How do you know if a store has the iPhone in stock?

Question

Level 1

8 points

How do you know if a store has the iPhone in stock?

I live pretty far from any store and with the cost of gas as it is, I don't venture out just to buy a phone unless I know I am going to get a phone. The AT&T stores all say they are out of the phone (at least I got a human on the phone for that) and the Apple web site tells me that the nearest Apple store has the phones, but when I called the Fair Oaks VA store (over an hour drive away), I waited on the phone for 4 hours, got the little message "there are more than 8 callers ahead of you" which counted down till it said "there is 1 caller ahead of you" and then they dropped me!

***!!! How often do stores get shipments in and when will it be safe to just freaking drive to the store and actually get a phone. I'm trying to switch from Verizon Wireless and I must say...at least I can get someone on the phone with Verizon even if they are stupid and exceptionally rude.

So far...my first experience with Apple isn't going well.

Mac OS X (10.5.3)

Posted on Jul 12, 2008 12:18 PM

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Answer 1

redxk8

Level 1

112 points

Jul 12, 2008 12:32 PM in response to screth

The Apple website is updated at 9 pm every night. You should be able to go to the link for the store that you are looking for stock at and see after 9 tonight if they will have stock tomorrow. Unfortunately during the day there is no way to know other than calling the store directly.

Even if they do have stock that still does not guarantee you a phone. For example, one of the Dallas area Apple stores said that they had stock today. I called the store first thing this morning and they confirmed that they indeed had stock but that also the line for iPhones already had about 300 people on it. So if you call and they tell you they have stock, by the time you drive over there and get behind all those other people, there is no guarantee that there will be a phone for you when it is your turn in line.

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Answer 2

gfd617

Level 1

15 points

Jul 12, 2008 12:56 PM in response to Hickabilly

Verizon also doesnt have 100s of customers in line waiting to buy a phone. They are quite busy right now, give them the benefit of the doubt. Just wait a little, you wont have to wait in line either if you give it a few days.

Message was edited by: gfd617

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Answer 3

Hickabilly Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 13, 2008 12:38 PM in response to Hickabilly

Well, I drove into town and waited for a while in line. The good thing was that they had police hired to keep the line orderly. After about a 1 hour wait, I was able to get a white 16 gig mode. I wanted black, but they didn't have any more black ones.

Well, the experience has begun. The only thing I am really confused with so far is why I cannot drag my mp4 movies that use to work with iTunes 7.2 to the new iTunes 7.7.

Thanks all!

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Answer 4

screth

Level 1

0 points

Jul 12, 2008 12:23 PM in response to Hickabilly

http://www.apple.com/retail/iphone/availability.html

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