Ordering iPad 2 online from Malaysia

Just thought of putting this up for those people who tried to find some infos on ordering the ipad2 online from Malaysia.

First of all, why do one need the iPad at the first place?
- if you are always on the run and needed to frequently check your emails
- if you are an IT engineer who needs to have access to online resources at any time
- if you have kids at home and would like them to learn the high tech way
- if you have friends who have been playing multiplayer games and you cannot join them because you don't have an iPad yet?




Well whatever the reasons are, iPad is a very good device that is capable of doing just about anything.

I have checked on all the reasons above, so I do qualify myself for an iPad.

Off the shelves Ipad2.
Eventually, iPad 2 does arrive to store shelves in Malaysia. So when I decided to buy one, I took my wife and kids to one of the many stores that sells ipad2. Unfortunately, buying one wasn't as easy as it looks. It took me at least 4 shops, and the answer is, "sold out". I was looking for 16gb wi-fi+3G version. So the last shop that I went - "Machines" @ Bukit Tinggi Klang told me there will be new stocks coming in at Machines KLCC on the next coming Sunday. So then I took my family to the KLCC wishing to have an ipad2 carried home that day. Unfortunate enough, I was there at 2pm, and the sales person told me that all ipad2 stocks were sold out at 10.45am!! He'd then told me to view at the Machines website for new stocks arrival date. Then I viewed the site, and it seems that stocks are coming in every Sunday morning. Each stock take is only 100 unit of various ipad2s. This is somehow fishy, why didn't they bring in more? To my personal opinion, this is just a gimmick for buyers to have a frenzy over ipad2. When new stocks coming in, people would queue since early morning just to get their hands for an ipad2.

I did even tried to look at the famous IT complex in Malaysia, The Low Yat Plaza. yes they do have Ipad2 Wifi+3G in ready stocks, but it retails at rm2499!!. They are not official Apple products reseller, so they just put their own price based on the demand.

I was somehow devastated.

Ordering it online
At the office the next day, a friend told me, "why didn't u buy it online?". Being involved in the world of information technology since 20years ago, I was hesitated to publish my credit card information online. Nevertheless, since I was buying from "Apple", and really liked to have an ipad2 for my kids, without knowing, I was already within AppleStore Malaysia.

Browsed all over, and it seems that they have a good bargain. Ipad2 3G+Wi-Fi for RM1899.00, and free shipping, plus, free engraving on the back side of the device. This is too good to be true. So I put my orders into the AppleStore Malaysia website.

The engraving allows 2 lines of sentence, but I didn't actually count the number of words or characters allowed.

The check-out was surprisingly easy. I just created my Apple ID, and put my shipping and credit card information online.

Once I confirmed my order, the AppleStore will then process my purchase, and upon successful, I received a notification email. At the same time, I can see the amount of RM1899.00 has been reserved from my credit card account (not charged yet, only reserved). on the email says, it ships within 2 weeks, and estimation date was given (which is for my case, 24th June).

Then I waited, until about 1 week later, the status on the AppleStore says that my iPad is being prepared for shipping.

Then, i received an email saying that my ipad2 has been shipped. Then I was given a DHL tracking number so I can track my ipad2's journey. At this point of time, Apple starts to charge on my credit card for the amount value stated.

So here's how the ipad2 journey goes

Detailed Report
Date Time Location Service Area Checkpoint Details
Jun 21, 2011   16:10   Kul - KUL   Shipment delivered - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   13:49   Kul - KUL   With delivery courier - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   13:03   Kul - KUL   Scheduled for delivery - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   13:02   Kul - KUL   Arrived at delivery facility - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   12:37   Kul - KUL   Departed from facility - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   12:32   Kul - KUL   Processed - Kul - KUL
Jun 21, 2011   05:21   Szb - SZB   Clearance processing complete - Szb - SZB
Jun 20, 2011   21:29   Szb - SZB   Clearance delay - Szb - SZB
Jun 19, 2011   20:11   Szb - SZB   Clearance delay - Szb - SZB
Jun 18, 2011   20:11   Szb - SZB   Clearance delay - Szb - SZB
Jun 18, 2011   08:33   Szb - SZB   Processed for clearance - Szb - SZB
Jun 18, 2011   07:47   Szb - SZB   Clearance delay - Szb - SZB
Jun 17, 2011   03:28   Hhp - HHP   Shipment on hold - Hhp - HHP
Jun 16, 2011   22:26   Szx - SZX   Departed from facility - Szx - SZX
Jun 16, 2011   22:26   Szx - SZX   Processed - Szx - SZX
Jun 16, 2011   14:43   Szx - SZX   Shipment picked up - Szx - SZX

It seems that the ipad2 was shipped from Shenzhen, And then being transferred to HK. Somehow it says that shipment is on hold at HK, I was a bit worried at the time seeing this. But then I realized that it was just probably because if some transport issues.

Then on the 18th, it arrives to the great land of Malaysia, The Subang Airport. But the, it took 3 days to clear at Subang Airport customs checkpoint. This also makes me worried sick. That's my 1.9k worth of money there guys, can you guys just let it clear? LoL.

Finally, on the 21st, the ipad2 arrives at my office.

So, for you Malaysians folks out there, whom have been googling all over about buying an ipad2 online, I'd say go for it. I was just like you guys, being trying to find good resources about buying an ipad2 from Malaysia, but didn't find any good useful information. So just bought it, and being a reputable company Apple does have a good store policy, and added with a good courier such as DHL, it gets even better. Being not able to find a local resource to further help to convince me that my Ipad2 will arrive to my doorstep, is the reason that i wrote this article. The other reason for this article is for me to archive my experience in buying my first item which is over 1k worth of RM via online (All of my previous experiences was all about paying the PDRM summons).

And btw, please don't max out on your credit cards on the Ipad, because you'll need em to buy apps from iTunes.

p/s: jailbreaking the ipad2? haha don't mention it, this article is about buying the the ipad2.. not jb'ing em. LOL