Wal-Mart Employee Says iPhone Will Arrive in Stores on December 28 -- Not Before

According to information from an Indianapolis Wal-Mart employee, iPhones are indeed coming to Wal-Mart in December - but not until December 28. This iPhone information is consistent with that reported through Dow Jones Newswires here as well as Bloomberg online. Still, confusion and rumors seem to be flying, including those coming from one person living in my own household - a teen eager to get a "$99 iPhone" by Christmas.

He insists that all his friends are getting them. He insists that Wal-mart will sell them before Christmas. He notes that they will be 8 GB or more and....anyway, you get the picture. His reports are about as consistent as the varied online rumors and reports I found at computer and gadget blogs, online sites and social networks - until today, when I got tired of the persistent requests and pleas for a Wal-Mart Iphone "by Christmas" and got desperate enough to actually pick up our phone (not an iPhone) and call a local Wal-mart store where I was told ....

iPhones will arrive at Wal-Mart by December 28, according to an Indianapolis Wal-Mart employee

I spoke to an employee about Wal-Mart and iPhones (the employee spoke on the condition on anonymity). At my request, she spoke to her supervisor, who confirmed that the iPhones were not set to arrive before December 28. That may seem disappointing to those hoping to get one before Christmas but I am personally quite relieved. Since I knew I'd be grilled in only the way a teen can grill a weary parent, I did ask if the employee "was absolutely certain" the iPhone would not get to Wal-Mart before Christmas. At that point, I was told that she had been given a training session on how to use and sell the iPhone at Wal-Mart and that it would not get to local stores before Christmas.

Although it is hard to imagine anyone returning an IPhone, offering them during after Christmas sales season could be a brilliant business move by both Wal-Mart and IPhone, resulting in even more sales. Think of crowds of shoppers hitting the after Christmas sales, shoppers looking for inevitable bargains. By the way, in case anyone is wondering whether the iPhones sold at Wal-Mart would cost $99 or not, I was told they would be priced higher and would be 4 GB (gigabytes) - not 8 or 16 GB. If this information turns out to be incorrect, this was the latest word I could get on the subject. Actual prices were not available when I called.

If you absolutely have to get an iPhone before Christmas, of course, you can try buying directly from Apple store or AT & T, among other sources. Unless you find a special deal, expect to pay in the $200 range for an 8 GB model and close to $300 for 16 GB (depending on the phone service contract you purchase). Of course, these prices make a $99 iPhone seem very appealing. Even so, iPhones may not be in Wal-mart before Christmas.

After Christmas sales of iPhones at Wal-Mart - a smart business move in a tough economy?

In a shaky economy like this one, people tend to give gift cards and cash as Christmas gifts. After all, with stores like Circuit City facing bankruptcy, shoppers are often reluctant to buy Christmas gifts at stores that may go out of business before - or shortly after - Christmas. This holiday season could force some retailers into bankruptcy. Many are teetering on the edge already. In a tight economy, the after Christmas sales could have more shoppers hitting the malls and retail stores than the pre-Christmas sales.

Wal-Mart iPhones, gift cards and returned gifts

Then there are the inevitable gift returns. If iPhones don't appear in Wal-Mart till December 28, could this actually boost sales of the phones? With teens and others eager to use gift cards or cash, perhaps many of them will decide an iPhone is the perfect gift. Maybe they'll exchange clothing that doesn't fit, gadgets they don't want or other Christmas presents for iPhones. Every year, we hit the after Christmas sales. This year, more bargains than ever may appear, including (perhaps) iPhones sold at Wal-Mart. A December 28 arrival of iPhones a Wal-mart could be perfect timing.

How much will Wal-Mart iPhones actually cost? Will they be 4, 8 or 16 GB?

As noted above, rumors and various articles have appeared about this, often with conflicting information. So I'm going only with what I was told by an actual Indianapolis Wal-Mart employee, one who checked with a supervisor. The phones are expected to be 4 GB and cost more than $99. Specific price info was not given to me but if employees are being trained about how to use iPhones, I'm convinced that they will be arriving at Wal-Mart soon. If you like to gamble, you could keep looking for updated info about pre-Christmas arrivals of iPhones at Wal-Mart and hope you find one for $99 before Christmas. But I'm going to tell one (very disappointed) teen that the odds don't look good. For now.

Sources:

Personal experience

Phone call to local Indianapolis Wal-Mart store, W. 86th Street location

Apple to Sell iPhones in Wal-Mart Stores This Month, Bloomberg News, Dec 7: here

iPhones Coming to Wal-Mart; Maybe for $99, Mercury News, Dec 5: here