I’m getting Punk’d by Rivian

[junkanoo]

Do you know the circumstances around your neighbors truck? Maybe they’re an employee or an employee friend? Maybe they got offered a different spec than they originally ordered?

Or they may not even remember the correct date of their order ... sending you into this spin cycle based on bad info.

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[AbhorViolence]

I’ve decided that I’m definitely getting punk’d by Rivian.

My neighbor just got their R1T delivered today. Literally exact same specs as my configuration, Same color, same interior, same options. They posted lots of happy photos of taking delivery.

My neighbor ordered over 10 months after I did.

I’m losing my faith.

Sometimes you get accidentally delivered a piece of your neighbors mail, but an entire truck? Ridiculous!

 

[riviancanucknb]

The logistics of how this could happen in my mind are pretty simple due to the current supply chain crunch and delivery logistics.

Rivian very likely is grouping fulfillment by city. It is not logistically feasible to go by absolute order of the list. Rather it is more likely something like they have 500 trucks earmarked to deliver to Denver in Q1, so they take the top 500 Denver orders off the list no matter where they land and they are getting a truck. When they do that, it is simple to see why two people who ordered 9 months apart might both be earmarked for a truck in the same quarter.

Now take that methodology, and add in the supply chain crisis. Rivian makes 500 trucks. Lets assume OP is truck #50 and his neighbor is truck 400 based on priority... but now lets also assume Rivian runs out of part X after truck 49. Those other 350 trucks, they still get assembled, but they sit on the lot until Part X gets delivered. Each one of those trucks has a VIN tied to a future customer at this point, they *are not* going to be swapped out for another vehicle.

As the parts come in, they get finished and re-grouped and shipped out, but the order that happens is not guaranteed to be the same priority order as before - it might be based on simple logistics of bringing them in from the lot - it could be *REVERSE PRIORITY* ordering for all we know.

Is any of this the case? Who knows, a hypothetical scenario I just invented... but it is very realistic. The point is that international delivery logistics during a global supply chain crisis is a lot more complicated than "sort by priority".

 

[Inkedsphynx]

Your supposition ignores that there are individuals in the same service center with the same configs getting passed over for people with order dates well past theirs - AKA they are not 'taking the top 500 orders' and passing trucks out.

There are no parts shortages that would create the scenario you describe. What part would be missing from truck 49 that isn't missing for the other 350? They're all the same truck. The only difference is interior colors and exterior colors. It's not like they're saying "Underbody shields are backordered, we're only shipping those without". No, they're shipping every which config consistently, they're just not doing it in a consistent order.

They're throwing shit-covered darts at a wall while blindfolded and whomever gets splattered is the lucky lottery winner for that day.

 

[Craigins]

The logistics of how this could happen in my mind are pretty simple due to the current supply chain crunch and delivery logistics.

Rivian very likely is grouping fulfillment by city. It is not logistically feasible to go by absolute order of the list. Rather it is more likely something like they have 500 trucks earmarked to deliver to Denver in Q1, so they take the top 500 Denver orders off the list no matter where they land and they are getting a truck. When they do that, it is simple to see why two people who ordered 9 months apart might both be earmarked for a truck in the same quarter.

I like the take, but I have a slightly different approach. They have the Denver orders, they allocate trucks based on orders they have in the area. Each order is assigned to a truck (many orders may be assigned to one truck, assuming cancellation rates). Then add guides into the mix, each guide has a set of customers to contact. When the guide selects an order, they pull the truck from the available lot. So if the preorder #50 got assigned to a busy guide, where preorder #400 was assigned to a guide with a lot of free time, then the #50 loses out as the other guide gets to the truck first.

In theory they could have a single pre-order queue that guides pull from as well, which would debunk this. But I can see Rivian guides working with a "call sheet".

 

[dduffey]

Tesla did the same (deliver out of order). When putting my deposit down I assumed that deposit date is likely the last thing they will order by for delivery.

Maybe the neighbor also bought accessories like camp kitchen, tent and they are prioritizing those for finance reasons (cash flow).

 

[TAZ]

Hindsight, we should have put the initial deposit down then 2 weeks later, put another deposit down. Doubled our chances!

 

[crashmtb]

Maybe the neighbor also bought accessories like camp kitchen, tent and they are prioritizing those for finance reasons (cash flow).

Those particular items are not being delivered presently, and are not included in the price. People are instead being given the option to buy them later, at the original preorder price

 

[ja_kub_sz]

@cohall 11/27/18 preorder holder and still nothing from Rivian yet.

I feel you pain... and the pain is REAL!

 

[Davethadog]

Rivian very likely is grouping fulfillment by city. It is not logistically feasible to go by absolute order of the list. Rather it is more likely something like they have 500 trucks earmarked to deliver to Denver in Q1, so they take the top 500 Denver orders off the list no matter where they land and they are getting a truck. When they do that, it is simple to see why two people who ordered 9 months apart might both be earmarked for a truck in the same quarter.

Exactly. Doesn't matter how many trucks you build, you've still got to deliver them. Rivian inviting people to their factory to take delivery to bolster their Q1 numbers tells me they've got just as much of a temporary crunch on labor to deliver the trucks as they do on other aspects of the supply chain. I wouldn't be surprised to see more "deliveries" take place at the service center. In places like Denver where a huge percentage of the orders are within spitting distance it's a no-brainer.

 

[jpearson]

I’ve decided that I’m definitely getting punk’d by Rivian.

My neighbor just got their R1T delivered today. Literally exact same specs as my configuration, Same color, same interior, same options. They posted lots of happy photos of taking delivery.

My neighbor ordered over 10 months after I did.

I’m losing my faith.

Since Rivian took about a month to restore my pricing, I don't think they have any great database programmers at that company.

 

[simmoac]

First it was a 12V battery, now it’s a week of waiting for a component for tonneau cover. I asked them to pull part from another truck (not already paid for) or even that I would drive it for a week without tonneau at 100% but nope.
Part in question came in today and was repaired but still no truck for this guy.

I asked for guide to be removed, and for them to wire my money back and cancel purchase agreement until they can get their shit together … we can try again in a few weeks.

 

[dleewla]

I like the take, but I have a slightly different approach. They have the Denver orders, they allocate trucks based on orders they have in the area. Each order is assigned to a truck (many orders may be assigned to one truck, assuming cancellation rates). Then add guides into the mix, each guide has a set of customers to contact. When the guide selects an order, they pull the truck from the available lot. So if the preorder #50 got assigned to a busy guide, where preorder #400 was assigned to a guide with a lot of free time, then the #50 loses out as the other guide gets to the truck first.

In theory they could have a single pre-order queue that guides pull from as well, which would debunk this. But I can see Rivian guides working with a "call sheet".

stop making excuses for Rivian. plain and simple they f'ed it up. being new and immature is showing in a lot of the things they do. want them to succeed but just shows where they are as a company.

 

[Craigins]

stop making excuses for Rivian. plain and simple they f'ed it up. being new and immature is showing in a lot of the things they do. want them to succeed but just shows where they are as a company.

How is what I stated an excuse. No where do I state it is a good practice that instills confidence.

It is just a possibility of how things are functioning.

 

[abirozy]

I’ve decided that I’m definitely getting punk’d by Rivian.

My neighbor just got their R1T delivered today. Literally exact same specs as my configuration, Same color, same interior, same options. They posted lots of happy photos of taking delivery.

My neighbor ordered over 10 months after I did.

I’m losing my faith.

Just out of curiosity, was his launch edition? Maybe there is something about launch vs non launch?

If you want, I would be happy to ask my guide about it for you.

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