Apple Bans iPad 2s From Best Buy?

Some scandalous (and alleged) dirt on Best Buy hit the Internet today, about how Apple is cutting off the big box electronics stores for reportedly hoarding iPad 2s to inflate sales quotas.

While CrunchGear said it smashed the rumor and called it baseless, Best Buy employees began to speak out. "We were also instructed to tell customers that we were out of stock and not to mention anything to customers about the inventory we were holding," an unnamed employee wrote at 9to5 Mac. Another few notified Boy Genius Report that their Best Buy was also holding and basically lying to customers that they didn't have any.

Later, Best Buy released a statement saying, "Best Buy continues to receive iPad 2 inventory from Apple on a regular basis. As we’ve said previously, we are fulfilling customer reservations first. Our stores have been asked to temporarily hold non-reserved iPad 2 inventory for an upcoming promotion. This is a customary practice for us when there are supply constraints. Best Buy enjoys a great partnership with Apple, and we’re delighted by customer response to iPad 2.”

Could Best Buy be slimy enough to hoard iPad 2s and then lie to customers that  they have none in stock? And why would hoarding them help with sales quotas exactly? Using the iPads sales to balance out the low sales each day? 

Unfortunately, Apple may to get used to such shenanigans or banish their devices to an Apple Store. Because if Apple has truly decided to appeal to the masses and sell in every big box from Best Buy to Walmart, it has to be ready for some of the unpleasant consequences -- alien corporate policies, green staff and even false scarcity.

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