“If you have an Apple ID, you probably get emails from the company touting new products,” Kirk McElhearn writes for Kirkville. “I’ve gotten several about the Apple Watch, and I got one today about the new MacBook.”
“I clicked the Buy Now link in the email, and selected a configuration, only to see this on the Apple website: ‘Available to ship: 4-6 weeks,'” McElhearn writes. “It doesn’t seem very productive to tell people to ‘Buy Now’ when you can’t get a product for four to six weeks (plus delivery time; so, in reality, about five to seven weeks).”
“I think Apple should either wait to promote products they can’t ship, or be more explicit in their emails,” McElhearn writes. “It’s not a positive experience for users, and merely reinforces the image of Apple as an elitist brand. If you can’t ship, you shouldn’t taunt people.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Hey Tim and Co., what’s the point of having “the best product pipeline in 25 years” if it takes you 25 years to fill it?
Real artists ship. – Steve Jobs
I appreciate Kirk McElhearn’s article. Apple’s left hand is not matching the right, in more than one aspect.
They’re actually doing us a favor by NOT shipping them.
The Apple Watch is an overpriced POS.
Do you have an Apple Watch? Normally people who down grade other products want one, no money, or they bought something else they do not like (android)
As someone who has been using it for about a week, you clearly don’t know wtf your talking about. It’s incredibly helpful for me allowing me to see notifications, monitor my blood sugar and track fitness all from the watch. It’s great.
Stop feeding this arsehole, it only encourages his stupidity.
Orandy you gutless anonymous troll fuck off 😡
You can still order the product. It’s about catching the consumer when they’re ready to purchase, and when the hype is in full swing.
As a related aside: I used to pester Apple about the fact that their security update documents were NEVER available online at the time of the release of the security update software. It took the a few YEARS to fix that oddity. Now everything is in sync.
From what I can tell, it’s a lack of direct communication and coordination between different parts of the company. This is VERY common in what we now call ‘enterprise’ businesses. OMG did I get sick of it at Kodak. We even had a case where two guys created separate Mac and Windows versions of Kodak’s ‘Shoebox’ software, and the two database systems were incompatible. No export from one and import into the other. That was insane. What was SUPREMELY insane was that these two programmers worked across the aisle from one another, and they couldn’t be bothered to sync their database formats. That’s when you want to KILL.
There are customers who currently have both the Watch and MacBook. So clearly Apple is shipping.
Received both products before the original delivery date. I personally haven’t spoke to anyone who hasn’t got their watch or laptop on time. Based of course off the date that was given when they ordered it.
OK MDN folks, who hasn’t received their watch or laptop yet. I am curious to know.
The short answer to the Headline is: Yes.
Apple IS shipping. They do not have them in stock to buy off the shelf, and there is a wait time to receive one’s purchase. But of course they should still promote the product. Evidence points to the discovery of bad taptic engines that cut their supply, so planned manufacturing has a choke point. Better that than getting a watch with bad taptics.
I’d love to get an Apple Watch – but I’d like to get it right now, not in six weeks. Heck, I wanted to get one the day it was released but I knew that wasn’t happening. It makes you wonder how many sales they’re losing by not having physical product to sell this very moment. I’m sure they’ll get it sorted out but maybe keep things under wraps a bit longer until they can get the shelves fully stocked for sale?
If you want it that badly you should have been up at midnight pacific time on April 10th like the rest of us. If you had been, you would be receiving it today.
Thanks for the brilliant insight. You da man!
I was up at 1am (MST) and mine is still due in June. Servers would not let me through until 1:07.
I ordered my wife’s watch at 0545EST on April 10th. Originally, it stated a June ship date. Then on Thursday morning, 23 April 2015, I received an email stating my watch had shipped and I would receive it tomorrow (24 April 2015).
At 1435hrs EST on Friday, 24 April 2015, my wife had her watch on her wrist. I have not seen her wear a watch in 15 years, and now she has not taken it off during waking hours.
Logic fail.
Even if everyone had stayed up and ordered their watches within 1 nanosecond of it becoming available, that wouldn’t have created a single additional watch or increased the number of delivered watches at any point in time.
Reading comprehension fail.
I said HE should have been up at midnight pacific if he wants it as badly as he claims to. If he had, he would already have his by now.
Apple is losing absolutely no sales because they are selling every watch they make.
A nice chunk of the ‘hype’ sales are probably lost. For example, I would think they are ‘losing’ the sales of those that are in the gray area of ‘would have bought it if I could have it in my hands within (x) days’ where ‘x’ is <= 3.. 😛 So those potential owners would simply convince themselves they don't really need one or postpone it and never getting around to actually getting one till the next version (maybe).
Apple should do whatever it wants if their customers tolerate it. In my business, I gauge one squeaky wheel as a minimum of 10 that feel the same way and say nothing. Often times these others vote with their feet and take their wallets with them. So I take customer feedback seriously.
I know that if I was the commander of Apple stores, I would whine, bitch, and complain if I didn’t have demo product for people to play with on preorder launch day. If the product lives up to the hype, have it in the store “when the hype is ripe”. The professional reviewers like MDM will rip you apart anyway if the product is no good.
Well, that’s one clever way to get the sales numbers higher than shipping numbers, not the other eay around like Samsungs. …or blame it on too many buyers
Yes, MDN, Apple’s difficulty in immediately filling all orders of this one totally new product completely invalidates the entire product line. We should all buy Dell’s and Galaxy’s.
Any excess inventory would have been declared by MDN as the most embarrassing debacle worthy of ending Tim Cook’s position. 4 to 6 weeks of lead time on orders renders everything pointless.
Really? Such a fine distinction between two such extremes? How do you propose Apple predict and prepare for a new product (the only (very) remotely comparable products would indicate very small demand) and get the answer so right it would fall well clear of either extreme? Say 1 to 3 weeks shipping. That’s one hell of a small target to hit.
Looks like you mistyped your name. It starts with a “P,” not a “D.”
Dumbest reply ever.
I heartily agree. This is a new product. People have been working their asses off for years to get it out the door. You can’t create new things without encountering some issues along the way.
MDN sometimes veers towards a more extreme or elitist viewpoint. I try to ignore those and enjoy the funny Takes.
Everyone thinks that they can do better. But, until someone actually does better than Apple, especially over an extended period, I am not worried. Very few people who want an Apple Watch are going to buy an alternative product or change their minds because of a four to six week wait.
All of this whining and instant gratification nonsense is ridiculous. The Apple Watch was just a rumor not so long ago. Now, people are pitching fits because they cannot walk in and buy one today.
When people talk about progress, they are almost always talking about technologies and construction. Unfortunately, the key area in which progress is stagnant is human nature. As a whole, we remain incredibly arrogant, greedy, belligerent, and prone to criminal acts if there is a good chance of getting away with them. It is truly sad…
I ordered the Watch on pre-launch day and it’s on the truck for delivery today. That’s one-and-a-half weeks from launch date to the day I should have it on my wrist, even though my delivery time said “4-6 weeks” up until yesterday. I think production is ramping up just fine but Apple is continuing to under-promise and over-deliver.
Customers are delighted if promised 4-6 weeks turns out to be 1.5 weeks. Customers are pissed if promised 1.5 weeks turns out to be 2 weeks. Pretty simple.
Which watch and band? I ordered at 00:03 and I’m down as May 13-27 for a black stainless steel.
FWIW, I ordered the 42mm black/black at 3:04 and it was delivered yesterday by UPS.
Glad to know that the Space Black Stainless Link is actually shipping!
Let us know when you get yours. I ordered the same, but could not get the server to respond until 00:07, so mine is due in June.
I have not heard of anyone receiving a Space Black Stainless Link yet. Also, I called all the stores in Colorado for try on availability last Friday, and none have that model available for try-ons. Seems something is amiss with the Black Stainless – but I hope not.
Ordered Sport Watch, 38 mm, space gray with black band at 3:20 a.m. on April 10; patiently for UPS to buzz my door.
Delivery was scheduled for 12 o’clock, yet,’here I sit at 5:13 still waiting, but less patiently than before. I have a personal guarantee that it will be delivered today before 7 PM .
6 PM the parcel arrived. Previously these parcels required a 12 o’clock delivery, that was changed and discretion was given to the drivers, hence the delay.
I will be off to Apple Store tomorrow to get this thing properly set up and be on my way.
Here’s to all of you who are still waiting ……
42mm black sport with black sport band.
I had trouble ordering my AppleWatch as soon as server was activated on East Coast at 3:03am & had the SSW watch favorite on App Store ready for buy, but when ready to buy, Apple kept asking for security code which I kept re-entering. After 7 failed attempts I looked over information and noticed when I switch Amex cards, Apple kept the previous expiration date of other Amex card. I finally got approved at 3:09am and was promised a shipping date of May 13-24. I received it on launch day April 24! So I was happy. Unfortunately, this happened during pre-order for my iPhone 6+.
Our 42mm SS w/Black Sport Band is out for delivery as I type this. My 42mm SS w/link bracelet is still in Processing mode. Both orders were confirmed at 00:07 on April 10th, with shipping range of May 13-27.
So, Sport Band model is arriving more than a week earlier than earliest promised date. The link bracelet model is the one I haven’t heard anyone acknowledge receipt of yet, so something’s clearly up with those link bracelets.
How would this at all be a new practice for Apple?
There was a time when Jobs released a product and wowed the audience by saying the product is available today — and it was!
Those were good days at Apple, 5+ years ago. Cook hasn’t ever delivered a product on time in enough quantity to even come close to satisfying demand — and updates to each product line come so infrequently that the pent-up demand is huge.
Apple TV anyone?
Displays?
iPods?
current tech 4″ iPhone?
real Mac Pro with internal expansion?
I don’t think Apple was working at the same scale now as it was then, or working under the same level of scrutiny. Pretty much everything Apple is doing these days is setting records; it’s unrealistic to expect this to happen without some hiccups.
You’re absolutely right. Apple has practically unlimited resources to update designs and ship products today. Jobs resurrected Apple on a very tight budget.
Quite true, in the past they started with a smaller number of countries for the initial rollout which helped keep delivery times to a minimum.. Seems to me they have simply over extended themselves.
Maybe it’s my age, but anticipation is part of the process. When you get mad at Apple due to a perceived slight at waiting your turn, its your problem, not Apple’s.
Does anyone else remember the photo from the 80’s showing Steve Jobs sitting in front of a warehouse of computers that didn’t ship? He had over estimated demand. The article also announced his departure from Apple. We now know that there was more than that involved in his departure, but the business world accepted overstock as a legitimate reason for dismissal. Apple creates desire for something they’ve never done before, how the heck do you accurately estimate production for that?
Thank you!!! I can’t tell you how it burns my hide that I ordered the watch @ 12:13 (when it went live on the site) and I can’t get the darn thing until 4 weeks, at minimum, after it was supposed to ship. And then I have to see all these celebrities sporting their watches and have to sit through tons of commercials. This is a big “fail” on Apple’s part.
I sense you are upset; get over it and wait like the rest of us because you sound more like a troll than someone waiting for a Apple product.
Not a troll at all. I’m a huge Apple fan, own stock in the company for about 20 years, and have an opinion. Not everything Apple does is perfect. I’m not “upset” just frustrated that there is a lot of hype and commercials about a product that they didn’t produce in sufficient quantities. I ordered it 13 minutes after it went on sale and it was already “sold out” by that point. That is not managing a product launch well at all!!
You knew how long it might take when you ordered your Apple Watch. Now you are irritated because some celebrities (and developers) got theirs first? How is that different from any other major launch of a highly desirable product?
Have you ever waited in line for a Nintendo Wii? A Cabbage Patch Kid? A Sony PS4? Or ? Then you make it into the store, only to find out that it is sold out. Welcome to the life of the average Joe/Joanna who has neither the wealth or the status to force life to adapt to our desires.
Focus on the anticipation of receiving your Apple Watch and the joy that you will have unboxing it and learning how to integrate it into your life. Don’t dwell on the negatives.
Two words: Entitlement generation.
Two more words: Buncha crybabies
Ok, the last one is a stretch, but still, grow up you whiney pansies. 🙂
It hasn’t stopped Microsoft all these years.
I think it is a trade off. I hated the freezing of the market vaporware of MS ads in the 90’s. Apple is not following this philosophy.
This is a personal opinion:
• 4 – 6 weeks for major upgrades is fine.
• 6 months for new products announcements with 2 months notice for expected taking orders/sales/ship date.
Hiding reality (of expected products) with all of the blogging speculators is far more confusing to the general public. Truthful lead time announcements is a healthy thing, even if an occasional delay of 4- 6 weeks is encountered.
None of this is contrary to SJ’s comment – which was aimed at the freezing vapor ware of MS, Google and ilk.
(“Real artists ship. – Steve Jobs”) Think Context!
As an early adopter of the current Mac Pro, I waited nearly 4 months after placing my order within a few hours of Apple accepting the first orders. While I couldn’t be happier with my purchase once I finally received it, the continual delays in shipping and the overall lack of communication about my order was frustrating. This appears to a repeat of the same song, just a new set of lyrics. Unfortunately, this particular song is getting old and tired.
OH GAWD!!! Give it break!!!
What company doesn’t announce products ahead of them actually being available?
And announcing products that NEVER BECOME AVAILABLE is far too common in the tech industry.
As others have said, immediate demand outstripping supply is now the demand for Apple products. So you have to wait a few weeks. Get a life!!!
All true. But I suppose people need something to fill up the time between ordering and shipping…
There are some initial production issues that have prevented Apple meeting the high demand ( not made any better by the (right) decision to release the product in a dozen countries from Day 1).
But the new product is, as usual, a generation or 2 ahead of the competition and they have no way of making a serious alternative in under 12 months, so Apple have the time to ramp up without ‘losing’ sales elsewhere.
Once again, a relative unknown tries to gain mindshare and page views. I’m getting my Apple Watch today so he can STFU.
I got my Apple Watch 4.24, it was supposed to be shipped after mid May. Happy. Then, tried to buy a new iMac 5k, it turns out I can’t remove the stand by myself anymore and use a VESA mount, it needs to be ordered with it and they were out of iMacs. I bought a Dell 4K display and used PC for some photo and video editing.
I have found out over the years, buying Apple products is not easy, my wife claimed couple of days ago that I have saved over 40000USD in the last 5 years for not able to buy them. The way it works is this, the first half a year products are difficult to buy, the second half you start to wait for what the next years model is.
My neighbour is now thinking of getting a Mac Pro, he had heard from somewhere that there is refresh coming (bigger SSD?) so he is now sitting and waiting. If there is a refresh he won’t be able to buy it, so I told him why not buy some stupid PC. He will start editing his old slides this summer and making HD movies out of them.
I just bought a refurbished 27″ 5K iMac with fusion drive, saved $410, ordered it on Tuesday, had it by noon on Thursday. Buy what you need and what you can afford when you need it. You don’t need to wait for the latest and greatest, refurbished is great, my machine is only 6 months old, and replaced an iMac from 2007 so it is a HUGE performance boost for me. I looked at the Mac Pro, I would love one, but it is overkill for my needs as it probably is for your neighbour as well. You get what you pay for, but it seems to me you didn’t try very hard, weren’t very creative, or you are just a troll. If you settled for a Dell, well… pretty much says it all.
DON’T BUY WINDOWS CRAP! And don’t troll on MDN…
Oh No! I got an ad to buy a (Apple product) and when I tried to they are so popular I can’t get one for weeks! I’m sure that means that Apple is going under any time soon! Doom I say, DOOM! 🙂
I’m just tired of the fact that Apple acts like they’re surprised when the products sell like hotcakes. Just make enough for a launch already.
Are you actually suggesting that they should have delayed the launch until July just to build up enough inventory for the first wave of orders?
Promote Yes!!!!
LAUNCH …. NOOOOOOOO!
“Buy now!” suggests, at least to me it does, that if you order now, you will receive the product shortly. If I “buy now!” in The Netherlands, sometimes an order before 23:00 will result in delivery the next day. Now NL is a small country, so I’ll draw to parallel to “within the state”. Across states this should be the day after. “Buy now!” should be the Amazon.com experience and not something else. Apple could do it, and it should do it. “Noblesse oblige”!