4 weeks since preorder. Frustration level maximum.

[bruinsrme]

All kidding aside, how is this different than any other launch?
Every iPhone seemed to have constraints.
Macpro had long lead times
IPads had lead times. I remember using a site to track down a 128gb iPad.
This launch seems to be being played the same ways as other launches of the new products.

 

[RhythmGuru]

Let me grab the violin, and let's try this again.

I think this points to the fact that the bands aren't what is holding up shipments, it's the watch bodies themselves. For example, for those of us who ordered the 42MM space gray aluminum sport version, our wait is very long. Shipments are only going out for people that preordered within the first 8 minutes of availability. Whereas other 42MM bodies are shipping sooner. Anodizing hold ups, high demands, who knows. I just don't believe it's a band supply issue.

 

[Xtremjeepn]

Says someone who has a watch.

I have a watch for 3 reasons.

1. I got my order in before many people! If you didn't get your order in fast enough, that is YOUR fault not Apples.

2. I may have ordered a watch that was available at a different rate. (SS42BSB)

3. My shipping window STILL isn't here, but Apple delivered 9 days before I was even expecting to be in the start of the shipping window. This is evidence of Apple doing a great job and getting these things out the door ASAP.

 

[Seesh]

OP did you see my epic 4/24 meltdown?

I did not.

----------

Im not exactly a white knight, i hated a few things theyve done, but if youre told your estimated delivery date is "June" when you hit "Submit Order" and its May, what more communication are you looking for? .

"Yup, still June!" - Apple.

I was a little annoyed when I ordered, but like the thread title said, its been four weeks.

Reading all these goofy threads is making me embarrassed for even feeling annoyed in the first place. We're all adults here posting tantrums like 8 year olds.

I ordered right at launch. I never said June so I have no idea where you pulled that out of.

 

[Fireball Dragon]

Pretty annoyed here, too.

Ordered on the 10th after a try-on appointment. Cannot believe it is not here yet. Yes, I was given a June delivery date initially, which was quite annoying, but there was still a glimmer of hope. That has now gone, too.

Been a frustrating launch.

From what I see, they have only shipped up to xx:06/7 minutes for the 42mm SG sports. As I preordered ~360 minutes after preorders went live, I will have to wait a year by the looks of things!

 

[Spetsnazos]

If you manufacture new product 100 widgets and promise to start shipping them on day X. It's not a failure that 500 people ordered your widgets

You look at the time it took you to produce the first 100 widgets and give people an estimate on how long it will take to get the next 400 widgets shipped out. Shipping them faster than those estimates, is not a "failed launch"

The only real failure here was not being the first 100 in line!!

Tell everyone your product is launching tomorrow, only have 1 in stock. Everyone who was #2,#3, etc must wait until you produce more widgets. It's their fault for not being #1 in line.

Meanwhile you advertised it as available tomorrow.

Makes perfect sense to me, not deceitful at all.

 

[NM08SRT8]

Seriously, this whole entire launch has been mishandled.

Then you make a watch for all of us, and show us how it's supposed to be done.

I'll even buy the first one.

----------

Apple is now losing confidence amongst us die hard fans. Sorry but this launch is pathetic and their lack of communication only makes it worse.

Just because you gave us an obscure date range doesn't excuse you from keeping contact with us and letting us know the production activities. We pre-ordered 1 MONTH ago.

Lol you're just a drop in the bucket for Apple. They couldn't care less if they upset you. Move on, there's hundreds of millions of others who can be patient and wait for theirs, or who don't over react and go to the extreme with every little thing.

We will all be just fine with out all of you so called "die hard fans".

 

[Joe1602]

I have a watch for 3 reasons.

1. I got my order in before many people! If you didn't get your order in fast enough, that is YOUR fault not Apples.

Some people could not possibly order any faster, and got delayed by weeks. The store app did not come up at the same time for everyone. Other people have disabilities and are unable to click through very fast. Some people wanted to use a gift card and had to wait 10+ minutes for apple.com. And some watches started off at 4-6 weeks and have yet to be delivered.

All of those are Apple's fault due to significant supply constraints. Sure they told you the shipping window, so we are aware. But imagine the shipping window was 2016-2017. Or imagine you have severe arthritis or vision problems, you were a little slow so your watch was delayed for 2 months. Would you still feel the same way?

 

[Bo31210]

The fact that there are 9 (more like 90) threads saying it is a failed launch MAKES IT A FAILED LAUNCH. When a large portion of your customers are upset, you have failed - whether or not you believe their expectations are unreasonable.

Do you really think a "large portion" of Apples Customers hang out here? I have been using Apple products for 20 years and just found this place about a month ago.

The big question remains for all is:

Has the date range which you were told you would receive your watch passed?

If not, then Apple hasn't failed at anything. You may not like it and that is 100% your option.

Businesses change operational models all the time. It is called change. Better to embrace it sometime!

 

[Supermallet]

People make the mistake of assuming that trends on this forum are indicative of trends among the general Apple-buying population. I think the fact that we like Apple products enough to search out a dedicated forum and post to it, the fact that we track planes and order dates down to the second, should tell anyone that we are not indicative of the general population. We are enthusiasts. We care more about Apple products than most. So 9 or 90 threads on here about the launch doesn't really say anything about the general perception of the launch.

Now, I have to say, I love being an early adopter. I love having new tech as early as I can get it. I'm disappointed and frustrated that I don't have my watch yet. But Apple promised me a May 13-27 window, and it's not even May 13th yet, so I know I don't really have much room to complain. So I understand the frustration, but once we get our watches, that frustration is going to dissipate pretty quickly.

 

[matthewv1227]

People make the mistake of assuming that trends on this forum are indicative of trends among the general Apple-buying population. I think the fact that we like Apple products enough to search out a dedicated forum and post to it, the fact that we track planes and order dates down to the second, should tell anyone that we are not indicative of the general population. We are enthusiasts. We care more about Apple products than most. So 9 or 90 threads on here about the launch doesn't really say anything about the general perception of the launch.

Now, I have to say, I love being an early adopter. I love having new tech as early as I can get it. I'm disappointed and frustrated that I don't have my watch yet. But Apple promised me a May 13-27 window, and it's not even May 13th yet, so I know I don't really have much room to complain. So I understand the frustration, but once we get our watches, that frustration is going to dissipate pretty quickly.

Exactly. The main purpose of these forums is to point issues along the way of owning an apple product. Until that final delivery date passes, Apple has not lied to you.

 

[Joe1602]

Do you really think a "large portion" of Apples Customers hang out here? I have been using Apple products for 20 years and just found this place about a month ago.

Of course not. Do you think every single person outside of this forum is happy with the launch? Ask those eBay buyers paying $200+ over retail if they like this launch. Or just google "Apple Watch customer satisfaction" and read the first page of links.

The big question remains for all is:

Has the date range which you were told you would receive your watch passed?

If not, then Apple hasn't failed at anything. You may not like it and that is 100% your option.

So having zero watches available for launch with a shipping date of 2017 would be acceptable to you? I mean, Apple TOLD YOU 2017 before you bought it, so you can't complain until 1/1/2018!

 

[bashmagic]

My 2c: if a full month after pre-order starts, and you're still struggling to fulfill orders that were placed in the first 8 minutes, you screwed up pretty badly. End of story.

I honestly don't know how anyone can argue against that. And even if you somehow can, I honestly don't understand how anyone can forgive Apple for being almost completely silent through this.

Customers are deeply, deeply unhappy and downright angry over this disaster. Apple's brand has suffered. At least for me, I no longer look at Apple and think to myself, "boy, those guys sure are competent".

Instead, I think to myself, "holy @#4, they have well over $100 billion in cash in the bank, and they couldn't (or wouldn't) prepare more than 8 minutes worth of preorders"?

In what world is that not considered a business disaster?

 

[Supermallet]

My 2c: if a full month after pre-order starts, and you're still struggling to fulfill orders that were placed in the first 8 minutes, you screwed up pretty badly. End of story.

I honestly don't know how anyone can argue against that. And even if you somehow can, I honestly don't understand how anyone can forgive Apple for being almost completely silent through this.

Customers are deeply, deeply unhappy and downright angry over this disaster. Apple's brand has suffered. At least for me, I no longer look at Apple and think to myself, "boy, those guys sure are competent".

Instead, I think to myself, "holy @#4, they have well over $100 billion in cash in the bank, and they couldn't (or wouldn't) prepare more than 8 minutes worth of preorders"?

In what world is that not considered a business disaster?

Will this deter your from ordering the next Apple product you planned to by? Are you canceling your order, switching to Android, or doing something else that might actually affect Apple's bottom line? If not, then the brand hasn't really suffered.

I'm not saying this to try and shut you down, I'm just pointing out the reality of it. Unless this causes people to stop buying Apple products, then it hasn't really affected them poorly. And since the watch ties a person deeper into Apple's ecosystem, it just means we have even more invested in staying.

 

[Tehfez]

Be glad that yours hasn't shipped. I received mine on the 28th of April, had it for 24 hours, and it's been in repair ever since. I had to send it out and the replacement that they sent me was actually damaged. At this point I don't have a watch, I have had two, and I'm hoping that the third does not have any defects or I will be without a watch for another week. Considering that I was able to play with it for a day, it was great while it lasted. I feel naked without it, but I would rather have a functional product on my wrist, than one they sent to me as damaged. I wish you the best with your watch and hope you enjoy it more than I was able to.

 

[bashmagic]

Will this deter your from ordering the next Apple product you planned to by? Are you canceling your order, switching to Android, or doing something else that might actually affect Apple's bottom line? If not, then the brand hasn't really suffered.

I'm not saying this to try and shut you down, I'm just pointing out the reality of it. Unless this causes people to stop buying Apple products, then it hasn't really affected them poorly. And since the watch ties a person deeper into Apple's ecosystem, it just means we have even more invested in staying.

It certainly has stopped me from ever subjecting myself to the insanity of Apple's pre-orders again in the future.

 

[ttexxan]

i agree its really a joke...They can pretty much do whatever they want though. We and you are at there mercy

 

[Xtremjeepn]

Tell everyone your product is launching tomorrow, only have 1 in stock. Everyone who was #2,#3, etc must wait until you produce more widgets. It's their fault for not being #1 in line.

Meanwhile you advertised it as available tomorrow.

Makes perfect sense to me, not deceitful at all.

It was clearly available since people got theirs on lunch day. :roll eyes: Lots of people! most of which are happily playing with them instead of complaining.

Some people could not possibly order any faster, and got delayed by weeks. The store app did not come up at the same time for everyone. Other people have disabilities and are unable to click through very fast. Some people wanted to use a gift card and had to wait 10+ minutes for apple.com. And some watches started off at 4-6 weeks and have yet to be delivered.

Sounds like a massive pile of excuses to me.

If you wanted to be first to order and weren't for whatever reason/excuse you want that is not Apple's fault but your own.

The simply fact is that watches were available to order.

My 2c: if a full month after pre-order starts, and you're still struggling to fulfill orders that were placed in the first 8 minutes, you screwed up pretty badly. End of story.

I honestly don't know how anyone can argue against that.

Try buying an IPO online:roll eyes:

The timeframe doesn't really matter. 8 seconds, 8 minutes, days or months. If you didn't get your order in before everyone else then you must wait.

Does anyone know how many orders the system can process in 8 minutes? (Serious question) Did Apple take in 1 order or 10 million? Either way it out paced supply.

I'm taking an educated guess here that Apple was ready for a few million orders based on its iPhone user base. Even a tiny adoption rate for the  Watch would have been millions of users.

 

[bashmagic]

I'm taking an educated guess here that Apple was ready for a few million orders based on its iPhone user base. Even a tiny adoption rate for the  Watch would have been millions of users.

Considering the widely accept number is that only 22% of pre-orders (say ~376,000 orders) were delivered on or around the launch date, I'm taking an educated guess here and saying that Apple was not ready for a few million orders.

 

[Xtremjeepn]

Considering the widely accept number is that only 22% of pre-orders (say ~376,000 orders) were delivered on or around the launch date, I'm taking an educated guess here and saying that Apple was not ready for a few million orders.

I see nowhere that indicates that this number is anywhere near factual.

Other speculative numbers projected 20 million units to be sold this year. Which doesn't jive anywhere close to your estimated pre-order numbers.

Apple has sold over 700 MILLION iPhones. Even if you slash that number to 1/4 of devices in use and capable of parking with the watch you are down to 175 MILLION devices. If only 1% of those users ordered a watch. That is still 1.75 MILLION preorders. Do you honestly think only 1% ordered a watch? If even 1/2% more ordered than expected that means another 2.6 Million orders. The amount the number of orders can fluctuate can vary by the millions with only small percentages of iPhone owners ordering.

 

[Supermallet]

It certainly has stopped me from ever subjecting myself to the insanity of Apple's pre-orders again in the future.

So, what? You'll wait until any future product is in stock everywhere for walk in? Well then you'll still be waiting for months. I don't see what the difference really is.

 

[davidec]

Before 12pm PST, there was no communication that some combos would have a 4-6 week out the gate. This would have allowed people to order a different one if they wanted as the orders flooded in and every moment was crucial.

This.

It not only smacks of bad customer service but demonstrates bad business acumen.

 

[bashmagic]

I see nowhere that indicates that this number is anywhere near factual.

Other speculative numbers projected 20 million units to be sold this year. Which doesn't jive anywhere close to your estimated pre-order numbers.

Apple has sold over 700 MILLION iPhones. Even if you slash that number to 1/4 of devices in use and capable of parking with the watch you are down to 175 MILLION devices. If only 1% of those users ordered a watch. That is still 1.75 MILLION preorders. Do you honestly think only 1% ordered a watch? If even 1/2% more ordered than expected that means another 2.6 Million orders. The amount the number of orders can fluctuate can vary by the millions with only small percentages of iPhone owners ordering.

So, the number that is being quoted - 22% - ~375,000 preorders delivered to customers on or around 4/24 - that would be ~1.7 million preorders. So let's go with that conservative estimate. Even if the real number is higher, it doesn't matter.

The point is that we're talking about how many orders Apple was prepared for, based on your earlier statement: "I'm taking an educated guess here that Apple was ready for a few million orders based on its iPhone user base.".

And that number was absolutely nowhere remotely near "a few million orders".

 

[Xtremjeepn]

How would you know?


They could have easily been prepared for a few million orders but received an extra million or four!!!

 

[bashmagic]

How would you know?


They could have easily been prepared for a few million orders but received an extra million or four!!!

Do you honestly, seriously, truly believe, based on the events of the past few weeks, that anywhere even close to even a million orders have been shipped by now, let alone launch weekend? I think that would be laughably optimistic.