A virtual flood of emails from MacDailyNews readers reports iPad 2 sold out shortly after going on sale at Target, Best Buy, Walmart, AT&T, and Verizon retail stores in locations across the U.S. Apparently, many of those retailers had extremely limited supplies and model choices. For example, many report that some relatively far-flung Target locations had just 5 iPads total and only one model (16GB Wi-Fi-only in black). Some – AT&T retail outlets, for example – had none in stock at all, instead referring customers to order online, which shows shipping estimates of 2-3 weeks.
Apple Retail Stores seem to have fared only slightly better. Extremely long lines (cough – Gene “Don’t Expect Long iPad 2 Lines” Munster – cough) have been reported (and photographed) nationwide. We have reports that many Apple Stores quickly ran out of iPad 2 inventory as they shuttled hundreds of customers through each store starting at 5pm local time on Friday evening. One common refrain: “I’ve been to them all, iPhone and iPad launch days, and this one had by far the longest line!”
Interestingly, from the reports we have, 3G AT&T models seem to have been the first to go at the locations we’ve heard about from readers. In some locations, white iPad 2 models dried up first, in others, the black models were gone almost immediately. Of course, we have no way of telling if those models were in shorter supply or if they were actually the most popular.
Apple’s Online Store currently shows shipping times for all eighteen iPad models of “2-3 weeks.”
Our takeaway: Apple iPad 2 launch was a major event across the U.S.A. Apple’s supplies were inadequate to satisfy extremely high demand and many customers waited hours on line only to be turned away shortly after 5pm local time. It’s a nice problem for Apple to have, but it’s a problem nonetheless. Apple needs to get more iPads made and delivered to stores yesterday. That statement will likely hold true for weeks, if not months to come.
Apple could have sold many, many more iPad 2 units than they did yesterday, if they had adequate supply levels. Apple either severely underestimated demand or their supply chain screwed up somewhere along the way and couldn’t deliver anywhere close to enough units to retail. The company turned away many, many thousands of disappointed potential iPad customers empty-handed yesterday. That is never a good thing.
One thing Apple should do immediately is bring back the availability tracker – by iPad model, please! – on their website, so iPad 2 hunters can find Apple Retail Stores that have stock.
MacDailyNews Note: If anyone has info about iPad 2 availability anywhere, please let us know below (after you snag yours).
Got turned away from every store i went to. Target had sold their 5pc to employees before 5pm. They had none to sell. Walmart had 5pc and 15 ppl were turned away while i was there. Product launch fail!
I was really pissed yesterday. I wait on the line for at least 2 hours at Cambridge mall yesterday, someone from apple just passed by me and told me I was 362 on the line. After that they came to me and said that at the point I was in the line I could have the ipad, but some models may be run out when I get there. After 2 hours waiting someone from apple said they where sold out! At least 50 people get out of line. After that the same guy comes again and said they still have the 64Gb just wifi, witch was the model I was aiming for. When I get in the store, there was no more!
Today @ noon, Apple Store in Charlotte had a line of 100+ folks looking to buy the 64 Gig black Verizon. It was the only model left in stock. Employee said they had enough for everybody in line. I ordered my 32 gig black 3g from AT&T store. I should get it in less than two weeks. The employee said AT&T bought LOTS of them, unlike last year. He also told me his boss wouldn’t let them buy any on first day.
Apple Retail Store Perimeter Mall, Atlanta, GA… had a visible showing of about 1,000 people before the ‘reopening’ at 5pm, and still allowed another 1,000 or more people to continue lining up. There were easily 2,000 people in line stretching across a Mall (even out into the parking lot). They said at 2pm when I asked, that they would be doing a ticket system, and carefully monitoring the number of people in line to assure the amounts in stock would be provided to the number count of the line. The “Genius Bar” of staff at this location is completely inept. At my place in line, no tickets were issued… no information on tickets were given… and nothing more than a deluded hope to the masses in line given, that could easily be determined by simple math as to some cutoff point. Instead, hopefuls were allowed to wait… even though it HAD to be known it would not be available for them. If you only have 100 WiFi models left… then how hard is it to say “We only have 100 WiFi models left.” and count off 100 people in line for a cutoff point… and let the rest know apologetically “If you are beyond this point in line… you can go home. We will be sold out.”?
How do you not know of the simple count of product, per count of possible customers in a line that large… and allow them to remain? How do you not predetermine seeing a line of this enormous size and determine that to be fair and equal… that only 1 item per customer be sold… and not 2 per customer (if desired) be sold? You would have at least given others (even if not myself) a chance to get one, instead of allowing those ahead in line, to purchase more than 1- and simply do so to get a vastly limited item for another person they may know, that is NOT even at the location waiting for hours in line to get one possibly. I understand supply and demand, and understand the quickness as to how Apple attempted to provide to the market (for whatever reasons of competitors or simply to do so in general excitement) so soon after a national press release on the product being introduced. But I do not understand the complete ineptitude of the actual Apple Retail store Manager (Kera) and Staff at this Perimeter location, in the proper handling of this now known fiasco.
Like others… I will just have to wait until they get more in stock (as I have only the Apple Card with credit- from returning the original iPad to wait for iPad II release- at the recommendation of an actual Apple store Rep)… and will be just as clueless as the Manager and Staff at this location as to when this will be. Apple Corporate had to have some idea of what actual supply they had, and be able to better determine when to actually launch based on this number and numerous locations possible… much less the ability to continue selling after Day 1 (“Day” being loosely used… as after 5pm on a Friday of all days… is not even a full ‘day’).
Write more.
There was a relatively short line at the Palo Alto store Saturday morning, so I took a chance and joined it. The Apple Store folks told us they might be receiving new inventory, and that the only models they had left were some of the black Verizon 3G units. They handed out claim cards to those who were interested (like me) and took us out of line to process us before the store’s official opening time. Inside they were busily restocking covers (sold out of red and blue leather) but I saw only a few iPads on a portable cart. I asked if they’d received restocks and they said, “Not yet.” This was about 9:30 AM PST.
(Yesterday I waited 3.5 hours in line at the San Mateo Apple Store and struck out. There had to be five hundred people in line, and they were sold out of all inventory by 6:30.)
Just a follow up… Apple Retail locations should have possible gone through the line and gotten possible ordering information from those they allowed to stand in line waiting… even after knowing they would not get one… to maybe get an order/hold item for an incoming unit. Then these hopefuls could at least been assured their time was not wasted, and they might get the desired item when it comes in… instead of playing a waiting game, and an unknown one at that, being possible for some random person to buy one as it comes in, that did not go through this frustrating process like so many. If nothing else, they would be able to send to Apple an ACTUAL number of iPad II’s that would be needed to be shipped… by a simple number count, which only gives Apple Corporate better information to know the ACTUAL demand numbers and units needed to be able to keep up supply at release time.
All the Best Buy, Target, and Walmart sold out by 5:30 PM in Anchorage.
The Oakbrook Apple Store in Illinois still has hundreds in stock.
I am really disappointed with Apple’s marketing strategy. I’ve been a loyal customer for a long time ( IPods, iphones, 1st gen ipad, apps, etc). I don’t expect to be recognized in any way, but I know there are a lot of customers like me and many new customers that can be disappointed…
Today I was at Apple Store in Northpark (Dallas, TX) 10:30 am and the line was 100+. I asked nicely if they could tell if they had sufficient stock for all of us and all I got was: “I can’t tell you that, you need to get in line. If you don’t want its up to you…” Really??? Where is your customer service??
Believe me, all your competitors know who you are and where are you going, you don’t need the lines to prove it. You can be a little more condescending with your customers by saving us time.
Like I said, I love Apple products and I’ll get it eventually but don’t count on me again to fulfill your egocentric marketing decisions. Now I’ll order online ( I can wait the 3-4 weeks it will take) and cost you an extra 5-7 dollars in shipping…
Around 6pm Friday i couldnt find an ipad anywhere! they were all gone, so i had no choice but to stand in line for 2hrs at the Florida Mall Apple store and got one. Today they only have the 64gb units, glad i stood in line. I got the cover also, dont like it because it doesnt protect the back of the ipad, now looking for a new cover/case.
Well i am not so sure this marketing tactic was a stroke of genius. I am now going to have the time to seriously explore other options in this market. I’m very unimpressed. In my company if your production doesn’t meet the expected sales you don’t have a job.
DFW Area walmart’s and target’s had 2 to 6 units each and all were sold 30 minutes before 5pm. No Att store in DFW received any version of iPad 2. Best Buy had best stock at around 50+ units per store but lines were too long at 4:30 to waste time there. It would seem that the Verizon models were last to sell and I suspect many of those were sold for lack of any choice. Apple stores were the longest line by far at 100+ people at 3 different locations. They were sold out out with in an hour of launch.
I wasted many hours attempting to obtain one of these devices. I’m sure I will still make the purchase but Apple is sadly mistaken if they think a time wont come when they will be begging us to pay attention to new launches. They better get their act together.
Did anyone else order before 1 a.m. (PST)? I got online using my Apple ID at about 3:45 EST and was allowed to order.
I’m sure Apple would have preferred that more units were on sale. This has happened before – people were waiting for months for the original iPhone. The iPhone 3GS release was very smooth. I had scheduled a pickup time on the day of release and got the phone in less than an hour.
That’s ideally how it should be done but you definitely need the supply and the notice to set up the reserve system.
On Long Island, NY supply seemed to vary….target had only 64g 3G models….Best Buy in Lawrence only had 30, so at 3 min after 5 they were totally sold out…..Valley Stream had at least 100….got on line at 5:30 and had a ticket to purchase one…..love love love the new iPad….stinks for those who have to wait so long….Apple should do better planning or is this a plan to have people want what they can!t have?
Frye’s in San Diego still had about 50 wifi and verizon units as of 2pm today. I think people didn’t realize they would be sold at Frye’s.
The new “pop-up” Apple store in downtown Austin still had plenty in stock as of 4 pm Saturday. No line at that time (although there was a line about a block at noon on Saturday).
Bitch, bitch, bitch. “Apple should have had more units available, etc.” I don’t believe Apple had any less than their manufacturing efficiency would allow for this release date. After all, you have to plan a reasonable run rate so that production capacity doesn’t exceed long-term demand and go idle. And then you have to have enough non-retail inventory so that people who order online can get their delivery in less than a month. And finally, even Apple can’t predict what opening day will be like. The customers chose to line up and wait by the millions, Apple isn’t responsible for that. So there’s two choices for them – 1) Delay the launch date until there are enough iPads to meet demand (and how many millions of units would that be?) and oversaturate some areas so product is left on shelves, when in other areas it would still get sold out or 2) Have a million or two available for launch day, and get it out sooner rather than waiting for the Xoom and several other alternatives to get to market first. Apple chose the latter (and smarter) option.
There are plenty of people happily using their iPad 2’s because Apple launched when they did, and those people are glad Apple didn’t wait longer to have larger supplies. There are plenty more people awaiting their online orders with hopes of seeing a delivery within the first week.
And you can bet that Apple’s suppliers are cranking iPad 2’s out as fast as they can make them. Some of you act like you expect them to start building the iPad 3 now so there are enough to go around when it is finally introduced.
that is why you need to go the the main apple stores because they had the majority of supply while the smaller apple stores had a limited number to go with their store size. the main apple store in new york on 59th street had 100,000 ipad 2 in stock and with the launch buy 7:30 pm they only sold out on the white 16 and 32 gb with 3G from att. also, the lines moved so fast you only had to wait just over an hour and a half compared to other locations and was not able to get one because of a limited stock. main stores are the way to go remember that for next time…right that down.
Best Buys in San Antonio are asking iPad2 seekers for $100 simply to call shoppers back when shipments arrive. Such payments are not applied toward purchase of iPad. Unbelievable! I guess they must be pretty annoyed with all the calls and disappointed shoppers. Several friends and family members confirmed that this is not isolated.
The best buys here do apply the $100 to your purchase, I think you are confused.
16 unique models – a total joke. Apple creates it’s own mess.
The launch date in many European countries is end of March. Since Apple is not even able to deliver in US how will they be able to do so in Europe. Will they send a few only to Europe. How Aplle handle this is ruining their brand Mr. Jobs have earlier said that when they do product development they do not ask their customers what they want from new products. If they made the effort this time doing a survey they could based on statistics have calculated how many Ipads they needed to have produced and have in inventory before the launch date. If the problem is distribution they should at least been able to have a central warehouse with Ipads to be sent out to those ordering online.
I got mine at Macmall. No line and it has shipped. They were a pleasure to work with as always.
I picked up my 64g wifi at a wal-mart in Boise, ID at 10pm on Friday. All 3 apple stores, all the local Targets, Best Buys, AT & T and Verizon stores were sold out by 5:15pm. They still had several left at the wal-mart I went to. It was at an out of the way wal -mart I didn’t even think of until I had already given up.
Ha, is this article for real? “Apple’s Supply chain messed up” – yea, cause who would want headlines reading “iPad 2 sells out across nation!!!” yeah , that would suck for business.