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This is why we can't have nice things...

jmelrose

jmelrose

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 18, 2004
261
51
Orlando, FL
Did you kids see the newest story on the MR main site? Did you?

https://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/20/apple-watch-preorders-begin-shipping/

Apple is shipping to US-based hubs THEN shipping the watches to consumers.

The reason for this? Well, it's pure conjecture, but it's likely FedEx and UPS have asked Apple to not ship in a way that results in hundreds (if not thousands) of calls to UPS/FedEx service centers to ask about plane schedules, totally normal shipping delays (that still get the packages to the receiver on-time), or any of the other OCD behaviors that we indulge in while waiting for our new shiny thing to get across the Pacific to our homes. We ask for shipping changes, package holds, and info, info, info. I'm sure the UPS/FedEx people would love to point out that they ship lots of other stuff as well, and SOME of it might not be Apple stuff, so can they just get back to doing their jobs?

Plus, Apple might appreciate not having to give away cases, free shipping, or some "gimme" because people write/call in to complain about shipping issues that they themselves caused by meddling in the process, or expecting Apple to under-promise and over-deliver.

So by getting everything stateside and then distributing, that has to alleviate a lot of those issues. After all, one can't harass UPS/FedEx over a package they don't have a record of yet.

I mean seriously, just look at these forums. No real news, some useful hands-on reviews, and mostly dire threats of the end of life as it is if that watch isn't on our wrists on Friday, or questions that should be asked, but not to a bunch of strangers on the internet. "Which band will I like better? White or Black?" But most of the questions are about how soon will I get my watch, or how can I get it faster?

Let's be clear: There are many many people who got the watches before us. They are the ones LEAST needing a free watch from Apple, but there they are. They're called celebrities. Then there's also the press (tech and fashion) and those Apple employees. You getting the watch puts you in the 4th wave at best of recipients, whether it be day 1 or June.

In looking back at getting your watch, the excitement should be in opening the box and getting ready to start a new journey with a cool new bit of tech, not excitement that the relief and anxiety some of you are demonstrating is over (until the iPhone 6S launch).

So I'd like to suggest the high-strung "Why hasn't it shipped yet" contingent do their best to relax. Your watch may not ship until Thursday, and it'll be at your doorstep Friday afternoon. Still shiny and wonderful. Step away from the refresh button and start getting some exercise or something. Don't forget: your new watch will start judging you the moment you put it on your wrist. :)


Disclaimer: I have done every single one of the behaviors listed above, except the trying to get something free by complaining about a non-issue.

(Oh! Cool! As I wrote this my charger went to "Preparing For Shipment". How do I know? Thanks, Delivery app!!)
 
jmelrose said:
Did you kids see the newest story on the MR main site? Did you?

https://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/20/apple-watch-preorders-begin-shipping/

Apple is shipping to US-based hubs THEN shipping the watches to consumers.

The reason for this? Well, it's pure conjecture, but it's likely FedEx and UPS have asked Apple to not ship in a way that results in hundreds (if not thousands) of calls to UPS/FedEx service centers to ask about plane schedules, totally normal shipping delays (that still get the packages to the receiver on-time), or any of the other OCD behaviors that we indulge in while waiting for our new shiny thing to get across the Pacific to our homes. We ask for shipping changes, package holds, and info, info, info. I'm sure the UPS/FedEx people would love to point out that they ship lots of other stuff as well, and SOME of it might not be Apple stuff, so can they just get back to doing their jobs?
Click to expand...


This is actually standard operating procedure in the logistics world. The major logistics companies have multiple large hubs across the country, and smaller regional hubs beyond that.
 
jmelrose said:
Did you kids see the newest story on the MR main site? Did you?

https://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/20/apple-watch-preorders-begin-shipping/

Apple is shipping to US-based hubs THEN shipping the watches to consumers.

The reason for this? Well, it's pure conjecture, but it's likely FedEx and UPS have asked Apple to not ship in a way that results in hundreds (if not thousands) of calls to UPS/FedEx service centers to ask about plane schedules, totally normal shipping delays (that still get the packages to the receiver on-time), or any of the other OCD behaviors that we indulge in while waiting for our new shiny thing to get across the Pacific to our homes. We ask for shipping changes, package holds, and info, info, info. I'm sure the UPS/FedEx people would love to point out that they ship lots of other stuff as well, and SOME of it might not be Apple stuff, so can they just get back to doing their jobs?
Click to expand...

You really think FedEx/UPS asked Apple to use a particular shipping pattern, to prevent a few hundred phone calls?

This is just normal shipping logistics. They haven't changed from anything they usually do.
 
The real reason we can't have nice things...

The reason for this? Well, it's pure conjecture
Click to expand...

And there you have it!!
People getting upset based on pure conjecture.
 
Your purely conjecture reason is already proven wrong as they have no problem handling mass delivery on launch day with the other iDevices so they're not going to ask Apple otherwise.
 
UPS and FedEx don't ask Apple anything, more like the other way around. Apple is one of their biggest clients.
 
I don't think you are telling us anything new that we've already known. Packages always go to a major hub before it hits smaller hubs.
 
jmelrose said:
Did you kids see the newest story on the MR main site? Did you?

https://www.macrumors.com/2015/04/20/apple-watch-preorders-begin-shipping/

Apple is shipping to US-based hubs THEN shipping the watches to consumers.

The reason for this? Well, it's pure conjecture, but it's likely FedEx and UPS have asked Apple to not ship in a way that results in hundreds (if not thousands) of calls to UPS/FedEx service centers to ask about plane schedules, totally normal shipping delays (that still get the packages to the receiver on-time), or any of the other OCD behaviors that we indulge in while waiting for our new shiny thing to get across the Pacific to our homes.
Click to expand...

Or, it could be that this is how they always handle shipments of release-day products.

What is wrong with some of you people? Good grief...
 
All of your who have said, "This is the way Apple always does this":

Best of luck, for those who partake, in tracking your watch's flight across the Pacific to the hub for distribution.

However, for those who read the main page article, it seems Apple is NOT shipping the way that they normally have for a launch, where one can watch their purchase go through customs etc. Apple is warehousing stateside and then distributing.

By the way, totally not upset. Perhaps you misread my tone. I don't care enough about how random message board posters spend their freetime to get upset. I just thought it was an interesting change in Apple's shipping methodologies, and my guess is from here on it WILL be Apple's standard method of launch window shipping. After reading some of the people on here post some downright nasty and dishonest dealings with UPS/FedEx/Apple regarding shipping "issues" in past launches, I'm surprised it took this long for them to be a little less transparent in how they ship things.

And to those who think Apple and UPS/FedEX don't communicate regarding issues they have with each other to make the shipping process more smooth, you are a moron. There are people in Apple and people in FedEx/UPS whose sole jobs it is to communicate with these partners. Communication is a two-way street, if done successfully.
 
Last edited:
KGWVU said:
Or, it could be that this is how they always handle shipments of release-day products.
Click to expand...

Except that it isn't, but thanks for sharing your thoughts. (See post above.)

KGWVU said:
What is wrong with some of you people? Good grief...
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing... in fact that was the big-picture point of my original post.

----------
greytmom said:
I fixed that for you.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Seems like someone did some self-identifying when they read my post.

It's ok. Most of the posts you've made have seemed relatively rationale. Don't jinx it for yourself.

greytmom said:
Secret to existing peacefully in cyberspace: Don't be a jackass, and avoid engaging with jackasses.

Or, live and let live, but I like mine better.
Click to expand...

Hmm. If I'm a jackass, fair enough, I can own that for what I posted. I stand by it. Opinions are like ********** on the internet, that's no secret.

Tell me though, what happened to your belief in this quote you like so much? I hope you can see the hypocrisy in these two postings. Potshots in one thread and then sage advice on peaceful living in the other?
 
Last edited:
jmelrose said:
Except that it isn't, but thanks for sharing your thoughts. (See post above.)



I was thinking the same thing... in fact that was the big-picture point of my original post.

----------



Hmm. Seems like someone did some self-identifying when they read my post.

It's ok. Most of the posts you've made have seemed relatively rationale. Don't jinx it for yourself.
Click to expand...

Except that it is, quite a few iPhones 6's were staged and shipped Thursday for Friday delivery, and quite a few came from China. This is not new.
 
jmelrose said:
Hmm. Seems like someone did some self-identifying when they read my post.

It's ok. Most of the posts you've made have seemed relatively rationale. Don't jinx it for yourself.
Click to expand...

No, I didn't see myself in your post. Most of it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but that's ok, it doesn't have to. I just chalked it up pre-order blues.

I don't get usually get mad. I figure I don't know any of you and never will, so what do I care? But I quite enjoy reading all of the posts, especially when I am at work and don't feel like doing work.
 
Lobwedgephil said:
Except that it is, quite a few iPhones 6's were staged and shipped Thursday for Friday delivery, and quite a few came from China. This is not new.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. However, please feel free to visit the iPhone forum and look up the Shipping Date threads to see how many people are going to find that the planes they tracked for XhengXou (sp). The vast majority of direct-to-home deliveries on launch day were shipped direct from China, to the US, to a hub, and on to the recipient in the course of 2-3 days, sometimes less.

This is different. Apple could have shipped ALL the launch day watches already, and they are sitting in warehouses someplace in the US. The only tracking will be from Nashville TN (as an example) to a local airport.

I am of the belief that Apple wants more inventory inside the borders prior to launch to avoid issues with customs or other international shipping issues. There's a few people whose flights were delayed for reasons unknown in the iPhone 6 delivery date thread who you would swear they thought UPS had a vendetta against them. By pre-staging domestically, Apple will alleviate a great deal of that kind of anxiety plus all the angry calls to UPS or Apple. On the downside, it seems to have no impact on how well people deal with the later shipping date a domestically-staged launch makes possible.

By some of the forum posts, you'd swear people would prefer the watches ship from China and they can at least express anger at it sitting in customs for 12 hours longer than a different poster's watch, as opposed to not knowing if they should be angry because, now, the watch might be at a hub 150 miles from home RIGHT NOW.
 
jmelrose said:
All of your who have said, "This is the way Apple always does this":

Best of luck, for those who partake, in tracking your watch's flight across the Pacific to the hub for distribution.

However, for those who read the main page article, it seems Apple is NOT shipping the way that they normally have for a launch, where one can watch their purchase go through customs etc. Apple is warehousing stateside and then distributing.
Click to expand...

Not the first time Apple has done this, though. My iPad Air 2 shipped from a warehouse in Pennsylvania rather than from China,
 
I live across the street from an elderly couple. They likely don't know what an Apple Watch is beyond the commercials. They have seen the April 24 release date, but if you asked them when the Apple Watch comes out they would be clueless.

My point is this: they're not bothered by anything that goes on in this forum. People are too excited? They don't care. People are anxious to get their watch early? They don't care. If ANYTHING here bothers or upsets you, there's a simple solution:

Just stop coming here...
 
edry.hilario said:
I agree with OP
Click to expand...

Thanks. Just sharing an opinion... Something not without risks on the Wild wild Internet!

----------
Night Spring said:
Not the first time Apple has done this, though. My iPad Air 2 shipped from a warehouse in Pennsylvania rather than from China,
Click to expand...

Maybe it is a regional thing too. I haven't gotten ANY launch iPad or iPhone sent to me any way but originating in China, if not picked up In-store. I live in FL.
 
So in other words, complete speculation blaming random people on a random message board for a speculated change to rumored shipment practices...
 
AbsoluteMustard said:
So now there is the can't wait for the Watch faction and the can't stand the people the can't wait of rate Watch faction.

Hmm, which on seems less crazy?
Click to expand...

I think you're missing the point of the original post. It isn't not being able to stand the wait or the people, it's the bad behavior that goes with a feeling of being entitled to information, or the watch for that matter. It's also making the conjecture that the past bad behavior of a few (documented by their posts on these very forums) is causing a shift in policy and procedure for Apple.

I certainly didn't post expecting much in the way of positive change to happen. This is the internet, after all. No one here is wrong, except for everyone else. So with that in mind I wanted to put out a theory based on years of membership and reading in these forums. Ultimately, the people who agree will read it and quietly move on, and those who in some way feel threatened by an opinion differing from their own will do what they can to "give the smackdown." And you are welcome to do so... I know what it means to post on a Macrumors forum. For the most part, I get what I pay for when I come in here. And by "here", I mean any internet discussion board.
 
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