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This won't come as a shock to many, but the iPad 2 has sold out right across the globe. Latest reports highlight that Australia have run out of stocks, with the Sydney flagship store turning away potential customers.
Some customers had waited for more than 50 hours at the Sydney George Street store to buy the new tablet. In Adelaide, hundreds queued at retail outlets for a chance to buy the new shiny tablet from Apple. Dozens went home with nothing as stocks were sold out within the hour. Australian retailer Harvey Norman also run out of stocks soon after they opened at 5pm.
Australian newspapers reported that retail managers claim that even with three times the stock levels they would have still sold out within hours and they can't keep up with demand for the device.
Apple set up a ‘reserve and pick up' system where customers can reserve an iPad2 online by 9pm so they could buy it the next morning at their local store. The overwhelming demand means that there will be shipping delays now of up to four weeks for the iPad 2.
Choice consumer organisation said that Apple needs to explain to customers why stores run out of stocks so quickly after the launch.
“The only explanation for the shortage is either someone is careless in estimating demand or Apple are very cunning in their marketing strategy,” Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn was quoted in The Australian as saying.
“You don't have to be a genius to know the iPad 2 would take off.”
KitGuru says: Is it an elaborate ploy to keep stocks low to build the hype or is it genuine that they simply can't make enough ?
I always thought Apple might be intentionally holding back stock to raise the hype. They surely know these sell xxxx amount. Cant believe they always get caught with their pants around their ankles like this.
Apple is clearly padding the sales figures for this quarter. They are booking orders as sales, and because supply is limited thanks to events in Japan constraining component suppliers, are pushing what product they do have through third parties like Radio Shack, so they can book that channel stuffing as sales. Funny how the online orders have a delivery time of 3-4 weeks, so that pushes the delivery into next quarter, so if it needs to be cancelled through ongoing component shortages, it comes out of next quarter’s figures, not this one.