Z9 ship date

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I’m glad you got yours and hopefully some of the rest of us will get them soon. I understand you are a NPS but on the same hand I think it’s really crappy the Nikon don’t communicate with us the way they do with NPS members. My money is just the same as an NPS members money but perhaps I’m looking at it all wrong.
If you didnt order through Nikon they couldnt tell you anything if they wanted to. The truth is Nikon is cranking out an incredible number of Z9s if the reports are right. Far more than Canon is able to put out of the R3. I think you will get your Z9 sooner than you think. After NPS is delivered next week retail will be next.
 
Like mentioned by others, you tend to get different answers from different people. Likely most honest answer is the one you received. Many were told by B&H customer service they would receive their cameras right away. Obviously they were more disappointed when it never showed up. When I placed my original order locally over the phone, I was told I was in the first 10 orders but they didn’t provide the exact position. I later visited the camera shop hoping they had a Delkin Black CFE B in stock. They did not, but I asked the lady who was helping me about my Z9 order and she told me she didn’t have a way to tell what my position was and she didn’t have any idea about ordering any lenses. Obviously not the best experience. I called a few weeks later on the 105mm MC and talked to a different associate. He was very helpful regarding the lens as well as without any issues told me my position on the list. Talking directly to a Nikon rep, I was provided information on the Z9 rollout that so far matches what we have seen. There are a lot of preorders and some components are in short supply so I suggest being patient; even though Nikon apparently has a history of not meeting demand. If you are in a reasonable position on the list locally (non NPS), you’ll probably have the camera in March at the latest.

Regarding current shortages, see the below pic. I’m not sure when I will be able to buy frozen French Fries.

View attachment 30034
That is frequently the way we feel about the good Idaho bakers here in Idaho since most get shipped out of state. Luckily I still have friends who grow taters ... but that means a trip to the field when they are digging ... but it also means hand selected free bakers ... wait a minute free ... how much gas did I use ... at least might find a bird photo op along the way :) Yup no free lunch or potato :)
 
If you didnt order through Nikon they couldnt tell you anything if they wanted to. The truth is Nikon is cranking out an incredible number of Z9s if the reports are right. Far more than Canon is able to put out of the R3. I think you will get your Z9 sooner than you think. After NPS is delivered next week retail will be next.
Hopefully you are correct and I’ll admit wholeheartedly, Patience is not one of my strong points lol.
 
Its not one of my strong points either lol
At least I have a battery, two cards and the ftzii adapter. Now just need the yellow box to arrive. I'm sorta regretting buying the version 2 adapter because I already had to ftz adapters. I'm not sure it would hinder me much but I'll check it out once the camera arrives.
 
At least I have a battery, two cards and the ftzii adapter. Now just need the yellow box to arrive. I'm sorta regretting buying the version 2 adapter because I already had to ftz adapters. I'm not sure it would hinder me much but I'll check it out once the camera arrives.
Ive gotten better with being patient during the last 5 years. I really want my Z9 now and I know it would be fun to shoot with. I would also like to know when it will arrive because I might consider buying another lens while I wait if it will be a long time out. Based on the unofficial information I received, I expect to have mine either this month or next, but of course anything can happen between now and then. For now, I‘m using the FTZii on my Z7ii along with the new cards I ordered. I wish I could at least charge the spare Z9 battery I bought for when I get the call that I can pick up my Z9, but I don’t have a charger so I’ll have to wait for the battery to charge too.

The camera store could sell your camera to someone else who has purchased more items from them or their cousin to list on eBay. It’s not right, but they could. Nikon has no idea what the camera store is going to do or who they sell it to when they ship cameras out, outside of NPS, so they can’t tell you when you will receive it.
 
In defense of the small dealers, I'll pass along what the owner of the small shop I deal with told me. Nikon USA does not inform the dealer of what they are getting nor how many until Nikon USA ships an order to them. With UPS taking a day or two to make the delivery, said dealer only knows a day or two in advance. The ones who have been around a while have learned (the hard way) that Nikon USA also may not send the quantities they indicated, ie, there are fewer in the box than what the dealer was told had been shipped. Therefore, to avoid hard feelings, dealers (like mine) may wait for the shipment to actually come in before contacting potential buyers.
Before we start bashing Nikon USA, we should know how their allocation system works and if there is some direction from Corporate. I read that B&H got 200 units from the first batch of Z9's where smaller dealers may have gotten 2 or 3. Certainly NPS pre-orders figure prominently in this but as said previously, B&H has a much larger customer base than any of the smaller dealers and I would expect a larger number of pre-orders.
I recall when the D5 came out my dealer called me the day before he had the camera in the shop. As I've never bought Canon or Sony gear I can't comment on how others distribute their products.
 
I feel very fortunate to have gotten my Z9 last week as a non NPS pre order. However, I did reserve it last April, and, if you pre ordered in day one through Nikon USA you should be receiving yours very soon. I canceled my pre order on Nikon USA after getting an email that it was preparing to ship. I ordered in the first five minutes when it went live, so others who placed orders on day one should be looking at less then a month, hopefully! I learned my lesson from the past with other things. Order from multiple locations, order very far in advance, even a year, you can always cancel. I even pre ordered a Sony 600 without owning any Sony gear because I was thinking of switching and it was out of stock longer then the A1.
 
Regarding current shortages, see the below pic. I’m not sure when I will be able to buy frozen French Fries.

View attachment 30034
My brother's job has him very deep into supply-chain and transportation issues, and he has been warning me about a coming shortage of truck drivers for quite a while. His latest advice to me, issued last week, was to stock up on supplies as though we were going through a hurricane without the power outages. There were plenty of trucks on the highway (I-10 and I-75 in Florida this past Sunday, though.) My grocer of choice is now packaging ground beef in much smaller portions and limiting how much can be purchased in one visit to the store, and fresh chicken is also available in quantities more limited than it used to be. Prices on both are increased significantly.
 
My brother's job has him very deep into supply-chain and transportation issues, and he has been warning me about a coming shortage of truck drivers for quite a while. His latest advice to me, issued last week, was to stock up on supplies as though we were going through a hurricane without the power outages. There were plenty of trucks on the highway (I-10 and I-75 in Florida this past Sunday, though.) My grocer of choice is now packaging ground beef in much smaller portions and limiting how much can be purchased in one visit to the store, and fresh chicken is also available in quantities more limited than it used to be. Prices on both are increased significantly.
I hope it doesn’t get that bad, but I did stock up on a few things already due to price increases. I should probably stock up on more things since I have a bunch of family members visiting this winter to escape the cold and snow.
 
I ordered a Z9 through a local camera retailer on October 28, the day of the official announcement. I am not NPS and I don't begrudge NPS members for being first in line. I also don't blame Nikon for not being able to cater to all pre-orders immediately.

I am as impatient as anyone to get my hands on my new camera. However, considering all the supply-chain issues and the massive disruption of covid-19 on the health and financial status of so many, I consider myself lucky to be able to pursue wildlife photography as a hobby, let alone be on a wait list for a camera like the Z9. Under the circumstances I can understand why Nikon and their dealers are unable to provide concrete information on delivery dates.

Consider this anecdote as a less palatable alternative: I ordered a Christmas present for my son and FedEx said they delivered it on the 23rd. After chasing the supplier and FedEx, and fearing we were victims of porch pirates, the package arrived on the 28th.

If we all take a deep breath, reflect on how fortunate we are, this consternation about Z9 delivery dates will soon be a distant memory.
 
I agree with everything you said but Nikon still should directly communicate delays, dates etc. I’m sure most of not all of us have products registered with Nikon and I’m constantly getting promotion emails from them. How about sending information about product delays and such. Not asking much, at least in my opinion.
But in the case of the Z9, shouldn't your store be the one communicating? The have a list but for competitive reasons, most choose not to tell you exactly where you stand until it's likely to mean you are in the next batch. Retailers don't know the exact number being shipped. Most retailers don't know how many of their orders are NPS, and NPS orders are on top of their allotment. Nikon does not know for sure how many bodies will be shipped to retailers until they are in hand. Damage can happen in transit - and a pallet of damaged boxes might mean the allocation changes at the last minute for a few stores.

Most stores operate on a first ordered is first fulfilled basis, but there are cancellations, issues with cameras that need to be exchanged, and other factors. If I am a really good customer, I am likely to get special treatment. If I have a camera that is not operating properly - even if user error - I'm likely to be at the top of the list for a replacement. Some stores prioritize orders that are prepaid. When supply is really tight, these issues can affect who gets a camera. One bit of good news - there are also NPS cancellations, and when they happen the camera is available for the dealer to sell to the next person on their priority list. You might see some open box returns from a few dealers - often 25-30 days after purchase. No doubt some of those are simply people who wanted to try the camera but had no interest in owning it.

I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that new gear can't meet pre-order demand. Nikon is doing pretty well on this one with far more communication than I have ever seen before. I have not seen any communication from competitors that is any better with regard to deliveries and backlog. Outside of the camera world, look at Tesla. Even with an $80,000 purchase and similar volume to Nikon camera bodies, they don't do much better in communicating when early orders will be fulfilled.
 
But in the case of the Z9, shouldn't your store be the one communicating? The have a list but for competitive reasons, most choose not to tell you exactly where you stand until it's likely to mean you are in the next batch. Retailers don't know the exact number being shipped. Most retailers don't know how many of their orders are NPS, and NPS orders are on top of their allotment. Nikon does not know for sure how many bodies will be shipped to retailers until they are in hand. Damage can happen in transit - and a pallet of damaged boxes might mean the allocation changes at the last minute for a few stores.

Most stores operate on a first ordered is first fulfilled basis, but there are cancellations, issues with cameras that need to be exchanged, and other factors. If I am a really good customer, I am likely to get special treatment. If I have a camera that is not operating properly - even if user error - I'm likely to be at the top of the list for a replacement. Some stores prioritize orders that are prepaid. When supply is really tight, these issues can affect who gets a camera. One bit of good news - there are also NPS cancellations, and when they happen the camera is available for the dealer to sell to the next person on their priority list. You might see some open box returns from a few dealers - often 25-30 days after purchase. No doubt some of those are simply people who wanted to try the camera but had no interest in owning it.

I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that new gear can't meet pre-order demand. Nikon is doing pretty well on this one with far more communication than I have ever seen before. I have not seen any communication from competitors that is any better with regard to deliveries and backlog. Outside of the camera world, look at Tesla. Even with an $80,000 purchase and similar volume to Nikon camera bodies, they don't do much better in communicating when early orders will be fulfilled.
I’m still at a loss as to where you’re getting communication from Nikon? I’ve received nothing from Nikon regarding the Z9 availability, delays or shipments. I have 21 items registered through Nikon and have only received sales promotions.
 
When we ordered my wife's F350 last spring Ford sent emails at each step of the way. We never had a set date but we knew it was progressing, we knew when it shipped and the dealer notified us when they received it. We then scheduled a pick up date.

That's the way things should be done imo
I absolutely agree. Both places I have placed pre-orders told me yesterday it’s basically crickets from Nikon right now and they know nothing.
 
I’m still at a loss as to where you’re getting communication from Nikon? I’ve received nothing from Nikon regarding the Z9 availability, delays or shipments. I have 21 items registered through Nikon and have only received sales promotions.
That's because you didnt order it from Nikon.... they have no idea you ordered it unless you go though them. Your dealer doesnt send your info to Nikon to keep you up to date. If your dealer is telling you they know nothing at all they are full of it. As I said Everyone who is NPS knows what's going on so I highly doubt the dealers dont know SOMETHING.
 
Here's a copy of the notice I got on the 5th...

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You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
I contacted the store I ordered from asking my position in their queue. The only answer they gave me was that they still have unfulfilled order that were place on release day. I didnt order until mid-December so.... :rolleyes:
 
I'm curious when the local shops actually placed their orders. if they waited until the end of the day on the 28th to place their order with Nikon I'd say they are waaaay down the list. How many stores were placing orders at 8:01am on the day of release?
 
Not sure when my store ordered. I told them back in July that I wanted a Z9. They contacted me a couple of days before the official announcement to ask permission to take a deposit from my credit card on the announcement day. Apparently they needed a confirmed deposit to order from Nikon.

I was originally told I should get my camera in December but Nikon gave NPS members priority and the first shipment was all for NPS members.

I have had good success in getting hard to find Nikon gear from the local bricks and mortar store. They are well are a established local operation with four suburban stores. If I recall correctly I only waited about 4 or 5 weeks from the day of announcement till I had my clammy hands on a 500 pf.
 
I’m still at a loss as to where you’re getting communication from Nikon? I’ve received nothing from Nikon regarding the Z9 availability, delays or shipments. I have 21 items registered through Nikon and have only received sales promotions.
It works like this:
  1. Nikon communicates to sales reps at a high level
  2. Reps communicate to retailers
  3. Retailers communicate to you
  4. Nobody wants to overcommit and not deliver, so everyone is conservative about what they say
  5. Nobody wants to put best guesses or expectations in writing and have them turn into a post on Nikon Rumors or other sites
  • Nikon NPS communicates to NPS members
  • Some of those communications are posted on social media - usually for a limited audience
If you are unhappy with the communications you are getting, your retailer is the right place to look. They have the best information possible, but there is information they don't have. Everyone in the chain understands that they should not make commitments to customers without firm knowledge - meaning a notification from Nikon or their reps. Having been in sales and managed both sales and service staff, it's common for them to not have all the information or to misinterpret information they do receive with their own assumptions. They may also use words that are misinterpreted by an optimistic customer. We've seen lots of quotes on social media that are obviously incorrect or only true for a very limited scope.

Communications cover a lot more than just the Z9. There are a number of new lenses released in the past 45 days, as well as new announcements. The communication strategy for Nikon, Nikon retailers, and independent retailers include the Z9, but that's not their only product. It's a relatively small part of unit sales even with something as successful as the Z9.

Typically I have had no problem developing a relationship with my retailer that gives me a good idea of where I was on their pre-order list. For someone the size of B&H, that's not likely to happen. NPS orders may not be known to the retailer, so it's hard for them to know exactly when an order will be fulfilled, and that has implications on where everyone is on a wait list. My retailer knows I'm an NPS member though my relationship, and I let them know when I place an NPS order, but that's not required.

What you do know right now is the NPS customer orders are almost all filled, so almost all current and future production will be cameras targeted to non-NPS members.

At some point you have all the information you're going to get from any reliable source. If you ordered early from most retailers, you'll probably have a camera pretty soon. B&H is going to be different just based on their size and scale, and they always have huge pre-orders that take a long time to fulfill.
 
I'm curious when the local shops actually placed their orders. if they waited until the end of the day on the 28th to place their order with Nikon I'd say they are waaaay down the list. How many stores were placing orders at 8:01am on the day of release?
They do place orders early because they know the initial order may not be filled and they will be adding to that order later. But if they order early or late, they are still getting an allocation. It only matters if they order less than the allocation, and then any unused allocation gets allocated to other retailers.

For something like the Z9, the reps are proactive about getting information about demand and pre-orders so retailers can order what is needed and reps can help if possible. That information is fed back to Nikon in Japan relatively quickly. In this case it was within a day or so. There was some surprise about the magnitude of Z9 pre-orders (since it was so much more than any camera in Nikon's history), but no surprise it was a hit.
 
It works like this:
  1. Nikon communicates to sales reps at a high level
  2. Reps communicate to retailers
  3. Retailers communicate to you
  4. Nobody wants to overcommit and not deliver, so everyone is conservative about what they say
  5. Nobody wants to put best guesses or expectations in writing and have them turn into a post on Nikon Rumors or other sites
  • Nikon NPS communicates to NPS members
  • Some of those communications are posted on social media - usually for a limited audience
If you are unhappy with the communications you are getting, your retailer is the right place to look. They have the best information possible, but there is information they don't have. Everyone in the chain understands that they should not make commitments to customers without firm knowledge - meaning a notification from Nikon or their reps. Having been in sales and managed both sales and service staff, it's common for them to not have all the information or to misinterpret information they do receive with their own assumptions. They may also use words that are misinterpreted by an optimistic customer. We've seen lots of quotes on social media that are obviously incorrect or only true for a very limited scope.

Communications cover a lot more than just the Z9. There are a number of new lenses released in the past 45 days, as well as new announcements. The communication strategy for Nikon, Nikon retailers, and independent retailers include the Z9, but that's not their only product. It's a relatively small part of unit sales even with something as successful as the Z9.

Typically I have had no problem developing a relationship with my retailer that gives me a good idea of where I was on their pre-order list. For someone the size of B&H, that's not likely to happen. NPS orders may not be known to the retailer, so it's hard for them to know exactly when an order will be fulfilled, and that has implications on where everyone is on a wait list. My retailer knows I'm an NPS member though my relationship, and I let them know when I place an NPS order, but that's not required.

What you do know right now is the NPS customer orders are almost all filled, so almost all current and future production will be cameras targeted to non-NPS members.

At some point you have all the information you're going to get from any reliable source. If you ordered early from most retailers, you'll probably have a camera pretty soon. B&H is going to be different just based on their size and scale, and they always have huge pre-orders that take a long time to fulfill.
Certainly sounds like NPS members are more in the loop and I suppose that’s understandable. I’m hoping the smaller brick and mortar preorder will pay off in my case over the B&H order. In defense of B&H, any past preorder I’ve made has been filled extremely quick. Most recent was the Z-105 macro lens. Hopefully the picture will become clearer over the next 3 to 4 weeks.
 
Just a few minutes ago I saw a confirmation from a friend that their NPS Z9 order is shipping today to their retailer. So it is a fact that they are shipping now. Their dealer is in California and reported 200 ordered in the first two hours on day of release.

Note that Nikon has cautioned that shipping times are still outside of their control and may be up to 10 days. Weather, Covid, and shipper constraints are all impacting delivery dates.
 
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