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Which Carrier is Delivering iPad on Sat?

MatthewStorm

MatthewStorm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 19, 2003
923
513
Chapel Hill
I initially thought that FedEx was delivering the iPad on Sat., April 3rd, but now I'm wondering since sometimes they use DHL. Anybody have the skinny on this? I really need this info to know who to bribe to get my iPad before it goes out for delivery.
 
If it's like the iPhone 3GS, they'll use a variety of carriers and you won't know which is yours until it ships. I pre-ordered 2 3GSes the first day pre-orders were available. One shipped via FedEx direct from China, the other shipped via UPS from Georgia (the state, not the country). They both arrived at my within 10 minutes of each other on launch day.

If by "before it goes out for delivery" you mean early Saturday AM, good luck. Locally, the drivers here have their trucks loaded by 5:00AM. If you meant Friday, not a chance. Apple probably has them shipped with a "deliver no earlier than..." on them, which means the carrier can't even do a delivery scan on the tracking barcode. The machine will just beep at them and not let them "deliver" the item until the date.
 
DHL got out of the Home Delivery game awhile back (in the US). They still ship packages, but they are usually dropped off to USPS before it ever makes it to your home.
 
I agree with the FedEx camp, although YMMV if you live in a place large enough to have more than just UPS and FedEx.
 
MatthewStorm said:
I really need this info to know who to bribe to get my iPad before it goes out for delivery.
Click to expand...

With FedEx you can call them, give them the tracking number and request they hold for pick-up at the Fed-Ex depot. You may have a problem with pick-up at a depot on Saturdays though. You'd need to verify that there are even hours. The closest depot to me is a self-serve drop-off point. They don't let you come in contact with the real people in the back. The large depot is at a distance and has hours on Saturday from 9a-3p.

I had the local depot really screw up a delivery on a saturday once and Fedex actually called the driver back in and had him let me into the employee area of the self-serve depot to pick up. That was nice of them but unless you're really good friends with the FedEx guy I wouldn't expect a lot of favors. We spend about $40k on FedEx shipping annually at work so I could probably ask nicely but it's not that important to me.
 
avaloncourt said:
With FedEx you can call them, give them the tracking number and request they hold for pick-up at the Fed-Ex depot. You may have a problem with pick-up at a depot on Saturdays though. You'd need to verify that there are even hours. The closest depot to me is a self-serve drop-off point. They don't let you come in contact with the real people in the back. The large depot is at a distance and has hours on Saturday from 9a-3p.

I had the local depot really screw up a delivery on a saturday once and Fedex actually called the driver back in and had him let me into the employee area of the self-serve depot to pick up. That was nice of them but unless you're really good friends with the FedEx guy I wouldn't expect a lot of favors. We spend about $40k on FedEx shipping annually at work so I could probably ask nicely but it's not that important to me.
Click to expand...

There is already a thread on this that mentions Apple requiring FedEx to at least attempt a home delivery before allowing a person to pick up at the depot.
 
As I mentioned in a previous thread my FedEx depot is 5 mins away and they are open on Sat. I'm heading down there next week with a bottle of Jack or 2 and make some friends. I think the truck arrives about 1:30am......
 
MatthewStorm said:
As I mentioned in a previous thread my FedEx depot is 5 mins away and they are open on Sat. I'm heading down there next week with a bottle of Jack or 2 and make some friends. I think the truck arrives about 1:30am......
Click to expand...

lol yes, I only speak of supposedly official practices. I wish you the best of luck :)
 
It's possible your iPad will arrive via USPS. Fed-Ex and USPS are in bed together, trading deliveries if they are more efficient or convenient for the post office to deliver.
 
4DThinker said:
It's possible your iPad will arrive via USPS. Fed-Ex and USPS are in bed together, trading deliveries if they are more efficient or convenient for the post office to deliver.
Click to expand...

I don't see Apple allowing a $500-$700 device being delivered by USPS.
 
MatthewStorm said:
As I mentioned in a previous thread my FedEx depot is 5 mins away and they are open on Sat. I'm heading down there next week with a bottle of Jack or 2 and make some friends. I think the truck arrives about 1:30am......
Click to expand...

Such an awesome idea! I will post (subscribe) just to see how this turns out :D

kes601 said:
I don't see Apple allowing a $500-$700 device being delivered by USPS.
Click to expand...

Why not? Cuz their trucks are smaller? They're a legit company. (The oldest between them, UPS, & FedEx) I could see if you mean they won't let Joe Schmoe's Shipping company send it
 
MatthewStorm said:
As I mentioned in a previous thread my FedEx depot is 5 mins away and they are open on Sat. I'm heading down there next week with a bottle of Jack or 2 and make some friends. I think the truck arrives about 1:30am......
Click to expand...

Bribery is 100% useful. I've already started working on my local guys.
 
Chris Rogers said:
Why not? Cuz their trucks are smaller? They're a legit company. (The oldest between them, UPS, & FedEx) I could see if you mean they won't let Joe Schmoe's Shipping company send it
Click to expand...

Agreed. My local USPS is great. I've had some pretty decent knock down fights with the morons at FedEx though.
 
4DThinker said:
It's possible your iPad will arrive via USPS. Fed-Ex and USPS are in bed together, trading deliveries if they are more efficient or convenient for the post office to deliver.
Click to expand...

Yes, but that is a "budget" service (FedEx's service is called SmartPost; UPS's is UPS Mail Innovations. I've never seen Apple use either of these services, and doubt they would use it for the iPad. 1) It's only available for domestic ground shipping and the iPad is shipping direct from China. 2) It's not a guaranteed service so Apple can't demand a specific delivery day. It's delivered when its delivered.
 
I'm thinking it's going FedEx Ground/Home. I don't think they charge extra for Saturday delivery since it's a regular delivery day. They may have worked something out with FedEx to hold packages for Saturday delivery. Otherwise, Apple must be paying a mint to Saturday delivery.

If it is FedEx Ground, keep in mind this actually isn't FedEx, but a separate operation for labor reasons. My FedEx station is just a couple miles away, but FedEx Ground is out by the airport and has completely different pick up rules. You're going to want to make sure that pre-sign form is on your door and/or waiting for them, cause if you miss it, you're going to be waiting until Tuesday.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
Yes, but that is a "budget" service (FedEx's service is called SmartPost; UPS's is UPS Mail Innovations. I've never seen Apple use either of these services, and doubt they would use it for the iPad. 1) It's only available for domestic ground shipping and the iPad is shipping direct from China. 2) It's not a guaranteed service so Apple can't demand a specific delivery day. It's delivered when its delivered.
Click to expand...

lol. Who told you they're shipping directly from China? They could go half China/half domestic origin like the 3GS. Don't act like you know what you're talking about without facts to back it up.
 
Prolif1k said:
lol. Who told you they're shipping directly from China? They could go half China/half domestic origin like the 3GS. Don't act like you know what you're talking about without facts to back it up.
Click to expand...

LOL back at you. An Apple nube know-it-all. :rolleyes: Sorry Dude, if you were a true Apple aficionado you'd know that Apple almost always ships new products direct from China. The 3GS was a slight exception -- not enough to change the odds. A few very early orders shipped from the US but the overall majority shipped direct from China. If I were a betting man my money would be on China. That' is how all my MBPs shipped & my last few iPods. My 3GS came from Texas, but I was one of the first orders in. If you were around MR at the time you'd know that most people's orders came direct from China.

But I tell you what -- come back on April 2 and we'll see who's right, or at least more right. See ya.
 
jedolley said:
DHL got out of the Home Delivery game awhile back (in the US). They still ship packages, but they are usually dropped off to USPS before it ever makes it to your home.
Click to expand...

This is the best news in the thread.

My neighborhood got hit by a Tornado a few years ago. Apparently, that was the week Adobe decided to ship my cross-platform Illustrator. I had no idea it was coming - no power, no internet....

I got a phone call, "This is DHL in Orlando, what do you want us to do with this package we have for you?"

Um, deliver it?

"We can't do that, the driver says your house was destroyed in the Tornado."

Really? because i'm answering the phone from it (phone would be the only underground utility we have)..... the rest of my neighbors - yes, me, nope.

They didn't even attempt to see if the house was there..... that was the last time anything came DHL to me.

4DThinker said:
It's possible your iPad will arrive via USPS. Fed-Ex and USPS are in bed together, trading deliveries if they are more efficient or convenient for the post office to deliver.
Click to expand...

Chris Rogers said:
Why not? Cuz their trucks are smaller? They're a legit company. (The oldest between them, UPS, & FedEx) I could see if you mean they won't let Joe Schmoe's Shipping company send it
Click to expand...

FedEx hand off to USPS..... sucks.

I live in "town" - but all of our carriers are rural route carriers. So gee, my mail ALWAYS comes (or doesn't) via Joe Schmoe's car.

I cringe at the thought when stuff is arriving USPS hand off - it adds 1-2 days to anything i get. Thankfully, no one has used it around here in a long time.

That said, I've had horrid times recently getting "hold at depot" stuff done. UPS makes you wait until the day AFTER delivery - a lot of good that did me. It was a brawl between them and Amazon - they finally "allowed" me to get there at 8pm to pick up the package. It had been sitting there for a few hours according to the scans, but nope, i wasn't allowed there until 8pm.

FedEx mucked up a package for me on Friday and had their backup driver leave where he was and drive 20 minutes to me to get a package to me before i left town. My regular guy rocks - 9:30am delivery daily without paying for it!! :D

I'm hoping the Saturday for the iPad is earlier rather than later....
 
The iPad will almost certainly ship directly from China. My last two iMacs were sent this way -- arrived within 2 days of shipping actually.

Fedex Home Delivery will likely be the method of choice. In fact, I cancelled my preorder and went with the reservation simply on that fact alone. My experience with Fedex Home Delivery has been uniformly negative.

Since they are contracted by FedEx and not actual employees, the service quality can vary. I've had them simply hold on to the package an extra day or arrive well past normal delivery hours (ie night time).

One time, they came to my complex, walked up to the locked entry way and didn't even bother to buzz in. They pulled on the locked door and went back to their car and drove away. I watched the whole thing - called Fedex to complain, who in turn called the driver. He refused to drive back. This was literally within 5 minutes of him leaving.



I'll take my chances at the store.
 
Different Strokes Different Delivery Companies

robotkiller said:
The iPad will almost certainly ship directly from China. My last two iMacs were sent this way -- arrived within 2 days of shipping actually.

Fedex Home Delivery will likely be the method of choice. In fact, I cancelled my preorder and went with the reservation simply on that fact alone. My experience with Fedex Home Delivery has been uniformly negative.

Since they are contracted by FedEx and not actual employees, the service quality can vary. I've had them simply hold on to the package an extra day or arrive well past normal delivery hours (ie night time).

One time, they came to my complex, walked up to the locked entry way and didn't even bother to buzz in. They pulled on the locked door and went back to their car and drove away. I watched the whole thing - called Fedex to complain, who in turn called the driver. He refused to drive back. This was literally within 5 minutes of him leaving.



I'll take my chances at the store.
Click to expand...

I can understand your frustration. That story sounds familiar except I would need to substitute UPS in place of Fed Ex :rolleyes:
My experience with Fed Ex (Home Delivery as well) was been nothing but positive. My delivery problems have been with UPS. Those problems seem to follow me where ever I go so it doesn't seem to be a local thing. I'm confident that my iPad will deliver without fail, based on past experiences with Fed Ex, on time Saturday :D
 
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