Apple Retail Staff Told to Warn Against iPhone Duo Walk-In Purchases

Some Apple retail employees have been instructed to dissuade customers from attempting to purchase the new iPhone Duo on launch day without making a pre-order reservation, according to reports. Sources close to MacRumors claim that staff have been told there is unlikely to be any iPhone Duo inventory available for walk-in buyers on Friday, October 23.

Store employees are being asked to discourage customers who come expecting to buy the device without a pre-order, warning them they will be disappointed. Apple's webstore informs customers to check back on Saturday, October 24 for availability and to make a pickup reservation when pre-orders open on that day. The October 24 message does not guarantee stock will be available, and it remains uncertain whether the warning from employees is firm and applies globally.

If this counsel is followed consistently, it may effectively eliminate the option for customers looking to bypass the device's long online wait times, at least at certain Apple Stores. Concerns about limited launch supplies began before the official announcement, with Nikkei Asia reporting in early September that production had only reached a few hundred units per day by late August.

Production difficulties resurfaced in late September. Earlier this month, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg noted Apple had briefly thought production constraints could delay sales to November. The company eventually managed to assemble enough inventory to launch on October 23, but supply remained extremely limited. The shortage became evident when pre-orders opened earlier in the week; delivery estimates shifted to beyond launch day within minutes and all configurations showed January 25 shipping estimates within 30 minutes.

As of now, the device is essentially sold out for Christmas through Apple's online store. Apple later described demand as "nothing short of extraordinary" in a statement to the Financial Times, adding that they were working as quickly as possible to fulfill orders. Apple has not confirmed whether any stores will have any stock for walk-in purchases on launch day.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 in the United States, with pre-order deliveries beginning on October 23.