Apple tells FedEx to delay shipments of Leopard

Written on October 26, 2007 by Josh Pigford and 47 people have commented

Well this is interesting. I pre-ordered my copy of Leopard the first day it was available to do so. Apple guaranteed shipment on October 26 (today).

The package was shipped via FedEx Priority Overnight which has a guaranteed delivery time of 10:30AM (unless you live in a remote area…which last time I checked Denver, CO wasn’t a “remote area”).

I woke up this morning giddy like a 5 year old boy at Christmas to see that my copy of Leopard was on a truck and out for delivery still, according to FedEx, scheduled to be delivered by 10:30AM.

Well, at about 10:15AM I checked the packaged status and it had the message “Delivery Exception - Future delivery requested.” I certainly didn’t request a “future delivery.”

So I gave FedEx a call to see who requested it. I had a hunch that Apple might have done it. Sure enough, the support agent confirmed my hunch with the following message:

This morning Apple made a request to us that FedEx disregard any guaranteed delivery times and instead deliver them end-of-day today as opposed to by 10:30AM.

Awesome. I must now wait an additional 6-8 hours for my beloved Leopard because Apple doesn’t want people to get their copies before the 6PM launch parties tonight.

Yes, I am aware that people have been getting their copies as early as Wednesday. No, I don’t really care that much that I’ve got to wait another few hours.

I do have to say that this seems to be a bit of a sleazy move on Apple’s part, though. It seems, if anything, the people that pre-ordered it should somehow be rewarded for forking over money for something we haven’t really even seen or used yet as opposed to intentionally delaying things.

Again, I’m being somewhat facetious about this. I just find it to be an interesting move on Apple’s part to micromanage things this far down the line.

Comments RSSComments

#1 5cents says:
Seem strange Apple actually has control over the delivery process once the product is in Fedex’s hands. I would think once the package is mailed, it is yours, Fedex being a courier only. Very odd.
#2 Churry says:
Mine’s delivered.
#3 Jason says:
I’m installing mine now!
#4 Wowie says:
You lead a charmed life if this is worth complaining about.
#5 Pvonelling says:
Don’t necessarily believe what FedEx tells you. I received the same message and the FedEx agent told me that the shipper hadn’t put a street address on it. FedEx wouldn’t let me give them the street address and said I had to call Apple. Which I did.

Anyway, it was bogus. There was a street address on the package when it was delivered about 30 minutes later.
#6 Josh Pigford says:
@Wowie: Welcome to The APPLE Blog. We write about things related to Apple. Sometimes things are significant. Other times it’s the little things we write about that are fairly insignificant. As I said in this article that you apparently didn’t even read to the end, I’m being facetious about this.

Please don’t comment here until you actually read the article you are commenting on. Thank you.
#7 Steven says:
Oct 26, 2007 9:33 AM

Delivered

******, FL
#8 Kevin says:
No. You are wrong. Apple said they could deliver at any point today because Fedex has found they were inundated with packages and Apple didn’t give them enough warning. The driver asked me what was in the box because he had a truckload full of’em.
#9 Joseph says:
I ordered mine on Wednesday, and it showed up half an hour ago.

Of course, I had it delivered to my office and won’t be able to play with it until the end of the day, so I still feel your pain.
#10 MacBeemer says:
Seems like FedEx is having BIG trouble today. About 130,000 leopards are out for delivery, and they can’t handle it. Drivers are not serving cheerfully today. Apple dropped between 2 and 3 million of delivery service for priority delivery, and FedEx is not delivering. Just try googling Apple Fedex Leopard. For in-depth study, try googling Fedex Sucks.

I’m using my waiting time to throw a little paint around the house. So much for a 10:30 am delivery.
#11 A.Mazza says:
Well that sucks for you, mine was delievered at 9:57AM, pre-signed and everything. Just checked FedEx.com. Looks like you’re going to have to wait…
#12 BdeRWEST says:
That happened to me as well, but 11:30 rolled around and the Fed Ex guy knocked on my door… I don’t know if he had a really light load, or just didn’t care, but I’m up and running
#13 Michael Clark says:
Did you have to pay extra for 10:30 delivery? If so, I hope you get that money back, either from Apple or Fedex.
#14 Dean says:
I got mine at 10 AM. The FedEx guy said he was told to deliver it on his 3 PM cycle, but said he just wanted to get the deliveries done. He also said he had many of the Leopard packages on his truck. He didn’t know what they were until I told him.
#15 dennyg says:
Fedex delivered mine about 9:15 am. If they had delayed mine I would have been very unhappy after taking the day off to play with my new OS!
#16 bv says:
if you lived in southern cal then you could bitch. patience grasshopper.
peace. bv.
#17 MacBeemer says:
One of the reasons for the urgency is I may well be deployed to So Cal early next week, so i want to get the kitty installed and purring at home rather than in the field.
#18 Ryan says:
Call FedEx, ask them why it wasn’t deliver, because it says Overnight Priority - the rep who I spoke with was nice and let me give her an address over the phone.
#19 Wyn says:
Noon 10/26…FedEx says my copy is currently in Indianapolis–I’m in Southern CA. Rec’d email from Apple saying I’d have to go to local FedEx location to pick it up because of disaster area.
#20 Joseph says:
@Michael Clark: If you ordered from Apple by midnight Wednesday shipping was free and guaranteed delivered **ON** October 26th. They didn’t specify a time for delivery.
#21 divigation says:
Mine delivered at 8.40 this morning, oh happy days! I understand Apple wanting to control the launch and shipments to be delivered close to launch time, the issue that I take with it is that paying for a service such as overnight priority includes paying for delivery by 10.30 am, which they gladly took from you and then nerfed the service you paid for, which is a bit of a bitch move. Sounds like it is happening in a number of areas, sorry yours is one of them.
#22 tmac_minneapple says:
Agreed and concur with the BS associated with this shipment. And with respect to everyone citing guaranteed delivery “on” October 26th, the e-mail receipt I received pre-order stated the FedEx delivery date/TIME of “by 10:30 AM CT”.

Look - I don’t mean to sound like a prick, but I have been a lifetime Mac/Apple user and when I have 5 machines to upgrade on limited time, I expect APPL to deliver to when they promise - which was 10:30 AM CT. This feels a lot like a “formal launch”/marketing gimmick to coincide with Apple Stores’ releases” along with the the online apple.com store. What bugs me is the timing - why would the delivery date/time mysteriously change within 17 min. of expected delivery time? Plus, the delivery timeframe is exceptionally close to the formal “in-store” launch, whilst previously tauting the overnight delivery? Seriously - no offense and I would love standing in line and enjoying everyone else’s Apple stories, but I do not have the time this weekend to do so.

When I contacted FedEx and was put on long hold, what was interesting were the following:

1) 5:23 m wait time - This was the wait time from the CSR from FedEx rep; she was a sweetheart and great about the whole thing but simply said, “I apologise” for the late delivery.

2) Interesting data point for the Twin Cities market - The FedEx CSR mentioned that there are 200K deliveries of Leopard scheduled across the West/East metros of the Twin Cities. Whilst my numbers are likely not correct (it’s been a way long-time since I checked the formal census numbers), my recollection of moving to the TC in 1994 was around 2.5M in the metro; I seem to recall 3.2M as the metro population in 2000, so extrapolating, well, I’ll let everyone do the math. Very positive sign for AAPL owners and/or supporters.
#23 Joseph says:
@divigation: Thing is, if you ordered on time (before midnight Wednesday) the “standard shipping” option was free, and it guaranteed delivery on October 26. There are a couple of places where there were discrepancies in the story. The order confirmation email I received from the Apple Store had the usual generic text included in all emails, and stated that I had chosen “standard shipping” which indicated a delivery window of up to five business days. The only indication about the actual delivery date was a note on the Leopard line item that stated “DELIVERS ON OCTOBER 26TH” (their capitalization).

So long story short, if you ordered on or before this past Wednesday and chose the free standard shipping, you were promised delivery *on* October 26.

Now, if you paid for expedited shipping and Apple still phoned FedEx to delay your order, feel free to be angry.
#24 Jan Cornelius says:
… I sincerely hope it will not change your life … …

I received mine 2 hours ago, going to wait to install until next week, or perhaps the week after, I like owning new stuff, but certainly don’t want to be part of this commercial, marketing oriented rat-race …. After all what is it going to offer on top of what I use now?

Fancy desktops? … allready have vista for that, new back up utility? … my old one works fine …. but never the less I bought it and I will use it ….somewhere within the coming weeks
#25 Ryan says:
So I just got my copy of Leopard. I’m pissed, because it looks like FedEx lied to me. The nice CSR rep told me that they had an incomplete street address on the package - but lo and behold, the address is printed in full, and correctly on the box.
#26 MacBeemer says:
Joseph - quite simply put - you are wrong. Some of us quite possibly received eMails that bear absolutely no resemblence to any correspondence received by yourself. My eMails from Apple and from Fedex quite plainly stated delivery by 10:30 am. I bought from Apple, at a higher price, because of the expected better service. FedEx contracted with Apple, to deliver a service, namely, delivery of n hundred thousand leopards, when promised. As a stock holder, I expect Apple to vigorously pursue remedy with FedEx. A little casual web browsing will yield that many many leopards are late in today’s delivery, and may not make it at all. Do the math. How many leopards at how much per priority overnight, minus the number NOT DELIVERED. This is several hundred thousand dollars, maybe two to three million, for a delivery scheme that didn’t deliver.
#27 Kevin L says:
Quick question about compatibility. Does anyone know offhand if iLife 05 will have any problems working in Leopard?
#28 Shalabh Chaturvedi says:
I looked up “Future delivery requested” in Google because this is the first time I saw it. The results are already full of unhappy Apple pre-order customers (like me). Here’s what Fedex shows for my Leopard package:
Oct 26, 2007 1:12 PM Arrived at FedEx location MEMPHIS, TN
9:01 AM Delivery exception SAN FRANCISCO, CA Future delivery requested
7:59 AM On FedEx vehicle for delivery SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Huh? It went back to Memphis?
#29 Joseph says:
@MacBeemer: How?

I’m relaying it how it was put to me. I don’t recall seeing anywhere on the web site where delivery by 10:30AM was promised. In fact, it isn’t until after you’ve hit the submit button to place your order that you’re told anything about shipping (other than what was on the web site). On the web site it stated that orders made by midnight Wednesday with the free standard shipping would be delivered on October 26. Unless Apple misses your shipping window, they didn’t lie. It’s pretty obvious that the emails the Apple Store is sending out don’t quite jibe with what’s actually going on, but my point is you weren’t promised anything prior to purchasing, which means that your perception of what you are “owed” by Apple was changed after the purchase was made.

If you outright ignored the notices on the Apple web site and opted to pay for expedited shipping anyway, then by all means be mad (as I said earlier). If you took the free shipping offer and are mad you’re getting it later in the day and not by 10:30AM, I think you’re getting way too upset over a matter of hours.
#30 Ryan says:
@Joseph - it doesn’t have to do with what I’m owed by Apple. It has to do with what Apple paid FedEx for, on my behalf.

In FedEx, it says that the package was shipped by Overnight Priority. This class of service from FedEx contractually guarantees delivery by 10:30 AM. The issue at hand is that if they don’t meet that - ok, me as an end user, I can get it later in the day, fine. But on Monday? Still, maybe we’re patient.

But what’s not cool is FedEx getting a free ride because we decide to to let it slide. Unless there’s a contract between Apple and FedEx that says they can delay to Monday - as mine was going to be (in which case Apple HAS screwed its customers over), then FedEx owes Apple some money.
#31 c. wess daniels says:
yeah ours came this morning around 10 as well.
#32 justin says:
you would think after the iphone price reduction outrage someone at apple would have gotten smart about this kinda thing. shows huge arrogance and no respect for it’s fans. if anything ends up doing apple in, it will be these kinds of things. the stuff costs too much money to have folks treated this way.
#33 thomas says:
stand up against apple and fedx. this is unamerican. you can’t treat people this way. it’s not selling, it’s a game to them. It’s really silly for them to play it this way. sell the damn thing and stop toying with the adoring public. apple will continue to abuse it’s fans like this unless someone stands up. lots of folks stand up…
#34 studioprisoner says:
awww that sucks, hope it gets to you soon!! i’ve been on mine for about 16hours now
#35 bob says:
Nothing is worth this. The fact that apple can manipulate a huge company like FEDERAL EXPRESS shows you something. This is awful. How can they do this to people? I bet FEDERAL EXPRESS is not happy about this either. I makes them look as bad as apple. An overnight company that allows a computer company to determine how it does it’s job. SHAME.
#36 Cory says:
I’m totally pissed. I go the same messages on my tracking number. I talked with three FedX people before they finally told me Apple put a hold on EVERYONE, but apparently that isn’t true. I don’t get mine until Monday. I’m so pissed. We were supposed to be able to get and enjoy it before it hit retail. I ordered my pre-order on Oct. 16th.
#37 Eddie says:
Got this today. I’m totally pissed. I ordered on the day of the announcement!!!

Shipment Information
Shipment Date:
OCT 26, 2007

Delivers by:
OCT 30, 2007

Shipping Address:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Carrier Name:
US POSTAL SERVICE
#38 Wyn says:
Here is what Apple told me (note that I live in San Diego area–but not in fire zone, rather at the beach) However, my local FedEx says that the software is being held in Indiana:

Dear Apple Customer,

Thank you for your recent order with Apple.

Due to local emergency conditions in your delivery area, our carriers are
unable to deliver to the address listed on your order. As a result, your Apple
shipment is currently being held at your local FedEx facility.

Understanding that you may need your order sooner than it can be delivered,
Apple has teamed with FedEx to allow you to pick up your order at your local
FedEx facility. To claim your package, you must have:

— The tracking number
— A valid photo ID with name and address that match the delivery name and
address

Regular delivery service will resume once conditions allow.

Thank you for your business.

Apple, Inc.
#39 tom says:
FOLKS STAND UP. APPLE AND FEDX HAVE SCAMMED US….I am not getting it til monday now. THEY EVEN HAD THE NERVE TO SAY THEY WERE DELIVERING IT ON MONDAY….what is going on with this crap.
#40 robin says:
This is the kinda thing that really stinks to you know what. I am not getting my delivery and it’s due to apple holding up the deliveries. I called fedex and they told me that my delivery could have been delivered earlier, but it was being held up by apple. I waited all day long and also only ordered online so that I could get the OS today and now I have to wait til monday when I was promised online that I would have it today…ENOUGH is enough. shame on apple. This should be the straw that breaks the back of apple owners. First iphone and now this. How much bad moves and bad PR can apple handle. Maybe microsoft isn’t so bad.
#41 brad says:
I am calling FOX, NBC, CBS and all the newspapers about this mysterious story of the non delivery of the Leopard. If it were not for the mysterious message that the deliveries being held up, I would not be so outraged. This is a great tv or print media story for how apple has once again deceived the public for their own purposes and product design. This is really awful and really shows us true apple fans how we have been convinced that we can be treated any way for a new product.
#42 Rachael says:
FEDERAL EXPRESS, when you absolutely positively have to have it several days late…the new slogan.
#43 Billy Halsey says:
@wyn, Josh, and others — I suppose my experience is really atypical. I ordered from Apple less than a week ago, I live in San Diego (yay wildfires!), and I received my copy of Leopard at 8:15 yesterday morning. I was really surprised it arrived so early in the day.
#44 Ryan says:
I live in denver and got mine at 11:30, although the fedex guy had trouble finding my apartment i had to run out to catch him.
#45 rish says:
You know, the same happened with me. I tracked the package at 1015 and it said - future delivery requested. So I took my car keys, ran out the door, and looked for a FedEx van…guess what, I found the van not too far from my house, and picked up my copy…phew!!! I was glad I didn’t had to wait until 5.
#46 Jano says:
For UPS it was ” Exception: UPS INTERNAL ACTIVITY CODE”.
#47 Kevin says:
I also received a “Delivery Exception” and didn’t receive until 6pm.

I called Apple and got $16 back…I suggest you all do the same!