only two per household?

[Macdude2010]

Just saw this thread and cancelled one of the watches I ordered. Now I only have two, just to make sure I called Apple online. They said that both watches that were still ordered were not flagged or being prepared for cancelation, so it looks like I'm good. They also told me I could order unlimited bands, which is good because I bought 5 extra.

 

[5105973]

Just saw this thread and cancelled one of the watches I ordered. Now I only have two, just to make sure I called Apple online. They said that both watches that were still ordered were not flagged or being prepared for cancelation, so it looks like I'm good. They also told me I could order unlimited bands, which is good because I bought 5 extra.

How about the one you canceled? Did you ask about it before you had canceled. I'm assuming it wasn't flagged in any way.

 

[5105973]

Was it the same credit card for all 4 orders? Same name? Same address? Same phone number? Did the orders go into processing before being canceled? What time did you order? What time were they canceled?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am just wondering because I need 3 watches and was going to order 2 and have my wife order 1. Thanks in advance!

Those are good questions. We needed 3 as well. One each for ourselves and the third as a gift. All were ordered under one Apple ID and one credit card and we kept wondering if we should have set me up with an Apple ID and used my credit card to have avoided trouble.

But now it seems moot. It seems they are not enforcing a limit of 2 per individual customer but trying to play detective about intentions and enforce a 2 per household limit. I don't really see this thwarting scalpers who are resourceful. I think it is slowing down people who didn't know what they wanted prior to the try-on appointments and ordered two or more to try out at home.

So much of this could have been avoided by rolling these out for try-one before the preorder. Sigh. And so much hassle could have been avoided spelling out the terms of the limit during purchase.

 

[Macdude2010]

How about the one you canceled? Did you ask about it before you had canceled. I'm assuming it wasn't flagged in any way.

They said if I didn't cancel it it would have eventually been flagged. I'd rather have control over which one gets canceled.

 

[VSMacOne]

They said if I didn't cancel it it would have eventually been flagged. I'd rather have control over which one gets canceled.

So they said to you that all of them are being looked at not just random ones? I'm still holding out on canceling my extra orders but I might give them a call tomorrow. I figured that by now their system would've flagged and cancelled all the extra orders if it was done automatically. What a crapshoot.

 

[charlituna]

has anyone heard more about the "only 2 watches per household for online pre-orders" thing?

Actually I believe it's two per apple ID, not household. If you are nervous about it, have one ID ship to the office if you can, rather than home. It is possible that limits could be geographically different. It might be 2 in the US but only 1 per ID on the UK. Not sure why they would do that but it is possible.

They had to do this to keep the resellers, who would have stood in line to snatch all the product, from doing it via online orders. And yes they are probably monitoring for things like 50 Apple IDs all having the same ship to address.

----------

It's almost mandatory that Apple follows their tradition of limiting availability.

That enables them to trumpet an announcement to the world that
their "SOLD OUT" in record time.

total pile of crap. Apple doesn't artificially limit so they can trumpet anything. Any limits are based on the simple math of how many units they can produce.

----------

The limit warning is not really advertised, I feel like it's a little unfair to retroactively limit to 2. They should have made it so you couldn't even order above the limit.

Given how fast orders were happening its possible that it was a fluke that you didn't get the warning. Especially if it was via the App.

Having them randomly cancel items is rather lousy. They should just notify you of the issue and tell you that you have 48 hours or whatever to pick what gets cancelled or they will put all of it on hold and they will go active whenever you do decide, which means that your order could be delayed for weeks/months. in other words, you order 5 watches right when they went on sale and get a delivery date of say April 24-30 on them. If you resolve the issue in that 48 hours you keep your arrival during that time. If you don't, your orders are on hold and when you finally get around to fixing the issue they go to the bottom of the list and might be a delivery date of Aug-Sept and there's no right to complain and get it moved back up.

 

[charlituna]

They defiantly have an automated system. Could be with CC#'s, shipping addresses, apple id's, etc.

Rumor has it the system may also be scanning for emails and apple ids associated with known scammers from the Genius Bar. Folks have been coming in with iPhone 6/6+ that don't power on because someone went in and removed the logic board. What they want with those I don't know. But it's happened enough that now all such models have to be opened and checked for removed parts. The emails associated with such denied phones are supposedly being check to see if they are placing Watch orders. same with emails that have been connected to a ton of iPhone purchases.

And legally Apple may be in the clear on any of these cancellations. Yeah its a nasty game but its possible they have every right to deny sales for whatever reason they want. Doesn't excuse any customer service rep being an asshat about it and frankly I don't see how they could have the right to ask a bunch of questions. If they want to cancel someone's order just do it and be done with it. Don't waste folks time with a bunch of questions that likely don't actually have an effect on things. It's not like the scammers aren't going to lie anyway and say yeah its for personal use. You have no way of knowing that I'm not married with 4 kids so of course I'll claim that if I think that it means you won't cancel or delay my order

----------

I think it was a mistake having the pre-orders a few hours BEFORE try on appointments. Many people ordered both sizes to try at home.

Try on appointments should have been the week before and I think there would have been far less extra orders.

Or folks could get off the ego trip of needing to have everything the moment it comes out and just waited to order. I mean it's a watch not a kidney. Veruca darling you won't die if you don't have it NOW

----------

Well, the thing is, they had plenty of time to prepare for how this should be introduced. They needed a solid communication and launch plan. They could have established best practices and guidelines for this months ago. Last year, even. Then, when the watches were ready to launch? Set the plan into action.

It's all weird.

This sort of thing gets said at very launch. There hasn't been a one that didn't have some kind of issue that they should have thought about ahead of time and had a plan for.

And every launch a bunch of folks get pissed cause they were hit by this or that and they talk about it all over and it seems like a big huge deal that maybe is not. And then it all blows over.

until the next launch.

The real joke is that it's just a watch, it's just a phone. It's not the end of world hunger or the cure to cancer. It's not going to instantly make you smarter, cooler, sexier etc because you got it first or at all. We don't need these things say alive or such. We want them. That folks are losing it over something like this says more about the degradation of our society than it does about Apple. If we as a people weren't so 'give me, give me now' about this kind of thing it wouldn't really matter if your order was held up or even cancelled. Its only our society's sense of entitlement and notion of self worth being tied to what fancy and expensive toys we have that makes this a big issue.

----------

This is what in wondering. I'm waiting to cancel any of my orders for now hoping that if I get flagged they will have the decency to email before they cancel. Otherwise it won't be a pleasant call that I will be making to customer service.

Great move. Call and be an utter jackass to some minimum wage call center schlub that had zero to do with the decision. Here's hoping you don't piss that person off and get all your orders canceled and your apple ids barred from placing online orders due to abusive behavior. Cause you know legally they can refuse service to anyone they want as long as they don't vocalize that it's cause you're in a protected class.

 

[Apollonian]

only two per household?

Look, no offense but I think that we are all aware that we are not going to die if we don't receive it at launch but what is wrong with having some enthusiasm for something. I get sick of people trying to "put things in perspective" for everyone else. Also these are items we are paying solid $$ for, I do have some expectations when I drop $1099 on an item.

 

[5105973]

They said if I didn't cancel it it would have eventually been flagged. I'd rather have control over which one gets canceled.

Good grief that's presumptuous of them.

 

[VSMacOne]

@charlituna you need to get off your high horse and chill with the name calling. I don't know about you, but I can have a conversation with somebody and show my disappointment without making threats and being a jerk.

Are you sure you don't work for Business Insider the way you twist my words?

 

[Apollonian]

@charlituna you need to get off your high horse and chill with the name calling. I don't know about you, but I can have a conversation with somebody and show my disappointment without making threats and being a jerk.

Agreed

 

[mac.cali]

I think many people have multiple single orders with one apple id. Wonder if they are going to honor those or flat out cancel them. I myself ordered via the iOS app and it didn't mention anywhere of a limit. Hopefully Apple honors them and not cancel them. I feel if you phone apple, you're brining attention to yourself which could lead to increased speculation of cancellation.

 

[5105973]

Look, no offense but I think that we are all aware that we are not going to die if we don't receive it at launch but what is wrong with having some enthusiasm for something. I get sick of people trying to "put things in perspective" for everyone else. Also these are items we are paying solid $$ for, I do have some expectations when I drop $1099 on an item.

I agree. As someone who just happened to be in the middle of this thread when I got the news my mom was just diagnosed with cancer, I got a quick dose of perspective again.

But I'd get sick if I let that news dominate my every waking moment. It will be at the forefront of enough horrible serious moments as I accompany her through this ordeal.

To balance out the bad I allow myself when I have the opportunity, to indulge in something frivolous and fun. And when a company makes some odd decisions and implements them in an undeniably upsetting manner and sucks out the fun and frivolity they promote...why not kvetch about it with likeminded people.

And yes, this is not the first time Apple has screwed up, and won't be the last, which begs the question of when will they learn from their mistakes. And the onus is on them as the merchant and on their executives whose exhorbitant salaries come in large part from our purchases, to provide the most sensible purchase experience. It is not on the customer to "temper their ego trip." Or their excitement and enthusiasm.

If they offer a preorder opportunity it should be sensibly managed to avoid rather easily predictable scenarios such as confused customers ordering extras to get the model they want without having to wait months beyond an official launch for something they really want. Really it's just basic common sense to predict that scenario especially when it just already happened with people unsure what sized IPhone was best for them. It is not rocket science to reflect on that experience and set up the preview appointments in advance of the opportunity to reserve the watch.

I saw just today a quote from Steve Jobs:
"Our DNA is as a consumer company - for that individual customer who's voting thumbs up or thumbs down. That's who we think about. And we think that our job is to take responsibility for the complete user experience. And if it's not up to par, it's our fault, plain and simply."

 

[AustinIllini]

I think many people have multiple single orders with one apple id. Wonder if they are going to honor those or flat out cancel them. I myself ordered via the iOS app and it didn't mention anywhere of a limit. Hopefully Apple honors them and not cancel them. I feel if you phone apple, you're brining attention to yourself which could lead to increased speculation of cancellation.

Theoretically, those take care of themselves, as each individual order gets in line.

 

[oogje]

I just cancelled a 38mm SS pink modern buckle (May 13 - May 27) and a 42mm SS classic buckle (4/24-5/8) so if you ordered one of the same and had a later date, you may move up a slot.

Those would have been in addition to two others so this thread definately influenced my decision to cancel rather than accept deliver and maybe keep them for developement or make them available to friends who ordered later.

My thanks to the thread starter and contributors.

 

[HenryDJP]

I think many people have multiple single orders with one apple id. Wonder if they are going to honor those or flat out cancel them. I myself ordered via the iOS app and it didn't mention anywhere of a limit.

While it doesn't mention on the purchase page (Limit 2 per person), it does however state verbatim on the purchasing page "By clicking Place Order, you accept and agree to all terms of Apple's Sales & refund Policy and Apple's Privacy Policy."

At the bottom of the screen is the "Apple Sales and Refund Policy". I clicked it and does state on the "Order Acceptance/Confirmation For Online and Call Center Purchases" section "Apple Store reserves the right at any time after receiving your order to accept or decline your order for any reason."

 

[5105973]

Oh they can say anything they want and most of it would stand up in court. That's not what this is about. It's about creating a positive customer experience to continue to set themselves apart from other companies that do hide behind their small print.

If they want to cover their butts in legalese instead of setting up a clear and visible policy at the time of purchase, fine. Let them turn against Steve Jobs' philosophy and become a big corporate bully and see everything Steve built for them sink back into the mediocrity he raised it all from.

Disappoint me enough times and I start exploring other options. If none exist well, I will survive without this product. That's preferable to lying down like a sheep and letting them run roughshod over me. I don't put up with that from any company and I won't put up with that from Apple no matter how much I've admired the company and its products in the past.

Again, though, I don't know how widespread this issue is or if my order will be affected. I've told my husband to cancel my order so that we don't risk his sister's birthday present. He says at this point he does not care about getting any of the watches as much as he wants to wait and see what Apple does. He is interested in where this company is going since Steve passed away because he has to make some business decisions that require trust and faith in Apple continuing their tradition of being non traditionally interested in customer satisfaction. He has some responses lined up if they do arbitrarily cancel one of our orders. Professional responses. As I said before, regardless of what happens to our order he will be discussing this issue with his Apple business contact.

He's read this thread and feels as badly as I do for what's happened to the people reporting in. Even so, we know that so far a handful of these cancellations out of the immense number of orders they got isn't really an alarming trend. Despite what it may seem like we are not having kittens over it all. But it's worth keeping an eye on.

 

[VSMacOne]

So I gave in and cancelled one of my 4 orders ;(
Now I only have the Silver and Space Gray 42 and Silver 38 coming. I'm thinking about keeping both the 42 for myself or maybe letting my wife have one of them instead of the 38.
Just hope Apple chills and stops this random order cancelation business. Yikes'

 

[JimGravina]

Let me chime in here.

I placed 5 different orders with 2 watches per order. I'm buying them for people I work with since I was the only one willing to stay up at 3am lol.

I used different Apple IDs but same credit card, same billing, same shipping.

On Saturday I received 2 separate order cancelation emails saying my orders have been canceled. However 3 orders remain. I started reading this thread and decided to call Apple.

They basically said if I used the same credit card and billing info the reaming orders will still be canceled but my first order WILL go through. Which is good cause the first order is the one i wanted for myself anyways. They said the fact that 2 were canceled and some still remain makes no difference, others will still be canceled. He did reiterate that my first order will be the only one that goes through. He also said manually canceling the other orders doesn't make a difference either.

Just thought I would share.

 

[appleboyy]

Actually I believe it's two per apple ID, not household. If you are nervous about it, have one ID ship to the office if you can, rather than home. It is possible that limits could be geographically different. It might be 2 in the US but only 1 per ID on the UK. Not sure why they would do that but it is possible.

I've got two ordered, since thats what it says i can order on the checkout..

 

[JLEW700]

So I gave in and cancelled one of my 4 orders ;(
Now I only have the Silver and Space Gray 42 and Silver 38 coming. I'm thinking about keeping both the 42 for myself or maybe letting my wife have one of them instead of the 38.
Just hope Apple chills and stops this random order cancelation business. Yikes'

This logic doesn't really make sense to me. Why would you think that the 4th would get cancelled but the 3rd wouldn't when the limit is 2? If you decided to cancel, then you probably should have cancelled 2 so that you only had 2 left, not 1 so that you have 3 left. Maybe I'm missing something though.

 

[VSMacOne]

This logic doesn't really make sense to me. Why would you think that the 4th would get cancelled but the 3rd wouldn't when the limit is 2? If you decided to cancel, then you probably should have cancelled 2 so that you only had 2 left, not 1 so that you have 3 left. Maybe I'm missing something though.

I guess I didn't really need the fourth. The 3 that are left I definitely need! Maybe if they see a cancelation they won't flag my account, right? lol. I just know that if they call me about the 3 I have left, I have valid reasons for them.

 

[JLEW700]

I guess I didn't really need the fourth. The 3 that are left I definitely need! Maybe if they see a cancelation they won't flag my account, right? lol. I just know that if they call me about the 3 I have left, I have valid reasons for them.

Just me, but I would think cancelling 1 would actually bring more attention to your account, I obviously have no idea since I don't work for Apple though. Also, apple doesnt care what your reasoning is. Based on what people who have had cancellations said, apple will cancel the watch of their choosing. They wont call you first, they will send you an email after. They really dont care what their paying customer has to say. I wish you all the best though because what they're doing is wrong.

 

[5105973]

I guess I didn't really need the fourth. The 3 that are left I definitely need! Maybe if they see a cancelation they won't flag my account, right? lol. I just know that if they call me about the 3 I have left, I have valid reasons for them.

Let's see, I'm giving Apple close to $2000 for a new first generation product that's gotten mixed reviews and that none of my peer group has shown any interest in whatsoever. There is no way in hell I would lower myself to explaining to them why I need to give them my hard earned money. Because I don't need to have this thing. And if they were to treat me that way there's no way in hell I would want to. Even for my sister in law...there are loads of other lovely gifts we could give her for close to the price of the Sport. Lol...maybe a Burberry scarf.

It was Apple's representative who was calling my husband repeatedly for weeks to convince him to get the watch and represent it to his contacts. My husband was ambivalent for weeks. He still is. He's got gorgeous watches he doesn't want to stop wearing. I'm really the enthusiast for this thing. But only so far and Apple can push me right off.

Yes, their launch appears to be successful and I don't think they'll miss us. But neither would we miss getting pooped on.

 

[VSMacOne]

Just me, but I would think cancelling 1 would actually bring more attention to your account, I obviously have no idea since I don't work for Apple though. Also, apple doesnt care what your reasoning is. Based on what people who have had cancellations said, apple will cancel the watch of their choosing. They wont call you first, they will send you an email after. They really dont care what their paying customer has to say. I wish you all the best though because what they're doing is wrong.

Let's see, I'm giving Apple close to $2000 for a new first generation product that's gotten mixed reviews and that none of my peer group has shown any interest in whatsoever. There is no way in hell I would lower myself to explaining to them why I need to give them my hard earned money. Because I don't need to have this thing. And if they were to treat me that way there's no way in hell I would want to. Even for my sister in law...there are loads of other lovely gifts we could give her for close to the price of the Sport. Lol...maybe a Burberry scarf.

It was Apple's representative who was calling my husband repeatedly for weeks to convince him to get the watch and represent it to his contacts. My husband was ambivalent for weeks. He still is. He's got gorgeous watches he doesn't want to stop wearing. I'm really the enthusiast for this thing. But only so far and Apple can push me right off.

Yes, their launch appears to be successful and I don't think they'll miss us. But neither would we miss getting pooped on.

Both valid points. I guess I'll cross that bridge if (when??) I get there. FWIW, this has been the most stressful pre-order process in my 7 year history with Apple. I've been pre-ordering every iPhone since 3GS on launch day and never had an experience quite like this.