How Apple “Chinesed” My iPod
I have never bought a single thing from Apple before, but, everything has its first "iTouch" :), and I decided to get an iPod for my friend’s birthday.
So here I am on the Apple website filling out all the right forms, giving my extra-sensitive information, and all nine yards.
Since I know that my friend’s b-day is four days from now, I am very concerned this iPod to be delivered as fast as possible and I see my choice of shipping methods Apple offers me which are:
Great, I think, and choose "2Day shipping" - "I am willing to pay $10 for 2 days, time matters more, my friend will be so happy" - I am thinking. 2-3 minutes of clicking and typing go by and here it is "You order was successfully processed!" - splendid!
Coming in to work next morning, opening my gmail, seeing "Apple Store Shipment Notification", having my "internal smiling" moment, and clicking a FedEx link to track this order. Wanna see what I saw? Be my guest:
Did you notice anything interesting? Probably not, cause I did not tell you that I am ordering stuff from United States. Well now, as I told you, take a second look - see anything? My iPod is picked up at 6:16, which is nice - I paid my $10 for it, but wait.. The location does not seem to be familiar -> CN is definitely not US (well at least not yet 
).
I got so negatively puzzled to see that my iPod was shipped from China! Don’t get me wrong, China is a beautiful country, and I have been there less than a year ago, but common, Apple, can you keep your own warehouse with your own products in you own country!? What did I pay my $10 for?
random thoughts: Thought of trying "Mac OS X Leopard" some time this week, got so upset, will stick to my lovely Ubuntu
November 8th 2007 UPDATE: I received my iPod in exactly two business days - thank you Apple!
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November 6th, 2007 at 16:00:25
what!? they ship from China?
no way man, are you sure?
November 6th, 2007 at 16:01:05
Hello,
Why did not you go to the Apple store?
November 6th, 2007 at 16:02:39
Probably because he needed engraving
I have ordered my iPod long time ago, and I really did not check where it came from… But this makes things interesting…
November 6th, 2007 at 16:03:56
It’s a joke, I agree they have to keep some iPods here in States, it just makes sense to do so
November 8th, 2007 at 7:48:28
Wow, that sucks! I guess we’ll see how fast “2-day” really is then!
November 10th, 2007 at 0:02:50
Much ado about nothing!
LOL! Thats what you paid the $10 for.
And exactly, why not go to the Apple store? its not that you do not get charged tax on Apple.com. Or even better why not buy from say amazon? They ship in 2 business days too.
November 27th, 2007 at 12:36:45
I just bought an Ipod (w/engraving) from the site, and I was also surprised to learn when I just checked the FedEx tracking info, that mine also has just left its origin in Shanghai, China!
Why?….is it just the engraved ones? Paying 1 dollar an hour to engrave? They aren’t manufactured in China, are they?
November 29th, 2007 at 16:38:02
Juma, of course they are!
Apple is lowering its production expenses by a LOT of dollars this way. It is simply clear from all the business models they have.
Don’t worry, China is not a bad place to make iPods, they build the wall, and it is still standing