2021 iMac - Time Between "Preparing to Ship" and Shipping Notice?

[dandrewk]

I ordered the new 24" iMac on July 2, and yesterday the order updated to "preparing to ship" along with my credit card being charged.

For those of you who have recently received the new iMac, how long did it take for you to receive a tracking number once your credit card was charged?

 

[pshufd]

I assume that your year digits are transposed.

I ordered a Mini on 6/23 and received the shipment notice on 6/25. Origination was in China, then to Hong Kong, Alaska, and Tennessee I think. It arrived July 2. I would have been better off ordering Refurb as it would have delivered in 2 days and I would have paid $170 less.

 

[flyersgl]

My credit card got charged yesterday for my new 24" iMac (yellow, upgraded RAM to 16gb) but hasn't yet switched to "preparing to..." so wondering when it will turn up as well.

 

[pshufd]

My credit card got charged yesterday for my new 24" iMac (yellow, upgraded RAM to 16gb) but hasn't yet switched to "preparing to..." so wondering when it will turn up as well.

I always thought that it hit your credit card when it was shipped. My credit card was charged 6/26 so one day after shipment notice.

 

[dandrewk]

My credit card got charged yesterday for my new 24" iMac (yellow, upgraded RAM to 16gb) but hasn't yet switched to "preparing to..." so wondering when it will turn up as well.

It can be a bit arbitrary.

Do you have an account with UPS and/or FedEx (not sure which service Apple uses for iMacs)? If past experiences hold, you (we) should get a notification from them about an impending shipment from "AI". This usually happens before Apple emails you with a tracking number.

 

[dandrewk]

I always thought that it hit your credit card when it was shipped. My credit card was charged 6/26 so one day after shipment notice.

The MacMini doesn't have the lead times of iMacs with non-base configurations. I was quoted 4-5 weeks, but it will probably be closer to two weeks. Usually "preparing to ship" happens around the time your credit card gets charged, followed by shipping notice a day or two later.

Apple wan't to know your credit card will fly before they actually ship. Also, "preparing to ship" means you can no longer cancel the order.

 

[devman]

FWIW, my card was hit a full week before my iMac shipped.

 

[pshufd]

The MacMini doesn't have the lead times of iMacs with non-base configurations. I was quoted 4-5 weeks, but it will probably be closer to two weeks. Usually "preparing to ship" happens around the time your credit card gets charged, followed by shipping notice a day or two later.

Apple wan't to know your credit card will fly before they actually ship. Also, "preparing to ship" means you can no longer cancel the order.

I’ve been buying BTO Apple since the mid 2000s and don’t recall it hitting the credit card before shipping. Same with all of the online vendors that I’ve used. I have seen credit card pings from time to time when the order is placed but I don’t think that they do that anymore.

I will have to take a look at their Terms and Conditions one of these days.

 

[dandrewk]

I’ve been buying BTO Apple since the mid 2000s and don’t recall it hitting the credit card before shipping. Same with all of the online vendors that I’ve used. I have seen credit card pings from time to time when the order is placed but I don’t think that they do that anymore.

I will have to take a look at their Terms and Conditions one of these days.

I've done likewise, and (for the last several years at least) Apple -always- debits the credit card when the order moves to "preparing". Your order has been manufactured, so why not? I order from Amazon nearly daily, and my credit card is -instantly- dinged the moment I press "order", not when it's shipped.

Apple is a bit different in that they don't charge the card right away. If the Amazon order is several days (or longer) from being shipped, it still charges customers the moment the order is placed. Other PC manufacturers are the same. A few months ago I ordered a gaming PC from OriginPC for my son. My card was charged immediately. Shipment was received two months later.

 

[dandrewk]

Follow up for completion's sake:

July 2 - order placed for 24" iMac, 16 gb RAM, 1 tb SSD.
July 18 - order moved to "preparing to ship", credit card debited.
July 19 - UPS tracking shows shipment en route from Shanghai. ETA July 27. Apple order status shows "shipped".

I'm in no rush, but I suspect it will arrive sooner. The UPS service is usually 2-3 days from China. My iPad Pro took the same amount of shipping time, but that included sitting in Memphis for three days so as to arrive on Apple's release date.

 

[pshufd]

I've done likewise, and (for the last several years at least) Apple -always- debits the credit card when the order moves to "preparing". Your order has been manufactured, so why not? I order from Amazon nearly daily, and my credit card is -instantly- dinged the moment I press "order", not when it's shipped.

Apple is a bit different in that they don't charge the card right away. If the Amazon order is several days (or longer) from being shipped, it still charges customers the moment the order is placed. Other PC manufacturers are the same. A few months ago I ordered a gaming PC from OriginPC for my son. My card was charged immediately. Shipment was received two months later.

I just checked several transactions from Dicks, Amazon, etc. from last week and they all hit the credit card after shipping.

Then there is this:

and:

OTOH, HP does charge at order time:

 

[pshufd]

Follow up for completion's sake:

July 2 - order placed for 24" iMac, 16 gb RAM, 1 tb SSD.
July 18 - order moved to "preparing to ship", credit card debited.
July 19 - UPS tracking shows shipment en route from Shanghai. ETA July 27. Apple order status shows "shipped".

I'm in no rush, but I suspect it will arrive sooner. The UPS service is usually 2-3 days from China. My iPad Pro took the same amount of shipping time, but that included sitting in Memphis for three days so as to arrive on Apple's release date.

Mine arrived exactly on time. I was hoping for a few days earlier but it sat in Memphis for Customs I think. I don't see why Apple doesn't stock these things in the US. It would save them shipping costs and make customers happier. They could stock 100 of your model or my model, which I expect would sell in a day as a test. They do stock the 16/1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pros in local stores.

 

[reeney]

My credit card got charged yesterday for my new 24" iMac (yellow, upgraded RAM to 16gb) but hasn't yet switched to "preparing to..." so wondering when it will turn up as well.

I also ordered an iMac with 16gb RAM. I think that's more important than increasing storage to 512, and am surprised it wasn't one of the "normal" models. Mine reached Memphis, TN last night. Mine went to preparing to ship a day after the card was charged.

 

[dandrewk]

My credit card got charged yesterday for my new 24" iMac (yellow, upgraded RAM to 16gb) but hasn't yet switched to "preparing to..." so wondering when it will turn up as well.

I am currently stuck in Shanghai hell. UPS tracking showed it hasn't moved for four days, and now UPS is saying "check back tomorrow for updated delivery information". I'm sure it's ok and will most likely arrive mid week, but it's making me a bit antsy.

 

[Montrealer]

My new imac will arrive today. Here's how long it took to get from China to Montreal:

0/22/2021 6:29	On the Way Arrived at Facility Mirabel International Airport, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 4:31	Departed from Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/22/2021 0:34	Arrived at Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/21/2021 15:08	Departed from Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 11:10	Arrived at Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 21:52	Departed from Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 20:32	Arrived at Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 17:30	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:24	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:00	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:25	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:06	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:15	Arrived at Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:00	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Export Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Shipped Origin Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 11:27	Label Created Shipper created a label, UPS has not received the package yet. China

 

[pshufd]

My new imac will arrive today. Here's how long it took to get from China to Montreal:

0/22/2021 6:29	On the Way Arrived at Facility Mirabel International Airport, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 4:31	Departed from Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/22/2021 0:34	Arrived at Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/21/2021 15:08	Departed from Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 11:10	Arrived at Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 21:52	Departed from Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 20:32	Arrived at Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 17:30	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:24	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:00	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:25	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:06	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:15	Arrived at Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:00	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Export Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Shipped Origin Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 11:27	Label Created Shipper created a label, UPS has not received the package yet. China

What a pain - it still has to go through the US to get to Canada.

 

[Montrealer]

It actually updated from arriving today to Monday. Sigh.

10/22/2021 9:10	On the Way Arrived at Facility Lachine, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 9:00	A late flight has caused a delay. We will update the delivery date as soon as possible.
10/22/2021 8:43	Departed from Facility Mirabel International Airport, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 8:20	Export Scan Mirabel International Airport, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 6:29	Arrived at Facility Mirabel International Airport, QC, Canada
10/22/2021 4:31	Departed from Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/22/2021 0:34	Arrived at Facility Louisville, KY, United States
10/21/2021 15:08	Departed from Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 11:10	Arrived at Facility Anchorage, AK, United States
10/21/2021 21:52	Departed from Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 20:32	Arrived at Facility Narita, Japan
10/21/2021 17:30	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:24	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/21/2021 16:00	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:25	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. / The package will be forwarded to a UPS facility in the destination city. Shanghai, China
10/19/2021 23:06	Your package is in transit. We're updating plans to schedule your delivery. Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:15	Arrived at Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 15:00	Departed from Facility Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Export Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 13:27	Shipped Origin Scan Shanghai, China
10/18/2021 11:27	Label Created Shipper created a label, UPS has not received the package yet. China

 

[Feenix]

yep, my BTO 24 inch iMac just entered preparing to ship today. The estimate, since purchase, has been Dec 3-10 but I'm really crossing my fingers for something sooner.

 

[vicdc]

The iPad Mini I ordered a month ago is supposed to arrive in the next 8 days but the order status has not even changed from 'processing' yet. I am guessing it will arrive later than expected going by everyone else's experience. I was planning on also buying a desktop Mac when they release newer models next year but the shipping delays and lack of notifications are so annoying that I will probably go through Amazon next time.

 

[mufasa1]

yep, my BTO 24 inch iMac just entered preparing to ship today. The estimate, since purchase, has been Dec 3-10 but I'm really crossing my fingers for something sooner.

When did you order it, and have you received it already?