Poor planning by Apple IMO

[Matth3w]

Apple knows that every time it releases a product like this, they are sold out for months usually...so, seriously, could they have done a WORSE job on the accessories? I mean, the camera connection kit is backordered 3-4 weeks, which I didn't realize and now I have a trip coming up to Germany in almost exactly 4 weeks so I doubt I'd get it in time.

The official Apple hard case was backordered the same basic time frame. No stores, Best Buy or Apple or whatever, have most of the accessories...

It just seems to me like very poor planning. I'm not saying that the stores should be inundated with the accessories, there is I'm sure some sort of method to their madness, but no store within 200 miles of me has either of those accessories nor can they be found online...unless, of course, you want to pay 200% or more of the retail price on eBay. The cheapest camera connection kit on eBay is 63 bucks. Most are 80 or more dollars. That's almost a 300% markup. And I don't blame the eBay sellers because the Free Market is what it is, but it pisses me off that Apple didn't have enough chinsy little camera connection kits that probably take them 2 minutes to make in a factory in Taiwan available for launch.

 

[Bremen]

I agree. I will say that the iPad is outselling their projections. They have already sold over 2 million, and it's not slowing down....

But, as any manufacturer knows, the add ons/accessory's bring more profit than the main product. You want to have product available for that impulse buy.... The are leaving money on the table by not having add on sales available....

 

[spinfreak]

I can kind of understand them not having them on hand (in stock, or available) because they didn't know what the demand would be until it actually occured, but on say something like the camera connection kit, how can they cannot manufacture them in a short time? I'm guessing the camera kit factory is mostly automated. Most automated factories, especially for something as "simple" as a connector, should easily be able to ramp up production and pump out A LOT of units per day.

 

[Matth3w]

I agree about the part that they should be able to ramp up ... but I highly doubt the fact that Apple is surprised they sold this many units. Maybe it is exceeding their expectations...but I'm sure they had a good idea of how many would sell.

 

[CaptKirk]

I agree too. We all know Steve is no dummy.. And i think any of us in his shoes would have chosen the same game plan. Also, you have to remember, there were other game players saying they were releasing their version of the iPad,, such as the Slate.. etc.... I really dont think he anticipated on selling 2 million iPads in 3 months. Apple projected 1 million and they kept up very well up to that point.... If you really think about it, Apple is really doing a good job getting these out in 10 days.. hell me a most of us on this forum waited 3 months...

 

[Matth3w]

I wouldn't say they had done well up to that point. When I ordered my iPad case from Apple it was estimated at 4 weeks and that was long before they sold the first million.

 

[Ominx]

I'm in a similar industry and I know forecasting demand is extremely difficult. Companies spend millions of dollars just trying to guess the demand for a product. Even a company like Apple with all their resources can never perfectly forecast demand. Nobody can. The best in the business is Walmart and even they don't always get it right.

 

[Sonny Burnett]

They are supposed to be ramping production up to 2.5 million units per month.

iPad Production to Increase in June

 

[Seadog]

And the market could drop by the introduction of an iPad killer tomorrow (yeah, right). The forecast of the experts were that Apple would sell in a year, what they have done in a couple months. If Apple had geared up for too many units of anything, they would be out of a lot of cash for wasted stock.

 

[4phun]

Apple knows that every time it releases a product like this, they are sold out for months usually...so, seriously, could they have done a WORSE job on the accessories? I mean, the camera connection kit is backordered 3-4 weeks, which I didn't realize and now I have a trip coming up to Germany in almost exactly 4 weeks so I doubt I'd get it in time.

The official Apple hard case was backordered the same basic time frame. No stores, Best Buy or Apple or whatever, have most of the accessories...

It just seems to me like very poor planning. I'm not saying that the stores should be inundated with the accessories, there is I'm sure some sort of method to their madness, but no store within 200 miles of me has either of those accessories nor can they be found online...unless, of course, you want to pay 200% or more of the retail price on eBay. The cheapest camera connection kit on eBay is 63 bucks. Most are 80 or more dollars. That's almost a 300% markup. And I don't blame the eBay sellers because the Free Market is what it is, but it pisses me off that Apple didn't have enough chinsy little camera connection kits that probably take them 2 minutes to make in a factory in Taiwan available for launch.

Saw your little rant in a feed. Respectfully, could it be poor planing on your part?

I got the iPad cover a month before I got the iPad. The camera kit came a week after I picked up the iPad. Both directly from Apple.

People who ordered late in the game are going to have problems for some time since Apple is selling an iPad every three seconds.

Try to pick up a case or other part for any of those iPad imitators flooding the market. Next year maybe if at all?

​

 

[sa66]

I think most people underestimated the success of the iPad. Between the announcement in January and the actual launch most of the tech media were predicting the iPad would have limited appeal because they thought it an iPod on steroids.

Apple will catch up with the demand eventually---I don't blame them for not mass producing inventory at the outset.

 

[Matth3w]

Saw your little rant in a feed. Respectfully, could it be poor planing on your part?

I got the iPad cover a month before I got the iPad. The camera kit came a week after I picked up the iPad. Both directly from Apple.

People who ordered late in the game are going to have problems for some time since Apple is selling an iPad every three seconds.

Try to pick up a case or other part for any of those iPad imitators flooding the market. Next year maybe if at all?

I do see what you're saying, but I wasn't sure I was going to buy an iPad. Actually, I had reservations about it completely until I put my hands on one. For some things, I don't need to see before I buy. Something brand new like this, and not really being a huge Apple fan, are a must to put my hands on. I bought mine the first couple days it was out once I tried it out in Best Buy.

 

[Seadog]

That is the issue with new electronics. Apple can estimate that X number of people are likely to buy a new type of product based on stats and research. It is the undecided that screw the estimates. How a product is received can mean a whole lot in the scene of marketing. Since I was going to need the 3G model, I was safe in ordering it as soon as it was available. If it was a bust, I could always cancel, but I know Apple and had little doubt that it would be what I needed.

 

[gryphon]

I'm (was) in the same boat. Both when the iPhone released and when the iPad released (and/or was announced) I wasn't in the market to buy one. No budget for it, didn't think it had functionality I needed/wanted, was satisfied with the functionality I already had, etc. etc.

For the original iPhone I was just strolling in the mall and dropped by the Apple store didn't even know that it was launch weekend they had a short line and I saw there were plenty talked briefly with the wife and I walked out with one.

I waited a week or two for the iPad because I wanted to see the responsiveness of the UI and when I saw a co-worker's and had my hands on it my questions about its operability was answered so I hunted one down.

I'm sure there's a lot more consumers that are like me. There's 3 Apple stores within my vicinity and right now every one is reservation only. My family has 2 and since buying it more of my relatives outside my immediate family are starting to warm up to it; in fact I'm trying to hunt one down for my in-laws overseas.

So yeah, demand is hard to gauge, even more so that for techies like me I saw some scrutiny and doubt about the iPad prior to launch. Once people saw what it can do for them the demand just skyrocketed.

 

[NumbLock]

I agree with the OP. Apple seriously underestimated how well this "magical" thing would sell. Didn't they drink their own cool-aid?