Apple Streamlines iPhone 3G Purchase Process

After 104 days of long waiting lines, jammed counters and an uncharacteristically complicated purchase process, Apple has provided some relief for iPhone 3G buyers at its retail stores by creating an on-line registration procedure. The company has posted a series of Web pages that allow iPhone buyers to review eligibility, pricing and AT&T rate plans, and to then enter their personal information, including Social Security number and date-of-birth. A ”thermometer” at the top of each screen conveniently shows the customer’s progress through the registration process. After selecting a rate plan, a credit check is performed. If successful, the iPhone buyer is given a registration number and then shuffled to a Web page where he/she will make a retail store appointment to finalize their purchase in-person. The iPhone 3G generated long waiting lines for its June 11th debut, made longer by computer glitches and the in-store registration requirement intended to reduce the number of iPhones purchased but never registered on AT&T’s network. Supply constraints also contributed to a “first-come, first-served” sales policy, which persists today. Check some screen shots after the break.