar]

The 5C is available, but the 5S is already sold out until October online.

I know that.
My question is why didn't these people try to order online at 12am(or whatever have you) instead of camping out at the Apple stores days or weeks in advance?

Or has the 5S always been set for "October" online and was never available for purchase and delivery immediately to begin with?

 

[thedosbox]

I know that.
My question is why didn't these people try to order online at 12am(or whatever have you) instead of camping out at the Apple stores days or weeks in advance?

Expecting rational behavior from people is ... irrational, regardless of your BigCorp™ affinity.

I'm not an apple user, but this thread strikes me as a not so subtle way to have a dig at their more extreme customers.

 

[shortylickens]

Some people in Houston get held up at gun point.

 

[shabby]

I know that.
My question is why didn't these people try to order online at 12am(or whatever have you) instead of camping out at the Apple stores days or weeks in advance?

How ugly do you want this thread to get?

No non-offensive comment in my head that I can express. So I'll withhold my comments.

Pretty much.

 

[lothar]

It all boils down to marketing. Some people want to have the latest toy on Day 1 (the same attitude applies to games), and will line up to get it.

The lines in turn generate news "stories" which lets the plebs know that a new toy is out. Lining up in front of an apple store also gets you a chance to "get on TV", hence self-reinforcing.

As for the gold color, it's rare enough to signify that you have the latest toy, hence a "must have" item for those who use conspicuous consumption as a social weapon.

Who mainly benefits from such marketing? Apple or the consumer?
The way you described it in your entire post seems like it's mostly the consumer that benefits to me from this marketing technique and not Apple.

Meaning that it's probably not something perfectly orchestrated by Apple to get a sales bump as I originally thought it was?
I guess I was with the tinfoil hat category in assuming that.

 

[midwestfisherman]

The cult is strong.

+1

 

[Pardus]

Never owned an iPhone, never will.

 

[lothar]

How ugly do you want this thread to get?

Not ugly at all.
I was mostly hoping to hear specifically from more Apple users, but it seems like only Android users are responding with "cult" type statements and stupid YouTube videos.

I was simply wondering if it's just ignorance on the consumer side(not knowing that online is an option to get) or just plain valid reasons such as this being planned from the get go all along by Apple execs as a pitch to increase sales by creating what appears to be an artificial shortage and help their bottom line.

 

[OS]

I've been a long time android user (droid, droidx, exhibit 2, gnex, N4) but I just ordered a 5S and yes a gold one. The google scandals (the play process backdooring and wifi pw hoarding) drove me out.

Yes it's stupid and irrational, but I figured if I was paying $700 for a phone, I was going to order the most bling.

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm not sure what the confusion is here.

Certain people treat mobile phones as a fashion item.
IPhones have a more fashionable image than most phones.
People into fashion want the latest fashion as soon as possible.
Iphones are very popular and there are usually shortages/delays to get the latest one on release.
More people want the gold one than anyone thought (because more people have no taste than anyone thought ).

If you cant work out why there may be queues in this situation I'm thinking that you're being deliberately obtuse.

 

[PingviN]

People are stupid.

?

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Considering the popularity of marijuana and Apple products I am surprised iPot hasn't come to a neighborhood Apple store. Then again, maybe I'm just ignorant or something.

 

[Anubis]

its just the "Me first Syndrome" in action on a large scale

 

[MrX8503]

I'm guessing people wait in line because they want it on day 1. If you order it online you take the risk of not getting the device on day 1 due to selling out or delay in shipments.

Apple has built a loyal customer base that is really excited about their devices. This is where the lines are coming from.

 

[Eug]

My question is why didn't these people try to order online at 12am(or whatever have you) instead of camping out at the Apple stores days or weeks in advance?

Or has the 5S always been set for "October" online and was never available for purchase and delivery immediately to begin with?

I completed my order at 12:08 am Pacific Time.

When I started the order, it was around 3:06, and was showing a 7-10 day shipping delay (which I think was the minimum for all Canadian orders), and an arrival date of Oct. 7-10. Two minutes later when I completed the order, it just said the shipping date was "October". People who ordered a few minutes before me got early to mid October shipping dates.

So, it completely sold out of the gold within a matter of minutes.

BTW, I went to the local Apple Store yesterday and they actually did have some stock. I wasn't actually planning to go to the Apple Store. I went to the mall to get some shoes for my kid, and that mall has an Apple Store, so I thought I'd pass by and ask. I didn't even have to line up, since I went mid-afternoon, after a long and gluttonous lunch. However, they only had grey. No silver or gold (my two preferred colours). So, the wait continues.

Note, this is for an unlocked phone from Apple. Not a carrier phone.

2/3.) I'm assuming you will still have better luck in waking up at 11:55pm and ordering online at 12:00am(or whenever the floodgates open online) on Apple/AT&T/Verizon/Sprint's website vs. competing against a bunch of people that camp out in front of the store days or weeks before the launch.

A friend of mine reserved with Rogers (a Canadian carrier) immediately after it went live. As of yesterday it said the order was processing, but he doesn't have a shipping date yet. He was in the first 25 for all of Canada. People ordering several minutes later were much further down the list.

I saw a post from some guy who is a customer at Fido (a subsidiary carrier of Rogers) who reserved a 5S in the waking hours, that afternoon, and he was at nearly 1000 on the list. Ouch. Note that Fido is not one of the top 3 carriers in Canada, and is more popular amongst the mid budget crowd. It doesn't cater to the high end or to corporate accounts. Think of Fido as Rogers' lower end consumer arm.

So yeah, the iPhone 5S is EXTREMELY popular, and yet again Apple seems to have a winner on its hands in terms of sales. Actual shipping unit sales will suffer for calendar Q3 though because Apple simply doesn't have the stock on hand, esp. for silver and gold. And for the gold, I think it's going to be quite uncommon to see for months.

 

[openwheel]

I've been a long time android user (droid, droidx, exhibit 2, gnex, N4) but I just ordered a 5S and yes a gold one. The google scandals (the play process backdooring and wifi pw hoarding) drove me out.

Yes it's stupid and irrational, but I figured if I was paying $700 for a phone, I was going to order the most bling.

Phones are not bling. Try a genuine Rolex instead. This the main problem with the Apple fan base, its all about the image of owning the affordable bling.