Apple Stores Experiencing 'Global' Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups

[MacRumors]

We're hearing from a number of readers over the past hour or so that Apple's retail stores are having problems completing in-store reservation pickups for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Multiple customers have been told there is a "global" issue affecting Apple's systems and we're hearing there are some long lines building up as customers wait for the issues to be resolved.

Pickup line at Manhattan Village store in Manhattan Beach, California​

Some customers have reportedly been told to cancel their existing reservations and make walk-in purchases from available stock, while others are simply being told to wait things out while staff members discuss how to handle the situation.

We'll update this post if we hear more about the situation, but if you have an upcoming pickup window, you might want to be prepared for some delays.

Update: Apple's systems appear to be coming back online and reservation pickups are now being processed. There is, however, still a backlog of customers to work through.

Article Link: Apple Stores Experiencing 'Global' Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups

 

[wes2006ag]

Standing here in Houston waiting for Apple to get their **** together. I can’t believe that they could drop the ball this badly. Heads need to roll for this.

 

[mattopotamus]

What’s the appeal to in store pickup?

 

[rti92391]

Online order here....unclear where the device actually is. Left Shenzhen on 9/19 but didn’t clear customs until 9/21 at 1am. No location and UPS has no idea where it is.

 

[rusty2192]

Been waiting for about 30 minutes now.

 

[kemal]

Best to buy the one from in store stock THEN cancel the pickup order.....

 

[AngerDanger]

Way to bury the lead:

 

[bchreng]

While I don’t know how it’ll affect their sales statistics, cancelling the preorder and purchasing the phone in store instead seems like a good solution.

 

[rkulpajr]

I was halfway through multiple orders when system crashed. Waited 45 minutes to no avail. Very frustrating!!

 

[xpxp2002]

On top of the issues getting into the online store for preorders being delayed for many people, preorders stretching through mid-October even if you were online at midnight, UPS shipments that got delayed, Best Buy preorders that never materialized, and a ton of other retailers who took preorders, promised 9/21, and now all of a sudden don’t have the stock to fulfill them.

I know there are always issues on launch day with shipping and pick up, but for some reason it seems like they’ve really been bad this year. I’ve never been disappointed or upset with Apple’s handling of launch day hardware distribution in the past, but this year seems like somebody messed up big time.

 

[rusty2192]

What’s the appeal to in store pickup?

My wife didn’t decide till Sunday that she wanted the XS, so by that time it was either brave the store today or wait 2 more weeks to get it. Otherwise I wouldn’t ever think to do the store pickup vs launch day delivery.

 

[bbednarz]

What’s the appeal to in store pickup?

Don't have to wait for the UPS truck or risk them not delivering the package because you weren't available to sign for it.

 

[pradeepbabloo]

Received my Xs just a while ago.
Thankfully didn't opt for pick-up!

 

[ctdonath]

Surprised MacRumors hadn't said more about Watches (and probably phones) stuck in customs in China. Was looking like same-day delivery to home, then stalled there with no release indicated for any time soon.

 

[bbeagle]

What’s the appeal to in store pickup?

Maybe you're not home during the day, and can't have the delivery sent to your place of work.

 

[thomasmonks]

Im in the UK, DPD are saying Apples got it, Apple are saying DPD has it. Utter carnage. Not impressed. Definitely going to be pushing for compensation vouchers.

 

[BootsWalking]

Rollout day is like the Superbowl - best done from home rather than traveling to experience it in person.

 

[HQuest]

Went for another deal at an Apple Store and the agent told me the problem is also affecting walk ins. He wasn’t happy about it - neither a few people waiting in line. But hey, that’s how Baltimore rolls...

 

[bbeagle]

Received my Xs just a while ago.
Thankfully didn't opt for pick-up!

I picked mine up at an AT&T store. Usually, they have all the pre-ordered phones ready at 8am to give out. This time they didn't. Mine didn't arrive at the store until after 1:30pm.

AT&T said this type of thing never happened before. In years past, they got the phones in the night before.

 

[macduke]

A couple years ago the iPhone Upgrade Program required in store reservation pickup. So glad they ship them now. I'd have been pissed if I drove 120 miles and had to wait indefinitely.

 

[uneeko1ne]

Thats why i never get the phones on launch day, First world problems..

 

[Return Zero]

Standing in line for my watch for over an hour now (Lexington, KY). This is crazy. Long line behind me now. I was not given the option to cancel and order from stock... in fact I was told that would mess up their inventory system. Looks like it may be starting to get resolved now though, I just saw the first person in line go through.

Really glad I got my phone from Verizon this morning

 

[dietg]

Back up here in. Mass

We're hearing from a number of readers over the past hour or so that Apple's retail stores are having problems completing in-store reservation pickups for the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. Multiple customers have been told there is a "global" issue affecting Apple's systems and we're hearing there are some long lines building up as customers wait for the issues to be resolved.

Pickup line at Manhattan Village store in Manhattan Beach, California​

Some customers have reportedly been told to cancel their existing reservations and make walk-in purchases from available stock, while others are simply being told to wait things out while staff members discuss how to handle the situation.

We'll update this post if we hear more about the situation, but if you have an upcoming pickup window, you might want to be prepared for some delays.

Article Link: Apple Stores Experiencing 'Global' Issue With iPhone and Apple Watch Reservation Pickups

 

[Iconoclysm]

Online order here....unclear where the device actually is. Left Shenzhen on 9/19 but didn’t clear customs until 9/21 at 1am. No location and UPS has no idea where it is.

I'm in the same situation. Keep reminding myself that 1 AM in Shenzhen was well over a day ago.
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Standing here in Houston waiting for Apple to get their **** together. I can’t believe that they could drop the ball this badly. Heads need to roll for this.

Every indication points at UPS dropping the ball, and I'd love to see heads roll there. Worst freaking shipping in the country. But Apple is to blame for using them, I hope they learned from this.

 

[jpn]

gathering from all currently available info, the problem doesn't seem to be just ex-China shipments being delayed by a few hours.
but rather it seems that the information tracking / status info system for each individual order itself had a problem.
this has resulted in apple retail stores having stock available to sell to walk-in customers, but unable to fulfill pre-order / store pickup orders.