Stainless Steel Space Black Shipping Status

[DVNIEL]

I get the frustration, clearly, but you folks are coming off as whiners. Have to be realistic. We all accepted the preorder with a delivery date that's still 2 weeks away from now in black and white. ANYTHING earlier is just a bonus. We knew damn well odds were low for a stretch to launch day. Spamming the executive team because the luck didn't swing that way this time is silly.

I hear you but Apple of old was always good at anticipating particular models to be delayed. A good example of this was the white iPhone 4. This delay would have been more digestible if they notified us of the delay but we only found at point of sale. But yes I agree about spamming execs who are the last who want to hear our crap.

 

[rkho]

I hear you but Apple of old was always good at anticipating particular models to be delayed. A good example of this was the white iPhone 4. This delay would have been more digestible if they notified us of the delay but we only found at point of sale. But yes I agree about spamming execs who are the last who want to hear our crap.

The white iPhone 4 was on the store without a select button, with radio silence for weeks on end, before being completely delayed for almost a year. Tell me how that is better.

 

[echo44]

I placed a second order the next day for a sports model,
I wouldn't be surprised if they ran into a production issue.
Just in case the delivery dates gets pushed back much further, I will have another watch on order. I wouldn't be surprised if they miss the deadlines with the Black SS.
Think about it, many stores didn't have one to try on. To me that would be indicative of an underlying hiccup in the manufacturing process of this model that was not anticipated.Apple would be silent about such issues as they would never announce they are having a manufacturing difficulty either to us the consumers or Apple's competitors.

 

[H3rman]

I placed a second order the next day for a sports model,
I wouldn't be surprised if they ran into a production issue.
Just in case the delivery dates gets pushed back much further, I will have another watch on order. I wouldn't be surprised if they miss the deadlines with the Black SS.
Think about it, many stores didn't have one to try on. To me that would be indicative of an underlying hiccup in the manufacturing process of this model that was not anticipated.Apple would be silent about such issues as they would never announce they are having a manufacturing difficulty either to us the consumers or Apple's competitors.

To be fair though, my local store didn't even have the normal link bracelet available to try on in 42mm, and there were a few other configurations which they didn't have available.

SS Space Black isn't the only one that was unavailable to try on in some stores. Also, I have been waiting for this exact model since Sept, I'm sure I can wait a little longer. 🙂

 

[jwm]

You're ability to quote a comment and then responsd indignantly with complete non sequitors is amazing to behold. I've never claimed I was promised anything. And I think I've been clear that all I want now is a statement from Apple that would make me feel better. It's called customer service. Are they obligated to do that? No. You (and others) may believe it's unnecessary - good for you. I would appreciate a statement, and that isn't whining or demanding.

As an aside, for someone who has stated that Apple fumbled this launch, you're very quick to pounce on others who think this launch wasn't handled well. I won't assume to speak for others, but my comments haven't been intentionally inflammatory or overly critical. I would have apprecaited a heads up that certain models wouldn't be available on 4/24. I'm not sure I would have changed a thing (I've never threatened to cancel my order), but I would have appreciated the option - and a company like Apple knows that - they just chose not to do it. It's their right. It's my right to believe that wasn't the best move for customers.

Well put. I don't recall Apple saying that this particular model wold not be available for launch. If they had, maybe many of us in this thread would have selected a different model, or otherwise not pre-ordered and waited. What is the point in pre-ordering a product that doesn't exist on launch?

 

[H3rman]

Well put. I don't recall Apple saying that this particular model wold not be available for launch. If they had, maybe many of us in this thread would have selected a different model, or otherwise not pre-ordered and waited. What is the point in pre-ordering a product that doesn't exist on launch?

Why didn't you just change your mind when pre-orders opened and you saw there was a 4-6 week wait?

Not like they took your order then told you. It was made clear before you added it to your shopping cart. You could have changed your mind there and then and chosen a different one that showed as shipping by the 24th.

In the end it was us, the consumers who made the consious effort to pay for an item which we knew wasn't planning to ship until after launch. Apple never tricked us into it.

 

[jwm]

Why didn't you just change your mind when pre-orders opened and you saw there was a 4-6 week wait?

Not like they took your order then told you. It was made clear before you added it to your shopping cart. You could have changed your mind there and then and chosen a different one that showed as shipping by the 24th.

In the end it was us, the consumers who made the consious effort to pay for an item which we knew wasn't planning to ship until after launch. Apple never tricked us into it.

Why would I change my mind on a product that I had selected during the marketing leading up to the pre-order date? All I'm saying is that Apple should have been transparent on the fact that this model would not be available on the launch date, and not find this after adding to my shopping basket.

 

[cmChimera]

Why would I change my mind on a product that I had selected during the marketing leading up to the pre-order date? All I'm saying is that Apple should have been transparent on the fact that this model would not be available on the launch date, and not find this after adding to my shopping basket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8e2ujXe8g

 

[jwm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL8e2ujXe8g

I'll think you'll find that 80% of posts in the Apple Watch forums are whining, including some of yours, LOL.

 

[Carac]

Why would I change my mind on a product that I had selected during the marketing leading up to the pre-order date? All I'm saying is that Apple should have been transparent on the fact that this model would not be available on the launch date, and not find this after adding to my shopping basket.

Exactly. It's not like they didn't show the Link watches back in September. The hardware design hasn't changed since then. They've had over 6 months to produce stainless steel link bands and apparently only decided to make enough for store units...a reasonable thing to do if they expected exactly ZERO people to order one on launch day. The pre-order store launched with Stainless Steel watches shipping in 4-6 weeks, they had NONE available for launch day. 6 months and you don't make enough bands of your most expensive non-Edition watch band to even launch on 4/24. Sure, they can say they didn't start making them until they knew what the split would be, but I would be willing to bet they could have safely assumed they would sell a couple thousand so might as well make those bands. I mean, Stainless Steel is not a perishable commodity, there's no shelf life. And they have alluded to the fact that bands for the first gen will work with the next hardware revision, so they might as well have spooled up the Link production months ago...but they didn't. Good lord, someone was asleep at the wheel on this product launch.

 

[mgirard]

Guys, I don't mean to alarm anyone but I am beginning to think we will not get our Black SS Link watches tomorrow.

 

[ShawnTXDFW]

To be honest, I don't see any of us at least getting it until 05/13 at the earliest. If shipping times are to go by, then perhaps that's when we will start getting them. Anything earlier than that would be great though. Fingers crossed!

-Shawn

 

[DVNIEL]

The white iPhone 4 was on the store without a select button, with radio silence for weeks on end, before being completely delayed for almost a year. Tell me how that is better.

At least it alerted those of who didn't want to wait to pick something else. Now certain people have no choice to wait because if they order another model now they'll have to prolong their wait. Any type of waiting is no better than the other but at least give us a heads up that delays are expected before the ordering process.

 

[rkho]

At least it alerted those of who didn't want to wait to pick something else. Now certain people have no choice to wait because if they order another model now they'll have to prolong their wait. Any type of waiting is no better than the other but at least give us a heads up that delays are expected before the ordering process.

The website started at 4-6 weeks.

This is not week 4
This is not week 5
This is not week 6

What is the issue? You knew when you clicked 'order' to expect 4-6 weeks. You could have chosen a different watch at that time, but you decided to wait for this one.

 

[greeley]

1) did most eveyone here order with in the same hour?
12:37 confirmation here on the 38mm with a june shipment


2) anybody find it odd theres people on ebay selling just the Black link band?
youre getting less money lol

 

[Carac]

The website started at 4-6 weeks.

This is not week 4
This is not week 5
This is not week 6

What is the issue? You knew when you clicked 'order' to expect 4-6 weeks. You could have chosen a different watch at that time, but you decided to wait for this one.

It's frustrating because that means they worked under the assumption NO ONE would order a Link band. Seriously, they could have built 5, 10, 20k preemptively in the past six months, had 4/24 shipping dates...but they didn't. They would have sold out EASILY. But from Sept 2014 until today, they only built enough Link watches to have Apple Store demo units. That's all. If they were working under the assumption no-one was going to buy any of these non-Sport band Stainless Steel watches, the source of that assumption needs to be fired.

 

[Smileyboy]

1) did most eveyone here order with in the same hour?

12:37 confirmation here on the 38mm with a june shipment





2) anybody find it odd theres people on ebay selling just the Black link band?

youre getting less money lol

I do not think it's odd. Some people just want the SS Space Black watch

 

[phpmaven]

Guys, I don't mean to alarm anyone but I am beginning to think we will not get our Black SS Link watches tomorrow.

Ya think?

 

[iHeading]

...

 

[greeley]

if u buy a 38mm today its still a june shipping, im assuming not a lot of ppl bought the 38mm?

 

[EricManabu]

It's frustrating because that means they worked under the assumption NO ONE would order a Link band. Seriously, they could have built 5, 10, 20k preemptively in the past six months, had 4/24 shipping dates...but they didn't. They would have sold out EASILY. But from Sept 2014 until today, they only built enough Link watches to have Apple Store demo units. That's all. If they were working under the assumption no-one was going to buy any of these non-Sport band Stainless Steel watches, the source of that assumption needs to be fired.

What good is making all those Link Bands in the past 6 months if they only recently began making the actual watch? The SB and SG obviously take more time to produce.

 

[dannyyankou]

I tried contacting Apple. Seems like they know just as much as we do.

 

[rkho]

It's frustrating because that means they worked under the assumption NO ONE would order a Link band. Seriously, they could have built 5, 10, 20k preemptively in the past six months, had 4/24 shipping dates...but they didn't. They would have sold out EASILY. But from Sept 2014 until today, they only built enough Link watches to have Apple Store demo units. That's all. If they were working under the assumption no-one was going to buy any of these non-Sport band Stainless Steel watches, the source of that assumption needs to be fired.

The basis of your entire argument works off of a lot of assumptions.

 

[Carac]

The basis of your entire argument works off of a lot of assumptions.

Since the molds and specs for 3rd party licensed accessory makers have been out for months, I assume the design was done and the delay from a Fall to Spring launch was due to software, battery management, etc. So my assumption is that they've had the ability to make both Link bands and Stainless Steel cases since the unveiling in Sept, they just "didn't know how many to make."

I assume they expected to sell more than one Space Black Link Watch.

I assume they are smart enough to know that they would sell at least a few thousand of each model of watch. Enough to begin production a few months before launch.

The current situation only makes sense if someone at Apple said "WHHHOOOAAAA! Let's not get to hasty about these link watches that look more like your existing TAGs, Rolexs, Omegas, etc. that will sell to people who like those watches. Let's assume ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IS GOING TO ORDER A LINK WATCH, SO LET'S NOT MAKE ENOUGH TO EVEN SHIP A SINGLE ONE FOR LAUNCH.

That person should be fired.

The ONLY thing that makes sense is that the time and effort to make the link watch makes it the model with the smallest profit margin, and therefore is their least priority for production/shipping.

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It also doesn't help that there's been a hold on my credit card since Monday for the AppleCare+ on my Space Black SS watch, looming over me, getting my hopes up.

 

[dannyyankou]

I'm done being optimistic about an early delivery. I'm just going to be content with a May 13-May 27 delivery to avoid disappointment.