The issue is when Apple shows you a product for the first time, they also let you know when exactly the phone will be out and when you can spend your money. And that date is usually the same day, or a few days later when the hype is high.
The issue with the nexus launch is that Samsung and Google put on this big public show displaying their new phone and software and then basically went on vacation. No mention as to when the phone comes out, when you can spend your money, or really anything at all. Nothing.
Now it's almost a full MONTH later and we still don't have any idea as to when we can buy one and I know a bunch of people that wanted to get one, got something else instead, some even an iphone. All because they got tired of waiting. That is where the "fail" comes in, in terms of lost sales.
Verizon doesn't care, they sell whichever phone offers them the larger bottom line. No bloatware? No branding? Eh, ok, how about no advertising, we are going to let the Razr launch play out and then maybe launch the nexus when the water settles. Do you think samsung and google are going to give verizon the nexus next year after this garbage? Google needs to take a harder stance against verizon. Google needs to grow a pair. Apple has a pair. They announce a phone and then they tell the carriers when they are going to offer it or they don't get it, period. Apple launches a phone that day on multiple carriers. Google leaves us waiting because they are verizon's b*tch.