Following a Twitter request from us yesterday, we’re hearing more on the Best Buy front. Best Buy has been an important partner since the original iPad launch and we hope they stay on Apple’s map in the foreseeable future. Bust two publications have reported that the electronics retailer has pulled all iPad 2 stock at some stores due to a misunderstanding between the two companies. This one from TUAW:
Another tipster, an alleged Best Buy employee, told CrunchGear a similar story:
Additionally, CrunchGear claims Apple’s operations chief Timothy Cook is directly involved into resolving this situation. This has nothing to do with a recent iPad-bashing advert the electronics retailer ran on their website briefly, CrunchGear writes. I’m filing this one under the very unlikely drawer. First of all, I don’t buy it that Cook, who’s covering for Jobs during his medical leave, would deal with this situation rather than his sales managers. Also, Best Buy has been advertising iPad 2 like crazy and supporting the launch and I don’t see why any temporary misunderstanding would result in them pulling the entire stock.
It just doesn’t make sense from the business perspective. Did any of you visit a Best Buy store recently? Do they have iPad 2s and are they indicating that sales could be temporarily suspended? Talk to us in the comments.
UPDATE [April 8, 2011 4:59 Pacific Time]
A reader claiming to be an employee at “a fairly large” Best Buy in the Southeast sent this in:
Another reader writes:
- Apple drops iPad 2 deliveies to 2-3 weeks (9to5mac.com)
- Digitimes: Between 2.4 and 2.6 million iPad 2s shipped during March (9to5mac.com)
- 12,000 iPad 2s sold on eBay in two weeks. Where did they go? (9to5mac.com)
- Did Apple order 30 million LCDs for iPad 2 from AU Optronics at 3-4x higher price? (9to5mac.com)
- Consumer Reports: iPad 2 the best tablet available (9to5mac.com)
- Best Buy pulls iPad-trashing banner for Android tablet from website (9to5mac.com)
- Toys “R” Us Adding iPad 2 to Inventory? (techland.time.com)
