I worked from Apple for 8 years and this is very true! When Apple moved from outside queues to online pre-ordering they realised it was better to manage stock - constraining it through online pre-orders wether direct or via partners allows them in-depth data on orders, which means they can literally control the flow of who gets what and when. But most importantly, add figures of sales to bolster the current and next quarter fiscal earnings. This has also allowed them to prioritise their own stores and control the numbers of which stores get the most allowing for some customers to walk in and buy the phone they want same day. They introduced a reservation system which opens at 6am daily whereby some stores will have stock a customer can pay for, and reserve to collect same day! This stock is not allocated to online home delivery stock they constrain. The purpose of the additional stock is to continue to fuel demand for customers to buy from them and not their partners! Word of mouth has generated massive profits for my old store that used this tactic to up foot-fall. So a lot of customers would be checking online ant 6am and some would be able to get the device they want even thou it is “constrained” for home delivery! Every year it’s the same. They know the release date a year in advance. And yet every year, the iPhone release is “constrained’ with no stock! Brilliant for their profits, crap for customers but they know, the3 demand for new iPhones will always be high so its a proven method that bolsters their revenue!
