iPhone 17 Pro PSA: It’s SO much easier to pay the $9 delivery

[FlyingTexan]

I’d bought my 17pro and chose to have it delivered which UPS normally shows up after 6pm to my home. They showed up at 11am, I was working, no notifications or anything, found the sticker on my door. Went online to UPS and had them return to sender. Saturday hopped online and found what I wanted then ordered and paid $9 to have it delivered. Apple sent a text saying it should be at my door at 12:08pm. At 12:07pm the guy arrived.

Uber delivery for a phone is the best thing since sliced bread. I’m in Houston and the Apple Store is a nightmare of getting there, finding parking, waiting 2hrs in line, etc. This was so quick and effortlessly easy it’s finally an Apple step in the right direction. I HIGHLY recommend just paying the small fee and having it quickly. I’d have spent that on gas.

 

[gigapocket1]

I’d bought my 17pro and chose to have it delivered which UPS normally shows up after 6pm to my home. They showed up at 11am, I was working, no notifications or anything, found the sticker on my door. Went online to UPS and had them return to sender. Saturday hopped online and found what I wanted then ordered and paid $9 to have it delivered. Apple sent a text saying it should be at my door at 12:08pm. At 12:07pm the guy arrived.

Uber delivery for a phone is the best thing since sliced bread. I’m in Houston and the Apple Store is a nightmare of getting there, finding parking, waiting 2hrs in line, etc. This was so quick and effortlessly easy it’s finally an Apple step in the right direction. I HIGHLY recommend just paying the small fee and having it quickly. I’d have spent that on gas.

I feel like I’ve heard stories of the drivers keeping the product…

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

I feel like I’ve heard stories of the drivers keeping the product…

I live in a metro area and have done this a ton. You have to sign for delivery so while it’s never happened to me there are some assurances. I’ve even received the wrong product cause I just assumed it was right (bags are taped up with your name on it) but a trip to the Apple store fixed it which is the worst case scenario cause Apple support will not help with local deliveries.

Biggest issue was one that was my fault. I ordered an iMac for delivery, had an emergency and missed the driver. They called me and I asked if they could deliver it later and I would tip them well. He agreed and we coordinated later that day so he still got the delivery+way more than the initial delivery charge.

 

[thatJohann]

Don't do it. I went thru hell when I tried that. My uber driver stole my iphone and it was a nightmare to get it all settled. Never trying that service again.

 

[gigatoaster]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-courier-ubereats-stole-2-macbooks-i-ordered-apple-will-not-help.2441932/

 

[thecautioners]

It’s worth it if you get an honest delivery person, but if you don’t… oof.

 

[crouch]

I live in a metro area and have done this a ton. You have to sign for delivery so while it’s never happened to me there are some assurances.

Ditto. I’ve done this for years for a number of products, including iPhones, and have NEVER run into an issue. Very safe, and very fast. Highly recommended!

 

[turbineseaplane]

I did that when I got my Mac Mini M4

It was worth every single penny to avoid driving over to the Mall and going in and dealing with the Apple Store "experience".

 

[4sallypat]

I did that when the 14+ I ordered for delivery got messed up (UPS arrived 2 hours after business closed).

Paid $7 back then for Uber delivery that evening at home - exactly on time too!

Well worth the cost - cheaper than Uber Eats!

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-courier-ubereats-stole-2-macbooks-i-ordered-apple-will-not-help.2441932/

Lots of issues with that thread which might be because of the country or other differences so while providing a link is good for awareness it's not the process in the large city I'm in the US. The main one being the purchaser never signed for receiving the product which should have been an easy win for them.

- Apple Store packages/seals the item with your name for the driver to pickup.
- Constant tracking notifications from Apple and you can track the couriers movement after it leaves the store.
- You have to meet them and sign for the package, Apple says you need to show ID but most couriers don't care.

Should take care of all the shady practices if all those conditions are met.

 

[jntdroid]

Large metro area here (in the U.S.), so I've used this a lot over the years b/c like the OP, it's very difficult and time consuming to get to the store.

That said, I've had two incidents that have caused me to be much more hesitant going forward...

1) Driver claimed I wasn't there when they went to deliver it, but they never actually showed up. I have it on camera that they just drove by and then claimed a failed delivery. In this situation they never showed it as delivered, so I don't believe they were trying to steal it - they were just being lazy. The problems came in the amount of time it took to show it returned to the Apple store where they picked it up. I had to go by there twice and have the primary store manager get involved to get it confirmed back appropriately after a few days. Still unsure if it was the store or the driver that caused the mishap.

2) Driver showed it delivered, but they never delivered it. Was a clear attempt to steal it. Apple handled it well, and I had proof on video of the timestamp when they showed it delivered and never came. Without that, it might've been harder. But it was still a major PITA that involved going by the store a few times, a few phone calls, and Apple's security investigation team getting involved. I got my money back, but it took a few weeks. Was a major hassle.

I still say for all the times I've used it, it's been a net saver of time for me. So I have used it a couple of times since that second incident. But man, when I do, I'm so nervous until it's in my hands. Maybe the stress isn't worth it...

I also think I've used it more than the average person, so statistically speaking, the odds of this happening go up for me. I think they also go up any time you have someone from Uber picking up from the Apple store... they know they're carrying around something that's pretty pricey.

 

[FunkyTang]

So the the delivery cost is $9 plus tip?

 

[mavere]

Only done this once and the Uber driver kept my purchase. It took a lot of phone calls to get things sorted. I thought of it as karma for being lazy, and I just go to the Apple Store now.

 

[jntdroid]

So the the delivery cost is $9 plus tip?

Just $9, no tip. You're not a part of the connection with Uber, so there's no way to tip, leave ratings, etc. They're contracted directly by Apple. All you have to do is finger-sign on their device once they've handed it to you.

 

[GMShadow]

Just $9, no tip. You're not a part of the connection with Uber, so there's no way to tip, leave ratings, etc. They're contracted directly by Apple. All you have to do is finger-sign on their device once they've handed it to you.

I still give the driver a cash tip on the few times I've done it.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

So the the delivery cost is $9 plus tip?

I'll only tip on bigger items like an iMac because my closest Apple Store is in a mall and you have to pay for parking so while I'm sure the drivers have figured out a way to bypass the parking fees they still have to do more than a curbside pickup. On smaller stuff I don't and none of the drivers acted in a way that not tipping them was weird, heck I just found there's data showing a large group of Uber users don't tip their drivers which was wild to me.

 

[S.B.G]

You can also pay UPS/FedEx to deliver at a time that works best for you. I've done that a few times in the past for various purchases that require a signature.

 

[colodane]

That's why I ALWAYS buy online from Apple and have it delivered for pickup at the local Apple Store. No middle-man (shipping company) to worry about. Picking it up at the store only takes 5 minutes and has zero delivery risk.