yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
I don't think everything is fine, but I don't believe Sprint would waste it's time with Essential if they didn't think the company had merit. Business goes where the money flows. They could get easy sales with Apple, Samsung, and LG. I'm putting my bets on $$, which means they will deliver a product. Sprint has an estimated ship date of 9/1 still. I like you all and everyone else have been refreshing an order page constantly hoping to get a solid idea.

I genuinely think they only have a couple people dedicated to customer responses. If thousands of people ordered, and 100s are contacting support, then the quality of the responses may go down.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] canned_polar_bear:
i put the essential screen protector over my galaxy note 4..... it's sooo tiny!!!! I'll walk around pretending I already have it.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
As someone who has pre-ordered a number of phones, including a number of Nexus devices, the Pixel, and a handful of iPhones - this **** is way more crazy than it needs to be. People freaking out and going all conspiracy theory when they DO receive tracking info is asinine. Saying they haven't actually shipped because FedEx hasn't updated yet - because, they're, of course, experts in FedEx systems and logistics, and know when FedEx shows updated information on a tracking number and if that number is real or not.

And nevermind the customer service emails.... I feel so bad for these people working at Essential dealing with some of these people.

Am I frustrated? Of course. Do I want my ****ing tracking info? Yes. Am I going to throw a tantrum because I have or have not received said info? No.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
they didn't ship
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kirdroid:
Then that would mean they need to increase support staff, get them trained well, improve communication etc. If we just sit not doing anything then nothing will improve.

This gives them opportunity to see what we are complaining about and if they are a good company, learn from this mistakes and make changes in the future. If everyone sits quiet without send support emails, complaining on social media etc then they will think everything is going great and nothing to improve.

We all understand they are start up, support staff is small etc. But the leaders of essential should know what's going on and come up with better communication to their customers who are paying top dollars for a phone when there are millions of options.

As stated earlier, under promise over deliver. They are doing opposite and shooting themselves on the foot again and again.

You didn't see this much complaining until they took our credit card details and said they are shipping because we knew they were working on it and will let us know when it's ready. They shouldn't have told us to buy unless they had the phones ready, packed up and ready to be shipped. I understand they have to estimate orders, but they could have made even 25% of phones from reservations, packed up and ready to go. So that when we place orders ship them in the order they received. After that they can say back order and say 2-3 weeks shipping or how much ever time it takes for them.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Bingo
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Do you though?

Yes, I'm sure they're all just kicking back with some beers and celebrating how awesome they are doing because people aren't sending them a barrage of emails/tweets with their complaints.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] mike 11:
What Essential to me in a company

1 communication

2 customer service

3 honesty
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
I'm not saying the complaints aren't valid, but you guys are bummed that you don't get a tracking number, bummed that there isn't information on the tracking number, bummed that some got it and some didn't... There's a pattern showing here. Everyone wants the phone lol... As do I.

I'm sure if you guys didn't push for tracking info they wouldn't have given it until later. Good, good on you guys. What does that tell you? There's someone at Essential who is confident enough to give a tracking number... They are trying, with the limited info they might have.

I will be the first to eat my words if **** hits the fan and cancel. Until then things don't seem as dire as some would make it out. It just sounds like their CS is swamped and since this is a new company they don't have established procedures in place... This whole situation may be a learning experience for them for the next phone.

I remember OnePlus and their issues, each new company gets flak for not being 100% perfect on their first try.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Let me guess - also a headphone jack and waterproofing?
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] canned_polar_bear:
don't forget wireless charging!
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] graffixnyc:
To be fair though.. OnePlus didn't have anywhere near the financial backing or resources as Essential when they released the OnePlus One.

As I have said, I'm not mad about delays, I'm not mad mine hasn't shipped yet, or that I haven't gotten tracking info, I'm not upset about any of that. What I'm upset about is they keep saying "today" or something similar. Hell, tell me it will ship by next Friday or even in two weeks and I wouldn't be upset.. Them keep saying its shipping and customer service saying "today" when it's clear BS is what's upsetting. Like yesterday when Samuel told me they would ship yesterday, I replied and asked "what are you going to tell me tomorrow when it doesn't ship today?" because I knew they wouldn't deliver on what they said..and he reassured me it would. That's what's pissing me off. I would rather hear "we can't really say exactly when, but we are working on it ASAP" and them not ship for two weeks than to keep saying "we are shipping" or "we are shipping tomorrow" or "we are shipping today". They are setting expectations that it's going to ship by what they keep telling us, I'm not setting them, they are by telling me "it will ship today". If they wouldn't say that, then I wouldn't expect it, and then I wouldn't be upset.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] worldsoutro:
Andy Ruben should send out an apology to every single customer then offer free overnight shipping plus refund half the cost if the device
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] xda0330:
What we are really upset with is that Essential implies that they are shipping by a certain time, with comments such as you will receive shipping notice, emails are being sent out now! And you get the email but the phone has not shipped. I can absolutely assure you, if the phones had shipped based on the tracking #s we have received, Essential would have said so. They did the fancy dance by stating that shipping notices are being sent out now, but FORGOT to mention that the phones are not shipping simultaneously. Now I dare anyone to tell me if the phones have shipped and when with anything resembling certainty or facts. We do not have any. That is the issue. The intentional lack of clarity on the part of Essential.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] itstee:
Free overnight shipping maybe but refund half the cost of the the device? I don't think so.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
You can't bait customer service, they aren't going to jeopardize their job, but I understand. I'm not saying I don't. I've tried in the past lol. PayPal has given me issues and I tried the same question what happens when x happens again, same kind of reply. Not trying to invalidate anyone's frustration either, it just seems a bit much right now. It seems like someone that isn't Essential has dropped the ball, and like someone else suggested they probably don't want to throw their partners under the bus like that.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Ya - that's it.

Andy: Hey guys, maybe we should just send them some random bull**** that we know isn't correct and let them stew on it for a while and get all riled up!

Everyone: Great idea! I'm sure this will work out well for us in the end!

Andy: **** ya!
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] IM0001:
This is false. OnePlus is owned by the company Oppo so technically they have vastly more resources then Essential at launch and they still screwed it up.

Hell they continue to screw it up by telling people that it isn't their upside down screen that's the problem, but the users eyes.

OnePlus is an example of a company with reasonably good hardware backed by terrible management.

And all those that are getting a Note 8 over a PH1 if it doesn't arrive before then, bet you will really enjoy that touchwiz (or whatever its called now overlay). The hardware does look impressive in paper, but you can't make me ever consider a Samsung over a Pixel or Essential at this point.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kirdroid:
You sound reasonable, yes it may not be directly essential fault who knows. But still we need to hold essential accountable since they are the ones taking the money from us not their partners. We see similar problems with HTC and Samsung orders where their online orders are handled by digital river who are notoriously bad.

Agree, we are all just frustrated and where else can you share your frustration other than fellow nerds in these forums [emoji3]

---------- Post added at 12:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 PM ----------

Pixel agree but Essential has to still prove they can get the camera right. We will have to wait and see how much they can improve camera via updates. They look to have a talented team and budget to eventually get there so we have to wait.

Basically Pixel 2 XL will have everything essential is providing minus titanium/ceramic but with better camera/waterproof etc.

Doesn't mean I will return Essential, I have multiple phones and keep them including Note 8.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] graffixnyc:
Actually, It's not false. OnePlus was the sister company of Oppo but BBK Electronics owned them both. However, each one had it's own funding separate from one another. Basically, BBK electronics invested a sum of money into Oppo. Oppo only had access to whatever funds BBK gave them to start and financially were separate. Oppo didn't have the full financial resources of BBK behind them, they only had whatever $ BBK gave them to start and that's it. Sure, if they ran into a bind they could probably get more cash but I'm 100% sure whatever they gave them initially, that's all they had to work with. I doubt BBK gave Oppo 1 billion to start, Then when OnePlus was formed, it was even smaller than Oppo, it got a much smaller investment from the parent company than Oppo initially did since Oppo made a ton of other things besides phones. OnePlus did get to use some of Oppo's resources like their factory for production etc but still had to pay everything out of their budget, their initial investment. Which is nowhere near the 1Bil Essential got as an investment. And on top of that, the Oppo factory's are nowhere near the capacity of Foxconn's where the essential is made. How do I know all of this? Because I was told about OnePlus by Carl way before it was ever announced publicly and was pretty close to a lot of the Oppo/OnePlus staff (and yes, I have pics to prove it.. lol)

Edit: and to add, I was even offered a job by Oppo, but I would have to move to China for it so I couldn't take it
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] danon.brown:
Did you get that email today?
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] graffixnyc:
Yes
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] M@XLOL:
Has anyone that ordered in the last few days gotten tracking information?
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] canned_polar_bear:
and personally give handjobs to all customers, current and future! it's only fair....
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] artiemon:
At least they are still telling you "today". I asked why I hadn't gotten a shipping notice yet and here is what they emailed me today:

"Thanks for writing in with your concerns! The emails confirming shipment had gone out yesterday morning, per our shipping team who has recently provided us this update. This email will provide further status information regarding your order."

What the heck? I didn't get an email because they went out yesterday??
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Scripted updates with no thought going into them
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] canned_polar_bear:
i think i figured it out... lots of guys were hoping a shiny new phone would help them get laid this weekend because next weekend alot more people will have the same phone....

just sayin' ...
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
No need for any of that. Let's keep things civil.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Goronok:
Turns out, I didn't get laid last night because I didn't have my PH-1 in hand.

What a great addition to this thread though, seriously.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] eakrish:
^^^^^^ LOL, THIS
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] canned_polar_bear:
people need to relax ... so the phone is a late. if you pre-order from a startup it's the risk you run. accept it. it's not the end of the world.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] EniGmA1987:
Just got this email from Essential:
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] worldsoutro:
This phone better give me a hard on
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
At the very least it should give you access to such things.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
If there was a big typhoon that affected everyone's shipments including Essentials... Would you guys be more inclined to understand?
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Sure, if they were honest and didn't lie
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
Typhoon Pakhar is wreaking havoc in the regions that shipments would be coming out of.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] itstee:
Again it's communication. If that was the case, all people here wanted them to be more transparent and told us what the deal is. It is delayed because of a typhoon, then say it is. If it's delayed because of some cow blocking the road where the route of the truck is traveling, then say it's that.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] creepinm3:
This is what's most frustrating. As an employee, we have to tell everyone how great this phone will be and why they should get it. Our ship date hasn't change, but we haven't even gotten a demo unit nor a 360 camera demo unit. Yet my store is covered in essential promo.

I hate that these so called "press" are running around with a phone they're just going to put into their desk and we are here typing away about how we don't have our device yet.

Sidebar: Dom Esposito should not have gotten a review unit. Highly ungrateful and just salty they cancelled his order.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kirdroid:
Lol at cow blocking the road [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] worldsoutro:
We shouldn't go to work until we get out phones
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] stewa2jm:
This I can get behind! ... Sleep in to, even.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Who thinks we are waking up tomorrow to still no activity with FedEx? Lol
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] LaNsLyDe:
Guys most likely Essential printing the shipping label. Everyone got notification on Saturday right ?

Most systems will notify the customer. However FedEx doesn't deliver Sundays usually Saturdays yes. So most likely the package hadn't been dropped off or picked up and we will see tracking info on Monday. They're gonna ship 2 day shipping so first phones should arrive Tuesday or Wednesday.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] tlxxxsracer:
Well it's 9am in China.. any update on FedEx tracking? Can't say Monday cause it is already for China.

Still no email for me. Ordered camera and phone and paid immediately when I got the email.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Might as well save your breath (or your fingers). It's all a big conspiracy. They're intentionally giving misinformation to throw us all off of their trail. It's a clear case of deception because ... blah blah blah.

This is the state of some of these people.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] worldsoutro:
I am starting to think they sent out a few shipping notifications to settle the complaints. This was all a smoke screen because behind the scenes essential has no idea what's going on
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
They said 2-3 day which means could be Express saver which is 3 days. Also assuming they did only print labels, their email notification and messaging that the phones were being shipped is misleading
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kirdroid:
No one has gotten tracking who ordered both camera and phone. The only people who got tracking are the ones who ordered only phone, and there are also still people who ordered only phone but haven't got tracking.

So tracking went out on Saturday to subset of people who ordered only the phone.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
But again nothing actually shipped
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] worldsoutro:
We should see something tomorrow
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kirdroid:
Yes that's true, to put it properly a subset of phone only orders got issued still not active tracking numbers.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] bigbossc:
I have never got a tracking number where it didn't even say the shipping label was created, and not fully updated to show waiting to be picked up for shipping within a day. Everything this company does or is involved with is so strange... the Essential Twitter replied to someone who asked them about the bogus tracking, but they just said they will DM them.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Whole thing is so flippin strange. I wouldn't be surprised if even tomorrow the numbers are invalid and we go days with no updates.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Anyone go back to the blogs yet? Somehow hours after the blogs posting about them not shipping, they started posting about this. Maybe that's the only way.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] IM0001:
It's the freaking weekend these past two days, even if they shipped Friday we'd be super lucky if they arrived Mon/Tues and they hopefully aren't all working on a Sunday to cater to the whiny minority.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
This has nothing to do with the fact that the FedEx tracking numbers are all invalid with FedEx.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] uncled1023:
Seems like the tracking numbers are being activated now: https://www.reddit.com/r/essential/..._release_megathread_shipment_updates/dm85m0x/
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] rvashi:
Ordered Phone: 8/16

Charged for Phone: 8/22

Ordered Camera: 8/23

Charged for Camera: 8/26

Still no shipment emails or tracking information!! My FedEx Delivery Manager shows no shipments planned for my address.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] eakrish:
Mine says in transit as well
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] lpasq:
Very strange... Mine says in transit. The tracking bar with the four segments has three segments shaded blue. Implying 75%. The shipping address and delivery info are not there. Those areas read, "Pending." Called FedEx because I know my apartment number needs to be corrected. I know this because it was wrong when my order finalized with Essential, and Ana there could not fix it. The FedEx service agent said that only the shipping label seems to be created, package not picked up yet, and she has no idea why the tracking page would read that it is in transit 75%. She said that she never seen that scenario before. She also could not yet determine the shipment point of origin.

Andy must be a wizard!
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Delete
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] staywide8:
Mine just updated. Shipping out today with delivery on Weds. Coming from China as expected

http://imgur.com/a/CyldZ
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Ya, except they're not. And never have been. And to even think that they were or would be is ****ing retarded.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Raystechworld:
Unreal good for you mine still no email and I paid a hour after email but I did do the cam as well kinda funny I'm in north canton Ohio so there is no starting wear coast to east coast thing lol this sucks
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ack154:
Ya, so far, that's the problem. A bunch of us right here with you.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Raystechworld:
I leave out of town Wednesday for a week so I was really hoping it would happen but even if we probably won't get till Friday if then
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Check your tracking #s, people are starting to say they are active but no movement yet.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] staywide8:
Either I've been drinking or you have. Not sure which.

---------- Post added at 07:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:44 AM ----------

LOL. Now it says Thursday. Just got the exception report.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Raystechworld:
Ya maybe both sorry just very mad about the situation
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Chronzy:
My tracking info has been updated. Says delivery Thurs 31st. The weather in my area might affect that though.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] drocny87:
I have a delivery date for Thursday​ with the exception report
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] km8j:
Is this exception really because Essential dropped it off late? Thats hilarious.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] xda0330:
Same
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] eakrish:
I am reporting Thursday as well
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] grooks:
The exception states I was because they missed the FedEx cutoff.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ttjoseph:
Same here, missed delivery cutoff. Entirely unsurprising.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Azdian:
Still waiting for the tracking number .. it's really frustrating!

12 days and counting >_<
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] Goronok:
Yep, same here.

I'm just amazed Essential told everyone 7 days given their product is still in China. That's ballsy. (in a stupid sort of way)
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] stewa2jm:
Maybe Andy Rubin is just an eternal optimist... me, I'm the poster child for pessimism.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] bigbossc:
Everything has been so late, terrible, and full of lies...remember they said they would ship them last week. So ill play around with it, but i am going to return it within 15 days, i will get the note 8, or the next google phone instead. Customer service means alot to me, and i have not seen so much shady lies ever from a company whos execs are actually almost all industry vets if you look at there bio.
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] kmoney059:
Same mi e is for Thursday with exception for missed delivery Cutoff
[Essential Phone Guides, News, & Discussion] ~~Tito~~:
This all reeks of startup mayhem though. I am not surprised.