We all expect shipping companies and parcel services to be a little slower around the holidays. After all, a ton of online shopping is done in the “modern age” of Christmas. A lot of services try to relieve some of the stress by hiring seasonal workers or temporary employees to boost the timeframes in which they deliver packages.
But there are some shipping issues that aren’t the fault of parcel services and are instead due to problems that arise from the companies that produce the product you have ordered. Apple is a classic example of such a company, and although the tech giant is known for customer service and “early pre-order deliveries,” they have still had a large amount of slowed and delayed deliveries.
But why does one of the biggest consumer technology producers in the world have periodical shipping issues? It’s partially Apple’s fault, but a lot of blame can be placed on its suppliers. There have been a lot of investigations, protests, and violent outbursts at the Foxconn factories responsible for the creation of Apple products. It still remains questionable whether or not this is due to poor work conditions from Apple, or if these problems are just an unfortunate coincidental thorn in the Cupertino-based company’s side. When the factories aren’t working, the product isn’t being made. This could be one key reason that Apple is having so many issues getting some of its prominent releases to the world.
Can you really blame Apple for anything though? You definitely can. On numerous occasions, Apple has completely underestimated its own fan base. A lot of product shortages and slowed delays can be blamed primarily on the fact that Apple just doesn’t have the necessary stock. It’s why the preorders sell out so quickly.
Apple also has a tendency to make “promises,” which in turn hurts the retail sector. You have so many people that place orders online after the preorders have been depleted. Those individuals become part of the backlog causing Apple to frantically attempt to fulfill their online orders, while simultaneously attempting to stock their store shelves with product.
There are a lot of global pains that delay the release and shipment of Apple products too. Specific laws and regulations in countries like China, have often restricted the release and sale of specific versions of Apple devices. You also have to take into consideration that certain countries may not yet have access to technologies like 4G LTE. In that situation, it’s up to Apple to develop a lower tier 3G version of a device to make it applicable to the country’s current technologies. There are a lot of complex issues that come into play when porting a device globally, so we really can’t blame Apple for some of the shipping issues that plague them overseas.
So the next time you have a slow shipment from Apple, remember that it may not be ALL their fault. Granted, a lot of the preorder fiascos are their fault due to a low supply, for what the company should understand is an incredibly high demand. There are so many variables that come into play when an item from an international factory attempts to ship to the United States, and with devices changing hands between Apple, Foxconn, and the Postal Service, it’s easy to see why things can be slow sometimes, especially during times when volumes are low and demands are high.
FastCompany
