Microsoft fail to deliver the Surface tables in the UK

When Microsoft opened up the pre-order registration page for the Surface tablet I very pleased to see that the delivery date as October 26th the launch day of Windows 8. What made it appealing is that the delivery date would be the same in the UK as it is in the US so it would be great to be able to review the Surface at the same time as many of the US sites.

I ordered the Surface and received confirmation that the delivery would be the 26th

Product Name: Surface with Windows RT (Pre-Ordered)
Anticipated Released Date: Pre-order now for delivery by 26/10

Then on Saturday I got an email with a new delivery date:

Thank you for ordering on msuk. The release date for the preorder product has changed. The product listed below will now be available on 02 November 2012.

Disappointing but at least it was information, but then a tweet from the official Surface twitter account said that the email had been sent out in error:

Due to an internal processing issue, we mistakenly sent you an email indicating the shipment date for your order had changed. That email was incorrect. Your expected shipping date has not changed.

So we were back on for the 26th, but here we are at the end of the day on the 26th and the amounts have been taken from accounts but no emails and no Surface tablets. Jason Coombes called the Microsoft Store yesterday and they said shipments were due today but ZDNet UK were told that the Surface devices would ship on the 26th and be delivered around three working days. It looks like here in the UK nobody has their Surface yet, my guess is that they will start arriving the beginning of next week.

At 16:30 I received an email:

Dear Customer,

Thanks again for pre-ordering your Surface online!

As stated at the time of order, we expect customers in the U.K. to receive their Surface devices between Oct. 26 and Oct. 30. We apologize for any confusion caused by subsequent emails stating an earlier or later arrival date. To make up for any inconvenience, we would like to offer you a single use coupon for up to £50 off your next purchase from Microsoft online store*.

So I got £50 credit in the Microsoft store but I still don’t know when to expect the device. The problem isn’t the delay in shipments but the lack of communication from Microsoft, you can bet that people ordering a iPad Mini today will have a delivery date that will be actuate.

Sometimes Microsoft do make it hard to love them.