Just Got A Call from Apple

[sirenized]

No, there is a section in there talking about subject to device availability IIRC. You don't understand the issue, nor do you want to, so why bother posting? You want to call people whiners, so do it.

EDIT: Let me add this analogy. Say you're on Verizon's upgrade plan where the promise is you can upgrade every 12 months. You can only upgrade through Verizon, not any other store. On launch day, Verizon decides to sell stock to everyone in the world, not just Verizon customers, knowing that you are locked in and have to pay them whether they provide you or not, and you don't get to upgrade for 2 more months. You are ok with that? I'm glad not all customers are such pushovers, retailers would have a field day screwing us all over.

So you’re complaining about not getting the phone when you want it. Subject to device availability at the moment is 5-6 weeks. Apple made you no promises. I’m hoping that you do not have to wait that long for your phone. However, and I’m assuming you have the 7 since you are in the program that you could have chosen to get the iPhone 8 since you have fulfilled your 12 months. You made the decision to wait for the X. You made the decision to pay for an additional month without benefit because you wanted a device that would be subject to availability. We all take risks. Sometimes it works out in our favor and other times we need to wait 2 months for a phone. It was a gamble.

 

[dolphin2421]

Yes, but when Apple decided to one-up the carriers and keep all the money they split with them by selling the device on their own installment plan, they BECAME a carrier when it comes to your device. You are locked in with Apple for 24 months, the same as you would be with Verizon. As someone who kept VZW unlimited until early this year, it was the main reason I went with the IUP- it doesn't affect your contract with Verizon because Apple is playing the role of carrier when it comes to your device contract. Now you have customers who are walled into Apple's little garden ten different ways and you can screw them over at your leisure. Super smart business move on their point, but I feel like it's going to cost them a lot of IUP members this coming year.

Yep, it cost them this one!

 

[ripper998]

LOL if you think just because your on IUP that your mother valuable to Apple. Aren’t they funded through some bank which you have the contract through? So Apple got their money. Stop being a bunch of self entitled whiney babies

 

[Hieveryone]

No it doesn’t

Well it could be a perk of the membership. I wouldn't mind and no I don't plan on joining the program. I prefer paying out right.

I've actually never had a problem with waiting for iPhones. I always seemed to get an order through.

I recently wanted an iPhone 8 sim free but they didn't have it so I got the att version but this was well after launch. I didn't mind.

 

[Baymowe335]

After the whole fiasco the other day I wound up e-mailing Tim Cook in disgust that the people with the upgrade option didn't stand a fair chance at getting the phone on release day since we couldn't get into the App. I told them by the time I got in it was 15 minutes past the hour and the earlier ship date was 11/17-24.

So today I get a call from Austin, Texas and I pick it up not knowing who it was. It was an assistant of Tim Cooks to speak to me about my experience. She went on to explain that it was because of the volume of people trying to get on, yada, yada... I said I understand that but I've purchased everyone version of the iPhone since the 3g and my wife and I have been a member of the upgrade program. I said for loyal customers such as myself and many of you, who purchase every version of the phone and have numerous other apple products that we should pretty much be guaranteed a phone on release day since we are the most loyal. It should be a perk of the program.

She agree'd and said she would pass on the information. She also said they would refund my first payment on the new phone once I make it. She said my date is one of the best ones right now and although she could not guarantee it there is a chance my phone will ship sooner.

Kinda nice to see them reach out to me so fast. I'm still annoyed but it is great customer service by Apple. The only thing that can make me 100% happy is to get me my phone on release day but she said there is no way for her to do that...

I own a lot of Apple shares...does that mean I should be "pretty much guaranteed a phone on release day" too? I've actually spent a lot more on Apple than you through the purchase of the shares and own a fraction of the company.

 

[USC_Gamecock]

After the whole fiasco the other day I wound up e-mailing Tim Cook in disgust that the people with the upgrade option didn't stand a fair chance at getting the phone on release day since we couldn't get into the App. I told them by the time I got in it was 15 minutes past the hour and the earlier ship date was 11/17-24.

So today I get a call from Austin, Texas and I pick it up not knowing who it was. It was an assistant of Tim Cooks to speak to me about my experience. She went on to explain that it was because of the volume of people trying to get on, yada, yada... I said I understand that but I've purchased everyone version of the iPhone since the 3g and my wife and I have been a member of the upgrade program. I said for loyal customers such as myself and many of you, who purchase every version of the phone and have numerous other apple products that we should pretty much be guaranteed a phone on release day since we are the most loyal. It should be a perk of the program.

She agree'd and said she would pass on the information. She also said they would refund my first payment on the new phone once I make it. She said my date is one of the best ones right now and although she could not guarantee it there is a chance my phone will ship sooner.

Kinda nice to see them reach out to me so fast. I'm still annoyed but it is great customer service by Apple. The only thing that can make me 100% happy is to get me my phone on release day but she said there is no way for her to do that...

Thanks for sharing this. Good read.

 

[dolphin2421]

I own a lot of Apple shares...does that mean I should be "pretty much guaranteed a phone on release day" too? I've actually spent a lot more on Apple than you through the purchase of the shares and own a fraction of the company.

IUP members have agreed to buy Apple's upgraded phone annually from Apple with AppleCare+. Congratulations on being a shareholder, but it's not the same thing. As a shareholder, however, you should be thrilled at IUP members' commitment and in my opinion willing to give those customers an even shot at getting a launch day delivery.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

That is nice that Apple did that for you, but I disagree that you should be entitled to a launch day phone since you are "loyal" to Apple.

However, you are right to complain that you weren't even given a fair chance to order due to issues with the app.

I dunno- if you stay up until midnight and are there at 12.01- you should get a phone before Apple tries to sell it at Best Buy or Target. i.e. a 1 minute rule for those that make the effort every year before they sell even 1 phone to 3rd parties.

Either that- or make the gap between preorder and sale longer. they should have opened pre ordered back in Septemeber to guage demand better.

 

[Baymowe335]

IUP members have agreed to buy Apple's upgraded phone annually from Apple with AppleCare+. Congratulations on being a shareholder, but it's not the same thing. As a shareholder, however, you should be thrilled at IUP members' commitment and in my opinion willing to give those customers an even shot at getting a launch day delivery.

I love all Apple customers, but my point is that nothing about timing is guaranteed in their membership and everyone has essentially the same rules. They did give customers a head start on ordering.

 

[Allyance]

I too am a shareholder, all I can do hope Apple continues to be innovative and profitable.

 

[Jimpilot]

Last year Apple got all us IUP folks phones on launch day. Mostly because we couldn’t get a phone like everyone else during preorder. This year they created a special preorder option so that as preorder opened all I had to do was hit one button.

Apple seems to care about us. I am wondering what they will do next year about the less than 12 months, it should be interesting. Wouldn’t surprise me if they gave you a waiver on the 12 months if you’re upgrading in Sept. They don’t have to, but I suspect they will. Shouldn’t matter to anyone not involved, but ...........

 

[dolphin2421]

I love all Apple customers, but my point is that nothing about timing is guaranteed in their membership and everyone has essentially the same rules. They did give customers a head start on ordering.

I understand nothing is guaranteed, of course. That's half the fun of this process. However, the head start they gave us actually proved to block us from getting a phone on launch day - and THAT is my source of disappointment. I stayed up until 12:01 so I could complete my upgrade, but for reasons I don't know (I'm sure there was a technical issue) I didn't get a place in line that I thought I would. So I'm disappointed. And since a big part of being an Apple customer revolves around the end-to-end experience, preventing disappointment would be a really good idea.

 

[bambooshots]

Yep, it cost them this one!

Doesn't really matter.

They still sold out of all their preorder units.

 

[iThink Apple]

Sorry but I think everyone should be equal, even of you jave spend $0 at Apple or $10,000. Plus if you get your phone in two weeks, who cares....there are a lot worst problems out there....

 

[jbachandouris]

I emailed them because my IUP was rejected.

Since there wasn’t any way to use IUP on a new line, it looked like I was trying to do a second IUP on the same line.

I didn’t get the rejection email until 4 hours later. Instead of requesting I choose a different payment option, they just canceled it.

I ordered using the AT&T Next program and it went through. December 11-18.

They did not call or email me.

 

[dolphin2421]

Doesn't really matter.

They still sold out of all their preorder units.

It may not matter to you, but my guess is it will matter to the folks who developed the IUP. It's a good business model that is currently backfiring in terms of customer satisfaction.

 

[Menel]

I understand your frustration, but everyone should be given equal opportunity of getting their iPhone on launch day, and that's what Apple did and did their best. Whether you bought every iPhone in the past or not, it doesn't mean your should be guaranteed something or given special treatment in return. That's called entitlement.

Its also understandable, that if you arent able/willing to pay for your phone direct, and instead, take a loan and go through the hassle of getting a bank to give you a loan, and pay Apple in your stead... that there could be delays and compliations.

 

[KL77]

So you’re complaining about not getting the phone when you want it. Subject to device availability at the moment is 5-6 weeks. Apple made you no promises. I’m hoping that you do not have to wait that long for your phone. However, and I’m assuming you have the 7 since you are in the program that you could have chosen to get the iPhone 8 since you have fulfilled your 12 months. You made the decision to wait for the X. You made the decision to pay for an additional month without benefit because you wanted a device that would be subject to availability. We all take risks. Sometimes it works out in our favor and other times we need to wait 2 months for a phone. It was a gamble.

I know this is a complicated subject for some and they want to just call names and make jokes. I'll break it down easily for you. Nobody here is whining they din't get a phone when they wanted it. We are stating, again and again, that by being members of the IUP, it was more difficult to get a phone this year than if we were not. It's why Apple is going to get sued a second year in a row, and no, a phone isn't a big deal before you even say it. It's strictly business on both sides. On Apple's side, it's a win-win. They have us locked into contracts, so there is no benefit to them to rush us the phone on launch day- we are paying whether we have it or not. They obviously shoved a LOT of units to carriers this year, so much so that people on Verizon were able to get launch day delivery 45 minutes after the Apple store went to delays. In doing this, they maximized profits and created an artificial scarcity for IUP members- there were tons of units, they were just allocated differently and in a manner that benefited them financially. Now, whether this was illegal or they would lose in court, who knows. I do know that the law firm that filed the motion last year was successful in getting Apple to make immediate changes. Even if a court didn't find it illegal that Apple artificially made it harder for their IUP members to upgrade, it's still wrong on an ETHICAL level. I hope you can understand where we are coming from- it was harder to upgrade this year BECAUSE we were IUP members, not in spite of it. This isn't even taking into account the fact that Apple suggested getting your pre-order ready a week ahead of time, which forced those that did to use the Apple Store app on their phone, which for many of us (not all), didn't even open up until 15 minutes into the launch.

 

[dolphin2421]

I know this is a complicated subject for some and they want to just call names and make jokes. I'll break it down easily for you. Nobody here is whining they din't get a phone when they wanted it. We are stating, again and again, that by being members of the IUP, it was more difficult to get a phone this year than if we were not. It's why Apple is going to get sued a second year in a row, and no, a phone isn't a big deal before you even say it. It's strictly business on both sides. On Apple's side, it's a win-win. They have us locked into contracts, so there is no benefit to them to rush us the phone on launch day- we are paying whether we have it or not. They obviously shoved a LOT of units to carriers this year, so much so that people on Verizon were able to get launch day delivery 45 minutes after the Apple store went to delays. In doing this, they maximized profits and created an artificial scarcity for IUP members- there were tons of units, they were just allocated differently and in a manner that benefited them financially. Now, whether this was illegal or they would lose in court, who knows. I do know that the law firm that filed the motion last year was successful in getting Apple to make immediate changes. Even if a court didn't find it illegal that Apple artificially made it harder for their IUP members to upgrade, it's still wrong on an ETHICAL level. I hope you can understand where we are coming from- it was harder to upgrade this year BECAUSE we were IUP members, not in spite of it. This isn't even taking into account the fact that Apple suggested getting your pre-order ready a week ahead of time, which forced those that did to use the Apple Store app on their phone, which for many of us (not all), didn't even open up until 15 minutes into the launch.

Thank you for stating the issue so eloquently.

 

[KL77]

Its also understandable, that if you arent able/willing to pay for your phone direct, and instead, take a loan and go through the hassle of getting a bank to give you a loan, and pay Apple in your stead... that there could be delays and compliations.

You're right, us po' folk are lucky to even have a phone to ring someone up on. On a serious note, whether I have 50k in the bank or 5 dollars, I always take 0 percent financing. A dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow, didn't anyone ever teach you that rich guy?

 

[ics55]

I believe it's tcook@apple.com. I wouldn't even bother, unless you appreciate being paid lip service. He isn't responding, it's a PR shill who is going to say "sorry it happened, we value your feedback, but we can't do anything this year and will take it into consideration next year. oh you also can upgrade at the same time next year by just paying 3 extra payments to catch up to the release date". Saved you some time.

I have to disagree. They are not PR people. Over the many years I have been buying Apple products, I've done this twice in instances where I believed that a breakdown of an Apple process caused me a problem. In both instances, I received a call in less than 24 hours, and in both instances, they expedited an order for me for a product that was in high demand. Apple is one of a handful of companies that actually follows up when you email an exec. They are far from perfect, but they should get kudos for doing it.

 

[kappy94]

I understand your frustration, but everyone should be given equal opportunity of getting their iPhone on launch day, and that's what Apple did and did their best. Whether you bought every iPhone in the past or not, it doesn't mean your should be guaranteed something or given special treatment in return. That's called entitlement.

Customer loyalty earns entitlement.... Idiotic. There should ANY form of appreciation for being in iUP. Should be a VIP club with perks like guaranteed launch day stock, maybe personal specialist who calls to place order for you, etc

 

[Dmal99]

Actually I'm in the IUP and I didn't find it much harder than normal. The X was my fourth upgrade. I got a November 3rd date for my iphone x 256gb silver, i got in at 3:08 because I kept killing and reloading fast enough to hurt my thumb - the same thing I would have done if not in the IUP BUT i had an advantage BECAUSE of the IUP. Which is....

Frankly, the fact that the IUP users get pre-approved and simply have to wake up, hit submit order, and go back to sleep, gives us as much of an advantage as Apple is willing to offer. A reward for loyalty even though its not a loyalty program, if you will. If Apple gave IUP users a bigger advantage, everyone would join and it would just be the same as not having an IUP at all.

I understand the OP's frustration, and I have emailed Tim Cook many times before, like when they delayed JUST the space gray 38mm watch. Now THAT was an actual issue. Unfortunately, just know that there were IUP users who got the Nov 3 date like me, it wasn't some failure of the App or website, you just couldn't get a slot due to so many people trying to get in. To be honest, I even guess the IUP has separate stock put aside JUST for the IUP because if no one in the IUP got launch stock not many people would ever do it, if for no other reason than it would cost another payment. Really, though, many IUP users are early adoption fanatics like me.

IUP users already have a slight advantage due to pre-approval, which lets us check out fast that we don't waste 5 mins of dwindling stock filling out BS, and we have a low risk of getting a 404 error when we go to the next page of filling out forms because there's only one page to go to. I consider that a benefit, and it has worked for me four times already and gotten me four launch day phones. Good luck to you OP, I hope it comes early.

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

Is IUP a loyalty program? I thought it was just a finance program for people who don't want to or can't fork over full freight for an iPhone every September(ish). Very few NEED a new phone every year. It's a luxury, not a necessity.
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Customer loyalty earns entitlement.... Idiotic. There should ANY form of appreciation for being in iUP. Should be a VIP club with perks like guaranteed launch day stock, maybe personal specialist who calls to place order for you, etc

I can get behind this! However, if some woman calls my house at 2:00am looking for me and my wife is going to be none to happy.

 

[kappy94]

Yep, it cost them this one!

No risk whatsoever, you can sell the phone at anytime to pay the loan and you can trade in to wipe out the loan too. There's no risk, risk would be an ETF.