How can I get a straight answer on a rescheduled delivery?

I Don't feel like kb1951 read my note. I am in contact with both UPS and Apple. people have been reporting my issue on forums like Mac Rumors since 2008. So far I haven't seen a good reply. I'm looking for advice from folk who have experience getting conflicting responses from UPS and Apple. Doesn't sound like kb1951 has much experience with this issue. Please don't tell me to go away I can't use my iPad if it is stuck in a contractual taffy pull between Apple and the shipper it decided to use.

The first UPS person that I talked to on Nov 17 let it slip that Apple has a contractual limitation on how many units can be delivered in a week. Apple denied this and kept to the story about a "glitch". They had a very complicated story that they somehow they knew my iPad Pro ws in the US but they could not tell me where. They promised me the UPS tracking "glittch" would be resolved that afternoon. As a UPS MyChoice member I am supposed to get an email 24 hours in advance of any shipment. Wehn that email did not show up and the ups tracking screen telling me to call apple remained, I called UPS back. The second ups person told me that Apple had talked to them about my shippment and now UPS was also saying that all the tracking information about the iPad originating in China, going to Hong Kong, etc. was just some automatic stuff and "never happened". Which was not a good thing to hear! I went back to Apple a third time and they reassured me my iPad was in the US but they still couldn't say where and continued to maintain it would arrive the next day.

I finally got my email from UPS early the norning of Nov 20. and by mid morning I was getting tracking info from UPS showing that my iPad had cleared customes, gone to Louisville, left Louisville, arrived in Houston, left Houston, re-arrived in Houston and was out for delivery (all on the same day!)

My iPad arrived safe and sound in the delivery window specified by that UPS email. Since Apple promised me delivry by the 20th their attidude was "no harm - no foul Nevermind that I had made arrangements be be home on the 19th which is when UPS had promised delivery. Occam's Razor tells me to believe the original UPS story, Apple sometimes exceeds its contractual limits with the carrier whihc results in delays and nonsense tracking information. Apple won't get excited unless it looks like your delivery will miss the date they provided. UPS apparently plays hardball with companies that mess with contractual limits even companies as big as Apple. My final conversation with apple on this was that I didn't need the fantastic and unbelievable story. I would have preferred the truth.

be careful of using words like "they". Apple does not give a hoot about what UPS may have told you. Open a chat with apple and check their pulse on the date they gave you. Don't try to read the entrails of the UPS "tracking" info, neither Apple nor UPS are prepared to stand by that data.

Don't try to read the entrails embedded in the tracking "info" provided by UPS. Pay attention to the date provided to you by Apple. Open a chat with apple and check their pulse on the date they gave you.

From talking to both UPS and Apple over three days about my situation, my sense is that Apple tried to manage my delivery to arrive on or before the date they gave me. When I asked Apple about the UPS tracking data they told me to ignore it. Reflecting back on my experience, it is interesting to consider the possibility that it might have been in UPS' interest to "tease" me (the customer inbetween Apple and UPS) with the idea I might be able to get my shipment sooner if only tightfisted Mr. Cook relented and ordered his Apple minions to pay UPS the contractual penalty for exceeding the delivery limit imposed by the contract between Apple and UPS. To perhaps add another "log" to the "fire" UPS tracking information just might have reverted to origin (China) when Apple told UPS to hold off on an "early" delivery that might have resulted in a a penalty to Apple.

When I pressed UPS, even UPS told me the tracking data they had provided to me was nonsense. You would think the two companies would collaborate so that UPS would first check with Apple if an early delivery would be "ok" or alternatively Apple would pay UPS to build out more capacity to meet their peak demand but both of those might be what we folks in the computing for logistics business used to call "hard" and most likely very expensive for us, the folks who want to buy very popular Apple products. My bottom line is that in the future, I will take the UPS dates and data with a grain of salt, and instead focus on the deadline provided to me by the folks paying the freight - Apple. The Apple specialist I chatted with told me if I wanted to talk to Apple Corporate about the unanticipated costs to me of a last minute change in my delivery date, I should call this number: 408 996 1010. Now that my blood presure has returned to normal, that's exactly what I will do.