Delivery Disaster -my first Apple experience

As discussed in another thread, I've been torn between a MBpro 15" and 17" for a longer period after I finally had decided of purchasing my first Apple product. I ordered the i7 MBpro 15" (8GB) through the AppleStore on August 3rd by phone call. According to the webshop, this configuration was ready for delivery in 3 days which would have been early enough for my photo expedition I bought the MBpro for. So far so good.

BUT when I got the order confirmation, the presumable delivery was listed for Aug 18th or Aug 19th. With reference to the information of the webstore, I was pretty much surprised and concerned of a delay, because I have to leave for the trip on August 20th. I called the salesperson who had taken the order at the Applestore but she said that she could not help here and expedite the delivery because the distribution center was in the Netherlands. However, the MB should arrive in time before August 20th. BTW, I would not have complained about 1 or 2 days of delay, of course, but 2-3 weeks simply are too much, IMO. Moreover, I now got the information by email that the MB was sent out on Aug 10th and that the presumed delivery date was the 20.- 23th of August. In the next step I contacted the customer support wondering why the shipping needs 10-13 days from the Netherlands to Germany after the MB had been sent out on Aug 10th as stated. I told them that I urgently need the MB for the trip and that nobody could accept the delivery after I had left. Again, they said that there's nothing they can do because -and that's the surprise IMHO - the MBpro comes from China . I told them that I take it as a wilfull deceit that the article was listed in the webstore for delivery in 3 days - without any update after the configuration but in reality, the regular delivery takes 17-20 days then. Their regrets didn't help me here. So I will have to leave without the laptop for my phototrip to the Far East which is a real disaster. Beyond this, the MBpro will go back anyhow, since nobody can accept the delivery and check the MBpro within the return period. After my return, I will have to get my money back , I had supported Apple with for 3 weeks in advance without an equivalent. So that's my first and probably last experience with the praised Apple Company. You certainly can ask what's the point of this posting beside a rant. So here you get it:

1) I'm interested to know the experiences of others who ordered a MBpro configurated at the Applestore with regard to the time of delivery listed in the shop and in real world.

2) I would like to know how others would act in my place given the fact that there are no particular circumstances and given the fact that I could by no means foresee a delivery time of nearly 3 weeks based on the information in the webstore and now have to leave without the laptop to download and work on my photographs

3) I would like to bring my experiences to the knowledge of the community so that others know of the fact that the MBpros are made and configurated in China and need about 3 weeks for delivery to Europe - no matter what the Applestore tells (don't know about the US, though). I also hope that Apple will get aware that these kinds of experiences will be spread.

Wolfgang

 

I ordered mine online through Apple and received my customized unit within 7 days shipped from China to Florida. Easy as could be. Perhaps customs is a bit different there?

 

thank you for you input -this period is well acceptable. I don't know if customs is different but I doubt that this would explain almost 14 days more than your period of delivery. What really annoyes me is the misleading in the Apple webstore. If i.e. you customize a Vaio on the Sonystyle Site, the delivery time is updated continously while Apple makes you believe - willingly or not - that you can get the product within a week or so, concealing that you have to add at least 2 weeks for shipping it. If you know about this period based on the manufacturing in China, you can decide if you can order it in time for your needs. But if I order a product on August 3rd, the last thing I would have had assumed is a delivery time of nearly 3 weeks, given the information in the webshop and by the salesperson. So I'm in a real dilemma now.

Wolfgang

 

I think Apple brings about unreasonable expectations when they quote delivery dates. They simply ought to indicate those details which are reasonably under their own control, such as ship date, ship location and carrier information.
I've always found it strange that they would go so far as to predict both transit times AND include precise international boundary customs clearance times within a seemingly certain "deliver by" date. But even more odd, is that they have been so very close to correct on all my dealings with them.
Yet, I still find it unreasonable to do so. And your case, Jaekel, seems to support that it is unreasonable.

The question then becomes who is right? The company who may be making unreasonable promises, or the customer who depends on promises that they should possibly recognize as unreasonable?

In any case, I don't think you should have to be responsible for the shipment or any restocking fees. Apple should live with the error.

 

I'm not up to speed on Apple Store locations or authorized dealers in Germany. But if there is one within reasonable distance, you could just go to a store and buy a 15" i7 MBP and upgrade the RAM to 8GB yourself and even save some euros in the process

 

Though the next Apple Store is about 150 km away from where I live, I had thought of this possibility before I placed my order in the webshop. However, you'd have to replace the two 2 GB RAM modules of the basic configuration and buy 2 x 4 GB instead - not just to buy an additional 4 GB module. From what I've seen so far, you wouldn't save too much by this procedure compared to the "native" upgrade to 8 GB from Apple. Beyond this, the Apple stores here usually don't have the i7- configuration in stock. As said, I didn't calculate 3 weeks of delivery. If I had known this before, it certainly would have been better to buy a basic 15" i5 MBpro with 4 GB RAM at an Apple store than to leave for the trip without a machine now. Hindsight is easier than foresight.

 

shucks, Germany seems to be one sucky country for not having all the models stocked up in their apple stores..sigh. I feel sorry for ya mate but yeah, 3 weeks is just too long, who knows, maybe your lucky, you might get it before you leave

 

I don't know in the USA it took like 4 days with the free shipping, for a non custom build.

 

Well, I looks like they're shipping to the US by supersonic aircraft while they're taking a rowing boat to bring it from China to Europe

 

GodBless America!

 

Why don't you just go ahead and call Apple honestly? Explain your situation. If you get a good rep maybe you can get 1 day shipping at least, and maybe some kind of upgrade/free swag for your trouble.

 

As comprehensively described in my first post, I DID call Apple two times and explained all the details of the situation. As said, they stated that they cannot expedite or do anything. I just was interested in the experiences others had made regarding the quoted delivery date on the website and the real shippment. I think I know it now, see my post above.

 

took me one month , to get my mac delivered to Egypt , but they told me it would take 3-5 weeks , so i didn't have a problem

 

calling Apple and just talking to the normal Reps doesn't help... they cannot do anything. That answer isn't good enough, so you talk to their boss.. and their boss' boss... and you can find someone who can do something. You don't just say you need it here sooner, you complain that they lied to you, and it throws the time off and made you have to cancel your whole order and you aren't sure you want a Mac anymore. Usually if your talking to one of the upper people and not normal phone ordering support, you can get something done. They might not be able to get it their sooner, but often they'll do something to try to compensate you for your troubles.