My Apple Experience

Thanks for taking a moment to look at this, there was clearly a shortage of Apple iPad 2's. My brother and I had previously tried twice to buy one but we got there too late (6:30AM) and couldn't get any, so on March 23^rd we decided to get up there really early to make sure we got the iPad we were excited to play with. Fortunately we decided to take some pictures to "Remember the crazy day we woke up too early just to buy an iPad," what we got instead was a bit shocking.

Only five people ahead of us (before 4:30AM)	Line got much longer closer to 9AM

The Mall doors are not to be opened till 6AM, we notice at about 5AM some Mall employees were taking "back door" entrances to get in and get in front of overyone else. When they eventually opened the doors eight "others" were ahead of us. A group of us walked up the the Apple employees when they came in at about 6AM and to avoid a confrontation they told us "It's ok, there will be enough for everyone, please let it go," so we did.

Prior to Employees Coming out for iPad Sales

We asked what the policy was regarding buying iPads with cash/card etc because my brother does not use credit cards.
- The sales associate told us "It is typically two per card, but if you're together it should be ok for you to both purchase and checkout at the same time with the same card."

They handed us vouchers at about 6AM for whatever iPad we wanted to purchase; I got a 16GB one and my brother got a 16GB and 64GB voucher, so not sleeping all night and between 4AM-9AM we got a bit tired and rotated taking naps in the car.

They approach the line at 9AM to walk in to buy the iPads, while my brother was in the restroom, so I walked in and gave them our vouchers. Then one of the managers who had been watching us all morning walked up to me and started with trying to intimidate me with "Where is he? Did he leave the line? Did he go home?" and I said "No he will be here in a second." He then told me "Since he is out of line he is out of order" and he took the vouchers from me! He did sell me mine, but refused to give us the voucher back. I went to get my brother who was by the foodcourt restrooms.

And I wondered "Why have we been in line since 4AM and you just TAKE our vouchers?" "Did we skip the line? Did we steal them? Did we make them up?" the answer to all those questions were "NO!" and I was a bit upset. They ordered us to get back to the end of the line if he wanted to get an iPad; the idea was that if they have TAKEN our vouchers from us and we go all the way to the back of the line (like we hadn't been here since 4AM) they would have certainly sold out before we get back up and we wouldn't get what we wanted. I was highly disappointed and didn't want to cause a scene, as they had already called security, so we turned back to head home. As we were walking out of the store we decided to just "stick it out" and see what happens after they sell out or if they'll eventually be nice enough to not sell what we waited in line since 4AM for.