We’re getting reports from some folks who tried to work around the massive fail-up during last week’s pre-order fiasco and pre-order from Radio Shack, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. The reports aren’t good.
It seems that most stores will not have them in stock tomorrow and that you should probably check with your pre-order store before you head down. One reader, DW, writes:
Hello,
I just wanted to let you guys know that I spoke with the Manager of the RadioShack store that I pre-ordered my iPhone from and he let me know that none of the customers who pre-ordered an iPhone 4 would be getting one from his store tomorrow (Thursday).
I was the 3rd person to pre-order it that morning.
The RadioShack Store Manager just let me know that due to demand, none of the RadioShack’s were getting phones and that they would ship them when they became available. He told me the same thing was going to happen to BestBuy and Walmart so all of those people who pre-ordered through them would be screwed as well.
Thanks.
UPDATE – A reader who works at Radio Shack just sent us this note:
I work at a local RadioShack in California, and wanted to update you on the latest fiasco regarding the iPhone and my company.
As you know, stores started taking reservations for the iPhone 4 on June 15th. The customers who were “lucky” enough to receive a pre-order pin, were in the thinking that they were ‘guaranteed’ a iPhone when it launches on June 24 — as were the employees. Of course, we now know that isn’t the case.
My district, which consists of about 20 stores, are getting a little more than 15 total phones. Some of these stores are getting as much as four, while most are getting zero. Logical people would figure that the stores who are getting none, didn’t get any reservations for their customers on the 15th, while the ones who got multiple reservations are the stores who will be selling them on day one. That is NOT the case.
My store, which had some of the highest reservation total, if not the highest in the district, is getting a grand total of 0 phones; however, another store — which is about a mile down the road — is getting four. Guess what? They had ZERO pre-orders, and they are NOT the only stores getting the phones who had a reservation total of zero! We tried communicating with our district manager and various other ‘big-wigs’ within the company, but none seemed to have an answer.
Our only question was: why in the world did we have a pre-order system in place, but not allocate to the stores who actually had pre-orders. I understand that the iPhone is a hot gadget, and maybe somethings were beyond Radioshacks control — I respect that — however, whatever phones our company has, should have been shipped to the stores who actually had reservations. If we couldn’t meet every pre-order need, than fine, we made a mistake and over sold. But to not even make an effort and try to give what we could to the customers who got up early to reserve the phone, is…well embarrassing, and totally unfair.
I’m sorry to the people getting screwed tomorrow. Yes, we failed you.
More from Wal-Mart:
Hi John I’m a sales and service rep for Kraft foods. I visit a few Wal-Marts for Kraft everyday in the Orlando Florida area. While at a store today I asked the general merchandise manager how many iPhone 4 they received he said “Oh just one” I asked him again thinking it was a joke. He said “No I’m very serious we only got one!” Not sure if this will be typical of every Wal-Mart, but it was kinda shocking. Good thing I pre-ordered mine from Apple.