I always wondered if anyone ever feels like Apple treats the faithful like they dont want/need our business. Sometimes I feel like that lately. Apple used to be thankful for any business they could get. Now that they are on top they have an almost hostile attitude towards early adopters.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Does anyone ever feel like Apple doesnt want our business?
- Thread starter AdonisSMU
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There mottos is, don't worry they will come back, they always come back 
I think its absolutely MIND BOGGLING you can't go to the Apple store and purchase a $399 Apple sport watch come launch day or within that month. You have to make a appointment. And than go pick it up in store? :roll eyes:
Its a damn $399 sport watch, not a Ferrari Enzo lol.
I think its absolutely MIND BOGGLING you can't go to the Apple store and purchase a $399 Apple sport watch come launch day or within that month. You have to make a appointment. And than go pick it up in store? :roll eyes:
Its a damn $399 sport watch, not a Ferrari Enzo lol.
Nope. They value you and your business, and your money.
I believe there are two factors at play with this launch.
First, I think that apple tends to sell WAY more products at certain launches than other companies do. No one else sells several million iPhones in a single day, or a million watches, etc... The high volume of initial sales is tough to handle, and often causes large crowds and lines at stores on launch day/week. Prioritizing online ordering at the outset may be a strategy to help mitigate problems like that.
Second, I think it's highly possible that Apple had some production problems with the MacBook and Watch leading up to launch. There have been some published articles to that effect, chronicling how Quanta, who Apple contracted to produce the Wach, saw as much as 70% failure rates during early production, and that Apple had to scramble to find other means of meeting quotas. If supplies were constrained due to factors like these, then Apple would have to deal with the fact that demand outpaced supply at the outset of sales, causing the kinds of backlogs and delays we've seen.
It's all part of business for a company who sells as many products as Apple does. But in no way does it indicate a lack of customer valuation. It shows a company doing its best to manage high volume sales the likes of which most other companies only dream about.
That is a good response. Thanks! I was feeling like WOW! Apple product users are being punished for simply wanting to spend money. I hate when I feel like I'm not wanted when I really like Apple products.
I don't have any links handy but there are some interesting articles out there about Apple's supply chain. In short, it is an extremely large and complex supply chain that, especially during a product launch, is under a lot of stress due to the sheer number of units they move.
I'm starting to feel the same.
I understand that what Apple pulls off on a daily basis is remarkable. They have some of the most intricate products being produced on an unfathomable scale. Because of that, I have no problem waiting patiently for my products to ship.
But I do have a problem with Apple's recent lack of information.
The iPad Air 2 launch was a mess. There was no specific date set. Store staff had no idea when they would receive shipments.
The Watch was supposed to be 'early 2015'. Rather than admit delays like the Apple of the past (think white iPhone 4), they just set the date as late as physically possible and say that in their opinion, April is early 2015 (Tim Cook, early 2015 earnings call), and then have a handful of units available with no-one having a launch-day delivery guarantee, and with some models shipping in 4-6 weeks from the outset.
The MacBook was supposed to be "shipping April 10" according to the keynote, and the press release stated clearly that units would start shipping from the online store, retail stores and authorised resellers April 10. That was simply not true. They can't even play the technicality card on that one: no MacBooks shipped online on April 10, and no MacBooks were sold in retail stores on April 10.
And to top it all, Apple then decided to discriminate against non-American customers* for the MacBook with zero prior indication of doing so. The American store went live with shipping dates of 1-3 days, while the rest of the world had 3-4 week estimates.
This lack of information does, as the OP said, make us feel like Apple doesn't want our business.
I want to tell Apple my thoughts on this, but of course it is impossible to email them.
*Again, that would be fine, if Apple had told us before.
I understand that what Apple pulls off on a daily basis is remarkable. They have some of the most intricate products being produced on an unfathomable scale. Because of that, I have no problem waiting patiently for my products to ship.
But I do have a problem with Apple's recent lack of information.
The iPad Air 2 launch was a mess. There was no specific date set. Store staff had no idea when they would receive shipments.
The Watch was supposed to be 'early 2015'. Rather than admit delays like the Apple of the past (think white iPhone 4), they just set the date as late as physically possible and say that in their opinion, April is early 2015 (Tim Cook, early 2015 earnings call), and then have a handful of units available with no-one having a launch-day delivery guarantee, and with some models shipping in 4-6 weeks from the outset.
The MacBook was supposed to be "shipping April 10" according to the keynote, and the press release stated clearly that units would start shipping from the online store, retail stores and authorised resellers April 10. That was simply not true. They can't even play the technicality card on that one: no MacBooks shipped online on April 10, and no MacBooks were sold in retail stores on April 10.
And to top it all, Apple then decided to discriminate against non-American customers* for the MacBook with zero prior indication of doing so. The American store went live with shipping dates of 1-3 days, while the rest of the world had 3-4 week estimates.
This lack of information does, as the OP said, make us feel like Apple doesn't want our business.
I want to tell Apple my thoughts on this, but of course it is impossible to email them.
*Again, that would be fine, if Apple had told us before.
tcook@apple.com
You may get lucky and a reply from one of the executive team. New Macbook launch is simply a mess, even Apple`s own staff have no idea what`s going on. I understand the need to reduce the queues, equally this is a Mac not IOS device, and there has never been long lines for any Mac.
There is very obviously a lack of understanding of customer demand and or lack of management of the vendor. Had Apple actually been clear with their intentions, then their customers and staff would likely be far happier. Not having physical stock in the Apple Stores is simply a "joke" people are even picking up the new MacBook in Best Buy over in the states, which to me is embarrassing at the least, poor management at worst...
Q-6
"The days of waiting in line and crossing fingers for a product are over for our customers. The Apple Store app and our online store make it much easier to purchase Apple Watch and the new MacBook. Customers will know exactly when and where their product arrives."
I am going to have to disagree with you Angela. I would have been better off hanging out at BB then waiting for you to ship your product to your own stores.
I am going to have to disagree with you Angela. I would have been better off hanging out at BB then waiting for you to ship your product to your own stores.
they didn't anticipate that they would have to have a demo (at least one) in each store??
Clearly they didn't even produce enough for demo purchases... which begs the question, who pulled the "April 10" launch date out of his/her ass?
Apple is hardly at fault for not being able to produce enough product to cover the initial demand, given how ridiculous that demand is. If you want to blame someone, blame the other people who want to buy the same product
Although I agree that absence of MB from the stores is disappointing at best.
Although I agree that absence of MB from the stores is disappointing at best.
Apple is hardly at fault for not being able to produce enough product to cover the initial demand, given how ridiculous that demand is. If you want to blame someone, blame the other people who want to buy the same product
Although I agree that absence of MB from the stores is disappointing at best.
Well then who is?
They are at fault for:
- Stating shipping April 10 when it didn't
- Stating shipping in retail stores when it didn't
- Giving a month's priority to US customers with no warning
- Leaving their retail and support employees uninformed
- Saying we'll know 'exactly when we'll get our products' when we don't
I think you are overreacting a bit. I don't remember them making half as many promises you are referring to.
Well, it did ship April 10, but the initial batch quickly ran out. Just like with any new Apple product. Tried to order a retina 15" MBP at launch or a nMP? Same story.
Sorry, but no. They clearly said that 10 April was the launch date in the USA and the Europe had to wait. Again, just like with most product launches. In fact, Apple Store employees in Zurich told me they were not expecting the MB in the store before late April (this was two month ago).
I think that one was referring to the watch specifically. At any rate, you have your shipping estimate, so what more you want to know? I certainly know that if I order now, I'll have to wait over a month. Thats why I am not ordering
Well, it did ship April 10, but the initial batch quickly ran out. Just like with any new Apple product. Tried to order a retina 15" MBP at launch or a nMP? Same story.
Sorry, but no. They clearly said that 10 April was the launch date in the USA and the Europe had to wait. Again, just like with most product launches. In fact, Apple Store employees in Zurich told me they were not expecting the MB in the store before late April (this was two month ago).
I think that one was referring to the watch specifically. At any rate, you have your shipping estimate, so what more you want to know? I certainly know that if I order now, I'll have to wait over a month. Thats why I am not ordering
Apple is hardly at fault for not being able to produce enough product to cover the initial demand, given how ridiculous that demand is. If you want to blame someone, blame the other people who want to buy the same product
Although I agree that absence of MB from the stores is disappointing at best.
Is the demand for the Macbook earth-shattering or unprecedented when compared with other new laptop launches? Surely there has to be an element of faulty planning.
The demand is certainly higher then what they are able to produce right now. Of course, this could be faulty planning. Or more likely it could be low availability of components (CPU, display). I am a little puzzled to what alternatives you people would suggest. Not launch at all?
No-one's orders shipped April 10.
Nope. UK press release, in Sterling and all, states April 10.
Angela's message was referring to the Watch and MacBook throughout.
This is about as bad as the iPhone 6 launch. But I struggle to think of a laptop launch when apple didn't have any to sell in the store.
Bad planning, poor communication and lack of transparency is leaving the bad taste in my mouth.
Now, I wonder what will happen if Apple starts to ship the nMB's to stores before the orders of the people who ordered online are fulfilled. I'd be upset.
Bad planning, poor communication and lack of transparency is leaving the bad taste in my mouth.
Now, I wonder what will happen if Apple starts to ship the nMB's to stores before the orders of the people who ordered online are fulfilled. I'd be upset.
Last edited:
I hear ya, but there should be a little more transparency. It wouldn't kill them to communicate these issues to the public and their staff. My main grievance is not aimed at the delay itself, but more towards how it is being handled.
----------
Beat me to it.
I don't know if they don't value your business. But they certainly don't value your time.
Another thing to note is that back in the day the primary target was North America. Now all decisions are made based on the Chinese market first.
During the last few iphone launches, much of the available apple store stock was scooped up by scalpers and mailed to the glorious people's republic. So the chinese market was already impacting our releases.
Nope, still waiting here in China, varies from 2-4 weeks wait depending who you speak with at Apple, same story in Hong Kong.
Q-6
For what its worth, mine shipped on the 11th, placed the order at 3:02AM est on 4/10. The problem is it sat in China and then Japan until 12:30am today. I guess no more overnighting products at launch for apple.