Officeworks Don’t Carry iPhone Pro Models near Launch

maxyzee on 25/09/2023 - 20:17

So after seeing the Ultimate gift cards promotion I decided to go to Officeworks to order the iPhone 15 Pro Max (happy to wait) and get them to price beat Costco. So stack the 5% price beat with the 15% off the gift cards.

Anyway it turns out that all the pro models are unavailable to order in store or online and the salesperson said they have no idea when stock would even be available to order. There must some sort of retailer tier system that Apple has to prioritise stock allotments E.g HN, JB at the top and then lower down the order is the likes of Officeworks, Big W etc.

My question is if you can’t even take pre-orders why have it out on display? Is this a usual practice where stores can display items that they can’t actually sell?

Mobile Apple Mobile Phone

Related Stores

Officeworks
Officeworks

Comments

  • HamBoi69 on 25/09/2023 - 20:27
    +2

    No, just long delays and more demand than stock.

    Shipping dates show that the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the best-selling iPhone 15 model worldwide, and is now backordered into November 2023.

    • dylanando on 25/09/2023 - 22:32

      this surprises me

      • Nillionaire on 26/09/2023 - 15:26

        Why would that surprise you?

    • Drakesy on 26/09/2023 - 12:02

      I wouldn't be surprised if Apple is looking at previous years and it's reducing its manufacturing numbers to artificially constrain supply, increasing wait times/demand.

      Rolex has been doing it for years, even Toyota - post covid wouldn't be surprised if they're doing it. Why have something sitting there that you have to discount when you can constrain supply and sell it for full RRP.
      Made to order is almost becoming mainstream.

      • maxyzee on 26/09/2023 - 16:17

        Yeah I get that. But wouldn’t you want to be selling as many as you can if there’s demand for it? I guess it’s a balancing act but for me unless the constrain of supply like literally doubles my margins wouldn’t I be making less money by selling less?

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 25/09/2023 - 21:02
    +9

    Officeworks Don’t Carry iPhone Pro Models near Launch

    Oh No! …..anyway…..

    • pegaxs on 26/09/2023 - 08:36
      +4

      God, imagine being stuck on your gawd awful iPhone 14 pro max until November.

      • jv on 26/09/2023 - 10:47
        +3

        There is a self help group just for this…

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 26/09/2023 - 10:59
        +1

        The horror!😱

  • MeesusEff on 25/09/2023 - 21:28
    +1

    Don't they would price match Costco as it needs a membership

    • maxyzee on 26/09/2023 - 16:08
      +1

      There was recent policy update. They price beat Costco now

  • bobbified on 25/09/2023 - 21:30
    +7

    It's not much of an upgrade, so Apple is probably just creating some fake demand. Like what they do when they make a line of people wait outside an empty nightclub.

  • djsweet on 25/09/2023 - 22:17
    -1

    Unlikely. More like all the stock was allocated to preorders. Even the Apple store was out of Pro Max at release due to pre sales.

    • mboy on 26/09/2023 - 11:11

      Yep. I pre-ordered the Pro at Officeworks for click and collect on Sun 17/09 and when I pre-ordered it said Estimated Collection Date Fri 22/09 (day of release).

      Cut to today, it hasn't even been shipped to the store yet and Officeworks have no idea when it'll arrive. So yes, not even the pre-orders have been satisfied yet.

  • SydStrand on 25/09/2023 - 23:33

    My question is if you can’t even take pre-orders why have it out on display? Is this a usual practice where stores can display items that they can’t actually sell?

    Pretty much every luxury good, including fancy watches, usually only stock 'exhibition pieces' but hey, feel free to sign an expression of interest.

    Anyway it turns out that all the pro models are unavailable to order in store or online and the salesperson said they have no idea when stock would even be available to order. There must some sort of retailer tier system that Apple has to prioritise stock allotments E.g HN, JB at the top and then lower down the order is the likes of Officeworks, Big W etc.

    There's no tier list, and officially no preferential treatment. The retailers receive weekly shipments, but as far as I'm aware, they don't know what they're receiving ahead of time. It's then allocated by pre-orders, then trickles down into retail stores.

    • AustriaBargain on 26/09/2023 - 00:48

      Yeah, I doubt Apple would want to burn their relationship with any retailer willing to stock them. The margin on Apple stuff is there, but it's not anywhere near the average product OW or almost anyone sells.

    • maxyzee on 26/09/2023 - 16:13

      The interesting thing is the regular non pro models are available just not the Pros. If you go to Big W they don’t actually advertise they sell any of the Pro models you can check on their website.

      • SydStrand on 29/09/2023 - 21:21

        They just miscalculated demand. The Pros got the titanium this year, and the Pro Max is always popular, but got the unique 5x optical zoom this year. They probably would have allocated more production space to the Pros if they knew.

  • AustriaBargain on 26/09/2023 - 00:46

    Pro sells out quick. No matter what amount Apple gives OW they are going to sell out in the first few weeks.

  • pharkurnell on 26/09/2023 - 09:44

    Oh no…..

  • FocusRider on 26/09/2023 - 11:18

    Ohhh nooo.. thinking about you during this tough time.

  • loropy9 on 26/09/2023 - 11:50

    I've read reports that iphone pro phones arrive damaged/faulty out of the box. Misaligned screens, cracks and scratches.

    • maxyzee on 26/09/2023 - 16:09

      Yeah might count myself lucky actually. It does seem that the glass back is particularly fragile.

  • original15 on 26/09/2023 - 17:08

    Apple dont give many to the retailers, well OW at least, driving traffic to their own stores. Maybe have a tier system like you say.

    But yeh as others have said, fostering an image of demand exceeding supply.

    Officeworks received only a dozen pro max phones. Was chatting to a bloke in store on launch day who set up the display, said they as an entire company were given 12 of the pro max, so weren’t able to sell until apple gave them more “in a week or two”

    • original15 on 27/09/2023 - 17:00

      @maxyzee looks like they’ve got 1 256gb pro max 256gb in stock right now, online

      • original15 on 27/09/2023 - 18:59

        Aaaaand it’s gone

  • kosmonaft on 26/09/2023 - 17:22

    I had exactly the same experience.
    Happy to put the order and wait until it’s available but the OW didn’t want tot take my order . The guys even let me in behind the counter to show me his system (the system is not allowing it )
    Shame

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join