iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock

[Evan_F]

My experience reserving my next iPhone upgrade was smooth as silk at 3:06AM EST. I got to reserve my 128GB Jet Black model that I wanted and got a confirmation email immediately.

I used the Apple Store app on my phone as I heard numerous reports that it opens up before the website does.

I wasn't. Couldn't do it thru the app or online.

 

[arkhanjel]

At least a lot of you had the shot at getting one. I went through all the steps, even had it available on launch day only to find out that they screwed up somewhere on my current iPhone 6s plus and it's not registering as part of the upgrade program even though I have all the receipts showing that's what I paid for. Now I've had to spend the majority of today trying to figure out where they screwed up and how they're gonna fix it. So far no resolution. It's looking like I'll be lucky if I get my iPhone 7 plus (jet black) next year.

 

[jomo25]

Anyone who is simply thinking this is Upgrade program people being 'whiny' or are asking for any form of priority need to read my post here again: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...to-limited-stock.1993752/page-4#post-23372905

It isn't us looking for priority. It is asking for fairness. And it is asking for us to even be able to confirm a device, period. Unless you got one that is available on 9/16 on store, we do not even have the ability to reserve or purchase one as part of the stated program. We are just being asked to 'try again' on 9/16 in store, or 9/17 online.

 

[DustinJohns]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

 

[jomo25]

My experience reserving my next iPhone upgrade was smooth as silk at 3:08AM EST. I got to reserve my 128GB Jet Black model that I wanted and got a confirmation email immediately.

I used the Apple Store app on my iPhone to do it though. I figured everyone would be slamming the website. Apparently I chose well.

Same problems happened via the Apple Store app. It only depended on the stock in your local stores and the demand of that store's stock. Yours worked out for you. A very very large majority did not. Simply because the pool of stock available for upgrades was significantly smaller than pool available to the general population.

 

[Evan_F]

Anyone who is simply thinking this is Upgrade program people being 'whiny' or are asking for any form of priority need to read my post here again: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...to-limited-stock.1993752/page-4#post-23372905

It isn't us looking for priority. It is asking for fairness. And it is asking for us to even be able to confirm a device, period. Unless you got one that is available on 9/16 on store, we do not even have the ability to reserve or purchase one as part of the stated program. We are just being asked to 'try again' on 9/16 in store, or 9/17 online.

This. ^

 

[arkhanjel]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

Your initial amount do is equal to 3 months payments and then the tax as well. I'm pretty sure that's correct.

 

[normang]

I don't think you understand how it worked. IUP members were shunted off into a separate ordering system where we could not order at all. No first come first serve, no wait a few weeks for the phone you want, the system didn't allow us to place any order. We're the last served, we can't order online.

Unlike normal customers we weren't offered a full lineup of choices, only what a local store was going to have the first Friday, which in my case initially didn't include any 256GB phones and quickly didn't include any phones for my carrier. (I guess I could have ordered a 32GB rose gold sprint phone, but it wouldn't have done me any good.) With no valid choice on the page we were stuck, that was it, there was no way for to place an order. IUP members were uniquely locked out of the pre-order, probably (I'm guessing) because of a glitch in the ordering system. Or maybe because someone really never thought this through?

Either way, Apple has a long way to go to make this up to customers that paid to upgrade after a year, and then were locked out of upgrading. Maybe a new IUP only pre-order? Maybe waive monthly IUP payments until they catch up? I'm not sure really what they can do now to salvage the program, but they need to come up with something quick. You'd have to be a fool to sign up for IUP today.

Apple is not going to give you an iPhone 7 until you return the iPhone 6 you bought, after you've made 12 payments, depending on when you entered the Apple Upgrade program,.

So the only way this works that you need to go into a Apple store and give Apple your iPhone 6 and pay any difference if necessary. Then they'll hand you a new iPhone 7..

They provided reservations to do this, that might not have been optimal and they may not have allocated enough stock to stores to do it effectively. Or perhaps there as a flaw in the system, every time there is an upgrade, there is never enough, get used to it... Does it really make that much difference whether you get that new Iphone on the 16th as opposed to a few days later.. There will be new stock at Apple Stores routinely.. I am assuming if your not near an Apple Store, you would still need to send your old iPhone to Apple before receiving your new iPhone 7

 

[johnnypowers]

omg stocks are limited! i must get one and pre-order.. every year

 

[Jimpilot]

Had the same issues as everyone else in the wee hours this morning. Got so mad I stopped trying and decided to wait for awhile.

I still haven't been able to order and I'm starting to rethink the new phone. I have a S version now, is this one better enough to put up with Apple making us second class citizens because they must feel we're locked in.

Hopefully Apple will address this with some plan, but I'm not sure I'm still in.

 

[Stratus Fear]

Apple is not going to give you an iPhone 7 until you return the iPhone 6 you bought, after you've made 12 payments, depending on when you entered the Apple Upgrade program,.

So the only way this works that you need to go into a Apple store and give Apple your iPhone 6 and pay any difference if necessary. Then they'll hand you a new iPhone 7..

They provided reservations to do this, that might not have been optimal and they may not have allocated enough stock to stores to do it effectively. Or perhaps there as a flaw in the system, every time there is an upgrade, there is never enough, get used to it... Does it really make that much difference whether you get that new Iphone on the 16th as opposed to a few days later.. There will be new stock at Apple Stores routinely.. I am assuming if your not near an Apple Store, you would still need to send your old iPhone to Apple before receiving your new iPhone 7

Well, as has been mentioned mentioned, other upgrade plans send you the new phone and a pre-paid label to ship the old phone back. There isn't any obvious reason why Apple isn't already doing this.

 

[QurazyQuisp]

Has anyone asked Apple if they could order a phone at full price and then once it arrives walk in to an Apple Store and upgrade to THAT phone? You'd likely have to return it and then upgrade on the spot.

That's what I've done. I'll ask them in a few days when call wait times come down. If they say no I'll just pay off my old phone and sell it on the used market and be done with this horrible upgrade plan.

AT&T's NEXT plan is in fact better. You aren't forced to have AppleCare and if after 12 months you no longer want an iPhone, you just give it back. With Apple's program you can give it back, but they'll charge you extra (because they give you a different price for your phone)

I tried that this past year and it did not work. (Joining the upgrade program for the first time)

 

[DustinJohns]

Your initial amount do is equal to 3 months payments and then the tax as well. I'm pretty sure that's correct.

That works out perfectly then for the credit card charges. I guess I'm still not understanding how a $749 phone ends up being $930 in total charges? I'm not refuting what they charged, I just wish they could lay it out easier.

 

[lenard]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

Paid Cash all in $799.56, same phone you are getting.....

 

[Tiltasauras]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

The extra would be for AppleCare, which is a requirement for the upgrade program.

 

[NBCGLX]

Here's what I'm pissed about. My husband has an iPhone under the Upgrade Program. He isn't interested in upgrading just yet. I am a new customer for the iPhone Upgrade Program. Got up at 3AM EDT and after a few minutes was able to get into the Apple site to start an order. Selected the phone and selected the carrier I wish to activate the phone on (AT&T in my case) and it wouldn't let me continue. It kept asking for existing AT&T information even though I'm not a customer of AT&T. I did choose the button that said, "I'd like to enroll," not the button that said I wanted to upgrade. Tried several times, even tried selecting the other carriers, and each time it kept asking me for existing carrier information (telephone #, name, last-4 of SSN). I'm not an existing customer of AT&T you **** of a website, Apple! How as anyone able to place an order for a NEW iPhone Upgrade Program phone?!?!

 

[happyslayer]

This happened to my family. My daughter can't get a phone yet because of only Rose Gold being available and she doesn't want that. So she has to wait until 9/16 and check every day which is lame. I am just starting the upgrade plan this year after my 2 year ATT commitment and my Jet Black 128 won't be here until 10-4 to 10-10 and this was at 12:04am when we could finally get on. Honestly, the worst pre-order ever. They should have waited until there was more available stock, I think. Same time getting the phone but less heartache and feeling "screwed" because we stayed up to order and got nothing or a three week delay barely 4 minutes into the preorder time

 

[lenard]

Its first come, first served, all controlled by computer...if your selection is available at the time
you place your order (the very last step (place order)) you get a ship date or if at a store that
does not have your selection any more, you would have to do another alternative.

 

[jon67]

Here is another aspect to the IUP gaffe. The program specifically states that you get an UNLOCKED iPhone. "Unlocked -- choose your carrier" is the feature. For me, last year, this was a great incentive, as it allowed me to finally detach my family from AT&T's outrageous pricing...knowing that if TMO's service failed I could switch over to VZ or even Sprint. However, the iPhone 7 isn't truly unlocked, because the TMO version is GSM-only. So I can't "choose my carrier" fully. IUP updaters should have been offered a truly unlocked iPhone, by not having to name the carrier associated with the reservation.

I thought (at 2:05 this morning) that I would be granted a reservation at my local Apple Store where I could work out all these issues with an Apple employee and walk out with the iPhone 7 of my choice. It was the least Apple could do, knowing that some customers would choose a model ("Sprint" or "VZ") that is fully "unlocked" as to carrier.

 

[Tiltasauras]

Apple is not going to give you an iPhone 7 until you return the iPhone 6 you bought, after you've made 12 payments, depending on when you entered the Apple Upgrade program,.

So the only way this works that you need to go into a Apple store and give Apple your iPhone 6 and pay any difference if necessary. Then they'll hand you a new iPhone 7..

They provided reservations to do this, that might not have been optimal and they may not have allocated enough stock to stores to do it effectively. Or perhaps there as a flaw in the system, every time there is an upgrade, there is never enough, get used to it... Does it really make that much difference whether you get that new Iphone on the 16th as opposed to a few days later.. There will be new stock at Apple Stores routinely.. I am assuming if your not near an Apple Store, you would still need to send your old iPhone to Apple before receiving your new iPhone 7

Sorry bud, but "November" and September 16th aren't a few days apart. Remember, that's an extra 2 months of payments and also puts you off schedule for next year. AND you have to keep checking stock every single day, you don't get to preorder at all!

An easy solution for them would be to let us order from the same stock that everyone else does, and those devices get shipped to the store, where you then pick it up and have your phone inspected.

If you guys don't get why we're upset then you're pretty dense, and if you think us complaining about it is whining, why the hell are you on this forum... FOR WHINING?!

Jesus

 

[jeffkempster]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

That is pretty confusing. I think it maybe just a mistake on the part of the citizens loan people. I was charged 124.74 and then credited 124.74 today. That is exactly 3 times the monthly charge 41.58 i was expecting.

According to the email apple should charge my CC the tax and citizens should charge my card the first month.

From email...
"Your credit card will be charged two separate transactions.
1) Any applicable shipping costs and sales tax will be paid to Apple. Sales tax will be calculated based on the full price of iPhone and on any other items in your order.
2) Your first monthly installment will be paid to Citizens One. After that, your credit card will be charged every month by Citizens One."

 

[Markarian421]

My question is basically why do you guys care so much?

Because we paid for it? You seem to have missed that point. We paid to be able to upgrade after a year and then through some glitch were locked out of the system that would have allowed us to upgrade after a year.

If Apple wants to give me a refund I'm fine with that.

 

[DustinJohns]

The extra would be for AppleCare, which is a requirement for the upgrade program.

Yes yes. Thank you! That adds up. I thought the AppleCare was included with it but you actually pay for it. That's a little deceiving but whatever. I would have paid for it anyways.
[doublepost=1473457590][/doublepost]

That is pretty confusing. I think it maybe just a mistake on the part of the citizens loan people. I was charged 124.74 and then credited 124.74 today. That is exactly 3 times the monthly charge 41.58 i was expecting.

According to the email apple should charge my CC the tax and citizens should charge my card the first month.

From email...
"Your credit card will be charged two separate transactions.
1) Any applicable shipping costs and sales tax will be paid to Apple. Sales tax will be calculated based on the full price of iPhone and on any other items in your order.
2) Your first monthly installment will be paid to Citizens One. After that, your credit card will be charged every month by Citizens One."

I was completely unaware that $129 for AppleCare was added in there. It was made to seem like a pro of signing up. Bundled protection. But you pay for it. Weird.

 

[jquebedeaux]

I'm more confused by the charges. I signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program this morning with Black iPhone 7 128GB. And my grand total was $930.

Free Shipping $0.00
Estimated Tax $52.68
Monthly Installments
(23 Remaining) $36.58

Initial Amount Due*
$89.26
Total Financed Via Citizens One $878.00
Total Amount $930.68

Does this even seem right? Then the charges on my card don't even reflect those numbers. Citizens charges me $109 and Apple charged me separately for the tax.

Looks right. It's just a test/pre auth? charge? If you look you should see $-109 after that. Mine has $109.74 and then -$109.74) on my CC for each of my phones. Looks about right, except due to my state / city tax, i'm having to pay 10% tax ($87.80) which Apple has already already taken for the first phone that is going to ship soon.

 

[netcastle]

Because we paid for it? You seem to have missed that point. We paid to be able to upgrade after a year and then through some glitch were locked out of the system that would have allowed us to upgrade after a year.

If Apple wants to give me a refund I'm fine with that.

Dude, you paid for a phone with the option to upgrade once certain conditions were met. You upgrade by depreciating your phone and paying for a new one. There was nothing in the agreement that gave you special status as someone who wants a new phone and nothing that guaranteed you would get one within a specific time frame. Know your contract.