Apple store employees are not used to being greeted by flying eggs launched from a rioting crowd.
However, that's what happened earlier today at Apple's flagship store in Beijing's Sanlitun district. A substantial number of people waited through the night in freezing temperatures, hoping to get their hands on an iPhone 4S in the morning.
But when it was time to open the doors, the store management decided it could not ensure the safety of its customers and staff, and thus announced via a bullhorn that the phone would not be sold after all. For the time being, Apple said, the iPhone 4S will not be available in five retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai.
The crowd reportedly did not take it too well, and demanded the doors to open, yelling "liars!" Police support was required to restore order when eggs hit the windows of the store. Apple, which has mastered the art of hyping its product, was chastised by Chinese market researchers.
"Everybody knows there will be massive numbers of people when Apple has this kind of a launch," said Shaun Rein, from China Market Research Group, in a conversation with Bloomberg. "This shows very poor retail management ability."
It appears that the rollout of the phone went smoothly in most other locations. Customers are still able to order the phone via Apple's online store as well as through the carrier China Unicom.
They all want a single product, willing to just line up ouside without never enter the store to buy it, but instead, those weirdozz of apple (well paid) VPs (to take so weak decisions) decide to close the store , turn people out (with no solutions of the problem, sic..a single product !!!),and damage the brand worldwide !!! decisions like that talk by itself, just amaze how well they are willing to pay people to manage a single-simple problem, so badly. EGGS !!! that is because of sooo bad management.....and the master jerk in charge of thiss mess will have is bonus...sic and resic
that is an E- ..... for Business Management .
its only two days late, look on the bright side, two days is pretty good for toms.
It just makes me wonder what is going through the minds of Apple's cult followers. Blindly following something, supporting a company that makes outrageous quarterly profits for its executives through outrageous overpriced ordinary products; all in the name of believing that their products are the best in the world just makes me sad.
It's just a phone! If it's not available, come back the next day when they have it. There is really no need to shout and yell calling others liars and throwing eggs at their store if they refuse to sell you the iPhone 4S. If you're dying to have one, just get an iPhone 4. They really aren't that different or even better - it's no myth that there are phones out there in the Android land that would make your shiny new iPhone 4S look like a plastic toy. Don't be afraid to broaden your horizons.
it has nothing to do with whether or not we're talking apple products or not. Clearly the story is about poor apple retail management and the fact that customers waited all night in winter weather to get their hands on a product they wanted. It's the same for American black fridays or any other release you can think of. When this sort of thing happens, you blame the retailer, not the customers who have camped outside the door for 24 hours...
maybe they were farmers on their way to sell the eggs at market to pay for their iphone 4s
you never waited outside in freezing cold promised something, than having it taken away, the people at this store are lucky no one got killed by that mob,
Given the same scenario, I wonder, if I ask them to do the same thing on donating money charity community(queue up hours/went rage when cant donate money). Does these people will do the same thing?
What is even more impressive is how much hype the phone is getting. Granted it was all started by Apple, but they didn't really market it any more or less than the next cell phone manufacture. Apparently if you build a product people really like, you can create a self-generating, self-sustaining hype machine. Impressive.
I thought Apple retail stores were the black market...they already have the phones ridiculously over priced and make huge profits.
And exactly how much cheaper are android phones? retail or under contract?
Yes, you can get a cheapo plastic low powered android for $50 or free or you can get get an ipohone 3S or 4. I'd take the iPhone in a second. Geez, take your head out of your you-know-where.
Man, you droid-heads complain Apple fan-boys. But the android supporting bigot posts sound a lot worse.