From the looks of it Google has failed not once, but twice with the launch of the Nexus 4

[sean76]

I have the Solution to all this! Google needs to just stop beating around the bush and just buy Tmobile USA...

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

IMO, how can a Huge company like Google not be able to control how they're servers monitor how many devices they have for sale?

Lol, Hi come to Google play...we're not sold out of Nexus 4's, but you can't have one delivered for 4-5 weeks? Whattttttt?

I agree, BIG Black eye!

IMO it's their initial foray into high volume online sales. Up until this point Google Play, formerly the Google App Store, has needed to respond to a background hum of online purchasers. The Nexus 4 was to Google Play Store as Springsteen (or plug in appropriately popular band) was to Ticketmaster.

I've been in Enterprise IT for well over 30 years. Depending upon the line of business building an infrastructure that adequately responds to the median transaction rate can be entirely acceptable - so long as the company understands the customer expectations AND the Peak vs Avg tran-rate isn't on some order of magnitude level of difference. In this case it appears, again IMO, that Google was unprepared for the super-peak of the attempted transaction volume. Consumers download Apps and the other "background" noise of average transaction volume on Google Play - I'm guessing - is normally a small fraction of the tran-rate that something like the new Nexus products generated when they went on sale.

The best of breed, that know they will have super-peak days, build an infrastructure that can sustain a tran-rate that exceeds their expected peak and is typically many multiples of their normal rate. Stock exchanges, credit card companies, etc. all build this out - not out of a need to placate consumers but for real bottom line costs. For most CC processors if they aren't able to respond to a tran request within a specific amount of time (typically single digit seconds) then the request is either flat-out denied (pissed off consumer) or, more typically, redirected to an alternate processor that gets the retailer's fee and may even allow the retailer some rebate from their primary processor.

Now clearly nobody is going to miss a flight, ruin their stock portfolio, or otherwise upset their lives because Play was unable to adequately respond to their click request to buy a device. In the long run, though, when there are other online retailers that are able to satisfy consumer's needs DURING high volume request periods then if Goog doesn't get it's dung together they will continue to face challenges both from their investors and their potential online retail customers. I'm pretty sure they can fix it but admit I'm shocked that on N4 2.0 they screwed the pooch as badly as they did on original launch.

 

[sean76]

IMO it's their initial foray into high volume online sales. Up until this point Google Play, formerly the Google App Store, has needed to respond to a background hum of online purchasers. The Nexus 4 was to Google Play Store as Springsteen (or plug in appropriately popular band) was to Ticketmaster.

I've been in Enterprise IT for well over 30 years. Depending upon the line of business building an infrastructure that adequately responds to the median transaction rate can be entirely acceptable - so long as the company understands the customer expectations AND the Peak vs Avg tran-rate isn't on some order of magnitude level of difference. In this case it appears, again IMO, that Google was unprepared for the super-peak of the attempted transaction volume. Consumers download Apps and the other "background" noise of average transaction volume on Google Play - I'm guessing - is normally a small fraction of the tran-rate that something like the new Nexus products generated when they went on sale.

The best of breed, that know they will have super-peak days, build an infrastructure that can sustain a tran-rate that exceeds their expected peak and is typically many multiples of their normal rate. Stock exchanges, credit card companies, etc. all build this out - not out of a need to placate consumers but for real bottom line costs. For most CC processors if they aren't able to respond to a tran request within a specific amount of time (typically single digit seconds) then the request is either flat-out denied (pissed off consumer) or, more typically, redirected to an alternate processor that gets the retailer's fee and may even allow the retailer some rebate from their primary processor.

Now clearly nobody is going to miss a flight, ruin their stock portfolio, or otherwise upset their lives because Play was unable to adequately respond to their click request to buy a device. In the long run, though, when there are other online retailers that are able to satisfy consumer's needs DURING high volume request periods then if Goog doesn't get it's dung together they will continue to face challenges both from their investors and their potential online retail customers. I'm pretty sure they can fix it but admit I'm shocked that on N4 2.0 they screwed the pooch as badly as they did on original launch.

This is not new behavior for Google, I don't know how long you've been around the Mobile/Tech world, but Google has always had short comings when it came to selling retail within the tech world, dating all the way back to the Nexus One a few year ago. And then it followed with pretty poor customer service with the Galaxy Nexus, and yup followed right onto the Nexus 7 which was basically another horror story when it involved ordering from the play store.

This is Google we're speaking about, not some fly by night, put up a tent and sell and back packs here! Google, as in the absolute biggest search giant the Internet has ever seen! Google as in Internet based business is pretty much like riding a bike to then. For them to drop the ball this bad is absolutely insane and very alarming to me.

Long story short, on Nov 13th my order got kicked out numerous times and I had to refresh and restart the order process over and over again. The end result was somehow 3 orders got processed and I received 3 email order confirmations! When I tried to call customer service for the play store I was greeted by a recording that said because of high call volume involving the Nexus 7 my call cannot be answered now, and to please call back another time...
Wait ...WHATTTT? Call back another time, Nexus 7? This was the launch day of the Nexus 4? Can't you guys even get the device numbers right?

Google basically took the phone off the hook, that's not normal behavior for a company the size of Google! There are pretty much no excuses for the shenanigans that have gone on the past few weeks with them.

 

[acp]

It's obviously a fail, but it's not going to affect them in the long run. This whole debacle may have actually drove up demand, the feeling of wanting what you can't have.

Again, I don't believe this will affect google looking at the big picture.

 

[donec]

I think Google did just fine this time around and the proof of that is they lasted through the every attempt to get a phone. Even though every attempt was accompanied by possible 100 refreshes of their site which no matter how big your servers are they can not handle that kind of constant demand. They had the stock this time and are still taking orders with out the refresh hassle. If you went into a store and tried to buy something and everyone was yelling me me me me the clerk would just ignore everyone and the store would just shut close the doors or call the police and have everyone removed. Google just kept on working as best as we let them. Good job Google. Also I apologize to Google as I also was one of the refresh nuts.

 

[sean76]

I think Google did just fine this time around and the proof of that is they lasted through the every attempt to get a phone. Even though every attempt was accompanied by possible 100 refreshes of their site which no matter how big your servers are they can not handle that kind of constant demand. They had the stock this time and are still taking orders with out the refresh hassle. If you went into a store and tried to buy something and everyone was yelling me me me me the clerk would just ignore everyone and the store would just shut close the doors or call the police and have everyone removed. Google just kept on working as best as we let them. Good job Google. Also I apologize to Google as I also was one of the refresh nuts.

Really? So explain to me how Apple handles how many million phones when an iphone launches? And you don't hear stories about people having to press refresh 100 times.

The problem that alot of people don't understand is that this is niche phone, catering to a pretty small footprint in the scheme of things. So in my eyes how can they not handle demand? Pretty sad to say the least..

 

[Tinmania]

You have hit the nail on the Head with your Quote..

The biggest "internet" company in the world and they can't even sell a phone on the web.

Because a physical product is not the Internet. They are STILL not used to this thing of selling actual products. They will get better. Eventually.

On the flip side look at Apple: geniuses at selling physical products. But when it comes to anything internet they suck and probably will for some time to come (after already trying for nearly 12 years).




Michael

 

[Tinmania]

It's obviously a fail, but it's not going to affect them in the long run. This whole debacle may have actually drove up demand, the feeling of wanting what you can't have.

Again, I don't believe this will affect google looking at the big picture.

I agree. My entire universe of friends and family is well-aware of the Nexus 4, simply due to my b1tching about trying to order it.




Michael

 

[johnmandy]

I only wish i had some of the problems highlighted here....Take a look at what i'm seeing, ever since the original launch.

 

[killxswitch]

The problem isn't that the servers couldn't handle people refreshing. The problem is that they chose this approach, twice! If they'd just taken pre-orders and adjusted shipping times dynamically this would not have been an issue. And I'm beginning to think that while there were some unintended technical issues, I expect some of the "shortage" was planned.

 

[sean76]

I think Google did just fine this time around and the proof of that is they lasted through the every attempt to get a phone. Even though every attempt was accompanied by possible 100 refreshes of their site which no matter how big your servers are they can not handle that kind of constant demand. They had the stock this time and are still taking orders with out the refresh hassle. If you went into a store and tried to buy something and everyone was yelling me me me me the clerk would just ignore everyone and the store would just shut close the doors or call the police and have everyone removed. Google just kept on working as best as we let them. Good job Google. Also I apologize to Google as I also was one of the refresh nuts.

The problem isn't that the servers couldn't handle people refreshing. The problem is that they chose this approach, twice! If they'd just taken pre-orders and adjusted shipping times dynamically this would not have been an issue. And I'm beginning to think that while there were some unintended technical issues, I expect some of the "shortage" was planned.

I agree on the thought of the shortage being a planned event!