I love how everybody here assumes that this story is true and that Apple is somehow racially profiling Chinese people.

There's maybe three people here who thought the story sounded fraudulent and they were immediately shot down by the predictable cries of racism.

Typical brain-dead Gothamist sheep. Baa! Baa!

I was at the Soho store just over a week ago. There was one particular Asian woman who kept getting back in line to buy an iPad. I overheard the employee manning the iPad table tell her she couldn't buy another one as the limit was 2 per person. I remember her in particular because she was so insistent.

I milled around the store a bit more and later saw her again in the iPad line, this time paying for an iPad, and dealing with a different sales person. I figured at the time that maybe the 2-per person limit was for which model you could buy...e.g. 2 per size; 16gb/32/64.

Then about 20 minutes later, I left the store. On my way out, I saw the very same woman, kneeling on the ground, about 100 feet away from the store, literally surrounded by Apple shopping bags, each with at least 1 iPad in it. There were easily 8 iPads in the bags around her.

She was on her cell phone, talking frantically , and was clearly waiting for someone. If I had to guess, she seemed like she was on the phone to someone to bring her another ID and credit card so she could get another 2 iPads.

I wouldn't be surprised if what I witnessed that day was the start of this racial profiling nonsense. My take on the situation was this was a woman who was obviously buying ipads for resale and became indignant when her scheme of using her girfriend's/sister's/cousin's IDs and CCs stopped working.

here is what i recommend Apple employees do in a situation like this. Look at the ID picture and compare it with the person standing in front of them.

do that, instead of racially profiling or being a general prick.

And no, all asians don't look alike.

Who cares about the Chinese? Come on, really. You think any of them care about you?

Stupid Shit! Just Stupid Shit!

So like which high school do you go to?

This is unthinkable...it would be like banning Nigerians from email!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_9QhRzJEs

"one person was asked why they wanted one since their English was not so good." LOL

if this is true which I doubt, Apple is one of the few stores that really treats everyone well. I never had never problems with the sales staff only once with the security detail who was all over my business about what I was downloading on MY laptop.

Damn, Apple's got it so good that they're not selling their crap to people with good money. Can tell I didn't get an MBA, I'd be selling to bin laden if he had a crisp stack of Benjamins.

that sounds very strange, and i would like some proof.

i shop in that store all the time and i can't get the staff to stop paying attention to the beautiful women playing with the Macs while waiting for someone to notice them. i can't believe any of those staff noticed any of their customers were asian since for them everyone is either a tall, thin, blond beautiful model, or someone they're just not interested in.

when i bought my Air i literally had to wave my credit card under some of the staffs' noses while stating loudly "She's been playing with that mouse for the last 30 minutes. She's not going to buy a computer. Now take my money and sell me an Air!"

I call fraud on this, until i see some proof.

This is like do the right thing but in reverse. Or something.

Apple wants to keep their stuff so secret they won't even hand them over to consumers.

He also lives in his aunt's apartment on the upper eastside

JMO ,I can't think that Apple would worry about

the Asians ,they are worried about a secondary black market

in the to find Ipad ending up in a country they have

not yet made agreements to sell in.

Anyway maybe these "Chinese" work for a PC(like Wepad) company and just wish to stir up anti Apple news ,true or not.Whatever!

i'm asian but not chinese, and i don't know if i buy the story. i go there with friends sometimes (they're white) and i've never had any trouble buying--the staff is always overly friendly to us, if that is any displeasure to someone.

maybe i'll go there alone and see if they treat me any differently... and it'll be really funny if they do. hahahahaha

eh, maybe next week. i'd rather go bar-hopping.

Fuckin' sellout.

hahahahahaha

i sold out when i was born in beth israel.

ha. dumbass, of course they won't say anything to your white-washed self.