All iPads Engraving = Ship Directly From Factory?

[GooseInTheCaboose]

It appears Apple is using its stores as warehouses for many items before their “last mile”. If a customer for some reason wanted to avoid having an item shipped to them from a store, they cannot specify in checkout.

This might bother some people also because there has been news of Apple using less traditional shipping couriers for deliveries (most notably Uber Eats for 2 hour deliveries)

However, if you order an item with an engraving, there will be no reason for Apple to send it to the store before reaching your home.

If you want to bypass having your item shipped from a store and want it to ship to your home directly from the factory, is getting a custom engraving a smart way to do it?

 

[JPack]

Yes, I actually just ordered an engraved iPad Air on Monday. It was delivered today.

The FedEx tracking provided by Apple starts at Memphis, TN. But in reality, the package comes from China as a bulk shipment (likely with many other iPads). This skid flies to Memphis superhub for individual dispatch to customers. It's obviously less expensive to bulk clear such a skid. And you know for sure the iPad is fresh from the factory.

 

[Propine]

I don’t think they perform engravings on a factory. Can you imagine them taking your order, forwarding it to China, then someone takes a laser and engraves it, packages and send to the US? Express shipping would cost them at least a hundred dollars if not more and it‘s still unlikely somebody could do that in a matter of days. I rather believe they have a bunch of iPads in the US, assembled but not packaged, they engrave it and package in the US

 

[JPack]

I don’t think they perform engravings on a factory. Can you imagine them taking your order, forwarding it to China, then someone takes a laser and engraves it, packages and send to the US? Express shipping would cost them at least a hundred dollars if not more and it‘s still unlikely somebody could do that in a matter of days. I rather believe they have a bunch of iPads in the US, assembled but not packaged, they engrave it and package in the US

Apple has been engraving iPods for free for a decade. Ditto with iPad. Shipping does not cost that much and takes about 4 days with free shipping.

 

[rui no onna]

I don’t think they perform engravings on a factory. Can you imagine them taking your order, forwarding it to China, then someone takes a laser and engraves it, packages and send to the US? Express shipping would cost them at least a hundred dollars if not more and it‘s still unlikely somebody could do that in a matter of days. I rather believe they have a bunch of iPads in the US, assembled but not packaged, they engrave it and package in the US

Consider that all iPads originate from China. Apple doesn't do a one-off express shipping for engraved devices. It's shipped as part of their regular contract. For Apple, the shipping cost from China to a US hub for engraved iPads is the same as non-engraved iPads.

Mind, I remember pre-ordering an iPad pre-COVID (free shipping) and tracking its progress. It was shipped from China and delivered at my door within 24 hours.

I'm betting labor costs (including Social Security, workers comp, etc) for doing the packaging in the US costs more than China to US shipping for Apple.

Mind, I tend to choose store pickup nowadays. Too many porch pirates.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

If you want to bypass having your item shipped from a store and want it to ship to your home directly from the factory, is getting a custom engraving a smart way to do it?

It seems that would “likely” bypass the store… not sure it’s a 100% guarantee; I remember reading that Apple was piloting engraving options in-store so at some point, they might just do it that way.

 

[Propine]

Consider that all iPads originate from China. Apple doesn't do a one-off express shipping for engraved devices. It's shipped as part of their regular contract. For Apple, the shipping cost from China to a US hub for engraved iPads is the same as non-engraved iPads.

Mind, I remember pre-ordering an iPad pre-COVID (free shipping) and tracking its progress. It was shipped from China and delivered at my door within 24 hours.

I'm betting labor costs (including Social Security, workers comp, etc) for doing the packaging in the US costs more than China to US shipping for Apple.

Mind, I tend to choose store pickup nowadays. Too many porch pirates.

So it had a chinese address in the sender field?

 

[Boidem]

Is the 'engraving' actually engraving on things like iPads? I ordered a set of original APPs, with 'engraving' on the case, and the lad I sold them to just removed it with nail polish remover (acetone), as it was clearly just printed on somehow. Didn't leave a mark.

 

[kitKAC]

Is the 'engraving' actually engraving on things like iPads? I ordered a set of original APPs, with 'engraving' on the case, and the lad I sold them to just removed it with nail polish remover (acetone), as it was clearly just printed on somehow. Didn't leave a mark.

The back of iPads are aluminium, so yes. You wouldn't use a laser for plastic casing.

 

[JPack]

So it had a chinese address in the sender field?

No, returns and refurbishment is done domestically. Manufacturing for all engraved iPads is done in China.