Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Pre-Order: Should I Do Home Delivery or Store Delivery?

falconman515

falconman515

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 8, 2010
578
36
I have decided after reading all the threads that I will pre-order from Apple next Tuesday and now need to decide whether to have home delivery or in store delivery. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Ive heard that to home there may be activation issues and its better to be in store for troubleshooting... but in store on launch day may be packed and I may have to wait... I've heard that they have 2 different lines for walk ins and pre-orders is this true? If I send to store can I pick up anytime that day? How does apple ship their orders... UPS... FedEx...Etc. ???

Just want to get all the facts for both options if possible. This is my first time pre-ordering and just want to be prepared and make the right decision.

thanks so much guys. :)
 
Pre-order for home delivery from Apple is the best choice. You just need to be home or have someone there to sign for the package.

There will be activation issues at home, AT&T and Apple since they all use the same overloaded servers .... :eek:

At the Apple store you will see 3 lines based on the number of people waiting to enter the store:

1. Pre-orders / Reserved phone
2. Walkup sales
3. Accessory sales or other Apple products

If you pre-order for Apple store pickup, you can pickup anytime you want since you already paid for a phone. Launch day reserves are normally held only for the first day.

Dave
 
I will be at work on the 24h (my damn luck I have a huge meeting that morning 2 hours from the office at 10am of course) so I will be back into town in the afternoon. Would it just be better to have it sent to the store to make sure it arrives that day and not have to hope the better half is home that day to receive and pick it up in the afternoon when I get back and by then the lines have died down and it should just be in and out by then?

Like I said just want to get the pros and cons or both options to make sure I don't regret my option on the 24th.

thanks again guys.
 
dave006 said:
Pre-order for home delivery from Apple is the best choice. You just need to be home or have someone there to sign for the package.

There will be activation issues at home, AT&T and Apple since they all use the same overloaded servers .... :eek:

At the Apple store you will see 3 lines based on the number of people waiting to enter the store:

1. Pre-orders / Reserved phone
2. Walkup sales
3. Accessory sales or other Apple products

If you pre-order for Apple store pickup, you can pickup anytime you want since you already paid for a phone. Launch day reserves are normally held only for the first day.

Dave
Click to expand...

I'm definitely leaning towards pre-ordering for store pickup. Even though I hate lines/crowds, I've never gone to the Apple Store on "launch day." I bought both my 1st gen and my 3G after the roar died down.

I seem to remember them providing free gifts to the people in line at "high-profile" Apple stores, like the one near Union Square in San Fran.
 
I like fed-ex! They deliver my packages at 10am. It's funny when they show up to your house and say "iPhone huh" lol. They secretly know :)
 
Loves2spoon said:
I like fed-ex! They deliver my packages at 10am. It's funny when they show up to your house and say "iPhone huh" lol. They secretly know :)
Click to expand...
So FedEx is the carrier used for apple deliveries then huh.

The lines die down after a few hours right? Once they sell out of stock then its over and that happens fairly quick I would assume. So if I pre-order and show up in the afternoon I should be good I would assume.
 
dave006 said:
Pre-order for home delivery from Apple is the best choice. You just need to be home or have someone there to sign for the package.

There will be activation issues at home, AT&T and Apple since they all use the same overloaded servers .... :eek:
Click to expand...

We did the release-day home delivery last year, and had activation issues. We called AT&T and got a rep shockingly quick, considering that it was release day (I think it was a minute or two). Resolving our issues was pretty painless, although the rep did have to put us on hold a couple of times (each time was several minutes, though). All things considered, last year's service was great.
 
falconman515 said:
So FedEx is the carrier used for apple deliveries then huh.

The lines die down after a few hours right? Once they sell out of stock then its over and that happens fairly quick I would assume. So if I pre-order and show up in the afternoon I should be good I would assume.
Click to expand...

...And, of course, the people with the lawn chairs and umbrellas who camped out for three days will be long gone!
 
I'd rather have my coffee and breakfast and wait for the fed-ex guy than drive 45min to the mall, wait in line and have Apple employee's clapping and screaming in my face when I walk out with my iPhone... :eek:
 
TLewis said:
We did the release-day home delivery last year, and had activation issues. We called AT&T and got a rep shockingly quick, considering that it was release day (I think it was a minute or two). Resolving our issues was pretty painless, although the rep did have to put us on hold a couple of times (each time was several minutes, though). All things considered, last year's service was great.
Click to expand...

I've found AT&T's response times to be good...I had occasion to call them on release day last year (on another issue), and they picked right up!
 
TLewis said:
Let's hope it's the same way this year. :D
Click to expand...

Amen. There seems to be a bit more "buzz" about the iPhone 4 than the 3GS which could be due to a variety of factors, including the fact that the economy seems to be on a very slow upswing (of course, that depends on who you talk to!). The 3GS was released in the depths of the economic doldrums with no end in sight.

...or it could just appear that way to me because I had already made up my mind to skip the 3GS!
 
Loves2spoon said:
I'd rather have my coffee and breakfast and wait for the fed-ex guy than drive 45min to the mall, wait in line and have Apple employee's clapping and screaming in my face when I walk out with my iPhone... :eek:
Click to expand...

but I'll be at work that morning and not sure if the spouse will be here for sure (i'm 95% sure she will but just in case you know) I wont be back into town that day till the afternoon.

I think maybe doing the store thing would be best considering the Apple store is mile away from my office and I can head that way when I get back into town.

OK... So what are the potential issues with having it sent to the store now that I think that's where I will have it sent.
 
Shorties said:
If you order it for home delivery are you guaranteed it on launch day? Or do you have to pay extra shipping (And if so how much is that extra shipping?).
Click to expand...

Yes to launch day arrival, no to shipping. Orders over $50 on the Apple store get free shipping.
 
falconman515 said:
but I'll be at work that morning and not sure if the spouse will be here for sure (i'm 95% sure she will but just in case you know) I wont be back into town that day till the afternoon.

I think maybe doing the store thing would be best considering the Apple store is mile away from my office and I can head that way when I get back into town.

OK... So what are the potential issues with having it sent to the store now that I think that's where I will have it sent.
Click to expand...

New, incompetent, slow employee's - long lines - people who havn't showered in 2-3 days camped outside - being filmed and put on youtube. I remember when i purchased my 3G the Apple store hired senior citizens... Nothing against old people but it took over an hour.
 
Loves2spoon said:
New, incompetent, slow employee's - long lines - people who havn't showered in 2-3 days camped outside - being filmed and put on youtube. I remember when i purchased my 3G the Apple store hired senior citizens... Nothing against old people but it took over an hour.
Click to expand...

Uggghhh...You've just about made up my mind for delivery.

I can handle slow, new, incompetent employees. Senior citizens don't bother me.

I'm already all over Youtube, so that doesn't bother me...


...but people who haven't showered in 2-3 days are a dealbreaker.
 
I'm going to do both and then cancel my home delivery pre-order if I change my mind. If you reserve one and don't go it's no harm. Someone else will get it.
 
I am going to have it shipped to my office. Won't get to activiate it until I get home, but alteast I will be there to sign for the package.
 
Home delivery for me. Why drive to the mall when you can just wait at home? I'll be coming home for lunch and by that time, Fed-ex should have dropped by (they've always delivered my pre-orders early in the morning).
 
i'm on the fence too about this. i thought i've read in the past of people that have an expected delivery been delayed days and people that went to the store got them on launch day. i'd be so annoyed if my shipment wasn't delivered by the 25th and could have just gone to the store.
 
Don't go to the apple store launch day

I waited in line 2+ hours on launch day for the iPhone3G. Last year I pre-ordered my 3GS and had it delivered the same day as launch at 10am by Fed Ex. My advice is stay at home, sleep in, and wake for the Fed Ex guy. Going to the store will not do anything for your troubleshooting issues, which I doubt they will have (they seemed to have learned their lesson after the 3G launch).

You wanna know how they activated my 3G on launch day?? The same way I did the next year with me 3GS, they opened it, put in my SIM card, and connected to iTunes. That easy! If it won't activate or you have a problem with your AT&T account, they won't be able to help in all likelihood.

Save yourself the time of waiting in line, because even if you pre order and go the store to pick it up, their will be lines. There will always be people who can't wait 3 hours for a fed ex truck to bring it to you, and there's a lot of them in the apple world!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back