A new report from CrunchGear published today has revealed that Apple may be unhappy with Best Buy for holding back stock of the iPad 2 after reaching their daily sales quota. Despite the overwhelming demand for the second generation device, and the difficult consumers are having with trying to acquire one, the retailer refused to sell more than they needed to each day so that they could meet sales quotas the following day.
According to the Best Buy employee speaking to CrunchGear, Apple really isn’t happy about this, and Tim Cook – who is stepping in for Steve Jobs while he’s away – is personally trying to get the issue resolved.
Demand for the iPad 2 since its launch has been staggering – with retailers selling the device quicker than they can get the units in. In its first weekend, the tablet sold an estimated 500,000 units over its first weekend alone, so you can imagine the frustration from both Apple and consumers at Best Buy’s silly sales method – informing customers that the device was sold out, when in fact, their stock room was littered with them.
As well as Best Buy and Apple’s own retail stores, customers looking to get their hands on an iPad 2 in the U.S. can also find them in Target, Walmart, AT&T and Verizon stores, and possibly Toys ‘R’ Us in the coming weeks. However, Best Buy is Apple’s largest third-party sales partner, and despite their displeasure at Best Buy’s sales techniques, it’s hard to believe the Cupertino company will drop the retail giant altogether.
Instead, I think Best Buy will receive a firm slap on the wrist from Tim Cook and his team and will be watched a little more closely in the near future.
So, if you’re still trying to get your hands on an iPad 2 in the U.S., it might be a good idea to try Best Buy today as they pull out all the stock they’ve been saving up out back.
[via Cult of Mac]Advertisement
5 Comments on “Apple Unhappy With Best Buy Over iPad 2 Sales Technique?”
I will right away grab your rss feed as I can not in finding your email subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me recognize so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
I am sorry but this is nonsense. No Best Buy would not sell an iPad 2 just because they met their sales goal for the day. There are things called fiscal months, quarters and years and it doesn’t matter whether you have a monster day or 3 or 4 average days.
As an employee, we get calls all day for iPad 2’s and if your store looks like you “might” have 1 in stock you will get requests from stores up to 2 states away asking for them. There might be another reason for apple and Best Buy to stop iPad 2 sales, but this story just doesn’t make sense.