Amazon Canceling Transformer Prime Pre-orders, Cites Limited Availibility
No sooner has one retailer confirmed the availability of the ASUS Transformer Prime than another has begun notifying customers that orders are being cancelled due to limited availability. Amazon has been sending out emails to some customers informing them that their pre-orders for the 32GB Transformer Prime has been canceled “due to a lack of availability from our suppliers.” Any money already spent on reserving the slate will be refunded.
“Hello,
Due to a lack of availability from our suppliers, we will not be able to obtain the following item(s) from your order:
“ASUS TF201-B1-GR Eee Pad Transformer Prime 10.1-Inch 32GB Tablet (Amethyst Gray)”
We’ve canceled the item(s) and apologize for the inconvenience. If you see a charge for the canceled item, we will refund you within 1-2 business days.”
The move raises questions about availability from other merchants and echoes a similar supply-and-demand issue surrounding the first version of the tablet. Retailers had a hard time keeping the first Transformer in stock after a component shortage led to lower than expected production levels. We can’t say for certain if Amazon’s withdraw of certain pre-orders is a sign that similar problems are at hand with the Transformer Prime or if the stock issues arise from greater than expected demand. For now let’s just hope this is an isolated incident with Amazon.
[Thanks to all who sent this in!]