By 
As some who successfully purchased the Nexus 4 before it almost instantly sold out earlier this week receive notice that their shiny new Jelly Bean handset is shipping, others have been greeted with some not so good news. Apparently Google oversold their stock and is notifying some customers that the phone is now on backorder. While many will still receive the phone over the coming days, others will have to wait three weeks for the next available shipments.
As much as missing the opportunity to even purchase a Nexus 4 must have frustrated potential buyers, learning that the phone you just dropped a good chunk of change on won’t be arriving as expected is equally as cruel. It all stands to magnify Google’s poor handling of the Nexus 4 launch.
Google’s decision not to offer a pre-order for the new phone is perplexing, and their inability to build up a proper stock of handsets prior to launch leaves us scratching our heads. Yes, we can cut them some slack. The company has only launched a handful of physical products, but after the success of the Nexus 7 you would think that the folks running the Google Play Store would have had a better plan. When the Nexus 7 sold out (quickly, but not at the same rate as the Nexus 4), we were asking a similar question.
Did Google not anticipate the popularity of their own products? Is it more a supply chain issue that falls on the shoulder of LG (and ASUS, in the case of the Nexus 7)? Given Google’s reluctance to release sales figures, the conspiracy theorist in us even wonders if the company intentionally lowballed their stock to create a perceived high demand for their mobile devices. Get out the tinfoil hats.
Whatever the case may be, there are many Nexus 4 buyers feeling quite disappointed today. Add those to the rest who didn’t even have a chance to purchase the phone on launch day.
[Thanks, Carlos!]
Just received my back order notice. *sighs*
While I’m thrilled that I was lucky enough to get a shipping notification this morning, I feel really bad for others who got this delay notification:( Hopefully Google can sort this out and get things out faster than the 3-4 weeks mentioned in that email.
You fucked up, Google- it’s cut and dry. And to read some of the comments from those who bought the Nexus 7 at launch on Google Play, this isn’t the first time. A damn shame.
At least TMobile is there for us, even if at a slightly higher price.
I think it’s a planned strategy. Google doesn’t want to undermine their resellers and providers. They did this in order to shift business over to T-Mobile.
I’m not entirely sure I buy into that, but some numbers would very quickly validate or invalidate that theory.
… but it’ll be a cold day in hell before we see anything like that. o_o
I wish that some info would leak regarding European countries like Spain and Germany….
It would be nice to know when to expect the restock
i was happily napping when i got butt-f’ed by google…
hey Google!!! you put Notify Me by Email option, Y U NO NOTIFY ME?!?!?
I noticed this also.. Wtflux
Just got my back order email… this is terrible customer service Google, feel like canceling the order…
How did Google not realize that these were going to sell like hotcakes? You’re offering a top of the line Nexus device for as much as carriers are offering subsidized devices for.
I wonder how many devices they actually had in stock…
The million dollar question… Well we will find out one of these days.
Got my backorder notice too. I dont get it. I ordered mine at 11:52am. It’s before the official release time. How could I not get my order shipped? It looks like google is just randomly picking order to ship and not first come first server.
Great job, Google.
There was no official release time. The phone went on sale at around 8:32 a.m. PST. So you ordered late.
He probably means 11:52 EST. Which would be 8:52 EST. Still 8 minutes BEFORE the announced release time.
I know what he meant. There was no official release time just speculation from blog forums from people calling Google and getting 5 different answers. So 9:00 a.m. PST was not an official release time. That was further backed up by it being released at 8:32 a.m. PST. Not one internet site heard any official release time from Google.
Yeah, I got my email receipt at 8:35am PST. So you’re late. I still haven’t got my shipment delayed notice or anything.
yea i bought mine at 11:33 est i could argue i was one of the first ones by far. and i have not received any email what so ever. If google sends me an email saying its on back order i will go nuts.
Too be honest, after reading so much negativity about low amount of space and all, I’m surprised that it’s actually selling out. Maybe Google didn’t expect that much. Kinda lyk the Nexus 1. Although that was lyk $500 off contract. LoL!!
I was actually anticipating Google intentionally being low on stock to drum up demand and media buzz so I ordered mine from T-Mobile.
What did they import like 3000 of these? What a joke. Next time wait until you stock pile them before you offer it for sale. At least look somewhat professional.
They probably imported 3000 and gave the majority of the stock to t-mobile to sell on contract for $200.
Maybe so, but to my thinking, let people know, you have 1,000 units available or somthing to that effect. Balance of 30,000 coming in three weeks. If people know that going into the purchase, they might be more understanding.
Better to wait the 3 weeks and launch with 31,000.
Exactly. ;) Would be nice to know the “actual” number wouldn’t it? I would love to be a fly on the wall.
TMobile is having the same problem, but they’ll still let you order online without warning.
Got my email about an hour ago. Cancelled my order that I placed 15 minutes after launch. Way to go Google. Ruined my bday present :(
I ordered mine at 11:52…. and got backordered
They don’t charge until it ships though and its now free shipping just gotta front the tax still.
Actually, no. While I’m obviously not going to post a screenshot of my bank statement for security purposes, they certainly have removed $373.52 from my bank account, and I still received the backorder email.
You just cancelled what could have been your b’day present… Apparently a lot of them got this back ordered email even if it wasn’t a delay. A few also got tracking email after the back order email.. It is always safe to wait a coupla days before rushing to decisions just on adrenaline. Many have reported in other forums that even though they received the backorder email, they also got their tracking number a few hours after taht.. I would just say “wait” to those who are planning to cancel… The back order was mainly supposed to target those who ordered more than one as it will take a while to confirm and all that… so chill… Anyone who hasn’t cancelled based on this mail will still get it…
As long as they have to restock, how about doing so with 32GB versions? 0_o
That would make it worth the wait I’m sure google will throw some extra surprise in aside from fronting the shipping charges itself. I mean they have done similar things in this regard before.
Glad I picked up one of the few Nexus 4s at the T-Mobile store yesterday – sold out in 5 minutes – https://plus.google.com/116106031844608765641/posts/Qj9DrT9ENyi
I’m jelly; we’re all jelly.
My TMo corporate store hasn’t even received any to sell- and the person I spoke with had no idea when or if they’d even receive them. It was a “we open the boxes, and what’s in there is what’s in there” sort of thing.
I think Google monkeyed this one up across the board. If the excuse is that LG couldn’t make it happen, they shouldn’t have ever set the release date they did.
I called another one and was told that none of the Memphis area stores will be selling this phone in store. I’m probably just going to bail on the N4 and pick up an S3 during TMo’s sale this weekend instead. Oh well.
Get the Note 2….its so much more
I already have the Note 2. :D
This phone was to be for my wife, who doesn’t want to carry something as unwieldy as the Note 2. She looked at the S3 last night and decided she’d be happy with it. Works for me.
“Hey, let’s ship tons of this new phone out…everything will be just peachy.” Um, no…you ship a sampling out and then make sure there are no major issues for a couple weeks then you unload a ton of them.
3 weeks!? By that time newer and better androids are out!!
Ahhhh. Three more weeks to decide if I want to buy it.
The answer is simple profiteering resellers bought them by the hundreds and now have them selling on eBay at upto +50% They even somehow had them on the day of launch as their listing photo’s prove.
Why is Google slow playing me?! lol like I’m in purgatory.. no confirmation no back order e-mail!?! Only reassurance I have is that I’m $407.59 poorer.. anyone else like me right now?
Yep. Mine still just says pre-ordered but outside of the confirmation email, the negative balance in my account, and an assurance from multiple reps that my phone is processing, I know nothing.
Ya same here. I called Google and the guy said its been processed should be there Friday or Monday. I still want that confirmation email though Google!
I’m in the same boat, I’m out $397 and short of the confirmation that my order went through I’ve gotten nothing from google. Nothing about shipping or whther or not I’ve been put on the back ordered list.
Don’t bother calling the support number, they’ve been told nothing and have no real help to offer.
I actually just received the email confirming that my handset was shipped. It’ll arrive here on Monday. I’m not necessarily happy that it’ll get here on Monday and not Thursday like was originally mentioned but I’ll take it. As for those who ended up getting back ordered I feel terrible for you guys since we scrambled to get one of the first ones only to be told you have to wait 3 weeks. I could not have waited 3 weeks as my current phone, 2 year old HTC Aria still running 2.1, is on its last leg. I’m just hoping it makes it through to next Friday when I can go and get a new SIM for the Nexus 4.
I got a back order email too. *tears*
horrible launch, should of worked with the carriers to at least carry stock
Honestly, I cant give them slack. They should have allowed pre-orders. Lets not be stupid, the Nexus 7 launch was bad but not nearly as bad as a 3 week delay. We just had no idea when the N7 was shipping which sucked. They’ve released enough devices to know that pre-order offering and telling people when its shipping should probably have been done. Now I’m just gonna have to pray that I can get one before christmas…
I’m in the same boat as those with this email. I will leave my order up though and wait for them to restock (hopefully they won’t ship me a returned). It does suck that there where no preorders and the only reason I can think Google made this move was to sort of hype more the desire for the device. Basically the same shitty move that apple pulls with they’re crap. As much as I look forward to the phone I can wait perfectly fine and in the end I will come up with at least $14 more in my pocket cause of the free shipping and maybe Google throws something else in hopefully. Now why would people go all desperate and pay 200 or more is what the going rate is on ebay for the 16g is beyond me. Just wait and it may not even be 3 weeks . It is almost for sure going to be a lot less. In the meantime I still got my SG3 which is what is going to be replaced cause of the reason that I want a clean Android phone not tied to anything that has the latest up to date and not having to wait for shitty carriers.
Overhere $14 buys me 3 chinese lunch specials
Stop moaning and whining. This is what the Apple Fanboys have been going through every single year.
Oh, because that makes it better and acceptable. Gimme a break.
P.S. this is nothing like how Apple handles their launches.
Oh sorry forgot to write HINT SARCASM in bold just for people like you with sand in their vagi…
No e-mail confirming either shipment, or backorder…. GRRRR
I think the devices are sold out, no conspiracy. Everyone I know on Tmobile is going to Nexus 4.Makes sense too since its one of the best phones out this year
When I first didn’t succeed ordering online. I went the next day to T-Mobile and bought one upfront. I have it in my hands right now and it’s amazing super fast and smooth. I have no regrets
Sorry for those who got screwed and Google really let the ball slip on this one
How much? Aren’t they $500?
On a positive note, I’m glad a lot of people are interested in the Nexus line. I hate how the carriers completely control the cellphone market in the US.
without knowing how many phones they had or how many orders they received, it’s hard to know how well it sold.
There could have been just 100 in stock and orders for 500. That wouldn’t make it popular.
Good thing, I got my shipment email for my Nexus 4… bumper.
Was anyone able to order the Nexus 10? I lost out
WoW, it’s like Google really don’t want me to buy their physical products, it’s like they read my mind, made a list of things that would stop me buying their stuff and they’re ticking them off month by month!
Poor show yet again!
I got a back ordered email despite having placed my order within 30 minutes of the Nexus 4 going on sale. However, that’s not really the part that bothers me. I understand that they sold out; perhaps they could have handled their supply chain better but these things happen.
What bothers me is the terrible communication and lack of responsiveness. In the insanity following the launch, I accidentally placed two orders. I cancelled the unneeded one on the Play Store website within two hours of placing the order. As of now, I’ve yet to actually receive any notification of whether that order was cancelled and neither order has updated in Google Wallet. Their email about the back order doesn’t even reference the order number so I’m unclear whether I’ve got one or two phones on back order and, if it’s only one, which order. It’s now two-and-a-half days later and I’ve still got two holds for a total of close to $800 on my credit card for a phone I now won’t be receiving for at least three weeks. I’ve called several times only to get automated messages saying they’re too busy or, in one case, to be disconnected while on hold.
So, at this point, I’m just waiting. Hopefully I’ll get a phone sometime in the next month and hopefully they’ll bill me the correct amount. I appreciate that they’ll comp my shipping whenever it does finally ship but I’m pretty disappointed with Google. I expect better of a company of Google’s size and reputation.
This was my call with Google Play just now.
“Hi, I was just wondering about my Nexus 10 order. I bought it on Tuesday and if I haven’t received anything in two business days about it the help section said I should call.”
“Well, the order will take up to two business days to process then it should be there by next Monday or Tuesday.”
“Okay, I’m fine with that. Just it’s been two business days and I haven’t heard anything so I was just checking in to see if I had to do anything else.”
“Well, it will take two business days and then another two days to ship.”
“Okay, so if I don’t hear anything from you guys by tomorrow I should call back?”
“If you haven’t heard anything in two business days since you placed your order give us a call and we can see what’s going on.”
For a company that wants to manage the world information, Google seems clumsy in handling the sale of its own products. Could Google gauge the level of interest in Nexus device worldwide and anticipate the number of online orders in order to prepare its stock ?
For a company with massive servers farms and an infrastructure that no botnet could DDoS, yet its play store has problem with handling the customer ?
What gives Google ?
Guck Foogle!!!!!!!!
Im pretty dispointed too, pretty shitty that google opened the PlayStore 20 min before, they said they would.
Mine’s being delivered today, or that’s what UPS says.
Backorders happen, things get sold out. I’m sure LG and Google are working to get them out as quickly as they can. I wasn’t even able to order one, so I put my name on the list to be notified when they are in stock. We don’t know how many they had on hand, we don’t know how many they sold, most likely if google sold them and then found out they didn’t have enough, it’s a supply side issue with LG. I know people get excited about these phone launches, but sometimes the complaining just comes off as a bunch of spoiled brats whining.
You appear to understand customer service about as much as Google does.
It’d be nice to hear SOMETHING from Google. An explanation, apology, encouragement, promise of free stuff for those that got screwed, something.
I got the back-ordered note yesterday, and received a shipping confirmation today with a UPS tracking number…
Placed my order 11:36am EST and I know (personally) and have read of at least 10-15 people that placed their order 10-20 min after me and they have either already got theirs or it’s out for deliver. I have yet to get anything from Google since Tuesday, and the customer service on this project is non-existant. If someone doesn’t get fired over this I want a job w/ Google aparently you can get away w/ murder.
I was speaking to someone the other day who worked in connection with Google and he had heard through various channels that there were only 100 devices on each flavour released to each play store
You people and your first world problems.