On Thursday, Apple completed the first round of Chinese customer reservations for the third-generation iPad. Apple used a new reservation system designed to both foil scalpers and keep crowds at bay.
The system is identical to the method employed when the iPhone 4S debuted in January and calls for would-be buyers to make reservations on Apple’s online store from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for an assigned next-day in-store pickup time.
Apple listed the pre-order requirements in a July 10 press release. However, some potential customers appear unsure about the new method. When a well-read account on China’s Sina Weibo microblogging service posted a message reminding it’s readers about the pre-order process, one reader replied, “pre-order means what? Every machine has to be ordered ahead of time?”
Apple has run into trouble before with previous launches of their devices. In January, the launch of the Apple’s newest smartphone was temporarily held up after an unruly crowd prompted a temporary halt to sales.
The pre-order process may cut down on unruly crowds, but it remains to be seen if the approach will keep “gray market” sales to a minimum. In 2010 scalpers who were taking advantage of a limited iPhone 4 supply, sold large amounts of just-purchased iPhones right outside of Apple Stores.
