Back in 2011, there was one guy who waited a few minutes before deciding to purchase, checked the site again minutes later. Then Apple gave the "we're all sold out" message.

He goes to check the Apple Store. It still says that there's something in his shopping cart. So, on a whim, he decides to complete the checkout process. Put in his address, name, info, credit card, clicked through a few screens.

And he got in. All thanks to a cookie.

Alas, it doesn't seem like 2013 will have any "saved by a cookie" moments.