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Demand >> Supply? (8/30/98)
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Apple shocked a great many of us by somehow avoiding a PR debacle of biblical proportions during the iMac's launch a couple of weeks ago. Basically, just prior to the launch, rumors had been flying everywhere that, despite running its plants twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, Apple still wasn't going to have nearly enough units ready for August 15th. And in fact most dealers received far fewer iMacs than they had expected-- which was, in turn, significantly less than they had ordered. It looked for all the world like Apple's classic supply problem was poising once again to bite them in the butt.
Somehow, though, the relatively constrained supply only seemed to fuel the fire; most larger stores were able to fill most or all of their preorders, and even had a few iMacs left to sell out by the end of the weekend. But instead of making consumers angry, the "sold out" signs just made buyers more determined to get their hands on the crystalline blue-and-white computer. "Always leave them wanting more," and all that rot. And Apple was able to ship enough iMacs to make that launch their most successful product introduction to date.
But what's this? Even though the hysteria seems to be dying down a bit, it appears that demand hasn't flagged. That's great news, except for the fact that Apple seems to be having some trouble providing the supply. According to Computer Retail Week, consumers are gaga over the iMac, but the systems are going fast and Apple seems unable to build enough to keep up. Thank goodness that Apple decided to hold off on selling the iMac via the Apple Store until October 1st-- perhaps by then they'll have found a way to catch up. We'll see what happens as we move past the back-to-school buying and head into the holiday shopping season.
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 8/30/98 episode: August 30, 1998: Apple's "Think Different" commercial racks up yet another trophy, and this one goes by the name "Emmy." Meanwhile, the iMac launch may have been staggeringly successful, but worrisome rumors of impending supply troubles continue to loom, and Bill Gates does his best Ollie North impersonation as he dodges the DoJ's questions like a champ...
Other scenes from that episode: 976: Think Emmy (8/30/98) It's only the second year in which the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has awarded an Emmy in the category of "Best Commercial," but Apple walked away with the prize. The minute-long "Think Different" ad, created by the same TBWA Chiat/Day who gave us the legendary "1984" Macintosh commercial, can add another notch to its belt-- and this one's a pretty big notch... 978: Cool as a Cucumber (8/30/98) Both sides in the "Redmond Justice" case are gearing up for the upcoming trial. Despite the fact that a grouchy ol' appellate court ruled that his deposition should be held privately, details are trickling in about how Microsoft Head Honcho Bill Gates answered the Justice Department's pre-trial questions...
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