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Ordered MBP from Apple.com with "Next Day Shipping"

H

Hrothgar

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
530
23
New York
Laptop ordered from Apple.com on 12/22. Extra money paid for "Next Day Shipping."
Receipt says unit should ship in 1 - 3 days and be delivered between December 29 and January 3.

First call to Apple: "I paid for next day shipping."
"Yes, but your computer is a special order, we have to build it from the ground up."
"But I paid for next day shipping."
"Yes, but we don't keep special order units in stock. We need to build it before we can ship it."
"But I paid for next day shipping. That's pretty much it isn't it? You said I could get next day shipping if I pay extra, I paid extra, and I'm not getting it the next day."
"Because we need to build it."
"So, what is 'next day' about the shipping."
"When it ships, it will go Federal Express."
"So, next day shipping means that when you get around to shipping it, you'll send it overnight?"
"Yes."

Shipping notice comes on 12/26. Estimated delivery date: 12/29.

Second call to Apple. "I paid for next day shipping on 12/22. The unit shipped on 12/26, but it says it wont be delivered until 12/29."
"Yes, it has to come from China."
"Sure, but why does it say 'next day shipping' if it was shipped the next day or delivered the day after it was shipped?"
"We needed to build the unit special order. Special orders can't ship in a day."
"But I paid for next day shipping. Apple's website has an option for next day shipping. People assume 'next day' means 'next day'."
"Yes, but the unit is coming from China. It's the next business day."
"It shipping on 12/26. What is the next day after 12/26."
"It's . . ."
"12/27. 12/27 is the next day after 12/26, right?"
"Yes."
"But I'm not going to get my unit until 12/29. That's not the next day, is it?"
"No."
"This is pretty easy stuff isn't it? Next day means next day. It's nice to know that Apple is the new Microsoft."
 
Hrothgar said:
Laptop ordered from Apple.com on 12/22. Extra money paid for "Next Day Shipping."
Receipt says unit should ship in 1 - 3 days and be delivered between December 29 and January 3.

First call to Apple: "I paid for next day shipping."
"Yes, but your computer is a special order, we have to build it from the ground up."
"But I paid for next day shipping."
"Yes, but we don't keep special order units in stock. We need to build it before we can ship it."
"But I paid for next day shipping. That's pretty much it isn't it? You said I could get next day shipping if I pay extra, I paid extra, and I'm not getting it the next day."
"Because we need to build it."
"So, what is 'next day' about the shipping."
"When it ships, it will go Federal Express."
"So, next day shipping means that when you get around to shipping it, you'll send it overnight?"
"Yes."

Shipping notice comes on 12/26. Estimated delivery date: 12/29.

Second call to Apple. "I paid for next day shipping on 12/22. The unit shipped on 12/26, but it says it wont be delivered until 12/29."
"Yes, it has to come from China."
"Sure, but why does it say 'next day shipping' if it was shipped the next day or delivered the day after it was shipped?"
"We needed to build the unit special order. Special orders can't ship in a day."
"But I paid for next day shipping. Apple's website has an option for next day shipping. People assume 'next day' means 'next day'."
"Yes, but the unit is coming from China. It's the next business day."
"It shipping on 12/26. What is the next day after 12/26."
"It's . . ."
"12/27. 12/27 is the next day after 12/26, right?"
"Yes."
"But I'm not going to get my unit until 12/29. That's not the next day, is it?"
"No."
"This is pretty easy stuff isn't it? Next day means next day. It's nice to know that Apple is the new Microsoft."
Click to expand...

This why I always order through a customer service rep and not through the internet site. You can ask the pertinent questions before making any decisions. :)
 
I feel sorry for the Apple rep. I mean I get that the "next day shipping" is misleading though please give it a few days if you ordered a BTO.
 
Next day shipping means the fastest shipping service available after they give it to FedEx or UPS. It doesn't mean they build your custom computer in a day.
 
well, you can't expect a BTO mac to ship the same day you order it and be delivered the next day. They don't keep stock of BTO's, they have to make them. However after your computer is built it certainly should have been next day shipping. ie. if it shipped out yesterday, you should receive it today. I would call again to complain about that. Next day shipping does not mean 3 day shipping. However at the same time, you can't count "build" days for your BTO mac as "ship" days.
 
Kendo said:
Next day shipping means the fastest shipping service available after they give it to FedEx or UPS. It doesn't mean they build your custom computer in a day.
Click to expand...

This. Next day shipping means it will ship that way when it's ready to ship.
Of you order a custom spec machine, they have to make it.

No sympathy for the OP at all on this. OP is being an immature bully to the Apple rep who is just trying to do their job.
 
Next Day Shipping is exactly that... I ordered a MacBook Pro on the 20th from the apple online store. It was late so the packing and shipping started on the 21st. It shipped overnight and was here the 22nd.

FedEx doesn't pick up items in the middle of the night nor do they work on Sunday. That factors into the whole shipping. It takes a while to get an item from China which is why you should NEVER get Apple to do the RAM or HDD upgrades.

You are getting exactly what you paid for so I don't see the point in hassling the CSRs repeatedly over this issue.
 
^^ you guys obviously didn't read.

Yes I agree, BTO doesn't mean it will ship the same day and be delivered the next day. However, if he ordered on 12/22, and his computer had a ship date of 12/26 (yesterday) why is his estimated delivery on 12/29 (thursday).

Last I checked, monday to thursday is not "overnight"
 
We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. To me, "Next Day Shipping" means "Next Day Shipping," and nothing else. I don't think I've ever ordered anything on-line with next day shipping and not received it the next business day -- or gotten an apology and refund of the extra shipping cost. Certainly, on Amazon, two-day shipping and next day shipping means the day after placing the order, doesn't it? (I should have noted that Apple did refund the extra cost of next day shipping.) If you can't do next day shipping, just don't offer it. It's that simple.

I didn't know that my computer was a special order. A 15" MBP with 8gb ram and a 7200 rpm hard-drive seems to me a pretty standard configuration. It didn't occur to me that Apple would only stock one or two configs of each size and that everything else was special order. (Imagine walking into Best Buy and being told you could walk out with the 40" Samsung LED xxx, but every other size & model is a special order.) I still find it hard to believe that, given the number of units I expect Apple will sell over the holidays, it doesn't stock a sufficient inventory of basic models. But that's fine. I don't care how Apple handles its inventory. But if Apple knows it can't overnight a unit, don't offer "Next Day Shipping." Or, make it explicit at the time of ordering that "Next Day Shipping" means the day after we build the unit, which is 2 or 3 days from now.

My order also included some iPod speakers, which were in-stock. Next Day Shipping from Thursday, 12/22 is -- to me -- Friday 12/23. The speakers arrived 12/27 (Of course, 12/26 was a holiday). Minor, yes, but it would have been nice to have it for Christmas (which is why I paid for next day shipping).

And, as noted, my next day shipping MBP shipped on 12/26 but isn't scheduled to arrive until 12/29. (Who knows, maybe it will arrive today.)

The customer service reps shouldn't have had to deal with my snarkiness. They were polite and as helpful as they could have been under the circumstances.
 
Apple has prebuilt systems with specific specs that they send out to all of their Apple Stores and retailers. If you want to build outside of those specs, then they typically have to have the machine built in China and then send it from there.

We can argue all day long on how language is used, but one day shipping to me means it takes one day from when the item is shipped to get to me. As it says, "One day SHIPPING". Doesn't say one day processing, packaging and shipping.

As you mentioned in your OP, the site told you it'd take 1-3 days to ship from their factory then you have to also factor in the one day for shipping.

If the item didn't get to you from China in one day after it was shipped, then I'd ask for a refund for sure.
 
I think the problem here is the term "shipping". It does not say "Next Day Delivery", does it? Therefore, once the MBP is built it is shipped the next day, yet the actual shipping process might take a few days before it's delivered.

Still, I'm puzzled why Apple has included this option in their order process, it only confuses customers as to what the benefit actually is. Maybe you should go into a store and ask an Apple rep?
 
the only other thing I can add to this "discussion" is:

"first world problems".

I hope the computer is everything you hoped it would be. I'd hate to be the Apple rep who has to take your call after the next day shipping "fiasco" and you find an issue with your new computer.

"my computer was late and the logic board is being rude!"
 
Hrothgar said:
I didn't know that my computer was a special order. A 15" MBP with 8gb ram and a 7200 rpm hard-drive seems to me a pretty standard configuration. It didn't occur to me that Apple would only stock one or two configs of each size and that everything else was special order. (Imagine walking into Best Buy and being told you could walk out with the 40" Samsung LED xxx, but every other size & model is a special order.) I still find it hard to believe that, given the number of units I expect Apple will sell over the holidays, it doesn't stock a sufficient inventory of basic models. But that's fine. I don't care how Apple handles its inventory. But if Apple knows it can't overnight a unit, don't offer "Next Day Shipping." Or, make it explicit at the time of ordering that "Next Day Shipping" means the day after we build the unit, which is 2 or 3 days from now.
Click to expand...
Yes, your mac is BTO... the only macs they keep in stock are the preconfigured models on the apple website. Anytime you upgrade your hdd or ram, you are getting a BTO mac and it will take time for apple to make it. Next day shipping in this case would be next day after it's shipped, not after it's ordered. You need to allow them a few days to configure your mac as your ordered.
 
OP has no comprehension of how things work in life. The fact that he upgraded RAM through Apple shows he has no idea what he's doing in the first place. Good to know he's at least passing the time by harassing CS reps.
 
pat park said:
the only other thing I can add to this "discussion" is:

"first world problems".

I hope the computer is everything you hoped it would be. I'd hate to be the Apple rep who has to take your call after the next day shipping "fiasco" and you find an issue with your new computer.

"my computer was late and the logic board is being rude!"
Click to expand...

I was going to call Apple and complain that Siri was worthless, but I'll let them have that little fantasy a little while longer.

And since when is not getting what you paid for a "first world problem." (Putting aside the disagreement over what "Next Day Shipping" means to a customer)
 
MovieCutter said:
OP has no comprehension of how things work in life. The fact that he upgraded RAM through Apple shows he has no idea what he's doing in the first place. Good to know he's at least passing the time by harassing CS reps.
Click to expand...

when you pay $200 for 8GB RAM that you can purchase for $40, I'd be upset too.

Oh wait...
 
When you place an order and it says "next day shipping" It should ship on the next business day when shipping occurs. Dosent matter if its a customer order item or not. I understand the difference between next day delivery and next dy shipping. To me next day shipping means that If I order it on tuesday, it'll ship on wednesday, and I will have it sometime in the next 3-5 business days.
 
Hrothgar said:
I was going to call Apple and complain that Siri was worthless, but I'll let them have that little fantasy a little while longer.

And since when is not getting what you paid for a "first world problem." (Putting aside the disagreement over what "Next Day Shipping" means to a customer)
Click to expand...

1- you paid $200 for RAM that would have cost you $40
2- you went online, posted about your entire exchange and have gotten little in the way of sympathy. If you had a legit issue, more people would come to your defense.
3-you really seem like the type to argue over semantics and not look at the real issue at hand. This is a defense mechanism, maybe now you realize that the issue is not really a problem, but just your perception (or more accurately, mis-perception of how things really work in the real world).

First world problem arguing about next day shipping, going online and posting it on a public forum, I'd say these are all first world issues that someone in a third world country is not experiencing.

You have a great computer on the way, you obviously have money. Please spare us this continued insight into how your "mind" works. You obviously are disconnected from the rest of us.

Good luck and please don't trip out if you get a minor issue with your computer. Again, I go back to my previous post and say " I feel for the next Apple rep that has to deal with you, because you are not prepared to be reasonable at any level"
 
contrary to what a lot of replies have said...I applaud the OP for being vigilant and standing up for what he believes in. He wasn't being a bully...he was pointing out exactly what he expected as per what he was led to believe...Period.

I (once upon a time) had these same conversations with customer support (not apple) over various things I have ordered through the years. I now realize "how things work in the real world" and never order overnight or next day shipping unless it's "in stock" and a critical "need".

...point being...You paid for it! They need to deliver. They obviously did not deliver as promised/agreed/paid. You should be demanding to get the "next day" part of the charge immediately refunded if you haven't done so already. You were right to question this! Don't let this go like most everyone else here (I suspect) would have.

To everyone else who said he's bullying. Unfortunately, we now live in a complacent "roll over" world. Acceptance of "status quo". This is what makes the mighty the meek IMO.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
DitDah said:
contrary to what a lot of replies have said...I applaud the OP for being vigilant and standing up for what he believes in. He wasn't being a bully...he was pointing out exactly what he expected as per what he was led to believe...Period.

I (once upon a time) had these same conversations with customer support (not apple) over various things I have ordered through the years. I now realize "how things work in the real world" and never order overnight or next day shipping unless it's "in stock" and a critical "need".

...point being...You paid for it! They need to deliver. They obviously did not deliver as promised/agreed/paid. You should be demanding to get the "next day" part of the charge immediately refunded if you haven't done so already. You were right to question this! Don't let this go like most everyone else here (I suspect) would have.

To everyone else who said he's bullying. Unfortunately, we now live in a complacent "roll over" world. Acceptance of "status quo". This is what makes the mighty the meek IMO.
Click to expand...

just another opinion. Good thing we can all speak our mind.

I've worked in customer service, sales and over the years figured out that some people will never be satisfied. Some people are looking for arguments, something to fight about. They see an opening and they go for it. They attack.

Remember, this all started from the OP's misconception of next day shipping.

He berated an Apple sales rep because he didn't comprehend how BTO works. Also, being the last week of the year, just after Christmas, may have something to do with additional delays here and there. Roll over? certainly not, but attack a company and it's people when you're wrong in the first place? I will have NO part of that.

That's just crazy.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hrothgar said:
I didn't know that my computer was a special order. A 15" MBP with 8gb ram and a 7200 rpm hard-drive seems to me a pretty standard configuration. It didn't occur to me that Apple would only stock one or two configs of each size and that everything else was special order. (Imagine walking into Best Buy and being told you could walk out with the 40" Samsung LED xxx, but every other size & model is a special order.) I still find it hard to believe that, given the number of units I expect Apple will sell over the holidays, it doesn't stock a sufficient inventory of basic models. But that's fine. I don't care how Apple handles its inventory. But if Apple knows it can't overnight a unit, don't offer "Next Day Shipping." Or, make it explicit at the time of ordering that "Next Day Shipping" means the day after we build the unit, which is 2 or 3 days from now.
Click to expand...

When I go to the website, and select a custom configuration, it says "Ships: 1-3 business days." Maybe this is not completely clear, but this means that it takes 1-3 business days to assemble the unit, and then it will ship. Then, if you purchase next day shipping, you can expect to receive it 2-4 business days after ordering.

This is even more clear when you place the item in the cart, where it says "Available to ship in 1-3 business days." Then, once you enter your Zip code and select the shipping method, it actually tells you when to expect it.

Now, the shipping notice is 12/26. From here, since you paid for next day shipping, it should arrive today. I'm not sure how much this is messed up by the holidays, but I would keep my eye out for the delivery guy.
 
thundersteele said:
When I go to the website, and select a custom configuration, it says "Ships: 1-3 business days." Maybe this is not completely clear, but this means that it takes 1-3 business days to assemble the unit, and then it will ship. Then, if you purchase next day shipping, you can expect to receive it 2-4 business days after ordering.

This is even more clear when you place the item in the cart, where it says "Available to ship in 1-3 business days." Then, once you enter your Zip code and select the shipping method, it actually tells you when to expect it.

Now, the shipping notice is 12/26. From here, since you paid for next day shipping, it should arrive today. I'm not sure how much this is messed up by the holidays, but I would keep my eye out for the delivery guy.
Click to expand...

Bingo. We have a winner and it is not the OP.
 
DitDah said:
contrary to what a lot of replies have said...I applaud the OP for being vigilant and standing up for what he believes in. He wasn't being a bully...he was pointing out exactly what he expected as per what he was led to believe...Period.

I (once upon a time) had these same conversations with customer support (not apple) over various things I have ordered through the years. I now realize "how things work in the real world" and never order overnight or next day shipping unless it's "in stock" and a critical "need".

...point being...You paid for it! They need to deliver. They obviously did not deliver as promised/agreed/paid. You should be demanding to get the "next day" part of the charge immediately refunded if you haven't done so already. You were right to question this! Don't let this go like most everyone else here (I suspect) would have.
Click to expand...

you need to re-read where the OP was confused and did not understand the BTO and next day shipping process. He ordered a custom built to order machine, it needs to be built. The order process shows this to the buyer on the site - the OP did not see it or (most likely) did not understand it.

Apple did nothing wrong here. The OP misinterpreted the actual shipping dates and berated an Apple rep for it.

There is nothing to defend here, other than a bully who has no real connection with reality. The more he posts about it, the more he makes it more obvious.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I agree with the OP.

"Next day shipping" = I expect to have it the next day, at least after the day it ships.
 
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