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Past experience online at midnight

C

conklaven

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 10, 2014
100
8
I was just curious for those of you who have preordered before. Have you ever been online at midnight pst (3am EST) and were unsuccessful in getting a phone ordered before they pushed back the delivery?

Also Are you able to preorder more than one phone?
 
Pretty sure the limit for preorder is two devices per person at first.
 
I've had pre-orders get pushed back - stuff happens, but at least it was in the queue and I didn't have to wait too long.

On the flip side, I saw people's pre-orders on the iPhone 5 be pushed back, and yet I was able to walk into a VZW store a few days (week? I forget) and get an iPhone 5 before some of those pre-orders ship.
 
Also if you preorder it tonight and do get hit with a backorder... are we taking about days? or weeks?
 
I would think if you're online at 3AM and don't get in on the first batch, you'll get one the second week after launch.

I've never been online to preorder at 3AM and not gotten one on the first day, though.
 
It's a madhouse.

Be sure you've got everything in order with your carrier (I keep mine current) because any little thing and they won't process your order.

After two years of sheer complacency, this launch will sure to be fraught with lots of problems and angry buyers.

Apple is so conservative they throw up lots of hurdles to clear. Do yourself a favor, buy from your carrier. They are more interested in keeping you happy.
 
I've ordered at 3AM every year starting with the 4S. I've always gotten my phone on launch day (even last year ordering a gold 5S). The 4S and 5 launches were a bit rough, but I still got through in enough time. Last year was a breeze using the Apple Store app. I had my phone order completed by 3:03AM.
 
I did the 3am wake-up thing for the 5 to order from Verizon's site. No problems and got my phone on launch day. The most stressful part of the entire process is obsessively checking your order status to make sure you don't get pushed back to second shipment #1stworldproblems.
 
It's insanity. I've been online for every preorder well in advance of it actually going live, and last year I ended up being bumped back to 10/21, IIRC, despite getting my preorder in right at 3. The problem is that I didn't want a 16 GB space grey, which were available in abundance everywhere. Grrrr.

I finally ended up using that bot that crawled Apple's inventory and finding a 64 GB gold, which is what I originally wanted, about 2 hours away in early October. Last year's launch was a total cluster****.
 
I've ran the gauntlet on Apple online pre-ordering.

iPhone 4 - worst experience - ending up accidentally ordering 2 due to lack of updates from AT&T's online store. But, after a lengthy queue wait with AT&T customer service I got my ducks in a row and had my iPhone 4 2 days before launch day.

iPad 3 - Did it on my MacBook, I think this one took place at Noon (PST) instead of Midnight (PST). The store was SLAMMED. Received my iPad on launch day.

iPhone 5 - By far the easiest experience I've ever had. Woke up, opened the Apple Store app. Entered my AT&T info and had my payment info and work address saved to ship to. Bing-bang-boom. I was back to bed by 3:15. Received my iPhone 5 on launch day and was the envy of my coworkers.

This time around I've told a few coworkers about how smooth my last experience was and may have jinxed myself... Nevertheless, no matter how you go about ordering. If you get it in tomorrow morning, you should be alright.

I'm just looking forward to the NSA-esque techniques we'll all use to track the planes that'll inevitably end up in Lexington, KY until sometime next week :cool:

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Blueline29 said:
It's insanity. I've been online for every preorder well in advance of it actually going live, and last year I ended up being bumped back to 10/21, IIRC, despite getting my preorder in right at 3. The problem is that I didn't want a 16 GB space grey, which were available in abundance everywhere. Grrrr.

I finally ended up using that bot that crawled Apple's inventory and finding a 64 GB gold, which is what I originally wanted, about 2 hours away in early October. Last year's launch was a total cluster****.
Click to expand...

IIRC, iPhone 5S didn't have a preorder. Am I wrong?
 
BenoftheDead said:
IIRC, iPhone 5S didn't have a preorder. Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

You're right; I misspoke. I meant "order." I placed my order as soon as they went live and still got my delivery date pushed waaaaaaaay back. Preorders *might* have helped that situation, but I think it was more an issue of a gross lack of supply, not near enough to meet demand.
 
conklaven said:
I was just curious for those of you who have preordered before. Have you ever been online at midnight pst (3am EST) and were unsuccessful in getting a phone ordered before they pushed back the delivery?

Also Are you able to preorder more than one phone?
Click to expand...
Nope. I'm normally still awake at midnight PT and have never had an issue getting the phone I want. That said, last year, the Gold models were already ships in 3-5 business days when I checked and they quickly went to ships in 1-3 weeks. Meanwhile, every other model was still showing shipping in 24 hours.
 
I've had a variety of experiences ordering either on Apple's Website, AT&T's website or AT&T Premier's website. They have all generally sucked and been a total nightmare.

My most recent experience, last year with the 5S using AT&T's Premier website, I was unable to get an order to go through at midnight—I tried for 2.5 hours. I went to bed and tried it again in the morning at 7AM.

My order went though, and my phone came on launch day. Don't stress about it.
 
Question:

What exactly do we WANT to see in the shipping field? As in, what text denotes that there is no delay in shipping and we should get it launch day?
 
jmann said:
I've had a variety of experiences ordering either on Apple's Website, AT&T's website or AT&T Premier's website. They have all generally sucked and been a total nightmare.

My most recent experience, last year with the 5S using AT&T's Premier website, I was unable to get an order to go through at midnight—I tried for 2.5 hours. I went to bed and tried it again in the morning at 7AM.

My order went though, and my phone came on launch day. Don't stress about it.
Click to expand...
Wait, so they delivered it on the same day? As far as I recall, they didn't do 5S preorders last year. They only allowed orders right on launch day.
 
Jman13 said:
I've ordered at 3AM every year starting with the 4S. I've always gotten my phone on launch day (even last year ordering a gold 5S). The 4S and 5 launches were a bit rough, but I still got through in enough time. Last year was a breeze using the Apple Store app. I had my phone order completed by 3:03AM.
Click to expand...

There was no pre-order for the 5S.
 
Last edited:
For the 5s release, I was on Apple's website right at midnight, chose the options I wanted, and checked out without issue. If I remember correctly, my order was placed at or around 12:08 A.M. PDT.
 
rui no onna said:
Wait, so they delivered it on the same day? As far as I recall, they didn't do 5S preorders last year. They only allowed orders right on launch day.
Click to expand...

It wasn't the same day, but it came at the same time as all the others who ordered online at midnight. I forget the exact timing. My point is, even if your order doesn't go through right at midnight, there's still a chance you'll get it in a timely fashion. :)
 
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