Looking online for iPhone stock?
Oct 12, 2014 | 3:03 pm
#1
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Looking online for iPhone stock?
Just got back from DUB, where my iPhone 5 was stolen...and I want to get a 6 Plus for my trip in 10 days to ICN and AKL (or else I won't have a camera at all to take pics!).
Everybody in the entire region is STILL sold out--almost a month after they came out. Incredible. I've checked Apple, AT&T, Target, Best Buy, etc. All just show up as sold out online or (if I go in) shake their heads in pity at me.
I've been checking daily to see if any of the Apple Stores near me (preferably the one in Newark, DE, given its tax-free status) have stock, but none ever show up with stock online. I just popped into the one a few miles from my house, and they said that they do get shipments in a few times a week, but the phones walk out the door almost immediately. (They had some Verizon ones in this morning but they're gone already; I'm looking for AT&T anyway.)
So, my question: do the Apple Stores ever have stock on hand that don't show up online? In other words, as a Hail Mary, should I just go ahead and drive the hour to the Newark store in hopes they might have some that don't show up online?
I'd hate to waste a trip out there, but I'd also hate to lose the opportunity to snag one before it disappears just because it was never loaded into their online inventory and thus only available on a walk-in basis...
Everybody in the entire region is STILL sold out--almost a month after they came out. Incredible. I've checked Apple, AT&T, Target, Best Buy, etc. All just show up as sold out online or (if I go in) shake their heads in pity at me.
I've been checking daily to see if any of the Apple Stores near me (preferably the one in Newark, DE, given its tax-free status) have stock, but none ever show up with stock online. I just popped into the one a few miles from my house, and they said that they do get shipments in a few times a week, but the phones walk out the door almost immediately. (They had some Verizon ones in this morning but they're gone already; I'm looking for AT&T anyway.)
So, my question: do the Apple Stores ever have stock on hand that don't show up online? In other words, as a Hail Mary, should I just go ahead and drive the hour to the Newark store in hopes they might have some that don't show up online?
I'd hate to waste a trip out there, but I'd also hate to lose the opportunity to snag one before it disappears just because it was never loaded into their online inventory and thus only available on a walk-in basis...
Last edited by jackal; Oct 12, 2014 at 3:38 pm Reason: clarifying
Oct 12, 2014 | 3:30 pm
#2
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Just got back from DUB, where my iPhone 5 was stolen...and I want to get a 6 Plus for my trip in 10 days to ICN and AKL (or else I won't have a camera at all to take pics!).
Everybody in the entire region is STILL sold out--almost a month after they came out. Incredible. I've checked Apple, AT&T, Target, Best Buy, etc. All just show up as sold out online or (if I go in) shake their heads in pity at me.
I've been checking daily (even before I got home last night) to see if any of the Apple Stores near me (preferably the one in Newark, DE, given its tax-free status) have stock, but none ever show up with stock online. I just popped into the one a few miles from my house, and they said that they do get shipments in a few times a week, but the phones walk out the door almost immediately. (They had some Verizon ones in this morning but they're gone already; I'm looking for AT&T anyway.)
So, my question: do the stores ever have stock on hand that don't show up online? In other words, as a Hail Mary, should I just go ahead and drive the hour to the Newark store in hopes they might have some that don't show up online?
I'd hate to waste a trip, but I'd also hate to lose the opportunity to snag one before it disappears just because it was only available on a walk-in basis...
Everybody in the entire region is STILL sold out--almost a month after they came out. Incredible. I've checked Apple, AT&T, Target, Best Buy, etc. All just show up as sold out online or (if I go in) shake their heads in pity at me.
I've been checking daily (even before I got home last night) to see if any of the Apple Stores near me (preferably the one in Newark, DE, given its tax-free status) have stock, but none ever show up with stock online. I just popped into the one a few miles from my house, and they said that they do get shipments in a few times a week, but the phones walk out the door almost immediately. (They had some Verizon ones in this morning but they're gone already; I'm looking for AT&T anyway.)
So, my question: do the stores ever have stock on hand that don't show up online? In other words, as a Hail Mary, should I just go ahead and drive the hour to the Newark store in hopes they might have some that don't show up online?
I'd hate to waste a trip, but I'd also hate to lose the opportunity to snag one before it disappears just because it was only available on a walk-in basis...
FWIW, I've bought items from stores where their online availability showed zero. More than once, too.
This may be a geography thing, though, so don't take my word for it.
Kind of shocked at your situation. Almost every store I've been to (JAX) has a plethora.
Oct 12, 2014 | 4:12 pm
#3
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There are anecdotes of people walking in and getting them.
There are a couple of services which scrape apple.com and look for stock and notify you.
I registered with istocknow.com but haven't gotten any notice of any availability.
They do show overall 6 and 6 Plus availability. 6 has greater availability.
But they're trying to roll out to China and aggressively launch in other countries. So maybe the US isn't getting as much supply. Though stores have display models ...
There are a couple of services which scrape apple.com and look for stock and notify you.
I registered with istocknow.com but haven't gotten any notice of any availability.
They do show overall 6 and 6 Plus availability. 6 has greater availability.
But they're trying to roll out to China and aggressively launch in other countries. So maybe the US isn't getting as much supply. Though stores have display models ...
Oct 12, 2014 | 5:28 pm
#4
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I wonder if someone were to have checked online right before they walked in, would store.apple.com have showed availability or not? That's the real question--if not, then that bodes well for just periodically walking into my local Apple Store and hoping to snatch one up. But if it shows online, then no sense wasting a trip over there if the website shows it's not available--better just to check store.apple.com every hour or so and then speed over when one shows up.
Thanks; I'd already registered with a couple of others, but I've added that one. The more eyes the better...
Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. Obviously demand in the US hasn't let up (at least around here), and now supply will be constricted more as they roll out to more international destinations. Maybe I'm better off to just go buy a cheap digital camera for my upcoming trip and wait until I get back to get the phone.
Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. Obviously demand in the US hasn't let up (at least around here), and now supply will be constricted more as they roll out to more international destinations. Maybe I'm better off to just go buy a cheap digital camera for my upcoming trip and wait until I get back to get the phone.
Oct 13, 2014 | 8:44 am
#5
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Are you looking for the iPhone 6? That should be pretty easy to get (vs. the Plus). Also, if you're not signing a contract or Next plan with AT&T, you could just buy a Verizon or T-Mobile at full price ("device-only") and use it with AT&T - they're all unlocked at full price (except the Sprint ones).
Oct 13, 2014 | 9:16 am
#6
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I managed to pick up two pluses from a store an hour and a half from where we are (in LA) using Istocknow. Never once got the email alert, but twice before I snagged these ones (unlocked, harder to get ) on the same day stock showed up at Santa Barbara and Century city, but went very fast - faster than I could get through the checkout to 'pay now'. I was just idly refreshing the page now and then while working, so not spending an inordinate amount of time looking. Though very stressful when you don't know a place well enough to know know far the drive is when an opportunity pops up! There did seem to be more stock that day in the morning and late afternoon - maybe not a pattern, but maybe reflecting deliveries to stores? Very happy with it so far: I already bought the 6 earlier and was more than happy with that. But LOVE the plus.
Oct 13, 2014 | 9:17 am
#7
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From what I've read (and been told by some Apple store employees), the stock online is a subset of what the store has. Apparently, if the store stock gets over a certain amount then they'll put them into the online inventory. It's certainly worthwhile to get to a store early (maybe an hour or two before they open) especially midweek when it seems they get deliveries. Don't go on a Sunday or Monday morning.
Are you looking for the iPhone 6? That should be pretty easy to get (vs. the Plus). Also, if you're not signing a contract or Next plan with AT&T, you could just buy a Verizon or T-Mobile at full price ("device-only") and use it with AT&T - they're all unlocked at full price (except the Sprint ones).
Are you looking for the iPhone 6? That should be pretty easy to get (vs. the Plus). Also, if you're not signing a contract or Next plan with AT&T, you could just buy a Verizon or T-Mobile at full price ("device-only") and use it with AT&T - they're all unlocked at full price (except the Sprint ones).
I did some Googling last night and found some older discussions (from previous releases) that indicated they receive the shipments during the day but don't open them up for sale until the next morning, while a few other search results indicated they start selling them as soon as they inventory them. Anyone know which is the case? In other words, is it worth going over in the middle of the day, perhaps after FedEx might do their delivery?
I'm looking for the 6 Plus (gray, 128GB) at AT&T 2-year-contract price. I'm increasingly learning this is going to be a long shot.
Oct 13, 2014 | 12:21 pm
#8
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Yeah, that particular combo is going to be pretty hard to find - certainly almost impossible online quick enough to get an order in. Are you buying it on contract? If not, you can just get the Verizon or T-Mobile version at full price instead.
Oct 13, 2014 | 12:45 pm
#10
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I have grandfathered unlimited data, so I have no interest in leaving AT&T for anyone else anytime soon and so have no reason to pay full price to avoid a contract.
Oct 13, 2014 | 3:15 pm
#11
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I went To an AT&T corporate store less than a week after the release and ordered my 6. It was a Wednesday. They said it would ship to the store for pickup in 25 to 30 business days. The next morning I got an email that it was shipping that day for delivery the next day. The latter was accurate. So I think it is pretty hard to estimate what is in stock when.
Oct 13, 2014 | 3:26 pm
#12
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Really, $650. Don't forget that no matter what you pay initially, over the course of two years, you're paying at least $650 for the iPhone 6.
Oct 13, 2014 | 3:27 pm
#13
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All right; that's the info I was looking for. So it may be worth going to the store even if online doesn't show anything.
I did some Googling last night and found some older discussions (from previous releases) that indicated they receive the shipments during the day but don't open them up for sale until the next morning, while a few other search results indicated they start selling them as soon as they inventory them. Anyone know which is the case? In other words, is it worth going over in the middle of the day, perhaps after FedEx might do their delivery?
I'm looking for the 6 Plus (gray, 128GB) at AT&T 2-year-contract price. I'm increasingly learning this is going to be a long shot.
I did some Googling last night and found some older discussions (from previous releases) that indicated they receive the shipments during the day but don't open them up for sale until the next morning, while a few other search results indicated they start selling them as soon as they inventory them. Anyone know which is the case? In other words, is it worth going over in the middle of the day, perhaps after FedEx might do their delivery?
I'm looking for the 6 Plus (gray, 128GB) at AT&T 2-year-contract price. I'm increasingly learning this is going to be a long shot.
Oct 13, 2014 | 4:09 pm
#14
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The only choice I have on store.apple.com is to order and have it shipped directly to me, which is currently showing 3-4 weeks (and I leave for Asia next week). No in-store-pick-up is ever shown as being available (and I'm checking several times a day in addition to setting alerts via several of the websites mentioned above).
Oct 13, 2014 | 4:23 pm
#15
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I'm not saying you shouldn't be on that plan at all, but just recognize that once you are eligible for the $199 upgrade, any more months on that plan mean you are paying the carrier for a subsidy reimbursement even though you've already fully repaid them.
So when you say that you're surprised that people are lining up to pay such a high price, realize that paying that high price upfront means you don't have the potential to pay the carrier extra at the other end of the contract.
Further, in the case of AT&T, a new phone means a $36 activation fee if it's a subsidized phone. If you just pop your SIM in an unlocked, full price phone, this isn't an issue. Not sure what you do in your case without your SIM, but I suspect an AT&T store would give you a free SIM to replace your lost one.