iPad shipped, Apple just sent out tracking numbers!

[EddyP]

I think your theory is correct. I live in Manhattan NY, and it's still in the origin area, my friend that lives in LA hasn't gotten his either.

I'm outside of Chicago. My tracking still shows it's in China.

I know packages have hit Louisville at just before midnight and I have received them the next day no problem.

Here's today's flight from China.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/UPS71

Cross your fingers.

It looks there wasn't even a flight yesterday form Guangzhou to Anchorage.
http://flightaware.com/live/findflight/ZGGG/PANC

 

[bearcatrp]

I got the same thing but yesterday when I called UPS international I was told without even saying it was an Apple product that UPS has a special arrangement with Apple and it will be delivered by the end of the day on Saturday even if your location doesn't have Saturday delivery service.

I called a 2nd time this morning and was told the same thing, hope that helps

I called UPS international and was told the same thing. Will be delivered saturday per special arrangements with apple.

 

[mf32707]

I fully expect to suddenly see a bunch of tracking updates appear tommorrow evening at some point. UPS is notorious for not posting tracking updates and then once the package reaches a certain point and then somehow they all show up at once. Drives me crazy when I'm waiting for something like this.

That said I've still been checking at least once an hour since I got the tracking number...

 

[nolesfan]

I just got the same email from apple.

To Our Valued Apple Customer:


Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary
Apple iPad.

We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your
area.

Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th.

For up-to-date information on your order, please visit our Order
Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

 

[Nde]

I just got the same email from apple.

To Our Valued Apple Customer:


Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary
Apple iPad.

We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your
area.

Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th.

For up-to-date information on your order, please visit our Order
Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

That sucks. Do you mind posting the city and state of the delivery?

 

[sfwalter]

I just got the same email from apple.

To Our Valued Apple Customer:


Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary
Apple iPad.

We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your
area.

Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th.

For up-to-date information on your order, please visit our Order
Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.

Ouch that sux! So sorry.

If you really can't wait you could always get one from a local Apple store and then return the one shipped to you unopened for a full refund.

 

[baseballboy23ak]

i would like to see an ACTUAL SCREENSHOT of the email...it is very easy to make that email up by just writing some text.

 

[kirchnrd]

Ouch that sux! So sorry.

If you really can't wait you could always get one from a local Apple store and then return the one shipped to you unopened for a full refund.

But what are the odds the Apple Store or Best Buy will have one available Saturday? They should have advised that UPS would do the deliveries, and Saturday wouldn't be an option for 90% of the people who picked home delivery... because we live farther away from a large city, which is where the Apple Stores are. This is such a crock...

 

[aibo]

ANCHORAGE, AK, US 04/01/2010 5:40 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN

Woohoo, it seems to be on track for Saturday. It was still in Shezen yesterday so I was getting a lil worried. I ordered May 19th.

 

[waydon13]

So I Call UPS

To see if they can track it because I cannot. They stated that Apple sent my iPad out without Saturday Delivery. They stated I will be getting it on monday. 1800-MY-APPLE states it was sent out with Saturday delivery. I am confused. What Gives?

 

[kirchnrd]

i would like to see an ACTUAL SCREENSHOT of the email...it is very easy to make that email up by just writing some text.

Trust me it isn't fake. It is complete and utter bulls**t, but it isn't fake...


Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary
Apple iPad.

We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your
area.

Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th.

For up-to-date information on your order, please visit our Order
Status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.


Sincerely,
The Apple Store Team

 

[Deanster]

I've been watching this thread for days, and haven't had anything to add, so haven't been posting.

Special thanks to TechDude16, and your UPS inside info sources - I've greatly appreciated your detailed and apparently right-on-target logistics info and reporting on UPS tracking and what it means. That sort of info is the best of what forums can be.

I find the 'hinterlands ship first' theory VERY intriguing, as it's the first vision of what orders are in what status that makes sense. I worked for Amazon.com for a long time, and worked pretty heavily with the logistics folks, though I'm not one myself at all. I hadn't previously gone through the thought process of 'you need to deliver 250,000 top-secret items on one morning, all to home addresses across the US - how do you go about it?'

With this question in mind, you instantly end up with a model that's trying to do a couple things - a) keep the packages secure as long as possible, b) try to spread things out so the bulge going through your logistics process is manageable, and c) ensure that the highest possible number make it on the specified date.

An obvious approach to this is sorting out ZIPs that are farthest from your major distribution centers, and pushing early loads to the closest facilities - this both allows you to spread out the load, and get shipments closer to your hardest-to-reach areas, increasing your chances of on-time delivery. It also avoids having giant piles of shipments sitting in Seattle, NY, Chicago, etc. for several days.

Then, push the urban-area shipments through at the last minute. These will be by definition larger batches, but they're all going to your major facilities, which can handle the load.

This also explains the Saturday launch - Saturday is the only day where UPS/FedEx have a significant 'surge' capacity. Their drivers, planes, and facilities are operating at a full 'normal' load M-F, and a light load on Saturday. By just extending the week, and using some or all of your M-F team on Saturday, they can handle a HUGE surge without too much difficulty.

Thanks to EddyP for the 'hinterlands first' idea - I think you're 100% on target. It makes perfect sense, and explains why my iPad is sitting in Guangzhou making me insane.

 

[nolesfan]

Yea it is ******** and I wouldn't joke about something like that. I was just as exited to get mine Saturday as you all were. I am South of Wichita, Ks.

 

[kirchnrd]

I've been watching this thread for days, and haven't had anything to add, so haven't been posting.

Special thanks to TechDude16, and your UPS inside info sources - I've greatly appreciated your detailed and apparently right-on-target logistics info and reporting on UPS tracking and what it means. That sort of info is the best of what forums can be.

I find the 'hinterlands ship first' theory VERY intriguing, as it's the first vision of what orders are in what status that makes sense. I worked for Amazon.com for a long time, and worked pretty heavily with the logistics folks, though I'm not one myself at all. I hadn't previously gone through the thought process of 'you need to deliver 250,000 top-secret items on one morning, all to home addresses across the US - how do you go about it?'

With this question in mind, you instantly end up with a model that's trying to do a couple things - a) keep the packages secure as long as possible, b) try to spread things out so the bulge going through your logistics process is manageable, and c) ensure that the highest possible number make it on the specified date.

An obvious approach to this is sorting out ZIPs that are farthest from your major distribution centers, and pushing early loads to the closest facilities - this both allows you to spread out the load, and get shipments closer to your hardest-to-reach areas, increasing your chances of on-time delivery. It also avoids having giant piles of shipments sitting in Seattle, NY, Chicago, etc. for several days.

Then, push the urban-area shipments through at the last minute. These will be by definition larger batches, but they're all going to your major facilities, which can handle the load.

This also explains the Saturday launch - Saturday is the only day where UPS/FedEx have a significant 'surge' capacity. Their drivers, planes, and facilities are operating at a full 'normal' load M-F, and a light load on Saturday. By just extending the week, and using some or all of your M-F team on Saturday, they can handle a HUGE surge without too much difficulty.

Thanks to EddyP for the 'hinterlands first' idea - I think you're 100% on target. It makes perfect sense, and explains why my iPad is sitting in Guangzhou making me insane.

Gag... you must be a logistics analyst or manager or something. A perfect logical answer from a corporate standpoint. For us real folks, the people buying the product, we get shafted so they make more money. Period.

 

[stevers23]

I just received the notification email from Apple stating the my area does not receive Saturday shipments - zipcode 84043. However, I checked with UPS twice on the phone and checked online....everything says Saturday shipments are not a problem.

I also called the UPS depot that is about 15 minutes from my house and they said that Apple is wrong. They said there is Saturday delivery in the area and they are bringing in extra drivers to cover the workload for the iPad. Apparently Apple and UPS are not on the same page regarding this. Anyone else having this issue?

 

[GaresTaylan]

w00t

4/1/2010 5:40:00 AM ARRIVAL SCAN ANCHORAGE, AK US
4/1/2010 1:22:00 PM DEPARTURE SCAN CHEK LAP KOK, HK
3/31/2010 12:24:00 AM ORIGIN SCAN SHENZHEN, CN
3/29/2010 1:00:00 AM UPS INTERNAL ACTIVITY / UPS INTERNAL ACTIVITY LOUISVILLE, KY US
4/1/2010 3:57:00 PM BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED CN

 

[caroleplays]

No Saturday Shipping

I just got this email from Apple
"To Our Valued Apple Customer:Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary Apple iPad. We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your area. Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th."

Darn!

 

[tasset]

I just received the notification email from Apple stating the my area does not receive Saturday shipments - zipcode 84043. However, I checked with UPS twice on the phone and checked online....everything says Saturday shipments are not a problem.

I also called the UPS depot that is about 15 minutes from my house and they said that Apple is wrong. They said there is Saturday delivery in the area and they are bringing in extra drivers to cover the workload for the iPad. Apparently Apple and UPS are not on the same page regarding this. Anyone else having this issue?

I have received many a package from UPS on Saturday so either Apple is wrong or they have tried to reduce UPS expense for this special off-day arrangement they made.
With the stories going around that Apple withheld customs papers and has the shipment under armored guard, I think Apple should have done better than promising Sat delivery on preorders.

 

[talkingnewmedia]

Easy to remember rule: no screenshot . . .

 

[jaybrad]

Totally pissed

I just received that email, so I sent them one back

Apple sent me an e-mail a few days ago saying my order would deliver by APRIL 3RD (I even called on Tuesday to confirm this). I am highly disappointed that they could not meet that date. They could have sent it FedEx and I could have received it on the RELEASE DATE AS ADVERTISED. As one of the early adopters I am sure there will be many others (that don't receive iPad on release date) that see this shipping decision (not using FedEx) as being very short sighted and not thinking of people having to wait for over 2 months to receive this product on Saturday April 3rd!!!!!!

 

[wingnut8]

I just got this email from Apple
"To Our Valued Apple Customer:Thank you for your recent purchase of the magical and revolutionary Apple iPad. We would like to advise you Saturday delivery is not available in your area. Your order will be delivered on Monday April 5th."

Darn!

Where are you located?

And to the user above, I would think Dallas would have Saturday delivery. Odd.

 

[rtabdo]

I just received that email, so I sent them one back

Apple sent me an e-mail a few days ago saying my order would deliver by APRIL 3RD (I even called on Tuesday to confirm this). I am highly disappointed that they could not meet that date. They could have sent it FedEx and I could have received it on the RELEASE DATE AS ADVERTISED. As one of the early adopters I am sure there will be many others (that don't receive iPad on release date) that see this shipping decision (not using FedEx) as being very short sighted and not thinking of people having to wait for over 2 months to receive this product on Saturday April 3rd!!!!!!

I do think Apple clearly stated that if Saturday shipping isn't available in your area, that you would get it on Monday.

 

[nolesfan]

Dude why do you keep saying stuff like this? Why in hell would I have any reason to make it up? The emails are real man. Im not taking the time to post a screenshot, i copied and pasted exactly what the email said.

Easy to remember rule: no screenshot . . .

 

[Deanster]

Gag... you must be a logistics analyst or manager or something. A perfect logical answer from a corporate standpoint. For us real folks, the people buying the product, we get shafted so they make more money. Period.

Ya lost me there, champ. How are you getting shafted? And how are they making more money? Sure seems like they're going to a ton of effort and expense to get as many of these into people's hands as humanly possible, including extended Saturday delivery hours/areas, extra drivers, etc. That all comes at tremendous expense.

I know there's people who aren't going to get theirs on Saturday, and I'd be torqued as hell if I were one of them... but Apple was clear from minute one that if there's no Saturday delivery in your area, you'd be getting it Monday. Unclear about how that's shafting you to get more money.

As for 'Apple and UPS not being on the same page' - again, this makes sense to me... again, I'm not a professional logistics guy, but have worked for companies that have some of the best in the world working for them. Apple sent UPS a list, probably the day they closed the 4/3 pre-order period, with every iPad that needed delivery on it.

UPS is trying to figure out how to get the maximum number on that list delivered on Saturday. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that there's incentives for UPS to hit very high percentages successfully delivered in their contract.

So, UPS is probably going around to their staff, trying to get everyone they need to work on Saturday. They will be extending Saturday delivery areas and hours beyond their normal range, and I imagine a bunch of people who aren't officially in a Saturday delivery area will end up getting their iPad Saturday. BUT (there's always a but!) - because it's not their 'normal' routine, this situation significantly reduces the predictability of what's going to happen for people who are on the 'cusp' - it could very easily come down to whether 'Jimmy the UPS Driver' agrees to work extra hours on Saturday.

 

[jaybrad]

I live 10 miles outside the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex