Some Google Pixel 3 shipments from recent promos have apparently been delayed w/ no ETA

Ben Schoon | Dec 13 2018 - 1:55 pm PT

Despite some initial issues, Google’s Pixel 3 was a big deal in recent weeks thanks in part to pretty major discounts for Black Friday and Thanksgiving. Early adopters have mixed feelings towards those, but at the very least, they’ve already got their devices. Many of those who purchased a Pixel 3 during the promos though are noting delayed shipments with no explanation.

Over the past few days, many new Pixel buyers have been turning to the web to voice their frustration with this particular issue. Apparently, many of these users are currently seeing their Pixel 3 shipment delayed without any clear cause or explanation from the company. Reports of this can be seen on Google’s Product Forums, we’ve gotten tips from many readers about it, and a substantial Reddit thread is ongoing with dozens of separate reports.

For those affected, the story generally goes like this: The order was submitted sometime during Google’s recent array of promotions from either the Google Store or Google Fi. After the purchase, an estimated time of arrival was given. However, shortly after that, the order’s status was changed to delayed, leaving buyers with no ETA on when their new phone would arrive.

From our digging into these threads, we can’t find any clear patterns on what triggers the delay. Many users note ordering the base 64GB “Just Black” model of either device, but others affected also note “Clearly White” models and other storage tiers. Some users even note ordering multiple devices and seeing one unit ship, but not another one. Charges have gone through for these devices, but the shipping status is held in limbo. Google’s support response to these customers is largely just to be patient and wait it out.

One Google Community Manager has responded to this issue on Google’s Product Forums, but again, the only advice for those affected it to wait it out.

Delayed device shipments and notifications

If you’re wondering when your phone will arrive, rest assured that you’ll receive an email with the details of your delivery date. Please note that unfortunately Google Store Support does not have any additional information on your shipment, so you do not need to reach out to Google Store support for additional details. Once you receive your order tracking number, this will be your best indication of package delivery date. We will always update you with any changes to your delivery date via email. Thank you for your patience.

We’ve reached out to Google for a statement on the matter and will update this article accordingly if/when the company responds. If you’ve been affected by this issue, please leave a comment below and let us know when you ordered and which device you ordered. Hopefully, Google can soon address this issue.