Lines of Resellers Returning New iPads at Fifth Avenue Apple Store - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Lines of Resellers Returning New iPads at Fifth Avenue Apple Store

by

A tipster sends us this tale of a trip to the Fifth Avenue Apple Store last night.

Went to the Fifth Ave store near midnight today, and saw that Apple was setting up a separate line just to handle the volume of iPad returns from Chinese resellers. The manager kept the separate line to ensure that regular customer's experience wasn't affected. Some people were returning up to 30.

ipadreturnline
A number of organizations have written about the reseller phenomenon, including the New York Times:

They show up in the early-morning hours: Chinese men and women, waiting silently and somewhat nervously outside of Apple stores in New York. On some days the lines they form can be a block long.

These are not typical Apple fans. Instead they are participants in a complex and curious trade driven by China’s demand for Apple’s fashionable gadgets — products that are made in China in the first place and exported, only to make the long trip back.

The resellers try to buy as many iPads as they can to resell them at a high margin, bit it seems that Apple has had success in fulfilling demand this time -- even selling more than enough iPads to the resellers. Apple Stores have a 14-day return policy, and it applies to all iPad purchasers.

Top Rated Comments

Caliber26 Avatar
185 months ago
It's a real shame that a restocking fee doesn't apply in this case.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
...and that's what you get for doubting Tim Cook's mad skills at locking down a supply chain.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
Haha these idiots ****ing deserve it!
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BJMRamage Avatar
185 months ago
They could have a 5 item return limit per day.

something to still accept them but make it a pain to do.
Track based on Driver's License or ID like Best Buy and pharmacies who can only sell X amount of allergy stuff.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
Uh, no... the only difference is that I've proved myself. Let's start with OS X. I have six certifications from Apple and I had to read and learn about 2,500 pages of information. I have 16 apps on the App Store (self taught objective-c, my first programming language) and I'm constantly being hired or asked to work. The IT department at my school has no idea what they're doing, even though it's their job, and I am always asked for advice. In middle school, the headmaster based some of his choices and opinions about the iPad pilot program based on what I had to say.

I really have better things to do than brag, which I'm not trying to do, but I can't express to you how much it angers me when I am put down and treated like a normal teenager. I don't know what you meant when you said that you knew more than everyone else at your age, as "most everyone does", but I'm not an idiot, so don't treat me like one. I'm sure I can stand in a store and explain to people why they should buy an iPad or help someone with computer problems.
In 1637, I was hatched on the planet Light Beer. In the 37 nanoseconds I spent in a gestation chamber I learned Kung Fu, the kazoo, and the wisdom of not biting my sister. By the time I had conquered the planet of the very lonely cantaloupe woman (microwave baby, microwave), I had already developed a 6th sense, being able to tell the difference between my ass, a hole in the ground, and a bucket of KFC - extra crispy.

Not long after, I invented Velcro and those obnoxious plastic blister packages. Within two millennia of my eleventy-first birthday, Liv Tyler pledged her undieing love to me. Orlando Bloom is still pissed about that.

P.S. do you seriously not recognize the irony in my "narcissism" comment and your response? Love ya though... I'm a life long developer myself. I would recommend toning down my boastful bravado. It's going to do you NO favors when you are out in the adult workforce that you are currently bitter to not be a part of.*

Chocolate covered advice #1: Be proud of your accomplishments, but try to keep your superiority complex in check.*Unless you are John Carmack or Tim Sweeny's understudy, your skill set is neither unique nor irreplaceable(we developers are EVERYWHERE)... you'll learn that soon enough should your behavior warrant the lesson. Nor does your experience give you ANY right to claim intellectual superiority over people you don't know. That sort of behavior? It's called narcissism.

But enough of this silly bickering. Keep at it man! Last thing in the world I would ever do is discourage someone from learning to code and stretch their mental muscle. Just save the chest thumping till you are a bit older, have learned a thing or two, and have had a few beers like me ;)
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
185 months ago
Uh, no... the only difference is that I've proved myself. Let's start with OS X. I have six certifications from Apple and I had to read and learn about 2,500 pages of information. I have 16 apps on the App Store (self taught objective-c, my first programming language) and I'm constantly being hired or asked to work. The IT department at my school has no idea what they're doing, even though it's their job, and I am always asked for advice. In middle school, the headmaster based some of his choices and opinions about the iPad pilot program based on what I had to say.

I really have better things to do than brag, which I'm not trying to do, but I can't express to you how much it angers me when I am put down and treated like a normal teenager. I don't know what you meant when you said that you knew more than everyone else at your age, as "most everyone does", but I'm not an idiot, so don't treat me like one. I'm sure I can stand in a store and explain to people why they should buy an iPad or help someone with computer problems.

Dude, you sound just like a normal teenager.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 5:09 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. End-to-End Encryption for RCS Support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro

Monday May 11, 2026 9:01 am PDT by
We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro May Have 'Aggressive' Starting Price Despite RAM Crisis

Tuesday May 12, 2026 6:53 am PDT by
While the ongoing RAM chip shortage is leading some Android smartphone makers to increase prices, one analyst believes that Apple will take advantage of the situation with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In a research note with GF Securities today, analyst Jeff Pu said he expects Apple to outperform in the smartphone market by having an "aggressive pricing strategy" for the ...