iPad Mini: Want your preordered iPad Mini LTE shipped faster? Keep calling...

[jp700p]

Apple outsources part of their customer service to Xerox (aka ACS). They have a huge call center near by me in TX here (My brother worked on the Apple "project" for 2 years doing MacBook tech support).

Call before 5pm PST. After 5pm PST, thats when most of the "overflow" calls go to the outsourced call centers.

When you call into Apple you can tell immediately if its an actual Apple employee, or an outsourced rep.

Apple employee: "Hi thank you for calling Apple, how can I help you?"

Outsourced employee: "Thank for calling Apple, we appreciate you calling, my name is... how may I assist you today?"

Hang up if you get an outsourced employee because they will NOT know how to change the order to overnight shipping.

Got my order changed from Nov. 23rd to Nov. 16th by following this method. Good luck.

[GBR]

I called in earlier and spoke to an actual Apple rep and he said its impossible to speed up shipment as they r coming from overseas and will ship as fast as possible...
I'm starting to wonder if the 21st is just a guestimate and most will arrive sooner, at least I'm hoping.

[ics55]

I can confirm this works. I just did it, and got the same thing to happen! They may have charged me $12 - i'm not sure. If they did, I will probably call after it arrives and ask for a refund since lots of people seem to have gotten it for free.

[mjpearce023]

So the reason why I have to wait on hold when calling Apple with a real issue is because people are blowing them up to try to get their iPad a few days early?

[eastamherstbias]

I spoke to an Apple rep and they can not switch it to overnight shipping, I was a 3:01am order. They are not allowing adjustments and they say no one has been bumped. It ships in the next 5 days but don't expect it for 15 days?

[strategist]

Originally Posted by eastamherstbias

I spoke to an Apple rep and they can not switch it to overnight shipping, I was a 3:01am order. They are not allowing adjustments and they say no one has been bumped. It ships in the next 5 days but don't expect it for 15 days?

I had the same outcome when the shipping date and time was announced early on. I'm assuming that these machines are all coming from the production facilities and shipping sites in China. Based on past experience, it takes about 5 days for everything to make it through customs in Alaska and then through the FedEx/UPS shipping channels.
Now if they get shipped out today, they could easily make it by next Friday the 16th. But overnight shipping from China just is not going to happen. Regardless of what a customer service rep may/may not have said.
Also, expect to see lots of posts telling you that they have been given iPad covers for free for all their troubles. This happens every single time!

[HowardSmith]

Originally Posted by strategist

I had the same outcome when the shipping date and time was announced early on. I'm assuming that these machines are all coming from the production facilities and shipping sites in China. Based on past experience, it takes about 5 days for everything to make it through customs in Alaska and then through the FedEx/UPS shipping channels.
Now if they get shipped out today, they could easily make it by next Friday the 16th. But overnight shipping from China just is not going to happen. Regardless of what a customer service rep may/may not have said.
Also, expect to see lots of posts telling you that they have been given iPad covers for free for all their troubles. This happens every single time!

I have never been able to do so in the past but WAS able to get my delivery date bumped up from the 23rd to 21st! No extra charge, you just needed to call!

[Txjole]

Could it be possible that the next day air is once the container lands on US soil? So if Apple get 100,000 to clear customs on the 15th then they either ship regular or next day air?

[GBR]

Thought I would try again this morning and once again was told they cannot upgrade shipping as they will all be shipping as fast as possible as it is a new product. He also stated the Nov 21 that shows up on the Apple Orders page is the absolute latest I will see my unit with it being very likely it will show up before then. According to him even upgrading the shipping will not actually get the unit delivered to me any faster.

[metsjetsfan]

What are the models with the people who are having success and not. just wonderin

Also whatever happened to the brazil facility, still foxconn, but just curious

[GBR]

Originally Posted by metsjetsfan

What are the models with the people who are having success and not. just wonderin

Also whatever happened to the brazil facility, still foxconn, but just curious

No success on my 64gb black/slate Verizon and tried twice.

I'm starting to think we all will just need to wait until the first few actual shipping notices go out and I think we will be pleasantly surprised how quickly we get our units. Maybe this is the point where Apple will under promise/over deliver and all who preordered will actually get their units by the 16th! FINGERS CROSSED!

[aka777]

The info I was given regarding the ipads is that some iPad 4's with LTE orders can be fast-tracked. However, much like the iphone 5 and ipad Mini LTE is being shipped using regular shipping.

[HowardSmith]

I did not think it was possible but just called and got my date changed from the 23rd (office closed) to the 21st, the day before Thanksgiving! It has updated on my account page to show the 2 day shipping instread of 5 business days!

I love Apple!

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Originally Posted by GBR

Thought I would try again this morning and once again was told they cannot upgrade shipping as they will all be shipping as fast as possible as it is a new product. He also stated the Nov 21 that shows up on the Apple Orders page is the absolute latest I will see my unit with it being very likely it will show up before then. According to him even upgrading the shipping will not actually get the unit delivered to me any faster.

I would try again as they are doing it.

[HE15MAN]

Great...people being dicks and getting rewarded for it...

[THFourteen]

People asking for faster delivery is being a dick now?

Wierd.

[GBR]

Originally Posted by jp700p

Apple outsources part of their customer service to Xerox (aka ACS). They have a huge call center near by me in TX here (My brother worked on the Apple "project" for 2 years doing MacBook tech support).

Call before 5pm PST. After 5pm PST, thats when most of the "overflow" calls go to the outsourced call centers.

When you call into Apple you can tell immediately if its an actual Apple employee, or an outsourced rep.

Apple employee: "Hi thank you for calling Apple, how can I help you?"

Outsourced employee: "Thank for calling Apple, we appreciate you calling, my name is... how may I assist you today?"

Hang up if you get an outsourced employee because they will NOT know how to change the order to overnight shipping.

Got my order changed from Nov. 23rd to Nov. 16th by following this method. Good luck.

So if I understand this correctly if they give me their name it is an outsourced employee I'm talking to, correct?

[GBR]

I must be the unluckiest ever, tried calling three times and each time told the same thing "we cannot change shipping as it will already ship as quickly as possible, even if we could it is possible it would push your shipment date back when they edit the order"...

[unbdm]

Originally Posted by GBR

I must be the unluckiest ever, tried calling three times and each time told the same thing "we cannot change shipping as it will already ship as quickly as possible, even if we could it is possible it would push your shipment date back when they edit the order"...

you and me both. I'm out of town that week, and I had it going to my office, which is closed on delivery day. I canceled my order, she told me after 3 attempts they would return it anyway, then credit my CC... I might as well save my CC the charge and return.

I guess I'll see if I can get lucky at the store, or just punt and hold out for the next model.

[caligurl]

Originally Posted by GBR

I must be the unluckiest ever, tried calling three times and each time told the same thing "we cannot change shipping as it will already ship as quickly as possible, even if we could it is possible it would push your shipment date back when they edit the order"...

you and me both!!!!!

[GBR]

I'm going to go ahead and keep my preorder and hope it shows up before the 21st since they are telling me that is the absolute last day it will show up. If it does indeed look like it will show up the 21st I'll probably have the post office hold it and pick it up when I get back in town.

[eastamherstbias]

Originally Posted by HE15MAN

Great...people being dicks and getting rewarded for it...

I know, I was trying to be nice and explain that I am out of town and that I have read that some people are able to get them on 11/16. The idiot told me there was no way she could adjust it unless she cancels my order and then I would be at the back of the line. She also said I should have been a little faster ordering that my order went through at 12:11am and that is the reason for my delay. She then told me that I should just go to the store and get the LTE version since it is in stock since 11/2. I told her she was wrong.

[TSX]

I called late one night and they told me they would have to cancel my order and resubmit it which could possibly take longer. So the next day I called early in the morning and told them I wouldn't be home on the 21st due to the holidays and ask to get next day shipping, she put me on hold and said the fastest they could get it to me was on the 20th which was fine seeing as I will still be in town that day. Didn't even charge me for next day shipping either.

[shenan1982]

Talked to Apple escalations, they say even if they change it, it doesn't change anything because they all are going out in the same bin to the US from China. So while it may reflect online NOW, it'll update to the same date as everyone later.