While a number of customers have been able to get their hands on the iPad mini prematurely either through early deliveries or retailers who began selling the devices before the appointed time, sales have now officially started in New Zealand where it is now the morning of November 2.
Twitter user @jgriffinz notes that he was one of the first customers to officially purchase the iPad mini in New Zealand, and notes that he was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal about the distinction. He has also confirmed that his iPad mini arrived with the New Zealand version of the 5-watt power adapter rather than the higher-powered 12-watt adapter that is arriving with the full-size iPad.

iPad mini on display at YOOBEE in Auckland, New Zealand
AMA Creative also shared a few photos with MacRumors showing the iPad mini going on sale at New Zealand retailer YOOBEE.
Apple's own stores are opening at 8:00 AM local time on Friday to begin sales of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad. A number of third-party retailers will also be carrying the devices, and their opening times and stock levels may vary.
Top Rated Comments
And the iPad looks beautiful :)
Mac Rumors for Apple related info and hookups :D
When I walked by our local store today and looked in, it was empty as well.
Wait, oh yeay - that was the University Village Microsoft store...
I often wonder if companies such as BMW, Mercedes or Porsche have the same types of haters who are always yelling that their prices are too high. I never really questioned those cars pricing structure. If I could afford them, I would buy them. I don't have any malice toward those who own those vehicles. I certainly wouldn't stand outside of their showrooms griping and screaming that they should lower their prices. It would sort of defeat the purpose of becoming an owner of one. I always figured if you wanted something that's more expensive, just work for it and earn what was necessary to buy it. What's the point of sulking and crying that it's priced too high.
Why Apple seems to be a target of jealousy in the industry really seems rather strange to me. Their products seem to be priced reasonably enough for the average consumer to afford and should easily hold up for a few years to amortize the initial cost. I honestly don't understand Wall Street's partiality for cheaper products if it tends to lower the quality of the device. What's so great about selling or owning quickly disposable goods? Is it because rapid product turnover earns a company more money they should purposely build products that have a shorter lifespan?
Apple is sold out with huge lines forming in every part of the world. If all that Apple cared about was profits, they could have priced it at $429 and made a killing. but the low price proves that Apple cares mostly about the User Experience and that profits just magically happen to appear due to their customer-first attitude.
People wake up and go to work at Apple every day because they want to make others happy. They do not do it to make a paycheck. The do it to Change The World into a better place for other people.
But the Googley Fandroids will deny it because they hate Apple, and because they hate every single person who owns even one Apple product. They all just live in their parent's basement and spend all of their time changing screen savers on their Android devices. So sad.
People who own Apple products buy them to actually do real work, and NOT to just play with them or to fight the OS to try to get rid of all the malware.