Apple is one of the largest technology companies on the planet – and the products they offer are often the best-in-class.
If you want to get a hold of one of them quickly, often the most convenient way is to simply order it from Apple’s online website.
But how long will it take to actually receive the products at your door? How long does Apple take to ship, and when should you expect the products to be delivered after ordering?
In this article, I’ll cover everything that you need to know about Apple’s shipping times!
How Long Does Apple Take To Ship And Deliver?
Most orders from Apple are delivered between 1 and 3 business days after ordering, which includes both order processing as well as transit time.
The exact timeline will be dependent on your location, the items you’re ordering, and Apple’s availability for the item.
That being said, products that were recently released, have to be shipped from overseas, or require customizations can take longer to arrive.
Thankfully, Apple gives you a pretty accurate delivery estimate when you go to check out, which can help you predict when the products will arrive.
However, it can be helpful to know where the products will ship from, whether they can be processed on weekends, and how to track Apple orders.
That’s some of the information I’ll be covering in just a moment!
How Long Does Apple Take To Process Orders?
Thankfully, Apple is usually very quick to process orders!
While some users have reported that their orders were process in under 45 minutes, for the majority of people it will take around one business day after the order has been placed.
However, processing times may become significantly delayed if you are ordering a product that was just released, and is currently in high demand.
Additionally, products that are undergoing any sort of customization (such as getting it engraved) will increase the processing time dramatically.
If getting your product engraved, it’s possible that it will add an additional 1-4 weeks for the processing time, before the item actually ships out to you – which is quite significant!
One other thing to be aware of is that certain products may ship from different locations.
So, it’s possible for part of your order to process and ship separately from the rest of you order, when ordering multiple items.
Does Apple Have Any Expedited Shipping Options?
If you’re hoping to get your product as quickly as possible, you may be wondering whether or not you can pay extra to have them ship faster.
The truth is, you may or may not be able to, depending on your location.
To test this out, I plugged in a number of different zip codes into Apple’s shipping estimator tool – covering different areas of the United States.
I also tried out large cities, as well as rural areas that typically experience slower delivery times for most online stores.
Most rural areas I checked only had one single shipping option – typically, the slower one.
Urban areas however were more likely to show the ‘Scheduled Courier Delivery’ option shown above, for an additional fee of $9.
So, whether or not expedited shipping is available will depend on your area.
That being said, even Apple’s regular shipping speeds are still pretty fast. If you need it faster, you may consider ordering the same product from an authorized retailer, like Amazon, Walmart, or Best Buy.
Does Apple Ship On Weekends?
No. Unfortunately, Apple does not appear to process orders on weekends.
So, if you place your order on a Saturday or Sunday, it may not actually begin the shipping process with the carrier until Monday. This is why when you begin the checkout process, Apple will list the amount of time it takes to ship in business days, rather than regular days.
That being said, most couriers (including UPS and Fedex) do deliver on weekends.
So, if your order has already been processed and shipped by Apple, it is certainly possible that it may be delivered on weekends regardless.
What Shipping Companies Does Apple Use?
Currently, Apple uses both Fedex and UPS to deliver orders that are placed on their store.
These are two of the most popular couriers in the world, and are able to deliver to most locations without any issues.
Typically speaking, both couriers deliver within 5 business days, even with their slowest services – and even when Apple has to ship packages internationally.
Considering the size and reliability of both UPS and Fedex, you can be assured that your package will arrive quickly and safely!
Where Does Apple Ship From?
We’ve covered a lot of information already, but one thing that we haven’t discussed is where the product will actually end up shipping from after you order.
Unfortunately, the answer is ‘it depends.’
Apple has a large number of regional warehouses throughout the United States. If the products are available there, this is usually where they will ship from.
However, some products also end up shipping directly from China if they aren’t available locally.
Based on my research, the more popular models of iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and Macs tend to ship from regional warehouses, where as less popular products (such as the Apple Pencil) are more likely to ship from China.
Additionally, products that were engraved or personalized were more likely to ship from China as well.
However, this is completely dependent on Apple’s available stock in different locations, which can change all the time.
Thankfully, even products shipped from China are sent by air, so there aren’t significant delays – many products still end up arriving within a few business days.
How Do I Track My Order From Apple?
In order to gain an accurate estimate of when your order will arrive, you will want to reference the tracking number that Apple provides for you.
This is provided in two different locations – either you can login to your Apple account and view your recent orders, or you can check the shipment email that Apple will send to you when it ships.
From there, you will see the carrier information, along with the carrier’s tracking number.
Simply clicking on the link to open the tracking page, and view the estimated delivery date.
Alternatively, you can also plug your tracking number into a universal tracking tool like Parcels, which may give more information on your shipment if it’s shipping from China.
Conclusion
Thankfully, Apple is known for their quick order processing and shipping speeds.
However, the exact timeline can depend on the products you’re ordering, and where they are shipping from. For the most accurate estimate, refer to the estimated delivery date provided on Apple’s checkout page.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful, and that it’s answered all of your questions.
If you have any other questions about ordering from Apple, ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister
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