According to the At&t rep that I spoke with, they were originally given specific instructions to inform customers that iphone orders would take "5-7 business days" for delivery from the point where you ordered the phone through Direct Fulfillment.
Then, as orders increased, the time-frame became "7-10" business days. This is the time-frame I was given.
Now, orders for the iphone 3g are back-ordered...and it will here is what they are told to tell customers now.
Iphones ordered on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th will begin to ship on July 14th. This does not mean all of them will ship, but it does mean they will start to ship from the beginning of the list and work their way down the list. This is why some phones were shipped from the 14th to the 16th.. and will continue to ship as they become available.
Now, iphones that were ordered after sunday the 13th will be SHIPPED 10-14 business days after the day they were ordered. Emails will come out when they are shipped, and nothing else can be done.
This is total crap. If I had known it was going to be that long, I would have never ordered my iphone.... instead, I would have gone through the apple iphone store about 45 minutes from my house WHERE THEY ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
To make things worse, I called the apple store.
Question: "Hey how many iphones do you have available in 3g, black 16gb"?
Answer: "I don't know, I didn't bring my crystal ball to work today.... do you know how often i'm asked that"?
Question: "Ok... so, i'm going to let that go. Well, can you tell me if you have any available and if you have a long line... do you THINK it's worth my hour drive to come get one... do you THINK you'll have one for me when i get there?"
Answer: "We have a line, we have some available, i'm not sure what else to tell you".
Thanks At&t and Apple for taking my money, making me run around, and ultimately wait it out... for what? I don't have anything but stress to show for this large scandal.
Just in response to this, I feel your pain. I too have had a HORRIBLE experience at an apple store. I dont know who these people think they are.. I'm including a complaint letter I sent to them about the situation i experienced there.
-- BEGIN FLAME MAIL --
To Whom it May Concern,
I'm writing this email as a formal complaint about my experience at your Apple store on route 73 in New Jersey, on Saturday, July 12th, 2008.
On Friday around 6PM, I called the Sagemore Apple store in regards to purchasing an iPhone, and signing up as a new AT&T customer. The associate told to me that they were very low in stock and he was not able to guarentee a phone for me when I got there. He said, however, that I could check out the website after 9PM to see if there will be stock available the next day.
I checked the website after 9PM at
www.apple.com/sagemore and saw that they will be available on saturday.
On Saturday I arrived at the location twenty minutes before the store opened. I saw people inside the store, and people entering the store so I figured the store had opened early. As I walked up to the store, an older man was walking up behind me so I held the door for him, and we both walked into the store together.
I will, to the best of my memory, include the discussion that I had with the sales associate who approached me:
Sales Associate (SA) : Hi how can I help you?
Me : I'm pretty sure you know what I'm looking for (joking)
SA : If you looking for an iPhone, we dont have any. (blatant)
Me: Oh! well I called up yesterday and was told by an associate to check the webstore after 9pm to see if you guys would have stock and it said that you would! (with confusion)
SA : Well, we dont. (blatant)
Me : Oh! Hmm well am I able to order one and have it shipped to me?
SA : No.
Me : Do you have any idea when you will be getting your next shipment?
SA : No. Oh and by the way, tell your dad (referencing the older man I held the door for) that we are closed.
The sales associate immediately turns his back to me and walks away.
I called up an AT&T store later that day, and even though they did not have stock, they were extremely friendly, and knowledgeable, and was happy to order my iPhone and set me up with a 2 year plan.
This was my first time entering an apple store and I honestly feel like I was mistreated and discriminated against. I have never in my life, by any sales associate in any retail store, felt as belittled as I was at the Apple store. I hope you, after reading this, can bring resolve to this issue, and the unfortunate situation I've encountered at the Apple store.
--END FLAME MAIL--
Nice people huh?