Google Tries to Make Up for Pixel 6 Preorder Mess
- Paul Thurrott
- Oct 22, 2021
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As I noted in my Google Pixel 6 Pro Preview, eager would-be buyers of the new handset experienced horrific problems preordering them, and the issues persisted for several hours. But Google has since tried to make up for this mess, and while the snafu is unforgivable, I appreciate the class the company is now showing to its customers.
The first change came silently in the wake of the Tuesday preorder mess: when a particular Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro model is sold out, Google now allows customers to add themselves to a waitlist, and they will be notified when they’re able to preorder (or, most likely, just order) the exact configuration they want. That’s a nicety Microsoft should look into.
But today, Google posted a support document explaining the steps that users can take to smooth the ordering process. And for those many customers who didn’t realize that they qualified for a free pair of Pixel Buds A-Series wireless earbuds because they were in the middle of an aggravating buying frenzy at the time, Google is going to make things right.
First, the online giant has some advice. It recommends checking your order status and delivery dates because things change, and I can back that one up: The Soft Sage (green) case I originally ordered wasn’t due to arrive until December 9 or 10, but that date has since shifted dramatically and it will now arrive just days after my phone, in the first week of November. Nice.
Google also says that you can get updates on sold-out configurations by adding yourself to that waitlist, as noted above. It will notify you by email when the product is back in stock. You can also check back at the Google Store from time to time as well; I’ve definitely seen different configurations become available throughout this week.
And then there’s the best bit: for those customers who didn’t realize that they qualify for a free pair of Pixel Buds A-Series—a $99 value, by the way—Google says that it will email you by November 3 so you can redeem the offer. As you may recall, I recently reviewed these earbuds and liked them quite a bit.
So, that’s nice. And, more to the point, the right thing to do.