Do you think the Apple Watch preorder and launch has been a complete mess/disaster?

[Photography]

Do you think the Apple Watch preorder and launch has been a complete mess/disaster for one reason or another? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts below.

Note that the poll question is broad (meaning if you agree for one reason or another it's been a complete mess/disaster, vote "yes"; if not, vote "no"), and can be applied to any of the following (or something else not listed here; this is just a list I've formulated based upon concerns expressed by others on this forum and is not a list of my opinions):

• the failure/issues in the supply chain process to cause shipment delays to June (which is not early 2015 as Apple initially stated)
• failure to produce adequate supply for launch, despite the fact that Apple had more than plenty of time to produce adequate supply, likely attributed to the supply chain issue
• Apple severely underestimated demand
• lack of watch availability on April 24th in the retail stores to order in person, and your average everyday person who doesn't keep up with MacRumors and doesn't know that the Apple Watch won't be available in the store April 24th will show up at the Apple Store to purchase a watch, only to be sent away disappointed/furious
• shipping watches to those who ordered later than others, and not shipping in the order that they were received
• lack of communication from Apple in general
• editing the Apple website to remove the April 24th date and replace it with "the Watch is coming"
• Apple didn't have the try-on in store process available before preorders launched, causing cancelled orders and further delays and frustration
• other issue not listed here (post it in this thread)

 

[Nde]

I want to see some heads rolling on the floor from Apple HQ today.

Bad marketing. Not so much about the delivery, it did say 4/28-5/8. One day they say earlier delivery and another we are working on it. Huh

 

[jbachandouris]

I ordered a 38mm SG sport with black band at 3:02AM EST and ended up with a May 13-27 ship date and yet others ordered just last week and they've shipped already?

Someone claims to have ordered a silver sport blue yesterday and it shipped already.

Complete BS.

 

[bunnicula]

My only observations are:

1) ordering online the night of was very smooth
2) not enough watches to meet demand, though
3) date range confused people

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I ordered a 38mm SG sport with black band at 3:02AM EST and ended up with a May 13-27 ship date and yet others ordered just last week and they've shipped already?

Someone claims to have ordered a silver sport blue yesterday and it shipped already.

Complete BS.

The SG was clearly more popular.

 

[bradl]

Apparently, none of you were around for the iPhone 4 pre-order. This is nothing compared to that.

But then again, I'd love to see those complaining here to do better.

BL.

 

[d0nu7]

One day they say earlier delivery and another we are working on it. Huh

This is what got me. As soon as they said that orders would come sooner than expected I was expecting Friday since I'm in group one and ordered as soon as the apple store came up for me as fast as possible. I spent an hour going through the app and swiping all the way down to the 42mm SG. From 11:55pm onward I refreshed and closed the app probably 200 times. And after all that, it looks like I won't be getting it Friday.

I think they should have had for sure orders of 4/24, and then after that have windows. Some people want stuff day one. I would have changed my order if I knew I wouldn't get it day one. Hell, I would have spent MORE on a SS if I knew it was 4/24 guaranteed.

 

[jbachandouris]

Apparently, none of you were around for the iPhone 4 pre-order. This is nothing compared to that.

But then again, I'd love to see those complaining here to do better.

BL.

The difference is that I was able to wait in line and buy that one ON launch day.

 

[dannyyankou]

Not a complete mess, but they should've been more prepared with certain models. The fact that no one is going to get a space black link bracelet on launch day is absurd.

 

[ronm99]

My personal opinion is that the communication could have been better, but people are blowing this thing way out of proportion.

It sounds like the worst scenario is that a few people (myself included) stayed up late to order a watch, and that we are going to most likely get it a few days to a week after the launch day (and within the window that it was promised to us). It is frustrating now, but after the watch is in our hands, it will be quickly forgotten.

Maybe it is a bigger deal for some people, but while I am disappointed, I will get over it.

 

[Mascots]

It's not even the date they were planning to start delivery yet. At least give it a week after the 24th.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the watch hasn't "launched" yet.

The only item in your list that makes any sense is that Apple underestimated demand.

 

[DavidLynch]

I ordered a 38mm SG sport with black band at 3:02AM EST and ended up with a May 13-27 ship date and yet others ordered just last week and they've shipped already?

Someone claims to have ordered a silver sport blue yesterday and it shipped already.

Complete BS.

Different watch, different supply, different line. If they were selling these in store tomorrow and ran out of space grey sports quickly (which they likely would) they wouldn't send everyone else in line home who were there for different models because it's unfair to the SG people that were further up in line.

 

[McDaddio]

It would have gone better if they added two things to the ordering page

1. An entitlement filter. You get yours earlier if you demonstrate high levels of entitlement.

2. A one question IQ test: Do you understand that if the date range is 4/24-5/8 that you won't necessarily get your watch on 4/24? If you fail that test you get you watch earlier

That you make some people happy here.

 

[bradl]

The difference is that I was able to wait in line and buy that one ON launch day.

While the websites for Apple, AT&T, Best Buy, T-Mobile, Radio Shack, and other sites around the world selling it completely crashed, orders that were confirmed were taken back as not confirmed, and a near immediate change from "available now" to 6 - 9 weeks estimated shipping, in less than 2 hours. And after advertising the White iPhone 4, none were available at launch. NONE.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938211/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939357/

The only people who were able to buy the phone in store on launch day were those who made reservations for it. Anyone walking in was waiting in line a long, LONG time.

Again, this is absolutely nothing in comparison to the iPhone 4 launch, and that one, hands down, was the worst launch.

BL.

 

[vikingjunior]

Yes yes and yes!

 

[McDaddio]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the watch hasn't "launched" yet.

The only item in your list that makes any sense is that Apple underestimated demand.

Let's say that is true and they significantly underestimated demand (vs marginally). What should they have done? Delay the launch a couple of months until inventory built up? Raised prices to optimize profit? Increase production? The first two go against what Apple likes to do - get it in as many hands as they can as fast as they can. And the last is something they always do anyway...perhaps with the rumored high failure rates of initial phones coming off the line, this was just not initially possible.

I would be curious to know if the space gray availability issue is a misjudgment of the demand or a supplier problem. Interestingly if you order today you still get it in June.

 

[smiddlehurst]

The only thing this launch has shown is that a depressingly large number of people are unable to see anything beyond their own sense of entitlement.

 

[bunnicula]

While the websites for Apple, AT&T, Best Buy, T-Mobile, Radio Shack, and other sites around the world selling it completely crashed, orders that were confirmed were taken back as not confirmed, and a near immediate change from "available now" to 6 - 9 weeks estimated shipping, in less than 2 hours. And after advertising the White iPhone 4, none were available at launch. NONE.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/938211/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/939357/

The only people who were able to buy the phone in store on launch day were those who made reservations for it. Anyone walking in was waiting in line a long, LONG time.

Again, this is absolutely nothing in comparison to the iPhone 4 launch, and that one, hands down, was the worst launch.

BL.

I always remind people of that cluster of a launch. And, I swear, they either weren't buying iPhones back then or they're suffering from selective memory loss.

 

[DerfBWH]

It's been a bit bumpy, but calling this a "disaster" seems like a massive overstatement.

 

[DavidLynch]

You can just change the poll options to:

No, I have a tracking number with Friday, April 24th.

Yes, I don't have a tracking number and IM GOING OUT OF MY MIND

 

[Photography]

Apparently, none of you were around for the iPhone 4 pre-order. This is nothing compared to that.

But then again, I'd love to see those complaining here to do better.

BL.

The iPhone 4 and iPhone 6/6+ launches rank among the worst, with this one in third place in my opinion (primarily due to supply chain issues).

 

[allistera]

Tin foil hat time:

The supply chain was kept tight on purpose to create more of a demand.

 

[bradl]

The iPhone 4 and iPhone 6/6+ launches rank among the worst, with this one in third place in my opinion (primarily due to supply chain issues).

For those complaining about the AW launch, keep in mind that you had a functioning website where you could actually order it.

When you have had 4 or more sites all crash within an hour from everyone overloading it to where everyone caused a DoS, then find everything gone when the pieces were picked up to the point of a 2 month estimated shipping time, then even seeing those times slip, then you will have room to talk.

Until then, this is nothing.

BL.

 

[Lucifer666]

No

Typical launch.

Insane demand, fantastic responses, etc.

What a company

 

[mynameisjosh]

The only thing I'm upset about is seeing people who purchased the same SKU as you at a much later time/date, already have shipping notices. Just does not seem like they are truly going in any order.