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iPhone 6 & 6 Plus Sprint Pre-Order Thread!
- Thread starter ariadnerentz
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Yes it is. To top it all off, my iphone 5 just fell and got a cracked screen, so now I'm sitting here with a jacked up iphone and a case I have had for 2 months for iphone 6 plus and a glass screen protector I got for it. Honestly starting to wonder if I will ever actually receive anything at this point. I have waited almost 10 weeks now for my 6 plus 128gb SG with nothing but further delay emails.
Sent a letter to the Sprint CEO
MY LETTER
--------------------
Mr. Claure:
I write as a longtime business customer of Sprint from Chicago. We have been pleased with many of the changes with Sprint over the last several years, and are excited by the plans you have laid out since your tenure began. That being said, I am very disappointed in the way the rollout of the new Apple iPhones has occurred. I understand the supply problems are Apple's fault. But the information given and the handling of the matter are nothing short of awful. I assume the major mobile carriers do have requirements contracts with Apple and that there are good faith clauses therein. Yet, I look around on idevicetracker.com and see no iPhone 6 plus 128gb Sprint phones anywhere, but plenty of iPhone 6 plus 128gb phones at Apple stores across the country. In addition, I see from reading the preorder threads online that many people who canceled their carrier store/online orders (certainly not just Sprint) and ordered through Apple, even as late as early November, have received their orders. In fact, on most of these threads, that is the theme. If you want your phone, either order from or go to the Apple store. What I do know as that your contracts almost surely prevent this type of situation from occurring. And I do not understand why there is no public information on carriers enforcing these requirements.
My email was precipitated by my own story. I ordered through our business representative on September 12 an iPhone 6 plus 64gb. I later canceled that after the representative offered me a bit better deal later in September on the 128gb version. That new order (Space Gray) was logged on September 29 (DM14-O-3080XXXX). My business representative told me 2-4 weeks for delivery (the original 64gb had been 4-6 weeks, so this was no lengthened time). About two weeks later, my representative told me it was actually 4-6 weeks. After the 6th week, he told me it would ship the next Monday. When it didn't, I spoke with Sprint's online service chat, which told me it would be another 4-6 weeks from the end of my first 6 week waiting period. I then talked to the business representative again, who said he has been told in an email from "inventory" that these will "begin shipping" December 1. Whereas I know from the Sprint order threads online that customers who ordered SG 128gb 6 Pluses on 9/20 haven't received them, my expectation became that mine would ship about 9 days later, on December 10th.
But that is not a solid expectation and that is what drove me to write this note. The fact is that neither my business representative nor customer service, sales, inventory, or anyone else knows when these phones will ship. If they did, they wouldn't have to backtrack multiple times. Instead, they are announcing timetables as if they are relatively firm, only to move them time and again. When pressed, it's clear these folks don't know anything about where the phones are or when they Sprint (or other carriers) will get them. I think that the whole thing is a shame for the carrier, its employees (who are sort of hung out to dry facing angry customers), and even for Apple in the end as people cancel and move to other phones instead. I don't read much on this in the news media, for some reason. For me, what I'd like to see is some transparency. Tell the customers delivery is unknown. Don't charge them till they are shipped. And tell us you are taking every legal step to assure people who order through you are on the same playing field as those who order through an Apple store. This is especially for someone like me, who, as a business customer, is not eligible to go through Apple, which only does Sprint retail accounts.
Anyway, I've thought a lot about this in recent weeks, after so much frustration, and I wanted to jot down some thoughts. I appreciate your time.
Regards,
--------------------
THEIR RESPONSE
--------------------
Thank you for contacting the Executive Response Team:
Thank you for sharing your feedback on your experience with the
ordering/receiving the iPhone 6 plus device. We will pass your
feedback on to the appropriate group. We really do appreciate you taking the time to share with us your opinion.
You may reply to this email if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
Sincerely,
Executive Response Team
Sprint
----------------------
GARBAGE. I realize it's Apple. Just tell me you are doing everything you can do to enforce your rights to get these phone shipments, Sprint! Because what is disgusting is seeing the phones for other carriers at the Apple store! Or people getting phones super fast through Apple! Come on! I guess they are satisfied being Apple's red headed stepchild.
MY LETTER
--------------------
Mr. Claure:
I write as a longtime business customer of Sprint from Chicago. We have been pleased with many of the changes with Sprint over the last several years, and are excited by the plans you have laid out since your tenure began. That being said, I am very disappointed in the way the rollout of the new Apple iPhones has occurred. I understand the supply problems are Apple's fault. But the information given and the handling of the matter are nothing short of awful. I assume the major mobile carriers do have requirements contracts with Apple and that there are good faith clauses therein. Yet, I look around on idevicetracker.com and see no iPhone 6 plus 128gb Sprint phones anywhere, but plenty of iPhone 6 plus 128gb phones at Apple stores across the country. In addition, I see from reading the preorder threads online that many people who canceled their carrier store/online orders (certainly not just Sprint) and ordered through Apple, even as late as early November, have received their orders. In fact, on most of these threads, that is the theme. If you want your phone, either order from or go to the Apple store. What I do know as that your contracts almost surely prevent this type of situation from occurring. And I do not understand why there is no public information on carriers enforcing these requirements.
My email was precipitated by my own story. I ordered through our business representative on September 12 an iPhone 6 plus 64gb. I later canceled that after the representative offered me a bit better deal later in September on the 128gb version. That new order (Space Gray) was logged on September 29 (DM14-O-3080XXXX). My business representative told me 2-4 weeks for delivery (the original 64gb had been 4-6 weeks, so this was no lengthened time). About two weeks later, my representative told me it was actually 4-6 weeks. After the 6th week, he told me it would ship the next Monday. When it didn't, I spoke with Sprint's online service chat, which told me it would be another 4-6 weeks from the end of my first 6 week waiting period. I then talked to the business representative again, who said he has been told in an email from "inventory" that these will "begin shipping" December 1. Whereas I know from the Sprint order threads online that customers who ordered SG 128gb 6 Pluses on 9/20 haven't received them, my expectation became that mine would ship about 9 days later, on December 10th.
But that is not a solid expectation and that is what drove me to write this note. The fact is that neither my business representative nor customer service, sales, inventory, or anyone else knows when these phones will ship. If they did, they wouldn't have to backtrack multiple times. Instead, they are announcing timetables as if they are relatively firm, only to move them time and again. When pressed, it's clear these folks don't know anything about where the phones are or when they Sprint (or other carriers) will get them. I think that the whole thing is a shame for the carrier, its employees (who are sort of hung out to dry facing angry customers), and even for Apple in the end as people cancel and move to other phones instead. I don't read much on this in the news media, for some reason. For me, what I'd like to see is some transparency. Tell the customers delivery is unknown. Don't charge them till they are shipped. And tell us you are taking every legal step to assure people who order through you are on the same playing field as those who order through an Apple store. This is especially for someone like me, who, as a business customer, is not eligible to go through Apple, which only does Sprint retail accounts.
Anyway, I've thought a lot about this in recent weeks, after so much frustration, and I wanted to jot down some thoughts. I appreciate your time.
Regards,
--------------------
THEIR RESPONSE
--------------------
Thank you for contacting the Executive Response Team:
Thank you for sharing your feedback on your experience with the
ordering/receiving the iPhone 6 plus device. We will pass your
feedback on to the appropriate group. We really do appreciate you taking the time to share with us your opinion.
You may reply to this email if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you again for contacting Sprint. We value your business and appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.
Sincerely,
Executive Response Team
Sprint
----------------------
GARBAGE. I realize it's Apple. Just tell me you are doing everything you can do to enforce your rights to get these phone shipments, Sprint! Because what is disgusting is seeing the phones for other carriers at the Apple store! Or people getting phones super fast through Apple! Come on! I guess they are satisfied being Apple's red headed stepchild.
Sprint should acknowledge that an agreement is in place preventing comment on the subject. It would go a long way towards their credibility. And would shut us all up. Apple is killing them and they are just letting it happen.
It's obvious to me that such an agreement is in place. However, it's embarrassing to the carriers. They could easily have banded together and shot any such clause down. Instead, Apple's lawyers ran roughshod over them. To discerning folks, that doesn't give you much confidence in these carriers as businesses. It's awful, as I told the CEO's automated system XD.
Conversation with Sprint Chat TODAY 12/1
Amy Forbes: There is a delay of 4 to 6 weeks starting 11/07 on the iPhone 6+ 128GB, according to Apple.
Amy Forbes: I am very sorry for the inconvenience, a good faith offer will be applied in the moment UPS will pick up the package.
Amy Forbes: The request was unexpected and Apple is trying their best to deliver devices as fast as possible.
You: Yes, do you mean 4-6 weeks from 11/7?
Amy Forbes: Exactly.
You: Will it be overnighted to me rather than standard shipping after this very long wait?
Amy Forbes: We will deliver the devices as fast as we can. All the iPhones 6+ 128GB had this delay, so we have a lot of customers in your situation, we cannot guarantee a next day shipping, there are too many orders and UPS is trying to do everything possible.
Amy Forbes: We will make a good faith offer on the account for the inconvenience.
You: If there are a lot of customers like me, there are a lot of angry customers.
Amy Forbes: There is a delay of 4 to 6 weeks starting 11/07 on the iPhone 6+ 128GB, according to Apple.
Amy Forbes: I am very sorry for the inconvenience, a good faith offer will be applied in the moment UPS will pick up the package.
Amy Forbes: The request was unexpected and Apple is trying their best to deliver devices as fast as possible.
You: Yes, do you mean 4-6 weeks from 11/7?
Amy Forbes: Exactly.
You: Will it be overnighted to me rather than standard shipping after this very long wait?
Amy Forbes: We will deliver the devices as fast as we can. All the iPhones 6+ 128GB had this delay, so we have a lot of customers in your situation, we cannot guarantee a next day shipping, there are too many orders and UPS is trying to do everything possible.
Amy Forbes: We will make a good faith offer on the account for the inconvenience.
You: If there are a lot of customers like me, there are a lot of angry customers.
Wow! Received an email this morning informing me of a shipment!
They are shipping 1 iPhone 6+ 128GB Space Gray Today and I should have it by the end of the week.
I ordered 3 of them on 9/20 in store, happy for the 1, but would love to know where the other 2 are.
Shipping Method: UPS-Parcel-UPS 3 DAY SELECT
3 Day Select, lol.
I'm hoping this is good news for all of us.
They are shipping 1 iPhone 6+ 128GB Space Gray Today and I should have it by the end of the week.
I ordered 3 of them on 9/20 in store, happy for the 1, but would love to know where the other 2 are.
Shipping Method: UPS-Parcel-UPS 3 DAY SELECT
3 Day Select, lol.
I'm hoping this is good news for all of us.
GREAT NEWS. Only a few of us left here watching. Most have given up, I think! I'm a 9/29 business rep order, so a few days behind you. Same phone. Hope your other two ship ASAP as well. Are you able to check sprint.com/myorder for status with your in-store order, Loco?
Saw someone yesterday post they received a shipping notice too for an order placed online on 9/20 for a 128GB 6+ Space Gray on the Sprint forums.
I went to sprint.com/myorder before posting that message to see if I could narrow down which one it was, but all 3 order numbers return blanks as usual. In the email I received about the shipping, the order # that I am familiar with was not referenced anywhere.
I wanted to see if they were filling the orders sequentially (as my order #'s are all the same except for the last 2 digits, 19, 20, 21).
I'll post as I get more information.
I just called sprint. Check this out. The rep told me I should cancel my order and re order because they are honoring new orders first. He said he doesn't know when the people who ordered first will receive their orders but if I cancel my order and order again I will have my phone within 3 weeks. This is insane. who is running this company, curious george? Unbelievable, absolutely ridiculously unbelievable.
Strangely, I found the experience the same ordering directly from Apple. I ordered on Nov 7 and at the time, it was a 3-4 week delivery. But as the weeks went by, the time lag dropped to 7-10 days and then 3-5 days but my order was stuck in processing. So I called Apple and instead of cancelling and re ordering, they upgraded me to 2-3 day shipping and I was satisfied with that offer.
Ok, so I check the tracking # yesterday and it says it arrived at the store at 1:30 PM.
I show up there at 3:30, put my name in, wait to be called and the same guy that sold me the phones back in September tells me that the shipments WILL NOT be processed until after closing by the manager. Additionally I should receive a phone call the next day informing me of the phone being delivered.
Turns out I'm in that part of town a few hours later, I call the store and speak to a female rep and ask her simply "Have your shipments for the day been processed and received?", she answers "Yes" and if I want to check on a specific phone... I said I was close by and I'll be right over.
Get there, put my name in again, wait to be called... almost got the same rep who was shaking his head towards me in a negative manner when I walked in, but fortunately got another rep. I tell him that the phone was delivered that day at 1:30 and guess what? He said he himself had signed for all of the shipments and was going to go look... he comes back empty handed. We look at the UPS tracking and it says Delivered at 1:30 and his name is on there, so he goes and takes a second look (up to this point I felt like the boy crying wolf). Comes back and nothing, he then talks to who I assume was the manager (he was holding up the wall from collapsing behind the reps and also making sure the music streaming to the wireless speakers was playing the next song in the playlist), goes back into the "magical" room. Comes back with a box (!!) and talks to the "Manager". Comes over and says "Yeah, this package came in with no paperwork, in fact there was no UNIT # on the label so the UPS guy luckily noticed that and doubled back to deliver it". I'm like great, whatever... as much as I'd like to spend my entire night here, let's progress. He pulls 5 iPhones out of the box and there are 3 (three) 6+ Space Gray 128GB phones in there. He converses with the manager again, because I guess since this box hadn't been "checked" in, the items were not in inventory and no one was sure if they would work until he actually scanned them in. I'm just like, I don't care, let's get the show on the road. He scans it and it accepts it! He starts processing it for my Daughter's line and then he's like, "How many did you order total?"... "3"... so he is like let me try these other phones. Takes my wife's number and scans in it in, it's accepted. At this point I was like "The shipment clearly states Qty 1 of the phone was shipped, I don't want to take someone else's phone"... and they were like "There's no paperwork with this shipment, so we have no idea"... I let them go ahead and process it... then he tries the 3rd one on my line, and it's accepted and he processes it.
I was still like "Are you sure there is no way to find out if these belong to somebody else?" and the rep is like "Without paperwork, we have no idea". So, after being there for 2 hours, we got to know the rep pretty well and he was a really nice guy.
I then bring up the lease deal from Sprint for existing customers that saves $15 per month http://www.cnet.com/news/sprint-existing-customers-can-lease-an-iphone-6-for-5-a-month/ per phone, and they checked and said we were eligible.. guess it had to be prompted from the customer about that extra savings.
Anyway... left the store, still not feeling 100% legit about getting all 3 phones since it clearly indicated Qty 1 on the shipment.
I suppose it was a fitting end to this ordeal that started on 9/20 innocently enough.
Good luck to everyone still waiting. I can truly say this will be my last purchase with Sprint, I will actively be shopping other carriers who buy out other carrier's contracts.
I show up there at 3:30, put my name in, wait to be called and the same guy that sold me the phones back in September tells me that the shipments WILL NOT be processed until after closing by the manager. Additionally I should receive a phone call the next day informing me of the phone being delivered.
Turns out I'm in that part of town a few hours later, I call the store and speak to a female rep and ask her simply "Have your shipments for the day been processed and received?", she answers "Yes" and if I want to check on a specific phone... I said I was close by and I'll be right over.
Get there, put my name in again, wait to be called... almost got the same rep who was shaking his head towards me in a negative manner when I walked in, but fortunately got another rep. I tell him that the phone was delivered that day at 1:30 and guess what? He said he himself had signed for all of the shipments and was going to go look... he comes back empty handed. We look at the UPS tracking and it says Delivered at 1:30 and his name is on there, so he goes and takes a second look (up to this point I felt like the boy crying wolf). Comes back and nothing, he then talks to who I assume was the manager (he was holding up the wall from collapsing behind the reps and also making sure the music streaming to the wireless speakers was playing the next song in the playlist), goes back into the "magical" room. Comes back with a box (!!) and talks to the "Manager". Comes over and says "Yeah, this package came in with no paperwork, in fact there was no UNIT # on the label so the UPS guy luckily noticed that and doubled back to deliver it". I'm like great, whatever... as much as I'd like to spend my entire night here, let's progress. He pulls 5 iPhones out of the box and there are 3 (three) 6+ Space Gray 128GB phones in there. He converses with the manager again, because I guess since this box hadn't been "checked" in, the items were not in inventory and no one was sure if they would work until he actually scanned them in. I'm just like, I don't care, let's get the show on the road. He scans it and it accepts it! He starts processing it for my Daughter's line and then he's like, "How many did you order total?"... "3"... so he is like let me try these other phones. Takes my wife's number and scans in it in, it's accepted. At this point I was like "The shipment clearly states Qty 1 of the phone was shipped, I don't want to take someone else's phone"... and they were like "There's no paperwork with this shipment, so we have no idea"... I let them go ahead and process it... then he tries the 3rd one on my line, and it's accepted and he processes it.
I was still like "Are you sure there is no way to find out if these belong to somebody else?" and the rep is like "Without paperwork, we have no idea". So, after being there for 2 hours, we got to know the rep pretty well and he was a really nice guy.
I then bring up the lease deal from Sprint for existing customers that saves $15 per month http://www.cnet.com/news/sprint-existing-customers-can-lease-an-iphone-6-for-5-a-month/ per phone, and they checked and said we were eligible.. guess it had to be prompted from the customer about that extra savings.
Anyway... left the store, still not feeling 100% legit about getting all 3 phones since it clearly indicated Qty 1 on the shipment.
I suppose it was a fitting end to this ordeal that started on 9/20 innocently enough.
Good luck to everyone still waiting. I can truly say this will be my last purchase with Sprint, I will actively be shopping other carriers who buy out other carrier's contracts.
Placed order on 9/28 and still nothing. What the hell does this update even mean:
"Your order for the iPhone 6 Plus 128GB has been received. For orders placed through 11/28, we will do our best to deliver in 4 to 6 weeks from the date of the order. For orders placed 11/29 and after, we will do our best to deliver in 2 to 3 weeks from the date of the order. Keep an eye out for a shipping email with your tracking information. Thank you for your patience."
Orders placed placed on 11/29 and after get it earlier than the people who ordered it months ago? Doesn't make sense or am I reading it wrong?
"Your order for the iPhone 6 Plus 128GB has been received. For orders placed through 11/28, we will do our best to deliver in 4 to 6 weeks from the date of the order. For orders placed 11/29 and after, we will do our best to deliver in 2 to 3 weeks from the date of the order. Keep an eye out for a shipping email with your tracking information. Thank you for your patience."
Orders placed placed on 11/29 and after get it earlier than the people who ordered it months ago? Doesn't make sense or am I reading it wrong?
As we get closer to Christmas, supplies of the 6 Plus models are no longer seen at the Apple stores.
Apple is missing a huge opportunity and there is little they can do as the supply chain takes time to change
Apple is missing a huge opportunity and there is little they can do as the supply chain takes time to change
Sprint online chat update
My order: 9/29 - 6 plus 128gb SG
TODAY: Online Chat Rep says as of 11/7 specifically I am in a 4-6 weeks for delivery time frame. That is 10 days from today, Thursday, 12/11--at the outside edge.
It was clear from our discussion they are shipping as they receive them willy nilly and they really don't know if they will make that date (which is December 21 at the outside edge). So I am, frankly, no longer expecting my phone before Christmas. At this time, I am hoping for it before the new year.
My order: 9/29 - 6 plus 128gb SG
TODAY: Online Chat Rep says as of 11/7 specifically I am in a 4-6 weeks for delivery time frame. That is 10 days from today, Thursday, 12/11--at the outside edge.
It was clear from our discussion they are shipping as they receive them willy nilly and they really don't know if they will make that date (which is December 21 at the outside edge). So I am, frankly, no longer expecting my phone before Christmas. At this time, I am hoping for it before the new year.
Sprint Chat - Right Now
According to Apple, iPhone 6 Plus 128 GB (Space Gray), for orders placed through 11/28, we will do our best to deliver in 4 to 6 weeks. Even so, certain Orders placed on 9/29 to 10/1 will hit the end of their 6 week SLA on 11/10 to 11/12, an email informing an extended delay of 4 to 6 weeks from date of email communication was sent on or around (11/7), also informing you that you will not pay the 36$ activation fee,
...and also this month on the 13th, we received the greatest news so far: "Sprint is expecting enough product from Apple early next week [this week] to ensure all customers missing SLA on the iPhone 6+ 128GB Space Gray should have their phone delivered no later than Friday, Dec 19th." I'm sorry for the delay.
According to Apple, iPhone 6 Plus 128 GB (Space Gray), for orders placed through 11/28, we will do our best to deliver in 4 to 6 weeks. Even so, certain Orders placed on 9/29 to 10/1 will hit the end of their 6 week SLA on 11/10 to 11/12, an email informing an extended delay of 4 to 6 weeks from date of email communication was sent on or around (11/7), also informing you that you will not pay the 36$ activation fee,
...and also this month on the 13th, we received the greatest news so far: "Sprint is expecting enough product from Apple early next week [this week] to ensure all customers missing SLA on the iPhone 6+ 128GB Space Gray should have their phone delivered no later than Friday, Dec 19th." I'm sorry for the delay.
I'm not really sure if I can believe this...I want to believe...but Sprint and Apple have both let me down so much over the past two and half months.
Out of the blue I received my phone! On Thursday, Dec 11th. No tracking or anything, just a box showed up. I ordered on 9/20. Iphone 6 Plus 128gb Space Gray. So excited to have a new phone finally. I haven't messed with it a ton but so far I love it. I did buy one of those tempered glass screen protectors for 5 bucks online hoping for a little extra protection on it. For my hands it's a good fit, and I love the bigger screen. I hope you all receive yours soon!! You won't regret the phone, now I just gotta figure out how to send my old phone in and get what I was promised before and see what Sprint will give me for making me wait this long for my phone.