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Best Buy iPhone 5 Pre-Order Isn’t Worth It

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Best Buy offers an iPhone 5 pre-order in stores for users that didn’t want to pre-order the iPhone 5 online.

I went in to my local Best Buy today to pre-order an iPhone 5 on Verizon. I want to pick one up as soon as stores open on Friday so that I can share my thoughts on GottaBeMobile.

After a few minutes of standing around, a manager was able to find someone who could help me with the pre-order process. The process of pre-ordering the iPhone 5 at Best Buy is simple enough, but about halfway through the process the Best Buy Mobile employee tells me that I shouldn’t expect a call next week.

Best Buy iPhone 5 pre-order

Best Buy iPhone 5 pre-order fails to impress.

According to the employee, Apple already told Best Buy not to expect the iPhone 5 on release date. Curious I asked for more information. He told me that best Buy might get some iPhone 5 models in on release day, but wasn’t sure that my local store would get any. At this point I already invested 15 minutes in the process, so I purchased the gift card for the iPhone 5 pre-order because I can use the gift card on anything if they don’t get any in on release day.

Based on this experience alone, I wouldn’t recommend using the best Buy iPhone 5 pre-order system, unless you really want to buy the phone at Best Buy.

It’s one thing to offer a pre-order knowing quantities are limited, but to offer it without knowing when any iPhone 5 devices will arrive is ridiculous.

But, it gets even worse.

I’m buying the iPhone 5 off-contract. It’s expensive, but I’m over that. I didn’t even bother to ask the price because Apple products are normally sold at the same price across authorized retailers, or cheaper.

iPhone 5 Best Buy

The iPhone 5 is $50 more at Best Buy.

After returning home, I discover that the iPhone 5 off contract prices on sprint are $50 above the price Apple and Verizon charge. I’m already spending $850, I’m not about to spend an extra $50 for no benefit.

I’ll be lining up outside my local Verizon on Friday and buying a iTunes Gift card with my Best Buy iPhone 5 pre-order gift card.

54 Comments

54 Comments

  1. mitch m

    09/14/2012 at 1:48 pm

    You know what assuming does, right?

  2. Mark

    09/14/2012 at 1:55 pm

    You could of avoided that with a little research or just common knowledge …… Apple said first thing this morning that the first reserves were sold out shortly after midnight and delivery would be pushed back . Do your homework next time rookie !

  3. Abe A

    09/14/2012 at 2:34 pm

    Look at this guy with his valuable time and investing it. Seriously man it’s an iPhone not a new kidney.

  4. Mitchell (@kade6767)

    09/14/2012 at 2:37 pm

    Can you even buy one gift card at Best Buy using another? I signed up for a free $50 Best Buy gift card back in February. Now all I need to do is wait til October 6th, my next date I can upgrade and order a phone. By that time things will have died down and I won’t have to go through the hassle of fighting crowds and standing in long lines.

  5. Tom

    09/14/2012 at 5:28 pm

    Josh, Best Buy will match that price, guaranteed!! Pardon me, but, DUH!! Even the Apple stores said they were forwarding the release date by up to ten days due to the sell-out last enight within an hour. So no matter where you get your phone, you’re going to wait like everybody else.

  6. Tom

    09/14/2012 at 5:33 pm

    Sorry, Josh… I made a mistake on my post!

  7. calvin

    09/14/2012 at 6:25 pm

    How can you use your bestbuy gift card at verizon store? What the hell this guy talking about, you sure you know how to use the iphone5? I did order 2 today at best buy and talk to manager , they don’t know how many they will get what ever they get, like 5 or 10 as long as i am on preorder list ( i am the second one) i will get the phone by friday if they only get one that mean i am out if they get 5 or 10 i am in who ever wait at the door have to wait until they take care preorder first left over will be for who at the line or WE SOLD OUT come back when we get more coming. i ask him sure he said that why we do let people preorder now

  8. calvin

    09/14/2012 at 6:39 pm

    Here what i think you should do. Wait at bestbuy store friday morning for iphone5 if some body got iphone5 with out preorder.Youknow what to do right?

  9. Jay

    09/14/2012 at 10:39 pm

    iTunes gift cards cannot be used to purchase Apple store products. Rookie just keep your opinion articles to yourself. I am hoping along with Calvin that being the first or second in the pre order list means I will get one. I didn’t order it from a rural location either, so I think that based on the large population coverage of the store they will get at least one box (10 come in a box.)

  10. Zulema

    09/14/2012 at 10:42 pm

    Buy it Walmart! I just got back from there, but didnt pre-order it because they do not carry it with AT&T. Walmart guaranteed me they would have it by Friday Sep 21st though

    • Carlos Muñoz

      09/15/2012 at 1:15 am

      Walmart has already admitted they don’t know if they will get it right away …

    • Alex (@Yemil_Reese)

      09/18/2012 at 1:59 am

      I was going to go with wal-mart but they’re only getting the 16GB version in my area he said i was the first one too lol

  11. Hampton Malouf

    09/15/2012 at 6:32 am

    Best bet is to check out the small towns around you that have ATT or Verizon stores. They’ll have units but demand out in the boondocks is not the same as big cities. In rural areas, people are not a concerned with getting something the first day and take longer to decide to change anything in their lives.

    • Jay

      09/15/2012 at 8:51 pm

      You’re post is a bit offensive. People that live in rural areas are the same as you…we don’t take longer to decide to change “anything” in our lives. Some folks call that common sense

    • Dave Beatty

      09/19/2012 at 5:00 pm

      Hampton, you are funny. To your point though, rural stores won’t have nearly the same customer traffic as city stores which definitely increases your odds of success. Besides, those darn hillbillies love their flip phones. They whip ’em out like switchblades. haha!

  12. vertiscope

    09/15/2012 at 7:56 am

    Best buy will price match Verizon and Apple! I was told by bestbuy that you get you iPhone 5 on launch depending how many people preordered ahead of you. If you are the 8th person to preorder, they recieve 9 phones, you will get your phone on launch day.

  13. Melonie McLaurin (@MelonieMcLaurin)

    09/15/2012 at 10:48 am

    Hi Josh, I’m sorry that happened to you at your BestBuy. I also pre-ordered yesterday, but they gave me an appointment time for the 21st to come and pick mine up and activate it. No one mentioned that it might not be there. I am surprised the same policies weren’t in place at your Best Buy store. :(

    • Jake

      09/17/2012 at 2:05 am

      Last year I preordered the iPhone 4s for sprint and was guaranteed it on release from best buy, and come to find out they were never getting it on time. Didn’t come in until two weeks later. And they knew all along. Watch out!

  14. chciate7

    09/15/2012 at 10:51 am

    Best buy will price match amazon!

  15. Keith

    09/15/2012 at 11:43 am

    I wish I had done my research first… I preordered at best buy and was probably the 10th person to preorder. Worth mentioning, is the fact that if you ordered a 64gb version like I did, they probably won’t be recieving ANY in thier first few shipments. I’ll probably be waiting until December if I wait for best buy. Obviously, I’ll most likely be able to get it elsewhere, without a preorder, before then.. Last time I preorder anything at best buy.

    • Carlos Muñoz

      09/15/2012 at 4:35 pm

      Actually, Best Buy will be among the only stores to have the iPhone 5 available to its preorder customers. Less people got off the couch to show up at the store to preorder it there. There was no wait when I arrived. They said preorders were steady, but nothing like they saw online on Sprint.com. Odds are Best Buy will get its order, and be able to fill its first day orders. While ordering online will result in a wait of up to 3 weeks.

  16. Raul Martinez

    09/15/2012 at 8:42 pm

    I pre-ordered my iPhone 5 in Best Buy because they have that thing where you can trade your phone for another… It really helps paying for a new one. And the insurance in Best Buy is better than the Apple Care+.

    • ???

      09/18/2012 at 11:20 am

      I have the GeekSquad Protection on my current phone and like it but it was $170 for two years. For AppleCare+ I only have to pay $99 bucks to have two years of accident protection. Then once I have to use it (which I havent had an accident yet so bear with me here) the first accident will cost $50. Therefore, if I have one accident I will only pay $99 + $50 = $149 which is $21 dollars cheaper than the GeekSquad Protection and I still have another accident to use with AppleCare+. If I dont have an accident I will have paid only $99 dollars to have been covered where as GeekSquad Protection cost me $170. I save money either way is what I am saying.

      Is there a benefit to the GeekSquad Protection I am missing? Im just curious and Im not trying to flame or harass you. Just want to know if there is more to it.

      • GO Black Tie!

        09/20/2012 at 2:51 pm

        The benefit to GeekSquad also known as the Black Tie Premium is the unlimited claims you can place with them. They cover everything besides lost/stolen with having to pay deductible or being limited to just two accidents. BlackTie is the way to go.

        • GO Black Tie!

          09/20/2012 at 2:52 pm

          without*

      • Julie

        09/27/2012 at 5:52 pm

        The Geek Squad protection will even replace batteries twice without any deductible :)

    • Sara Jones

      09/20/2012 at 6:30 pm

      Be careful of the Best Buy buy back program. They told me about it and I was really excited about it until I got home and did some research. There were some real horror stories and not one positive one that I could find. Good luck.

  17. Drunk Negativity

    09/16/2012 at 11:21 am

    Clueless is what you are sir. I preordered my iPhone 4 at Best Buy. Got it with no issue. I was second in line Friday morning for the iPhone 5, ordered it with no issue. Each store has a set allotment they are setto get. YOu really should do more research before jumping in on things you do not understand.

  18. Mari1096

    09/16/2012 at 3:43 pm

    I ordered my iPhone 4s from Best Buy last year and received it on launch day without a problem. I actually received it before most of my friends that ordered directly from Apple. Same rumors were spread last year about Best Buy not being a good option, but I can vouch for that being bull!

  19. Alex

    09/17/2012 at 9:44 am

    I pre-ordered at Best Buy on Friday. They did not know how many phones they were getting for release on the 21st, but I was told they will have some. The rep from AT&T who was there also mentioned that Best Buys are expected to get a larger allotment than AT&T’s retail stores. We’ll see what happens on Friday…

  20. phil

    09/17/2012 at 2:52 pm

    Get it at bestbuy…at least you can purchase their buyback program and get money for it when you upgrade to the next gen iphone.

    • Heather

      09/18/2012 at 6:33 am

      The employee at best buy said they no longer have the “buy back” program because that’s what I’m using for this upgrade & instead have a “trade up” program which is in with their insurance. Not as good. Pissed me off too! Lol

      • Dave Beatty

        09/19/2012 at 5:13 pm

        The manager at Best Buy said that they’d give me $300 for my 16gb white iPhone 4s
        when I pick up my iPhone 5. That’s better than last year when I traded up to the 4s.

  21. Dave Beatty

    09/19/2012 at 5:11 pm

    I reserved my i5 today at Best Buy and the manager said that there are 18 SKU’s (2 colors x 3 sizes x 3 carriers) and they will have an allotment of each for Friday. I recently moved to a primarily Verizon and Sprint region but have AT&T and he said that increased my odds of success. I ordered the 32gb model which he said was a good choice because almost all of the other 50 people that pre-ordered reserved the 16gb and only two signed up for the 64gb model. So don’t give up on BB quite yet. I’m pretty sure they know more but are sworn to secrecy.

  22. theotherguy

    09/20/2012 at 7:36 am

    This kind of reporting should be criminal. Anyone will the ability to type is a reporter these days.

  23. calvin

    09/20/2012 at 11:03 am

    Hi
    Best buy just call me, they want to see me at 8:30 tomorrow pick up iphone 5 i will be the second one get out the store at 10:15. You are very very wrong josh

  24. JW

    09/20/2012 at 11:37 am

    Just got my email that said my iPhone 5 is waiting with my name on it. I could be lazy and wait until Sunday to pick it up… but we all know I’ll be there @ 10am like everyone else. The great thing is, I will definitely be walking out with my new phone.

  25. Dave Beatty

    09/20/2012 at 4:28 pm

    I just got a call from Best Buy and was told that they only received 16GB AT&T iPhone 5’s and was offered one of them instead of the 32GB I have on reserve. He also told me that they were expecting the black 32GB between now and Sunday. I told him I had no problem waiting and appreciated the call and offer. So far, Best Buy has been really great and I’m glad I’m buying through them.

  26. Jay

    09/20/2012 at 7:03 pm

    I got my call regarding my 32g in white for Verizon. No dice, and no idea when they would be getting a shipment. As someone who’s switching from Android, so far not all that impressed. I can handle that I’m paying $100 for a upgrade to 32G that would cost me $15 in an Android with a SD slot, but really the biggest, richest company in the world can’t anticipate demand? I was the first person in line last week for the pre-order. If it were U2 tickets I would at least be at the show.

  27. Derek Hobbs

    09/20/2012 at 9:52 pm

    I called today, they said they have shipments coming in tonight for my iPhone and to come in whenever i want to pick it up tomorrow

  28. gabriel williams

    09/20/2012 at 10:27 pm

    i got a call from bb about 9pm saying the ups truck didnt deliver them, im still showing up in the am, i dont care if they give me barack obamas iphone 5 im getting it tomorrow!!!

  29. Dan

    09/20/2012 at 10:40 pm

    Got an email regarding my order and I was anticipating the damn phone now I have to wait a whooping 28 day’s to receive my phone. Best buy sucks!!!

  30. Hapsmo

    09/20/2012 at 11:13 pm

    I ordered a black, AT&T 64GB phone last week at BB. They told me I’d get a call either Wed or Thurs this week to schedule an appointment to pick it up on launch day. No call Wed and when I called Wed night I was told they didn’t come in yet. No worries I thought, they’ll come in on Thurs. so I waited all day and once again no call. So I called to find out again and when I gave them my name I was told NO 64GB phones came at all and they didn’t know when they would. I agree that Apple should’ve anticipated huge sales and had supply on hand to handle it. However, I’ve still got a 3GS so waiting a few more days or a week isn’t gonna kill me. Patience people, it’ll come and I’m sure it’ll be just as sweet as everyone expects it to be.

  31. Anthony

    09/20/2012 at 11:24 pm

    Just got an email from Best Buy saying they didn’t get enough in, I was the 8th person in line to preorder last Friday! I’m pissed!!!!!!!

  32. Chad

    09/21/2012 at 4:39 am

    Just got my WORST Buy email last night too. 6th in line on pre order day and they can’t get me my iPhone?!?! Ridiculous! I have NEVER had a problem receiving a pre ordered iPhone from any other vender I have ever done business with. This is the last time I pre order anything through them.

  33. Rick

    09/21/2012 at 5:49 am

    Yep, got the email letting me know I get to wait…bummer.

  34. Hapsmo

    09/21/2012 at 7:20 am

    Remember, they sold out of pre-orders in ONE hour! If you didn’t order online last week inside the window of opportunity then you’ve got nobody to blame but yourself. How is it BB fault that Apple didn’t send them any phones or not enough in the first place? It’s not, not at all. It’s Apple that screwed everyone. I’m still hopeful they’ll get another shipment in today, but if not I’m not gonna get all pissed off about it. I’ll get mine when it gets here. Sure it’s a bummer if I don’t get it today, but I’ve held out since we all thought we’d have the redesigned phone last year. My 3GS still works fine, a little slow now but it still works.

  35. Jeff

    09/21/2012 at 8:09 am

    Spoke to BB yesterday. Was 5th in line to pre-order. White 16G. Was told that Apple did not allocate ANY White Iphones to Best Buy nationwide. Offered a black 32G. Declined.
    Rumor was there would be another shipment this weekend and hopefully my phone would be part of that.

  36. DEEz nuts

    09/22/2012 at 11:52 am

    the best buy in W.Los Angles did not even get Iphone 5’s for Verizon, but they did get them for the others(att and sprint)….what the hell is that all about?

  37. Susan Byrd

    09/25/2012 at 2:55 am

    I, too preorderedat Best Buy Independence Va Beach on the 14th and received the email that it would take up to 28 days. However, I got excited when I received an email Sept.24 that my order is ready for pick up. I went later that day only to be told there is no phone available! I was very upset. I called customer service and the lady said its the store’s fault for sending that email. Best Buy is a poorly manage business. How could they send me an email that my order is ready for pick up only to be told it really isnt?

  38. Justin Parsley

    09/25/2012 at 3:11 am

    I thought unlocked or off contract phones wouldn’t be available until at least a month after the release??

  39. Keeli

    09/29/2012 at 2:17 pm

    I too pre-ordered @ Best Buy on the 14th, was one of the 1st there (maybe 4-5 ahead of me @ most), was told I would get one the day they came out, but still have not received my phone. Then today I read that Apple received 2 million pre orders in the first 24 hours and sold 5 million the first weekend! That doesn’t add up. Apparently they should have had plenty of stock to fill all those 1st day pre orders, but didn’t. Not sure if I’m more angry with Apple or Best Buy.

  40. Danny

    09/29/2012 at 10:20 pm

    You do realize that sprint sets that retail price not best buy, you could have just gotten the verizon phone there at best buy. That’s why best buy is better they have all the carriers there in one place

  41. MJ

    09/29/2012 at 11:18 pm

    I pre ordered our phones at Best Buys on the 14th of Sept. as of the date still have not received our phones. It’s Apples fault because they control the distribution of the iPhone 5’s to Best Buy. Apple is so greedy!

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