Apple has managed to make a lot of consumers eager to get their hands on the iPhone 4S very angry in China. Many lined up over night outside the Apple Store in the Saniltun district only to find the following morning a decision had been taken not to sell the smartphone.
The doors to the store remained closed at the promised 7am opening time, which was met with angry shouts. The reason for the u-turn was safety concerns. Due to the size of the crowd gathering outside the Saniltun store, Apple couldn’t be certain its employees and customers would be safe.
Apple has also decided to stop selling the 4S in its Beijing store and three Shanghai stores, even though it had been offered for sale until initial stocks ran out. That’s not to say you can’t get the iPhone 4S in China, as Apple offer it online and through other retailers. For now, you just can’t get it in an Apple Store.
Although no timetable has been given for the iPhone 4S returning to Apple’s official stores, the phone is still selling very well. Any stock at other retailers is gone a few hours after it arrives, and Apple is seeing steady sales online too.
As with all popular new products, some of the stock is being bought by people to sell on for a profit. With demand outstripping supply consumers are willing to pay a premium to get their hands on the phone. Apparently, touts were also paying people to queue outside the Apple Stores so they could get their hands on larger stocks of the 4S for resale. Maybe that had something to do with the decision to stop selling the phone.
Read more at Herald Sun
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