BackOrder Information and Speculation + Poll

[KenDavidson]

Just received an email from Google, they state that due to an Overwhelming Demand my device has been put on backorder and will now expected to be shipped in 3 weeks or more.

Can anyone say Epic Failure?

 

[DirkBelig]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

I just got the note as well:

Thank you for your recent purchase on Google Play. Due to overwhelming demand, your Nexus 4 is on backorder and is expected to ship within three weeks. We?ll send you a notification when your order has shipped and will credit the shipping charges.

To check the status of your order at any time, visit the link below: https://wallet.google.com/manage/#transactions

If you would prefer to cancel your order, please reply to this email and our team will assist you. Or you can cancel your order using our online tool. Please follow the instructions found here: Canceling or changing your order - Google Play Help

We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you again for your order."

Woo.Hoo. Free shipping. Thanks for being absolutely incapable of properly managing the sale of your products, Google. It took you TWO FREAKING DAYS AFTER ACCEPTING MY ORDER to determine that, whoops, sorry, we don't have enough for you, pal.

 

[theduder]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

And yes, we're counting. This is two monumentally screwed up launches. In a row. At least they're making all new mistakes, but seriously they might want to consider hiring some people who know.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[runningman3433]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

got a backorder notice from google:

i emailed them and got this:
Orders are shipped within two business days of placing your order, and will be delivered upon two additional business days of processing.

According to our records, your order should ship by the evening of November 15.

Upon receiving your shipping confirmation email, you'll be given a tracking number that will assist you in determining your package's estimated delivery date. Please note that it might take up to 24 hours before the tracking number returns any information.

 

[MazoMark]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Dang that stinks. Did you receive any shipping confirmation before they sent you this email? Or did you just get this instead of shipping confirmation?

I'm not going to be confident until I see the UPS truck pull up to my door!

 

[Jnorton2724]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

got a backorder notice from google:

i emailed them and got this:
Orders are shipped within two business days of placing your order, and will be delivered upon two additional business days of processing.

According to our records, your order should ship by the evening of November 15.

Upon receiving your shipping confirmation email, you'll be given a tracking number that will assist you in determining your package's estimated delivery date. Please note that it might take up to 24 hours before the tracking number returns any information.

Its an auto email that almost everyone has received. This is kind of embarrassing for Google. I've talked to a couple people now over the phone that have said my order should be good to ship out today or has already shipped. If I get this email today instead of a tracking number I'll be extremely pissed off, probably cancel my order and use my GS3 for awhile instead.

 

[natehoy]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

got a backorder notice from google:

i emailed them and got this:
Orders are shipped within two business days of placing your order, and will be delivered upon two additional business days of processing.

According to our records, your order should ship by the evening of November 15.

Upon receiving your shipping confirmation email, you'll be given a tracking number that will assist you in determining your package's estimated delivery date. Please note that it might take up to 24 hours before the tracking number returns any information.

I think things are a mite confused at El Goog right now, and no matter what someone might tell you your clear answer is that it's very likely your device will ship within three weeks.

 

[zorak950]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

It sounds to me like Google actually did an okay job with this launch. The only oddity that I wish I understood better was how they determine shipping order, because it's clearly not first-come, first-served. Lots of people are feeling indignant that they got their order in 10.3 seconds after the page went live and have been put on hold where some who ordered twenty minutes in are getting theirs.

 

[biggeno313]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Wow. Talk about terrible!! I was sure I'd get home, check my email, and be delighted to see my shipping confirmation. Instead this!! My first experience with Google Play..and perhaps my last. This is fairly disgusting. Google sucks for this!!!

 

[DirkBelig]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

It sounds to me like Google actually did an okay job with this launch.

If...

* Not having pre-orders, thus setting themselves up for a land rush situation which has the effect of asking to be DDOSed by your customers
* Not preparing for what was coming in America based on the insta-sellouts that had occurred in Australia and UK
* Announcing that your items would be available at 12 pm EST and then setting them live 27 minutes early
* Being unable to withstand the onslaught causing people to spend up to 20 minutes attempting to check out before snatching the item from their carts or causing people to order a half-dozen by accident
* Taking two days to tell customers who are expecting shipping notices that their orders are now back-ordered and will arrive within three weeks (but free shipping!)

...is what you'd call "an okay job," I'd really hate to see what you consider to be a mediocre or substandard job. (I'm guessing genocide would qualify as "kinda rude" under this scale.)

 

[KenDavidson]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Its an auto email that almost everyone has received. This is kind of embarrassing for Google. I've talked to a couple people now over the phone that have said my order should be good to ship out today or has already shipped. If I get this email today instead of a tracking number I'll be extremely pissed off, probably cancel my order and use my GS3 for awhile instead.

My order status still shows pending and my shipment date states it is estimated as November 15, 2012. Google Play store people advised as late as last night on a call that my order was in and that the phone was in stock and would be shipped or was alreadsy shipped with some glitches to their email program that updated tracking numbers. I was told my phone was definitely on the way or would be today.

Then 3 PM I get the message that it is now backordered and expected to be shipped in 3 weeks. Honestly, their use of the word "expected" leaves me with some doubt as I have been told so many different things on this that I really don't think anyone at Google has any idea what is going on or what they are doing at this point. Even the update to 4.2 on my Nexus 7 has been delayed and I am still waiting on it being stuck at 4.1.2

Maybe instead of releasing new products they need to take the Nexus project back to the drawing board and get the simple things done right. IE: server farms for order taking, supply and distribution logistics. Then come out when they have all that straight and try again.

With what I have been told to this point I don't know what is right, was it shipped? Is it backordered? I don't think they know for sure. It may be on my doorstep when I get home or I may never receive it. Now just left to wonder if anyone at Google really cares or if they feel they own the world and can care less. A factual email apologizing for the mess and providing some clear communication and expectation would go a long way.

 

[Ziptied]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Woo.Hoo. Free shipping. Thanks for being absolutely incapable of properly managing the sale of your products, Google. It took you TWO FREAKING DAYS AFTER ACCEPTING MY ORDER to determine that, whoops, sorry, we don't have enough for you, pal.

Would you rather have them still charged you shipping? They are making things as right as they can. It's not like we make money on the phone. Apple wouldn't do any of that.

 

[map1978]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Well chalk me up for the backorder list...don't even waste your time calling Play. I even talked to a "supervisor" and he didn't even know what they were doing over there. That's great.

Doubt I'm gonna cancel though. Don't wanna cancel and then I can't get the phone for months. At least I know with the backorder I'm gonna get one regardless. Within 3 weeks? Great safe bet Google.

On the bright side, at least it gives me time to find a quality case and screen protector : /

 

[ctechnow]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Would you rather have them still charged you shipping? They are making things as right as they can. It's not like we make money on the phone. Apple wouldn't do any of that.

As right as they can? Really dude.. where is my customer satisfaction email that you said we would be getting yesterday morning? How about an apology email from Google and some real expectations? I had contacted support yesterday and was told mine would be shipped this evening but just received the backorder email. FAIL.

 

[DirkBelig]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Would you rather have them still charged you shipping? They are making things as right as they can. It's not like we make money on the phone. Apple wouldn't do any of that.

That's because Apple wouldn't screw the pooch as hard as Google did.

You know this has been a disaster; a totally self-inflicted black eye. Almost every stage of the run-up, execution and follow-through of this launch has been mishandled. The suits responsible need to be demoted and/or unemployed for the damage their incompetence has done to Google, the Play Store, and to the Nexus brands. Simple accountability demands it.

This isn't like some bakery forgetting to set a limit on how many cupcake deals can be sold through Groupon and suddenly needing to honor a thousand deals. This is GOOGLE, launching products manufactured by SAMSUNG and LG, with a two week lead time as far as the public can see and certainly MONTHS of internal lead time. It doesn't matter how good the products are when the process of handing over money to get them is miserably mismanaged and wholly preventable.

The customers showed up and got punched in the face repeatedly and then a couple of days later were told all the grief was for naught. Forgive me if we're not acting super-appreciative for the token of free shipping in exchange for being yanked around.

 

[qnet]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

Would you rather have them still charged you shipping? They are making things as right as they can. It's not like we make money on the phone. Apple wouldn't do any of that.

I mean no offense and I'm sure they are trying but, I don't agree with your statement about Apple. First of all their shipping is always free from my experience. Second, when they run out you know pretty imediate that they have on thier website. They also let you know a precise time when you can order and that is the time. I really like Google products but, their ordering process cannot compare to Apple.

 

[zorak950]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

If...

* Not having pre-orders, thus setting themselves up for a land rush situation which has the effect of asking to be DDOSed by your customers
* Not preparing for what was coming in America based on the insta-sellouts that had occurred in Australia and UK
* Announcing that your items would be available at 12 pm EST and then setting them live 27 minutes early
* Being unable to withstand the onslaught causing people to spend up to 20 minutes attempting to check out before snatching the item from their carts or causing people to order a half-dozen by accident
* Taking two days to tell customers who are expecting shipping notices that their orders are now back-ordered and will arrive within three weeks (but free shipping!)

...is what you'd call "an okay job," I'd really hate to see what you consider to be a mediocre or substandard job. (I'm guessing genocide would qualify as "kinda rude" under this scale.)

Last time Google did pre-orders, everyone was complaining that it took so long to get their devices. Plus, the unhappiness with shipping priority (however Google determines it) was just amplified over the longer time scale. This seems like a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. The capacity problems on their site were difficult to fathom, I admit, given Google is used to handling huge volumes of web traffic by now, but on the other hand, why provide bandwidth to serve more customers than you have devices to sell? If everything had worked perfectly, they probably would have just sold out faster. Beyond the question of bandwidth, I don't know what you think they should have done to prepare for the American opening; they had all the devices they were going to have at that point. It's not like they could have gotten more in the last few hours. As for when they went on sale, I wasn't following that news so I can't comment there. Since all the rabid fans were spamming the page reload button and it's unlikely anyone else was watching the release news in the final hours anyway, though, I guess my feeling is that it's a minor issue at worst. As for people who got multiple devices, I would bet they were clicking reload or going back and trying to order again after hitting the submit order button. Sure you can blame Google for not serving up confirmation pages better, but ultimately that's the customer's fault. As for your final point, I suspect that ties into the shipping priority question, which I've already said I don't understand and they should make clearer.

The bottom line here is that a bunch of people swarmed and spammed Google's site in a desperate bid to be first at any cost, and now they're paying the cost. This stuff happens with big product launches. The only difference is that ten years ago you had to stand in line outdoors for four hours before being told you couldn't get the thing you wanted. Could Google improve their process? Absolutely. That said, the people complaining loudest don't actually care about the process, they only care that they didn't get their toy. It's like the people who get mad whenever a court rules against an Android OEM; they don't care whether the ruling was correct, only that "they" lost. If for that reason only, I have a hard time mustering a great deal of sympathy or indignation on their behalf. They wanted to be first in line, and they were willing to throw themselves into the melee in an attempt to achieve that. As the Rolling Stones once said: you can't always get what you want.

 

[Pre-dawn raid]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

I got the backorder email too today. I am really just dumbfounded how bad Google, one of the biggest tech companies in the world, effed this launch up. I ordered mine in the afternoon on the east coast. Guess it's another 3 weeks with the ole Evo 4G.

 

[evperry]

My phone got back ordered BUT....!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the 4.2 update for my Galaxy Nexus.

So all of a sudden I don't care about the phone being backordered....

This happened all within a span of 60 minutes.

Im still with you Google!!!

 

[socaltyger]

Re: Google BackOrders Nexus 4

I'm still completely in the dark. Never got the confirmation email, wallet still says estimated shipping for today nov 15. Can't call google since two phone calls would get two diff answers. Just stuck waiting and waiting and waiting. The uncertainty certainly sucks. Now I know how Hitler felt when he didn't get his N4 The only hope I have is that i THINK i am near the front of the line, my order was accepted at 8:35am.