Best Buy turns away iPad 2 customers, shortage looms?

Creating shortage looks like a successful marketing strategy for Apple. Best Buy turned away iPad 2 customers because of inventory supply shortage. Best Buy conceded that its employees were told to hold back the inventory.

This is a customary practice for us when there are supply constraints, the company said in a statement. Best Buy enjoys a great partnership with Apple, and we're delighted by customer response to the iPad 2.

Best Buy did not elucidate on the matter any further other than crediting the move for a future promotion.

There was always a supply shortage for ipad2 right from the beginning. People shop iPad as if they are treasure hunting. The more the shortage is the more they covet the device. This time Apple has not even given any provisions to reserve an iPad2. People were still ready to stand in long queues to but it. Other partners of Apple were Target and Wal-Mart.

There were other reasons for the shortages as well. When Japan was hit by the massive earthquake, the supply was delayed because many of the semiconductor supplying factories there was put off.

The aftermath of the Japanese earthquake may cause logistical disruptions and supply shortages in Apple Inc.'s iPad 2, which employs several components manufactured in the disaster-stricken country -- including a hard-to-replace electronic compass, the battery and possibly the advanced technology glass in the display, IHS iSuppli said in a statement.