Thousands of people responding to Huawei's $54 National Day promotion smartphone turned up at 27 stores across Singapore yesterday, only to be told that the phones were out of stock.

The hordes of disappointed customers became increasingly agitated, and police were called in to manage the situation at various locations.

The three-day promotion, which slashed the price of the Huawei Y6 Pro 2019 from $198 to $54 for Singaporeans and permanent residents above the age of 50, began yesterday.

The $54 promotional price corresponded to Singapore's 54th National Day this year.

In a statement in response to queries from The Straits Times, the Chinese technology giant apologised for disappointing customers, and expressed regret for the "insufficient supply for the masses" in the face of an "unprecedented surge of demand for the handset".

The company added that it is "assessing other possibilities to address the situation and will continue to offer attractive promotions for all".

The stores involved included the manufacturer's own outlets as well as other electronics retailers.

Mr Loh Yew Meng, 58, who was among the disgruntled customers, said he went to the Huawei concept store at Block 201B Tampines Street 21 at about 8.30am to find a long queue and a sign saying the promotional phones were sold out.

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He said he was confused initially as the store opens only at 11am daily. He then tried his luck at another concept store at Block 503 Tampines Central 1, but was also told the phones were out of stock. There was an even longer queue of about 50 people at the store slightly after 9am. They began pushing into the store, demanding answers.

IRATE CUSTOMER I was quite upset about the situation. How can it be that you are telling the public there is no stock before the store opens or the promotion starts? Are you trying to fool people and make use of the nation's 54th anniversary? MR LOH YEW MENG, who went to two Huawei concept stores but was told that the phones were sold out. Huawei said the "Sold Out" signs were put up by store employees before opening time because of the long queues. The company also said that some people who queued were able to get their hands on the Y6, although it did not say how many.

Mr Loh, who is unemployed, said he called the police as he thought the crowd, most of whom were elderly persons, was becoming unruly.

"I was quite upset about the situation. How can it be that you are telling the public there is no stock before the store opens or the promotion starts? Are you trying to fool people and make use of the nation's 54th anniversary?" said Mr Loh.

Huawei said in a Facebook post just before 12.30pm that it was closing 10 of its stores early for security reasons, adding that it was working with the police to manage the crowd situation.

Huawei said the "Sold Out" signs were put up by store employees before opening time because of the long queues.

The company also said that some people who queued were able to get their hands on the Y6, although it did not say how many.

Huawei declined to give the number of handsets that were available at each outlet.

Mr Jayden Lee, 27, went to the Huawei store in Jurong Point at 8.30am to get a Y6 for his parents, but found himself at the back of a long queue which he estimated grew to more than 1,000.

He waited in line until 10am, when he and the others in the queue were told that the phones were out of stock.

When he left slightly after 10am, the bulk of the crowd had moved to the Challenger outlet nearby, which opened at 11am.

"There were a lot of people who got quite worked up and the police (had) to calm them down," said Mr Lee, who is unemployed.

"The sales staff told me that there were only 28 sets available. It is simple mathematics. If you multiply that by 27 stores and compare it to the number of Merdeka Generation people in Singapore, it is not enough."

Disappointed customers took to social media, including Huawei Mobile Singapore's Facebook page, to vent their anger, and said the company should have made it clear that limited sets were available for the promotion.

Comments on Huawei's Facebook page highlighted how many elderly people were left to queue for hours but had nothing to show for it, with some accusing the company of lacking "sympathy".

Others expressed their frustration at being told stocks were out even before the shops had opened, and the chaos they faced when trying to buy a phone.

Many said Huawei had shot itself in the foot with the promotion, and called on the company to find ways to make amends.

"Wow, this was a three-day sales and it didn't make it past a minute?" read one post.

Dr Seshan Ramaswami, associate professor of marketing education at Singapore Management University, said that "given that it is a fairly popular brand here, Huawei should have anticipated the large crowds. It could also have arranged for some other kind of discount to be given to anyone else who queued, such as a $54 price on an older model".

"The feeling of disappointment felt by hundreds of potential consumers and the magnified effects through social and mainstream media will hurt the success of future promotions and the image of the brand in general," he added.