Heading to Belfast store for a new iPhone

stimpson

I'm rocking a well used 4 and it's struggling a bit with iOS 6 so I promised myself I'd buy me a SIM free 5s online. I'm so annoyed that no date has been announced for Ireland.

From last years thread it seems that you'd be pretty much guaranteed to pick one up if you arrive bright and early and are prepared to queue for a few hours, so I might take the day off work and pay a visit. Anyone else making the trip?

murpho999

Can you not order for delivery online and use Parcel motel?

Really don't understand why people would be in such a rush that they can't wait for Irish launch.

TCP/IP

murpho999 wrote: »

Can you not order for delivery online and use Parcel motel?

Really don't understand why people would be in such a rush that they can't wait for Irish launch.

Yeah you will have no problem going up and getting one in Belfast arrive at 8am and queue till 9 and you will get one. They keep you queing just from a spectacle point of view there is plenty of stock always. See you there as I will be heading up too.

rolexeagle1

No 5S pre orders either

stimpson

murpho999 wrote: »

Can you not order for delivery online and use Parcel motel?

Really don't understand why people would be in such a rush that they can't wait for Irish launch.

They haven't even announced a launch date yet - and then you don't know how long you'll have to wait for stock. I got screwed last year by Three as they kept all their stock for new customers. Not this year. It'll be nice to have a brand new unlocked phone on a SIM free contract.

mad muffin

Yeah ill be heading up too. I headed up there for the 4 and that year you could reserve one for store pickup ahead of the launch.

Got there at around 7:30 and was out by around 12:00

For the 4 Apple removed the ability to reserve ahead of time. Got there around 6:30 and was out by around 10:00

Order the 5 from apple.ie the second it was available and it arrived in November.

This year there is no date for Ireland and no preorder for the 5 I'm thinking I might leave home around midnight or 1am and arrive to the store by 2:30 to 4am

Still undecided as to what time to leave.

Zcott

Good luck queuing. If you want to be anywhere near the front or the line I'd suggest getting there the night before.

DuckSlice

It's probably the 20th September, and Irish launch will be a week after I would think.

murpho999

etxp wrote: »

It's probably the 20th September, and Irish launch will be a week after I would think.

They didn't announce that yesterday unlike other launches when they announced 2nd wave countries.

Think it's being delayed by China being added to initial launch.

martin_g

Is it me or does there not seem to be such a great response towards the new handsets? I was disappointed they didn't go for larger memory i.e. 128GB iPhone 5S, also IPhone 5C seems very expensive for the likes of selling in China, only time will tell.

whiterebel

martin_g wrote: »

Is it me or does there not seem to be such a great response towards the new handsets? I was disappointed they didn't go for larger memory i.e. 128GB iPhone 5S, also IPhone 5C seems very expensive for the likes of selling in China, only time will tell.

Can you imagine the price of a 128GB 5S?

martin_g

whiterebel wrote: »

Can you imagine the price of a 128GB 5S?

I would hate to see the price of that probably close to €1000 or more sim free

Gumbo

I went to Belfast for the 5.
Left North Dublin around 2am. Got there approx 3.40am.

I was a good bit down in the que but i was in the shop one hour after it opened and was out within 15 mins.

You could head up later, they should have enough stock, but it means you may be queing till 12 or 1 in the afternoon.

Once you get high enough in the que, they hand out tickets with whatever you want on it ie. white 16gb/black 32gb etc

Am i doing it this year.....no, i usually upgrade every 2 years.

kingshankly

Was hoping you could pre order hate queuing
Would even pay extra to reserve rather than queue

Gumbo

kingshankly wrote: »

Was hoping you could pre order hate queuing
Would even pay extra to reserve rather than queue

If you could pre-order, then everybody would pre-order, then when you get there, everybody that pre-ordered would be queing to get served.

so best bet is to cut the pre-order crap and sell to first come first served.

laraghrider

I gotta be honest though I am struggling to understand the need to travel to Belfast to q for a this. Ireland will have it a week or two later. Can you really not wait that long?

stimpson

laraghrider wrote: »

I gotta be honest though I am struggling to understand the need to travel to Belfast to q for a this. Ireland will have it a week or two later. Can you really not wait that long?

You don't know that. No dates have been announced for Ireland unlike last year.

laraghrider

stimpson wrote: »

You don't know that. No dates have been announced for Ireland unlike last year.

Admittedly it is assumption but come on they are not going to leave it that long after the UK launch. Ireland has always been a week behind.

letape

laraghrider wrote: »

Admittedly it is assumption but come on they are not going to leave it that long after the UK launch. Ireland has always been a week behind.

That's what I would expect too.

stimpson

laraghrider wrote: »

Admittedly it is assumption but come on they are not going to leave it that long after the UK launch. Ireland has always been a week behind.

So why not announce wave 2 countries like they used to do? My guess is they want to gauge Chinese demand before committing to any other country.

Jofspring

Parcel Motel idea sounds good if you want to order from the UK. I presume there would be no issue with that? or will it not deliver because of the billing address?

mad muffin

It would take a min of 4 weeks ordering online when it becomes available.

Jofspring

mad muffin wrote: »

It would take a min of 4 weeks ordering online when it becomes available.

Online my only option though. No way i'm driving from Limerick to Belfast for a phone.

Even if I wait for it to be on the apple.ie site I will most likely have a 3-4 week wait.

Just checked apple.co.uk and it says you can buy an iPhone from another country for someone living in the country of sale.

stimpson

Jofspring wrote: »

Parcel Motel idea sounds good if you want to order from the UK. I presume there would be no issue with that? or will it not deliver because of the billing address?

Parcel motel only insure you up to €100. Big risk for a €700 phone.

Deep Thought

Ordered my 5 last year from Apple.co.uk and shipped it to Parcelmotel...

Although it did vanish for a day...it turned up in one piece

guil

Jofspring wrote: »

Online my only option though. No way i'm driving from Limerick to Belfast for a phone.

Even if I wait for it to be on the apple.ie site I will most likely have a 3-4 week wait.

Just checked apple.co.uk and it says you can buy an iPhone from another country for someone living in the country of sale.

You have to use a uk credit card to buy on the uk store

murpho999

stimpson wrote: »

Parcel motel only insure you up to €100. Big risk for a €700 phone.

What is the risk?

What insurance do you have with Fedex or An Post?

Really would not expect anything to go wrong.

whiterebel

murpho999 wrote: »

What is the risk?

What insurance do you have with Fedex or An Post?

Really would not expect anything to go wrong.

Problem is if Parcel Motel damage or lose it, you get €100 for a €700 phone.....
Normally the sender insures it, but with Parcel Motel, the original couriers liability has ended with a clean signature to Parcel Motel.

FourFourRED

guil wrote: »

You have to use a uk credit card to buy on the uk store

Not true.

Can I place an order using a non-UK credit card?

Apple accept most credit/debit cards from within the UK and outside of the UK.

It would appear that the 5S is going to cost €699 from the Irish store but it's €653 if you buy in Belfast or order from the UK Apple store.

NetNinja

But will they let you pay in Euros in Belfast & Apple UK Store?

Dades

NetNinja wrote: »

But will they let you pay in Euros in Belfast & Apple UK Store?

You can just use your Visa Debit card, no?

NetNinja

Dades wrote: »

You can just use your Visa Debit card, no?

My point was the exchange rate!

Deep Thought

guil wrote: »

You have to use a uk credit card to buy on the uk store

I dont and bought my 5 on Apple.co.uk last year

murpho999

NetNinja wrote: »

My point was the exchange rate!

That's the buyer's problem. Apple UK will charge you sterling.

stimpson

Why would the exchange rate be a problem when the phone is still ~€50 cheaper than you can buy it here?

NetNinja

murpho999 wrote: »

That's the buyer's problem. Apple UK will charge you sterling.

Yes that was my point. People don't take into consideration the exchange rate & that your bank with convert at their rate & charge comission.

guil

I was sure I read here before you can only buy in the store of the country that the credit card was from. Maybe it has to be delivered in the country it was purchased in and I'm getting my wires crossed.

mad muffin

NetNinja wrote: »

Yes that was my point. People don't take into consideration the exchange rate & that your bank with convert at their rate & charge comission.

They ask if you want to pay with Sterling or Euro.

Jofspring

From Apple.co.uk

If I buy an iPhone from this Apple Online Store, can I ship it to another country?
No. Orders placed through this Apple Online Store can be shipped only within the country of purchase. You can also shop for friends and family in countries where the iPhone is sold. Just visit the local store of the country where you want your products delivered. Or for fast, easy ordering and expert advice, just call an Apple Online Store Specialist on 0800 048 0408.


I take that as you can buy from anywhere but delivery must be to UK.

copacetic

Not sure what help that is, everyone knows you would need to use a delivery service. The questions were about which cards you can use on apple.co.uk.


I'd imagine there will be quite a large number of people going to Belfast or ordering online since there is not sign of a released ate for Ireland as yet and it might be as late as December based on the little bit of information that was available.

mad muffin

Why are we even discussing this here? Open another thread if you want to talk about what credit card apple.co.uk take.

This is the heading to Belfast thread.

The Belfast store will take your Irish and ask you if you want to pay in Sterling or Euro.

nightster1

mad muffin wrote: »

They ask if you want to pay with Sterling or Euro.

Can you buy with paypal and use Parcel motel as your UK address?

mad muffin

nightster1 wrote: »

Can you buy with paypal and use Parcel motel as your UK address?

This is only in the store.

Online I don't know.

golfnut1

Thinking about heading to Belfast on the 20th to pick up an iPhone.
Would be heading from east Galway. Anyone else thinking about doing the same?
Maybe car pooling could be an option?

fifth

I'd really like to head up and pick one up.. 32GB Gold 5S. (Only gold because I want something different from white / black). But I think it might be a bit of a stretch to come from Wexford.. anyone else heading up from around Wexford?

miralize

Does anyone remember what the stock was like around midday last year? I left at around 9am

Gumbo

miralize wrote: »

Does anyone remember what the stock was like around midday last year? I left at around 9am

From what I remember, everybody in the que got one. They still had decent stock levels for the next morning.

miralize

kceire wrote: »

From what I remember, everybody in the que got one. They still had decent stock levels for the next morning.

So I'd be okay to arrive at midday then. I'm not sure how much the 5c will cannibalise stock for the 5s though.

Gumbo

miralize wrote: »

So I'd be okay to arrive at midday then. I'm not sure how much the 5c will cannibalise stock for the 5s though.

I'd say you will be fine arriving then but your biggest problem will be queuing time. You could be there till 5pm!

Also, worth noting that this is the first year that china will get them so stock elsewhere could be lower.

mad muffin

Also no preorder this year.

miralize

mad muffin wrote: »

Also no preorder this year.

Well, that might come early next week