How do you not understand the problem with that? I committed to buy a product before someone else did, but they are being prioritized simply because of how they chose to pay?
Let me put it in perspective for you: I’m in line at the Apple store on launch day. I noticed that several customers much farther back in the line than me are being walked to the front of the line by an employee and then shortly afterwards leaving the store with their new phone. Meanwhile I’m still waiting in line. Come to find out, those customers being moved to the front of the line are iPhone Upgrade Program members. They got their products before me simply because of how they chose to pay. You'd understand me being upset at that right? Right. So then you should understand the problem I have with delivering phone earlier for the same reason. There's a person on this thread, just a few posts back, who had an original delivery date of sometime in December, but his delivery has been moved up to this Friday because he uses the iUP. Meanwhile my order hasn't even left the processing stage. From a consumer standpoint, why is that fair? Why should I be okay with that?
Apple gets their money for the phone I buy whether I pay directly through the iUP, or indirectly through my carrier. So that should make no difference. They're not making "more money off someone" buying directly... that makes no sense. A $1000 phone is a $1000 phone, regardless. They additional costs incurred through the iUP are due to the inclusion of AppleCare. Bottom line: The iUP is no more of a "commitment" than a carrier financing plan is. A person could opt out of the iUP simply by paying off the balance at anytime.
Here's another reason your "customer commitment" logic is flawed: Lets say someone has been a longtime Android-device user. This year they've decided to switch over to an iPhone and decided to pay via the iUP. They own no other Apple products, this is their first one. Meanwhile, someone like me, who currently has several thousand dollars worth of Apple products in my home and has owned 6 different iPhones since 2008 elects to pay via carrier financing. You're telling me the brand new Apple customer is viewed as "more committed" by the company simply because he went with the iUP. No way. Plus what "research" could Apple possibly have that a year-old phone financing program proves who the loyal customers are? Thats completely illogical. And how could the upgrade program members commit to buying a phone next year, when next years phone doesn't even exist yet? This argument makes absolutely no sense.
Apple has NEVER advertised earlier delivery as a perk of the iUP... and if they had, perhaps I'd gone that route instead. I've been on the AT&T Next program for the past couple of years, I saw no need to switch over. Thats why I didn't go with the iUP, plain and simple.
If you have any questions about whether or not the pre-order process is *supposed* to be based on first come, first serve, feel free to give Apple a call and speak to a Sales Advisor, they'll tell you just like they told me.
The program is more than a year old. It’s in its third year now. And if you don’t think a multi-billion dollar corporation doesn’t have tons of research on their customers you’re crazy. Apple started this program as an end run around the carriers so they can generate more revenue. Why else set up this whole sales scheme if there isn’t something in it for them.
And what makes more sense, Apple arbitrarily deciding to move up people in the Upgrade Program for absolutely no reason at all, or Apple deciding to do it because they have decided it’s in their business interest?
As for your example Apple has rules for lines, they have explicitly stated that lines in their stores are first come first served. And I would be legitimately and reasonably upset if I had camped out for hours or days and someone just walked up and gotten ahead of me.
Compare that to the actual example where Apple makes no promises of how things are supposed to work, gives you a ship date, and the fact that you got in before someone else doesn’t stem from any really effort on your part, but the luck of having a slightly faster connection, or an app that didn’t screw up. Again, you can be annoyed, but upset enough to lodge an actual complaint.
Yes, I’m sure you’re a huge fanboy and your bonafides and am Apple customer are above reproach, but you can give me example of the android guy coming in off the street, but I am willing to be any amount of money, that Apple makes more money off of the AVERAGE IUP customer than they do off the average carrier financed person.
I guess it boils down to this, why would Apple not want to give preferential treatment to someone who buys products in their stores or on their website?
Just because they haven’t advertised it doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t.
And why do you think Apple owes you anything other than shipping you a phone on the date they promised you?
Because I bet if you want an iPhone next time, I bet you’ll use the upgrade program, which was kinda the point of all this.
