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15GB iPod Offer

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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42,033
Apple is sending out emails to those with iPod Mini pre-orders, offering to provide a 15GB iPod instead of an iPod mini for those interested.

Dear Apple Customer,

  Thank you for ordering the new iPod mini!

  The demand for the iPod mini has been incredible. We are shipping them as
  quickly as possible, but we cannot meet the ship date we previously estimated
  for you. We now expect to ship your iPod mini in three weeks. If we do not
  hear from you prior to shipment, we will assume the revised date is
  acceptable, and will ship your order. We apologize for any inconvenience.

  Your business is very important.  If you would like an iPod sooner, we are
  offering to replace your iPod mini with a 15GB iPod at no additional charge.
  This model usually ships within 24 hours. Taking advantage of this offer is
  easy:

  By email:  Forward this note to customerconfirm@apple.com and check the option
  below.
  ____  Please switch my order from the iPod mini to the 15GB iPod at no
  additional charge.  My order number is ______________.
Click to expand...

The 15GB iPod retails for $50 more than the iPod Mini.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2004/04/13/15gb-ipod-offer/
15 GB for no additional charge! Impressive.

However, the size and look alone of the iPod Mini are its selling point, so I only foresee a few order changes.
 
wow,, I agree..

Nice move on Apple's part....

too bad though for those who really wanted mini's
 
"Apple hates its customers!"

I can't wait to see how the irate folks from the eMac thread spin this to mean that Apple hates its customers and only cares about profit. That's a classy move on Apple's part.

It's interesting, too. It seems to suggest that they internally buy the idea that the 15GB is "about the same" as the mini. IE - they never expected to sell minis based on specs, but rather based on size / looks...

todd
 
Who the hell is in charge of manufacturing at Apple? Why can't they fulfill these orders? Aren't you a little peeved that every time Apple introduces a product they can't seem to deliver it? Jobs needs to kick some behind over at Apple.

(Alternate theory: this is BS can they want to get rid of some 15GB iPods because they can't see them.)

EDIT: no, I don't think this is Apple screwing anyone -- the offer is nice -- but why were orders accepted that they can not fulfill? Don't they have a computer system that allows them to track orders to inventory to manufacturing. is their sales department run on Windows?
 
NICE ONE APPLE!

It's nice to see Apple doing something like this.
I think it's important for them to go that little extra mile to keep their customers happy. Sound business sense.
I just wish it was alittle easier to get my money back from Apple after my logic board problem with my iBook.
 
That's pretty nice of them!

I wonder if this is due alone to high demand, or also in part to the problem with the headphone jack that people have been reporting...
 
I just ordered a silver iPod mini last week, and it's not expected to ship before May 17th 2004, but I ordered it with an Edu. discount, I wonder if I will get one of these e-mails, I hope so! :)
 
I was actually thinking of buying a 15GB iPod. Does this mean that I should put in an order for the mini-iPod and then wait for the upgrade offer from Apple so that I can save $50?
 
macshark said:
I was actually thinking of buying a 15GB iPod. Does this mean that I should put in an order for the mini-iPod and then wait for the upgrade offer from Apple so that I can save $50?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't bet on it. Apple is so far only emailing customers who were quoted a specific wait time and they are unable to make that time. I would assume (though I could be wrong) if you were to order an iPod mini today you would be quoted a more realistic time frame.

If you'd like the iPod mini and would take the 15GB option I'd say go for it, you have nothing to loose.

However, I too expect there is more to this headphone problem that is being reported. The iPod mini is a great product but perhaps it's just too small to be durable enough for every day use. It may be that Apple has a MAJOR design flaw on their hands and is trying to stall for time in order to try to figure out a way to solve it.

Apple Insider is reporting that since Apple issued it's "warning" that shipments would be delayed due to huge demand the iPod mini has stopped shipping all together. Perhaps they're using the high demand as a cover for investigating the problem.
 
macshark said:
I was actually thinking of buying a 15GB iPod. Does this mean that I should put in an order for the mini-iPod and then wait for the upgrade offer from Apple so that I can save $50?
Click to expand...

I was wondering about this myself. Anyone know?
 
Apple definately underestimated the amount of demand their products would have in the market. All those people who were saying the Mini was too expensive probably just got a shock since Apple is selling these mini's so fast.

I don't think that Apple is marketing these Mini's towards the "tech geek", but rather the layman. 13-14 year old teenagers who want a hip new device and are unaware of what specs to get at what price but mostly get products based on a young design.

I myself remember buying a Sony CD player (overpriced as anything) because it was Sony and it looked damn good, but in reality, the Philips one was just as good (maybe less quality) and less expensive. However, the brand, awareness, and style factor are all items that induces the word "purchase" in a teen's mind.

...at least in mine;-).
 
For all of you who think that iPod minis are in short supply due to high demand, you may want to read the story in the macybtes forum detailing an iPod mini design flaw which may be the real reason they are in short supply (they're all being fixed). This is just one theory. I do not support or deny it. Just wanted to let you know.
 
isnt the iPod Mini haveing supply issues because of the hard drives used in them? i thought that the hard drive supplier is taking its sweet time and and underestimated the demand for these drives and thus are taking a while to get them to apple..... or i could be wrong....just glad i got my iPod back in august...
 
I ordered a Silver iPod mini three weeks ago and I better as hell get it. I dont want some "15GB iPod" instead. I'd rather wait for my mini.
 
KLFloyd said:
I wouldn't bet on it. Apple is so far only emailing customers who were quoted a specific wait time and they are unable to make that time. I would assume (though I could be wrong) if you were to order an iPod mini today you would be quoted a more realistic time frame.
Click to expand...

No... Order iPod mini now, and the least you will be able to see it by is May 17, 2004... It's a 3-5 week shipping date... raised from the recent 2-4 :mad:

These things could be the best selling things ever :p
 
Hard drives were reportedly in short supply and Hitachi said it was increasing production at their factory. The current static/distortion problem seems to be very persuasive. I have it and am still waiting for Apple to confirm that they're sending me a box to return my mini for repair or replacement. It's been two days since I filled out the form on line and have not yet heard from them. Appleinsider is now reporting that no mini shipments have been sent to dealers in two weeks! Obviously there's a problem here. Tomorrow I'm sure some analyst will query Fred Anderson or whomever on the problem. Apple's only comment has been that "isolated problems have occured". This is a bad situation and already the share price for Apple dropped over $1.00 today. Constantly squeezing the top area of the mini when attaching it to the belt clip or putting the clip on a belt seems to be the problem in my opinion. Aluminum is soft and the engineering on the phone jack/circuit board/connector or whatever seems to be the problem.
 
Static Problems

It would make sense for Apple to redefine their product. Essentially, this offer is Apples own version of a Recall. If you read the link, it makes all the pure sense in the world for Apple to delay the shipping of the mini-ipod, correct the static/audio issue before sending customers a gimp product. From a business and customer service standpoint, the generous offer counteracts, the malfunctioning issues currently at stake with the mini. Myswell delay shipping so you dont have to recall 500,000 ipods!

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040413/ap_on_hi_te/ipod_mini_static_4
 
Dont forget that Apple is now apealing to a market that is hasnt had before, ie the whole PC market! Now instead of a few million customers world wide who might have been interested in the iPod range (as part of its total customer base) it has now put out two product ranges that are are able to be used by PC and Mac owners alike. It has also given PC owners a stylish product that they want to be SEEN with for the first time in their lives as opposed to the "beige box" that they work with, so their pool customer base world wide has jumped from 20 million or so to basically everybody who owns a computer.

(Edit) I think Apple is making the best of a tough situation by offering the 15GB iPod as a replacement at no extra cost to customers.
 
new poll

This should be the new poll of the day, would you take this offer if you had an iPod mini ordered already?
 
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