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UPS/Apple Shipping Process EXPLAINED - NO STATUS UPDATES - NO ORDER TIMES!

S

samcates86

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 20, 2015
68
0
Based on information I have collected from the input from this forum and my own research I think I have the logistics of shipping of JUST THE WATCH nailed down FOR THE US, however may be similar in other markets... Please do not reply with shipping estimates, times, or charge status.

Online (Processing)​

1. Order Placed online
2. Order received by Apple and Processing Begins (Email sent to customer)(this will be when you get your ship date estimate - once you have a production date you will go from a generic time "June" for example to "May XX - JuneXX - It will update in real time as production times shift)
3. Order entered into pending order list​

Asia(Processing)​

4. Production
5. Packaging
6. Inventory lined up with customer orders
7. Orders packaged in bulk - We've noticed most are packaged in groups of the same products.
8. Product sent to airports in China
9. Cargo loaded on to planes.
10. Planes take off​

Alaska(Processing)​

11. Cargo planes land in Alaska
12. Large batches of prelabeled inventory are unloaded from planes and sent to customs (at the airport - can be "pre-cleared" in some cases ahead of time to speed up the process)
13. Bulk shipment cleared by customs
14. UPS lines up credit card information collected by Apple with inventory cleared by customs. (two way communications between companies.
​

Credit Card Charged (Processing)​

​
15. Credit Card Charged
16. Orders are moved into Apple's inventory system for processing
17. Cargo is reloaded onto specific planes headed for the different distribution centers in the US for routing to specific destinations. (most will go to KY as that is UPS Worldport.. Virtually all AIR shipments go through there. Every night they process over a million packages.)

Kentucky (Preparing to ship)​

18.Planes land at Worldport in KY.
19. Each shipment is scanned by itself by UPS sorting mechanism.

Shipping Notification Sent(Shipped)​

​
20. UPS officially starts tracking package and you can too
21. Apple and UPS share info and you get your e-mail and store site updates to shipped with estimate.
22. Products make it to the final destination...
 
Last edited:
HarpuaPerk said:
You people are investing way too much time into this.
Click to expand...

Haha! I agree!! I am just tired of reading the same stupid questions over and over again.. By not having a zillion people reply to this thread saying that they,"ordered their watch at XX:XX:XX and I hope Angela gets fired," It will stop the stupid posts...
 
Okay, perhaps a bit much, but now I have to ask: Did *every* watch go through Kentucky? I thought, like phones, there were many/several landing/distribution points.
 
leesweet said:
Okay, perhaps a bit much, but now I have to ask: Did *every* watch go through Kentucky? I thought, like phones, there were many/several landing/distribution points.
Click to expand...

Yes and NO - The "Launch supply" that shipped straight from warehouses probably went either direct to the warehouse, or through Kentucky on a pallet then on to the warehouse until launch day to be shipped. The tracking would have started from the warehouse - however, after leaving the warehouse in.. say Philly, depending on where it was going it would have bounced back through Kentucky, but if it stayed on the east coast, it may fly straight to the destination. It would be UPS's call though, after the product leaves Alaska, it's considered sold, and is no longer Apple's property.

All inventory now though is coming the way I describe it.. I may be a little off, but overall I feel I am accurate as far as the process.
 
Last edited:
BeyondtheTech said:
Reading tea leaves provides a similar explanation.

Image
Click to expand...

Ha!

Sadly, far too many members here have such a victim mentality coupled with unreasonable expectations that they will read the leaves and see the grim. No matter what the pattern of the leaves, no matter when they ordered their watches or the current status of their orders or what Apple communicated to them, the grim will be staring back at them from the bottom of their cups. :eek:
 
So I have a question about this.

My order moved to "Shipped" and received a tracking number early yesterday. UPS tracking shows label created, with a scheduled delivery date of tomorrow.

UPS shows the package coming from MOUNT JULIET, TN, US but according to tracking, UPS hasn't even picked it up.

Those that have had their watches delivered already, did your package start tracking from TN/KY or did tracking only go live once it reached your local hub?
 
APPLE INC DC L at 578 ALDI BLVD, MOUNT JULIET, TN

They have a DC in Mount Juliet, TN. They're going here before being shipped. Not direct from China to UPS in KY.
 
Apple has a just distribution centers that are in the loop also. So after it arrives in Louisville world hub it is sent there where it prepares for its final shipments to the customers. A couple I know of are in Tennessee and Philadelphia. It then may be routed back through Louisville before going to it final destination.
 
Do you guys know there is a strike with dock workers on west coast. I just tried to order a TV and it will take three weeks because of the strike.
 
Aviato

We need to do what any animal in nature does when it's cornered: act erratically and blindly lash out at everything around us.
 

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specik said:
So I have a question about this.

My order moved to "Shipped" and received a tracking number early yesterday. UPS tracking shows label created, with a scheduled delivery date of tomorrow.

UPS shows the package coming from MOUNT JULIET, TN, US but according to tracking, UPS hasn't even picked it up.

Those that have had their watches delivered already, did your package start tracking from TN/KY or did tracking only go live once it reached your local hub?
Click to expand...

Mine is starting in Harrisburg, PA. No mention of shipping from China. I assume the packages were not scanned until already at their regional sites.
 
my has shipped but it kind of has been in
Clearance in Progress



The package is at the clearing agency awaiting final release.

Since Friday morning


I ordered a 2019 13 Macbook Pro
Since it is coming from China


I also think Apple should probably change the warrenty. since once the computer is made the warrenty starts, but I think it should start when the customers has the computer, because shipping takes days off you warrenty


Mine just updated so it is out of the clearance
 
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