AppleInsider Staff
With Apple's initial batch of iPad minis sold out online as well as brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, the company has initiated online reservations for the new tablet that allows interested customers to purchase a unit online for next-day in-store pickup.
Instead of having to wait the two-week delivery time Apple is currently quoting, those interested in buying the 7.9-inch tablet now have the chance to reserve one through the Online Apple Store each night starting at 10 p.m. The reservation system, aimed at customers looking to be one of the first iPad mini owners, has been used before with other major Apple launches.
The service is perhaps the best way to guarantee a unit as Apple Stores around the country are taking delivery of only a limited number of units each day as they trickle in from Chinese manufacturing plants.
It is unclear how many units are allotted to online reservations, and stock at each Apple Store undoubtedly fluctuates, however interested consumers can visit the Online Apple Store to check availability starting at 10 p.m. local time.
To use the system, customers need to go through the steps of placing an online order, but choose the "Pick up" option at checkout instead of "Ship." Inventory is updated nightly.
The reservation service is akin to Apple's pre-order system it employed in China, most recently for the iPad 3, where customers were able to reserve a unit within an allotted time period and subsequently given a specific time to pick up their device the next day.
With all preorder and launch day units sold out, one analyst believes Apple will have shipped 850,000 iPad mini units in its first week of availability.
Apple unveiled the mid-size iPad at a special event in October, with preorders for the device selling out within hours. The tablet officially hit stores on Friday in 34 countries as part of Apple's largest product rollout ever.
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32 Comments
How many units are allotted to online personal pickup? Th many does the store have. Unlike unpaid reservations, these are sales. The store isn't going to hold back to maybe get a sale from a walkin if there's someone online itchy to punch in that credit card. For this, the iPhone or anything else.
I don't believe the analyst-driven anti-Apple hype when it comes to the mini, but I wonder how the lines will look once the LTE-enabled minis hit the stores? I'm guessing there may be more demand for the wireless-enabled models. I'd love to have one mainly for use as a GPS in my car.
[quote name="SpamSandwich" url="/t/154062/apple-opens-ipad-mini-reservations-for-next-day-in-store-pickup#post_2226762"]I don't believe the analyst-driven anti-Apple hype when it comes to the mini, but I wonder how the lines will look once the LTE-enabled minis hit the stores? I'm guessing there may be more demand for the wireless-enabled models. I'd love to have one mainly for use as a GPS in my car. [/quote] Going in-dash? I expect to see a decent market for this.
Went down to look at it and came away unimpressed. Compared to my iPad 3 the screen was quite a step down but otherwise just a smaller iPad. Would like to see some new ideas from Apple.
These are sold out everywhere I go. I didn't expect it to be completely sold out as there is a lot of negative news on it, but good for Apple. I just wanted to see it and hold it in hand, but even my local Best Buy didn't have any display units despite a having the product info sheets outs. I wonder if they'll be able to hold any inventory before Christmas is past