I too did a pre-order and paid, and they already took the money but haven’t received any shipping info. By the time they ship my grass will be dead or they will be available at home depot. Poor service if you ask me. #launch-failure
Hey @anthony185!
We shipped the limited availability that we had to a few test users in warmer climates.
As for the credit card charge, our plan was to charge when the controller was shipped, but we found out that the authorization expired after 7 days when using Stripe within Shopify (our purchasing platforms). We absolutely should have sent an update with that charge and I apologize that it did not happen.
-Lo 
So Laura, If you’re shipping 500 per day, when will you be caught up with Preorders? That will give at least some expectation when we’ll be getting ours.
Thanks,
John
What about, for new customers, the limited timeframe to submit for rebates from local water districts? I only have so many days from day of invoice to submit the paperwork, actual pictures of the device installed, and then possibly someone from the water district to come by to make sure everything is what it should be. I can confirm that I have, and sounds like everyone else that pre-ordered has, been invoiced (I have pre-ordered before and never been invoiced so far in advance of the product actually shipping) so the clock is ticking on submitting everything to get the awesome rebate that my water district is offering. It’s one of the reasons I chose this more expensive device. It sounds like pre-order far exceeded expectations. I’m sure it did when nothing was built from the beginning. I keep getting the feeling that the money needed to be collected from the pre-orders to pay for the components before the builds could be started. I know there was a glitch in the accounting program that was used, those things can and should have been fixed but was at the expense of your customer.
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When should the March preorder shipments be completed? I’m March 25th 16 zones. Sorry to bombard you with questions, but this has been a frustrating endeavor.
We will send an email update next week with an estimated delivery date. 
Did you receive last week’s email with the link to request priority shipping?
Our customers are our main focus in decision making. We would never make a decision at the expense of our Rachio family.
We will send an email update next week with an estimated delivery date.
@wghstephens you said “I keep getting the feeling that the money needed to be collected from the pre-orders to pay for the components before the builds could be started.”
I’m getting that feeling too. If that was the case, I’m not sure if it is “illegal” but it is certainly immoral.
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Laura, thanks for responding.
I’ve used Stripe, and not having the capability for the charge happening 7 days before shipping doesn’t sound implausible. I can see that happening, still…
…not only did Rachio never make the pre-order folks aware of this (as you have apologized for) and it sounds like there were several thousand of them–but they also removed all indication and mention that the delayed charge was ever touted. I looked ALL over on the web site afterwards, as well as on my order and it was no where. I asked in several emails to Rachio, and was never answered.
@laura.bauman I did fill out the expedited shipping last week but not sure that I checked the correct box since it sounds like others that already received shipping notices this week also filled out the expedite but was till shipped ground. Not sure exactly why we would have to give a reason for the request anyway.
Hey @wghstephens- your device should ship very soon if you filled out that form. The boxes were just for our information, and did not change how we prioritized!
@anthony185 I agree we could have made it more apparent that after that issue payment would be taken immediately, rather than when the product ships. I will relay this to the team, as I think it is a good “learning” from this experience!
I noticed that a lot of people that ordered back in March haven’t got theirs yet and I’m sure there is at least +10,000 since my order is #14$$$ I won’t see mine till summer is over. I received email exactly 2 weeks ago and respond to it today to get my item shipped or I am cancelling this order. I have a feeling that this company didn’t had enough capital to produce such a large number of orders and that is why they charged everyone’s CC and just started production. I just found out that Rain machine I as good if not better for the lower price. There is no clear timeframe and it till you guys get it and install it it will be June/July and you will use it for 1-2 months and it will be over. Sorry I hate to say this but I don’t like games.
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I’m glad I’m not the only one whose overly upset with the tactics of Rachio. I only ordered the combo just because it would be cool to see how much water I’m using. I don’t care that much about it, and honestly I’m to the point where I will just enjoy the “dumb” controller I bought WHILE WAITING FOR THIS UNIT! It is personal at this point and if there is no significant shipping update by COB Monday I’m done, cancelling my order and moving on. I really hate to sound like that guy, but I build a lot of multimillion dollar houses and I will bash this system until the day I die.
With all due respect Rachio, I’m happy you will use this fiasco as a learning experience, but I don’t really care. Ship my unit OR refund my money NOW.
Lessons learned are for later, not while you are currently sitting on several thousand dollars, with several thousand customers (suckers) who were gullible enough to believe in Rachio
Please make it right with us 1st
Hey friends!
No games here. We severely underestimated the amount of preorders and have been working around the clock to make sure that your controllers get to you as soon as possible. We sincerely apologize and take full responsibility for under estimating the demand in this process.
We would never have released a product for sale if we couldn’t afford to produce it. We actually just received some incredible funding from Amazon (yay! read more here) which helped us make sure the Rachio 3 and Wireless Flow Meter were produced with the best quality and production possible.
We hear you. We understand this is incredibly frustrating and has put a dent in your trust in us. We plan to do everything we can to make things right and get controllers out to you as soon as possible.
-Lo
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New user here , please go easy on me.
I will just be neutral and say “please have some patience”
I can understand the excitement and frustration of a new product ordered at pre orders. Rachio is not the first company to experience this fiasco. This underestimation happens with pre orders and hot products all the time (iPhones). We have waited this long , a few more days of wait will not dehydrate us.
I read the other post “Rachio 3 and shipping dates”, they have begun shipping 500 Rachio 3 a day.
Rachio,
I really want to say nice things about you , i have recieved great customer service and my questions were answered in full by rachio staff over the phone, during my research for smart irrigation controller.
Although, i think a web portal to track order status would have eased most users.
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for me that would be a good thing
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Got my shipping notification yesterday afternoon. Ordered in 4/5/2018. 8 zones controller.
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I recieved mine yesterday. 8 zone.
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I completely understand what you’re saying, but it’s not a couple of days after everything is said and done it’ll be a month. If they came out and said it when they realized this problem then it wouldn’t be an issue. It’s the way they handled this problem. That’s mainly why I’m pissed, and also having to buy a “dumb controller”. Like my previous posts have stated, Nest had this issue with the doorbell and informed everyone right away. As for being able to track my order would be an amazing idea. I hate how I have to call Rachio talk to sales just for them to talk to someone else and wait for an email or a call back is just ridiculous. All of these small issues rolled into a big one.
8 or 16 zone? So far no 16 zones have been shipped according to the forums.