iPad Mini 2021 Stock / Pre Order

[ROG3RBOT]

Hi everyone!

So, I placed an order for the iPad Mini 2021 with 256gb storage about 2 weeks ago. 

At first I ordered it in purple, but I changed my order to Space Grey. 

Obviously at the moment there is hardly any stock of Apple products in the Uk, due to component shortages, and also the lack or lorry drivers. 

Just wondering if anyone has taken delivery of their iPad mini 2021 yet…and if so which colour and storage option did you go for? 

I’ve been keeping an eye on Apple’s own supply of the iPad mini (cellular 256gb) and it seems they have regular deliveries and stock available in most Apple stores. EE however, just don’t seem to have any stock at all. 

Hoping mine will arrive soon. Still excited, but after a lot of waiting…the excitement is rapidly fading away 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Brightpink76]

Patience is running out , I think I will be contacting offcom and the ombudsman. EE have taken my money , I paid my contract off 6 months early and are failing to provide me with the contracted product . Has anyone even received an iPad mini 2021 at all yet ? 

[ROG3RBOT]

So here is a quick update from me…

It has so far been 33 days since placing an order. I am waiting for the iPad Mini 2021, Space Grey 256GB.

To add to the frustration, I received an update from EE to say that my order is now delayed by at least another 14 days. 

For the last 3 years at least, the EE website has been completely flawed. It shows products are in stock, when they actually aren’t.

This has been reported to EE probably hundreds of times already, but nobody really cares. 

So at the time of writing, according to the EE website, the iPad mini 2021 is in stock and can be ordered for next day delivery in the following configurations:

Space Grey 256GB - In Stock

Starlight 256GB - In Stock

These models have shown ‘in stock’ for at least 7 days now. Clearly……they are NOT in stock. 

Also, according to multiple EE customer service staff, there is no stock, there has never been any stock, and they don’t know when they will have stock. 

That means the ‘in stock’ message shown on the EE website means nothing. It is not live, it is not true, and it is pointless even being there. 

By the time it arrives, I will have been waiting for around 50 days, and that is a best case scenario. It is more likely to be around 65-70 days. My guess is December. And that’s if I am lucky. 

There is no excitement anymore, and if I happen to walk past an Apple store that has it in stock, I’ll probably just walk in and buy one. How is that possible with no stock in the UK? Well actually, there is stock in the UK. O2 have them, and so do Apple stores. How do I know? Because I am manually checking Apple store stock every day. 

It seems that EE simply can’t secure stock from Apple, which is a real shame. 

I am pretty much done with waiting. I’ll give it a few more days, but then…I think I’m out. 

I am not looking for a reply here from any staff, and I don’t need to call 150. Been there, bought the t-shirt, and washed it a few times since lol.

If you have ordered the iPad mini 2021, I’d say be prepared to wait for at least 2 to 3 months. That’s what EE should be telling customers. 

‘We have no stock, we haven’t had any stock, and we probably won’t get any stock for the next 2 or 3 months’.

Also, EE web devs should do everyone a favour and remove the stock status from products on the website, because it doesn’t mean anything. It says ‘in stock’ when it’s not in stock and ‘out of stock’ when it’s in stock! Hahaha

It’s like a paper bag blowing around on the floor in the wind. Just blowing round and round. Doing nothing. It has no purpose. 

Ok…I’m out! Good luck to anyone waiting 😎

[wardi]

@ROG3RBOT.. If Apple have these items in their stores then my question would be 'why are they refusing or unable to supply EE?'  My guess is that they are keeping them for their own stores due to a chronic shortage.  ..and are you sure that O2 actually have them?  

[ROG3RBOT]

Hey @wardi 

Well I’m not an O2 customer, but I have spoken to them on the phone a couple of times last week and this week too. 

They told me they definitely had them ‘in stock’ and ready to ship next day. I’ve been close to ordering from them, but ideally I want everything with EE for data gifting etc, so I’m trying to wait it out. 

Who knows though, maybe O2 also have two stock systems. One that says ‘in stock’ and another system that actually says ‘no stock’ hahaha. 

I guess the only way to know for sure is to place an order.

I mean, I totally get it. Clearly there is a shortage of stock. It’s just a shame that the largest network in the UK just can’t get any at all. 

I honestly think EE need to stop guessing. They need to stop telling people 2 weeks, 28 days, or whatever else they are telling people. 

They should simply say, we’ve never had any, and we have no idea when we will have any. Could be this year, could be next 🙂

[ROG3RBOT]

@wardi 

Also, I think you are totally right. As stock is low in the UK, I’m guessing Apple are giving priority to their own stores. 

Once they can keep up with the demand in their stores, that is when they’ll finally send a few to EE.

[wardi]

@ROG3RBOT ..My local car dealer (Ford) who only sells nearly new vehicles tells me that they normally carry 60-70 cars in stock - they currently have 25-30.  The Manufacturers can't make new vehicles because of the chip shortage so the demand for used cars has increased.

Another example..  we recently ordered a new sofa and two new armchairs.  We won't see them until February next year.  It is a very real problem out there and it is going to take a while to get back to normal.  The problem is that customers ordering phones, games etc don't tend to have much patience. 😉

[ROG3RBOT]

@wardi 

Haha - oh you are totally right! We are all so used to ordering something which arrives next day…and I think that simply won’t be the case for some time to come.

This could be the new normal for a while, and people are going to find it very hard to deal with. 

I am guilty of being impatient too. But as the years go by, I am getting better at waiting. Hahaha 

Also…congrats on the sofa. I’m sure it will be worth the wait 😁

[SadiqKabiri]

Hi. I’ve also ordered mine just a little over two weeks ago from an EE store, same as you, space grey at 256GB and I’m still waiting. I assume you’ve ordered through the EE webstore whereas I ordered from the Peckham store. I’m patient but my patience is beginning to wain as I go into store each day to be told it should be here in the next few days. My new promise is that it will be here today 02/11/21 but the tracker link is showing no update, I doubt that it’ll be here but I’ll still go and find out. I ordered mine on the 19/10/21. 

[utn786]

So two weeks ago I was told this:

by Katie_B

EE Community Support Team

Re: iPad Mini 2021 Stock / Pre Order

2 weeks ago

Hi @utn786. 

Thanks for confirming. 

I have checked this and the current guidance is to expect despatch more than 28 days from ordering. 

Soon as your order is ready for delivery our courier will be in touch. 

Katie 🙂

Its now been exactly 31 days since I placed my order and it was confirmed. 

I’ve called CS numerous times, left posts on this thread to be told just to wait for DPD to let me know when it’s coming the day before. I’m not sure what business model you guys are working with but this is now ridiculous. 

The initial response was 28 days, now I feel as though the response will be thanks for being patient and you’ll get your item one day, eventually, hopefully, maybe???

I understand the real life delays but to sell the item and then to say it’s not in stock is false advertisement. 

So again I shall await the response from EE. But I’m pretty sure it will be along the lines of thanks for your patience. 😡☹️

@Katie_B 

[James_B]

Hi @utn786,

All back orders are being dispatched on a first come, first serve basis as stock arrives. You'll receive a text message with tracking details as soon as your order is dispatched.

If you'd prefer to switch to a model that is available for immediate dispatch, please get in touch on 150.

James