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Prepping for Preorder: Tips from a "seasoned vet"

dccorona

dccorona

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jun 12, 2008
2,033
1
Hey everyone, I just wanted to get a thread going to help everyone in the MacRumors community have a smooth a preorder process as possible. Every year, there's people here complaining about the preorder process, and a lot of strife can be avoided by being prepared.

The advice I can give only pertains to ordering from the Apple Website for AT&T as an UPGRADE, as that's all I have experience with. Anyone who has done it in other ways is welcome to add their knowledge to this thread.

THERE ARE A FEW RUMORS THAT PREORDERS WILL START TODAY: I don't find this likely, but I've prepared anyway, just in case, and you should too.

For preordering through the Apple online store, it is VERY IMPORTANT that the billing address on your account be the address you want the iPhone sent to BEFORE you begin the preorder process. I recommend you double check this now, and make any necessary changes.

Check which lines are eligible now, and decide what line(s) you will be upgrading on. Things get hectic on preorder day, and you don't want to be checking eligibility in the middle of all that. Note that upgrade swaps are very possible and quite easy, so that's an option for you.

And, above all, start hitting the site as soon as preorders open. I hate to tell people to swamp the site, because it does mean we're all in for a slower experience, but these things ALWAYS sell out on day one, and you don't want to be without because you waited a few hours for everything to die down.


Again, any other pointers, feel free to add to this thread. Happy iPhone day!
 
dccorona said:
Note that upgrade swaps are very possible and quite easy, so that's an option for you.
Click to expand...
I've done an upgrade swap before, but it was in person with both phones present. Is this a necessity? For example, can I:
  1. Preorder the iPhone 5 using the upgrade of another line on my family plan
  2. Have it shipped to my home
  3. Swap its activation for my phone number over the phone
  4. Leave the family member's phone untouched (which is in a different state)
  5. Jump with glee as I play with my newly activated iPhone 5
Presumably the first two steps are easy, but I'm not sure what to do about doing the device swap without my family's phone being present

P.S. FAN account, if that makes any sort of difference
 
dccorona said:
Hey everyone, I just wanted to get a thread going to help everyone in the MacRumors community have a smooth a preorder process as possible. Every year, there's people here complaining about the preorder process, and a lot of strife can be avoided by being prepared.

The advice I can give only pertains to ordering from the Apple Website for AT&T as an UPGRADE, as that's all I have experience with. Anyone who has done it in other ways is welcome to add their knowledge to this thread.

THERE ARE A FEW RUMORS THAT PREORDERS WILL START TODAY: I don't find this likely, but I've prepared anyway, just in case, and you should too.

For preordering through the Apple online store, it is VERY IMPORTANT that the billing address on your account be the address you want the iPhone sent to BEFORE you begin the preorder process. I recommend you double check this now, and make any necessary changes.

Check which lines are eligible now, and decide what line(s) you will be upgrading on. Things get hectic on preorder day, and you don't want to be checking eligibility in the middle of all that. Note that upgrade swaps are very possible and quite easy, so that's an option for you.

And, above all, start hitting the site as soon as preorders open. I hate to tell people to swamp the site, because it does mean we're all in for a slower experience, but these things ALWAYS sell out on day one, and you don't want to be without because you waited a few hours for everything to die down.


Again, any other pointers, feel free to add to this thread. Happy iPhone day!
Click to expand...


Why?
 
Other things to make it go easier is maybe call CC company and let them know buying a phone, some during this time auto-reject due to fraud. And keep in mind the day pre orders open up, it will be slow and slower with everyone ordering at same time. Dont hit submit multiple times because that can cause an error and cancel your order.
 
KylePowers said:
I've done an upgrade swap before, but it was in person with both phones present. Is this a necessity? For example, can I:
  1. Preorder the iPhone 5 using the upgrade of another line on my family plan
  2. Have it shipped to my home
  3. Swap its activation for my phone number over the phone
  4. Leave the family member's phone untouched (which is in a different state)
  5. Jump with glee as I play with my newly activated iPhone 5
Presumably the first two steps are easy, but I'm not sure what to do about doing the device swap without my family's phone being present

P.S. FAN account, if that makes any sort of difference
Click to expand...

Second this. I am interested.
 
Neverbepeace said:
Why?
Click to expand...

Apple does not allow you to change the shipping address for an iPhone to a different address when ordering. They can only ship to the billing address. You can get a shipping address change done through Customer Service after placing your order, but that will inevitably take a lot longer to call and be placed on hold than to just update your address with your wireless carrier first.

Another tip. There is no reason to flood the site when the pre-orders first start or at prime time which will likely be between 6-9am. Wait a few hours to try again later and things will go much smoother for you. The phone will not sell out within an hour or two so just wait a bit until the rush dies down or else it only causes you and everyone else strife when trying to get the pages and checkout to load.

Lastly, do not flood the chat representatives with a million questions that you can easily find out on your own. The chat will also be flooded with people needing true assistance. Take it direct from the source :p
 
jfletch7 said:
Does anyone know the start time of the pre-order?
Click to expand...

on apples site:

Or buy at your favorite Apple Retail Store
starting at 8:00 a.m. on September 21.

Assuming this will be start time on web our local Apple store doesnt open until 10am unless they are opening early
 
cableguy619 said:
on apples site:

Or buy at your favorite Apple Retail Store
starting at 8:00 a.m. on September 21.

Assuming this will be start time on web our local Apple store doesnt open until 10am unless they are opening early
Click to expand...
I'm guessing they meant at what time to online pre-orders start. I've heard 12am Pacific time, but I haven't seen confirmation from someone who has done this before on the 4 or 4S. Can OP confirm this?
 
WannaApple? said:
Apple does not allow you to change the shipping address for an iPhone to a different address when ordering. They can only ship to the billing address. You can get a shipping address change done through Customer Service after placing your order, but that will inevitably take a lot longer to call and be placed on hold than to just update your address with your wireless carrier first.

Another tip. There is no reason to flood the site when the pre-orders first start or at prime time which will likely be between 6-9am. Wait a few hours to try again later and things will go much smoother for you. The phone will not sell out within an hour or two so just wait a bit until the rush dies down or else it only causes you and everyone else strife when trying to get the pages and checkout to load.

Lastly, do not flood the chat representatives with a million questions that you can easily find out on your own. The chat will also be flooded with people needing true assistance. Take it direct from the source :p
Click to expand...

Go ahead and wait a couple hours and let me know if it doesn't sell out. I'll be on as soon as preorders go online so I don't miss out on it.
 
Orlandu said:
I'm guessing they meant at what time to online pre-orders start. I've heard 12am Pacific time, but I haven't seen confirmation from someone who has done this before on the 4 or 4S. Can OP confirm this?
Click to expand...

4s preordering began at 12 midnight PST (3 AM EST).
 
Inf4life said:
Go ahead and wait a couple hours and let me know if it doesn't sell out. I'll be on as soon as preorders go online so I don't miss out on it.
Click to expand...

Same here. IIRC, the estimated delivery for the 4s moved back from the launch date shortly after preordering began (1-2 hours?).
 
The main question is what time they will start taking Pre-orders???

12pm PST on sept 14
OR
in morning of sept 14??
 
KylePowers said:
I've done an upgrade swap before, but it was in person with both phones present. Is this a necessity? For example, can I:
  1. Preorder the iPhone 5 using the upgrade of another line on my family plan
  2. Have it shipped to my home
  3. Swap its activation for my phone number over the phone
  4. Leave the family member's phone untouched (which is in a different state)
  5. Jump with glee as I play with my newly activated iPhone 5
Presumably the first two steps are easy, but I'm not sure what to do about doing the device swap without my family's phone being present

P.S. FAN account, if that makes any sort of difference
Click to expand...

Yes, did that last year, whatever you do, don't turn the phone on. Pop that sim out and either give ATT a call or go into a store. I say go into a store since call centers will be swamped that day. The ATT rep will tie the sim card serial to your account and the other device is untouched.
 
New to the whole pre-order business, to be clear you have to ship the phone to where you are billed on my ATT account? I understand why because it is a security issue. But someone said you can call after your order is placed and change the shipping adress? and lastly can you pre-order for in-store pickup?
 
myworld2008 said:
That will be bad as i live in EST...

3 am EST and work next day...
Click to expand...

Yup, same here. I'm usually up late (12-1 am) but thankfully am not working Friday so I foresee a nap after dropping off the kids at school. :D

----------
Unconsoled said:
Sorry for the question but make sure the AT&T billing address is the same as where you want it delivered or the CC billing address?
Click to expand...

Yes. I have this problem every year as my wife's employer pays her bill so I just log in online, change the billing address before the preorder and switch it back upon delivery.
 
rockyroad55 said:
Yes, did that last year, whatever you do, don't turn the phone on. Pop that sim out and either give ATT a call or go into a store. I say go into a store since call centers will be swamped that day. The ATT rep will tie the sim card serial to your account and the other device is untouched.
Click to expand...

How can you just pop that sim out when these use Nano sims? I don't know how easily acquired those will be on launch day.
 
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