The crowds around the iPhone display tables at San Francisco area Apple stores were definitely older than the usual Macintosh and iPod crowds, during a field trip to several stores on Saturday. Their attention came at the expense of iPods, whose display tables were virtually ghost towns, although computers were still occupied at the stores. The demographics of the iPhone curious seemed to be mostly males in the 40-55 age range, although there were quite a few women over 35 also looking at the phones. The age distribution is no doubt related to the high price of the iPhone, and the various e-mail, Address Book and cellular features that might be good for business use.
Of the iPhone stock that was delivered on Friday afternoon, the stores were told to hold back 20 of each model for sales on Saturday. This tactic was to be repeated for each delivery of additional iPhones, and intended to insure that Apple’s availability Web page would show “green” for every store at the close of each day. However, sales were strong on Saturday, depleting supplies enough to switch 24 stores into the red for Sunday.
Besides the Web site, all Apple stores have window signs indicating their iPhone status: availability, out-of-stock and “quantities are limited.” The signs are put up at closing time to help buyers decide their purchase strategy.
At most stores, iPhones were on display at the right-front display table usually reserved for iPods, held in their docks and tethered with security ribbons. Additional iPhones were displayed on the right-front wall counter, linked to Macs.
At the flagship San Francisco store there was a constant crowd of curious around the left-front display table, where 10 iPhones were on display. The crowd seemed to be checking every feature of the phones, including making and receiving telephone calls, since they were completely live and showing five signal reception bars.
The left-front wall counter also had seven iPhones on display, connected to the existing Mac desktops. iPhones were also on display at a smaller counter in the left-rear, where iPhone accessories were on display, and also at a similar counter on the second floor.
At SF, the iPod display table directly behind the iPhones was a bit lonely, with just one or two persons at most examining the devices.
Apple used the 2-4 p.m. closing time to swap out the stores’ wall graphics with all-iPhone designs, the first time a single product has monopolized the walls [#1 / #2 / #3 / #4]. At the San Francisco store, Apple even created a customized iPhone wall poster.
The stores’ window displays are only slightly modifed–they have a plain white background with the Apple logo and “iPhone” printed on it. [ #1 / #2 ]. At the San Francisco store, a side display window also had an iPhone theme.
Even though the iPhones won’t be displayed on shelves, Apple took extraordnary efforts to create a product box and a shopping bag that is attractive and presents the Apple brand [bag & box].
As well, Apple designed an attractive retail store brochure that explains the various AT&T price plans for the iPhone.
