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nredman · Aug 15, 2004, 04:12 PM

just searching online and looking at stores, you can't find ipods anywhere right now...i see alot of "out of stocks" on amazon, best buy, target, buy.com. i suppose its good they are selling but i wonder how many people want an ipod and then decide to get a different player? or if people actually wait for an ipod? anyways i don't really need an ipod i am just bummed if people buy something else because of the shortages.

macgfx · Aug 15, 2004, 07:06 PM

Originally posted by nredman:
just searching online and looking at stores, you can't find ipods anywhere right now...i see alot of "out of stocks" on amazon, best buy, target, buy.com. i suppose its good they are selling but i wonder how many people want an ipod and then decide to get a different player? or if people actually wait for an ipod? anyways i don't really need an ipod i am just bummed if people buy something else because of the shortages.

Stock seems to be low for 4th Gen 20g, but there are more mini's out now than 2weeks ago when you could not get one anywhere(new/at list).

Apple lists 20g as 2-3days
All mini's 4 weeks(Can't get the 4gig mini hd's)

lot's of new and referb 3rd Gen at smalldog and else where.

Link · Aug 15, 2004, 08:25 PM

Yes and no. I think Apple might purposely do this, and they have all control over it too

See this whole "it's so out of stock if you want one you have to wait 2 months!" thing is hyped up news stuff... free advertising so to say. When apple does this, it makes the backlog seem bigger than if they just released it and had a ton of them sitting on the shelves ya know?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Aug 15, 2004, 09:28 PM

Originally posted by Link:
Yes and no. I think Apple might purposely do this, and they have all control over it too

See this whole "it's so out of stock if you want one you have to wait 2 months!" thing is hyped up news stuff... free advertising so to say. When apple does this, it makes the backlog seem bigger than if they just released it and had a ton of them sitting on the shelves ya know?

Ya right man, they would sell 10x more iPods if they kept them in stock rather then building "Hype" with no stock.

mishap · Aug 15, 2004, 10:50 PM

this is because the 4Gpod kicks ass.

i mean, obviously.

CaptianScooby · Aug 16, 2004, 12:47 AM

good old supply and demand. Apple has a hot product and they know it. They dont need to run heavy in the production ... and they probably are ..... When i went to get my laptop the store only had 3rd gen iPods in stock (why still same price?) but i got one anyway b/c of cram and jam .... but i dont care b/c its going to my sister .... mom paid for it .... already got mine off of ex. g/f when she bought her 12 ibook. 4th gen ... and i get the dock from the 3rd ... SWEET

daxdagr8t · Aug 16, 2004, 01:22 AM

I ordered my 20g 4g last thursday at the apple online store and I haven't encountered the out of stock problem.However all this waiting is killing me.I should have ordered the expedite shipping.

Randman · Aug 16, 2004, 02:37 AM

I don't know if the iPod shortages have caused Apple too many losses, just because there's few alternatives as popular.
However the iMac deal and other shortages in computers probably have hurt Apple considerably with the new school year.

d.fine · Aug 16, 2004, 09:40 AM

I went to get one today, but they had none at the Apple Store ...

rozwado1 · Aug 17, 2004, 03:57 PM

I don't think anyone out there would go to an Apple Store for an iPod, not find any, then go and buy an iRiver or the like. If they're gonna go for the iPod, they want an iPod. I think Apple's just controlling supply to increase demand. I know my little sister's group of friends recently thought it was 'the coolest thing ever' to have a 4G iPod when they first came out - because they were so hard to get.

Flach · Aug 17, 2004, 07:27 PM

It's probably not causing them too many sales, it is causing me a little bit of frustration, though. I got a 4g iPod shortly after they came out and now it is defective (will not sync with PC - yes I know, I have a mac too but I have a PC desktop that has a bigger hard drive). Now I have to wait to exchange it until we get more in at CompUSA.

waffffffle · Aug 17, 2004, 07:34 PM

I think Apple is certainly losing sales, mostly at retail outlets like Circuit City and Best Buy. A friend of mine when into Circuit City in December to buy an iPod and they were out. There was an iRiver rep there and he convinced her to buy an iRiver player, claiming the iPod battery lies. She came home believing that the iPod battery only lasts 18 months. This is where Apple loses sales.

I got a 4G 40 GB iPod at the Apple retail store near me a few weeks back. I went there this weekend with my sister to buy an iPod mini and she got the last one in the store and they were out of 20 GB models.

macgfx · Aug 18, 2004, 12:19 AM

Originally posted by rozwado1:
I don't think anyone out there would go to an Apple Store for an iPod, not find any, then go and buy an iRiver or the like. If they're gonna go for the iPod, they want an iPod. I think Apple's just controlling supply to increase demand. I know my little sister's group of friends recently thought it was 'the coolest thing ever' to have a 4G iPod when they first came out - because they were so hard to get.

The 4gig HD's in the mini made by Hitachi are under supplied. I don't think Apple gains from a "Cabbage Patch" "Tickle me Elmo" supply chain here. The mini's 4gig drive will be far too small for most folks+it will be lost,stolen,damaged in 6-9 months at such time the 10gig mini's will replace them.

It play's out as the new "lean" in tech. Don't build it until it's payed for. IBM, Hitachi, and other Co's are not meeting demand and some retail stores, Apple inc., are not doing a good job of stocking, but here too "lean" is the buzz word.

Nothing worse in tech than yesterday's "Hot" product sitting around to the tune of $$$ you should be putting into the new "HOT" product.

It's a new market place, the old "overstock it, put it on sale" just won't pay the bills. Apple is a bit "leaner" than they should be and need to do some butt kicking , but we'll see at the end of '04's $ year.

LtKernelPanic · Aug 18, 2004, 03:25 PM

Well I know they've lost iPod Mini sales. The Target I work at was supposed to receive minis on 4/1 and yet to see one. I've had probably 40-50 people ask me if we have any in stock. Hell one guy wanted to buy three of them. The 15 gig iPods are selling as fast as we can get them in and I suspect that the new 4G iPods will as well since I've talked to a few people who are waiting for them when they're scheduled to arrive mid-next week. I hope to hell Apple can get some Minis to us by Christmas or it could be ugly.

rozwado1 · Aug 18, 2004, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by waffffffle:
A friend of mine went into Circuit City in December to buy an iPod and they were out. There was an iRiver rep there and he convinced her to buy an iRiver player, claiming the iPod battery lies. She came home believing that the iPod battery only lasts 18 months.

I hope you took care of this rep accordingly. What an ass.