Mountain of iPad pre-orders cause shipment delays
As the third-generation iPad makes its way into the hands of eager customers worldwide, some buyers who pre-ordered the tablet through Apple's online store are finding that their shipments have been delayed due to the onslaught of launch day deliveries.
AppleInsider has received a number of reports from readers who have noted that their iPad pre-orders, which were promised to be delivered on launch day, are being delayed to as late as Saturday.
An unknown amount of iPad shipments handled by both FedEx and UPS are seeing a slip in delivery times, with some being stuck "in transit" while others have yet to leave the carrier's facilities.
According to one reader, who will remain anonymous, a FedEx representative stated that an agreement with Apple allowed the company to extend its delivery deadline to 8 p.m., which is well past the shipment's previously quoted 3 p.m. time. The reader goes on to say that the delivery status of their package was changed to "Future Delivery Requested" without authorization before ultimately being delivered at 6:45 p.m.
Despite the apparently overwhelming demand being placed on delivery companies, many brick-and-mortar Apple stores remain stocked with the hot-selling tablet. A check with random Apple Stores along the West Coast of the U.S. found that both Wi-Fi and 4G LTE models of the new iPad were available in many locations.
Apple's third-generation iPad was announced at a special event earlier in March alongside an updated Apple TV model that can stream 1080p video. Along with a high resolution Retina Display, the new tablet features a faster A5X processor, 4G LTE-capability and a substantially larger battery.
Sales of the new iPad began on Friday and some estimates project that Apple will sell 66 million units in 2012.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
More UPS/Fedex employees equal faster deliveries.
2) My Apple Store had hundreds of iPads of all kinds lined up behind the Genius Bar counter at around 1pm. No idea if that was their entire stock.
They have them on eBay now!
I dont mind the date change as much as the fact that their empty promise made me loose a whole day!!! if they had changed delivery date from 16 to 17 at 7am i would be mad at the day change but at least i could have been out doing other things!!!
I guess we'll see when we have the first weekend sales numbers
It's worth noting that UPS normally only delivers Monday - Friday.
Actually, UPS operates 7 days a week. Saturday and Sunday delivery just costs more.
With so much stock I wonder if it means that the iPad isn't received as well as was hoped, or did they fix the production capacity?
I guess we'll see when we have the first weekend sales numbers
my thoughts exactly.
all flavors were available at the downtown san francisco store as of 5 pm pacific. i was in-and-out with a new ipad in less than three minutes.
Typical product launch. If I remember correctly, it took my secret service man two months before i could get my16GB wifi model.
They have them on eBay now!
Be sure to wipe it off good and clean NSA style mr. President before you sell it on eBay, we don't want an iPad-gate.
my thoughts exactly.
all flavors were available at the downtown san francisco store as of 5 pm pacific. i was in-and-out with a new ipad in less than three minutes.
In my opinion....
I'd take it as Tim Cook was the right guy to exact Steve's vision.
There is such a huge paradigm shift happening right now in computing. I don't think we all really can comprehend how HUGE tablet computing is going to be.
Job's knew where the industry would be in "x" years and HAD to have a guy he was sure would make supply would meet demand.
Cook's supply chain mastery (and leadership) + ive's design discipline + Forstall's ego = Job's master plan.
Thanks Steve, my Apple stock is gonna pay for my children's college.
my ipad says its in the fedex facility at 7am.. .then at 1pm tracking info update says its still at the facility!!! then at 3pm the estimated delivery changed from 16march to no estimate.. they removed the line stating the estimated delivery date.
I dont mind the date change as much as the fact that their empty promise made me loose a whole day!!! if they had changed delivery date from 16 to 17 at 7am i would be mad at the day change but at least i could have been out doing other things!!!
Exactly the same situation here.
What makes me madder is they could have avoided the problem and delivered it earlier if Apple didn't "request future delivery"!!!
Got my ipad today - chatted briefly with UPS man as I signed - he said his truck was full of them and he was under pressure - NY 10708
That is so awesome...
I got the accessories I ordered with it a couple of days ago. When UPS guy delivered it today, he said he's been busy all day with iPads and UPS management kept telling the drivers not to leave the truck out of sight because of thieves. WOW Apple must've sold a lot of them if my UPS guy had a truck load of them to deliver here in rural cow country of NY.
When I was a child, I was upset if I couldn't have something I wanted "right now". As a young person, I was anxious to get my heart's desire as soon as possible. As an adult with a fairly rich array of interests and activities to pursue, I read something like this and feel like I live in a country of children, excited about a mock Christmas waiting to get their toys. It is rather sad in it's shallowness, actually.
Let your inner child FREE!!