More TouchPads on the Way, Says HP

Hewlett-Packard said it will give the TouchPad one last go.

But before you get all excited, HP said it is only temporarily resuming manufacturing the TouchPad to meet unfulfilled demand.

HP issued a statement on Monday noting that since announcing the price reduction for the HP TouchPad, there have been an increasing number of inquiries about the device.

HP recently slashed the sale price of the TouchPad to $99. Following HP's huge price reduction, customers in the U.S. and Europe have been searching high and low to find a TouchPad. Some have resorted to bidding on eBay, where it has been reported that TouchPad tablets are selling for around $300, which is just $99 less than the device's last discounted retail price.

The tablet debuted on July 1. The discounted retail price for the 16 GB version was $399, and the 32 GB was selling for $499.

The company said the speed at which the inventory of the $99 tablet disappeared was stunning and that it was pleasantly surprised by the response.

HP decided to stop manufacturing the TouchPad because of disappointing sales since its July release. Furthermore, the company said it would stop making all webOS-powered devices ?- including the Pre 3 smartphone -- so focus could be shifted toward developing the OS rather than manufacturing hardware.

Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand, HP said in a statement posted on TheNextBench blog. We don't know exactly when these units will be available or how many we'll get, and we can't promise we'll have enough for everyone.

But what HP does know is that it will be at least a few weeks before customers can buy the upcoming batch of devices.

HP said customers should keep a watchful eye on these Twitter accounts Bryna (@BrynaatHP) and I (@MarkatHP) for updates regarding the new batch.

If any customer out there is still left with unanswered questions, take a look at HP's updated FAQ below.

Updated TouchPad Availability & Pricing...

Q: When is HP getting more HP TouchPads? One week, two weeks, a month?

A limited supply are coming and it will be a few weeks before they are available. As we know more about how, when, and where TouchPads will be available, we will communicate that here and through email to those who requested notification. We can tell you that HP's Small and Medium Business team has sold out of HP TouchPads and will not have more inventory.

Q: Can you comment on whether HP had to manufacture more to meet the recent demand?

HP will be manufacturing a limited quantity of TouchPads with webOS during our fourth fiscal quarter 2011, which ends October 31.

Q: Will HP continue to make more TouchPads with webOS to meet the demand?

HP is discontinuing the development of webOS devices and is winding down device operations within our fourth fiscal quarter 2011.

Q: Will the notification/alert emails go out all at once so everyone has a fair shot?

All those who requested notification have been notified today that more are coming in the future, and will be notified again when more specifics are known.

Q: How does HP plan to address disappointed customers?

All those who requested notification have received a one-time exclusive offer along with their email as our thanks for their patience and loyalty throughout this situation.

Q: What about retailers? Some retailers won't price match or drop their price to $99.

Each retailer will manage their own policy and process regarding pricing and price matching. Please contact the local retailer of your choice to see what their current position is.

Q: Please limit stock to 1 per person: some people are getting 20 and then selling them on craigslist and eBay for a major profit.

If more inventory is available in the future, there will be an order limit.

Q: What if you already own a TouchPad but want to get $99 pricing?

Please contact the retailer or the specific HP store where you originally purchased for their policy on this question.

Q: What about other regions, such as hp.ca, etc.?

At this time, other regions have limited to no inventory available. Please check with your chosen retailer or your local hp.com web site for more information.

Q: Any news on discounted TouchPad accessories or Pre2 or Veer phones or accessories?

Limited inventory remains on TouchPad and smartphone accessories. Please visit HP Home & Home Office or your chosen retailer for current availability as this situation is changing rapidly.

Information about Online Orders...

Q: What does 'your order has been captured' mean?

If you received this message when placing an order, it means the order itself was captured. Because of the fast pace of orders being received, that order may not have been fulfilled once processed. If it was not you should have received a cancelation notice.

Q: The website had issues, so I couldn't place an order. Can I still order a TouchPad?

More information will be available in the next few days about whether HP's Home & Home Office Store will have more units available in the future or not. HP's Small and Medium Business team has sold out of HP TouchPads.

Q: Does my TouchPad order qualify for free shipping?

No other discounts or promotions can be applied to the TouchPad promotion. However, because a Free Shipping offer was on the website for a portion of the promotional period and some customers received Free Shipping as a result, we are waiving ground shipping charges for all customers who ordered the TouchPad after the reduced promotional pricing was announced on Saturday August 20. Ground shipping charges are being manually removed from all orders that had ground shipping. However, for those orders that have already shipped and invoiced, a credit will be applied for the standard ground freight charges and a revised invoice sent.

Regretfully, expedited shipping is not available on the TouchPad promotion orders. If you requested and were charged for expedited shipping, you will receive a credit for those charges. If your order has already shipped and invoiced, a credit will be applied and a revised invoice sent.

Q: Can I use an eCoupon or HP corporate discount to my TouchPad order?

No other discounts or promotions can be applied with the TouchPad promotion.

Q: What if your order status says approved but you haven't received an email yet?

You should have received either an email confirming your order, or an email canceling your order if we were unable to fulfill it. If you received no follow-up emails after placing your order online, please contact us at www.hpdirect.com/shop/liveassistance

Q: Can I return my HP TouchPad?

No. Any HP TouchPad purchased at the price promotion of $99 and $149 is not eligible for a return.

If you are having technical difficulties with your product or it was damaged during deliver, please contact HP Technical Support at 1-800-474-6836.

Q: What is the process for withdrawing my cancel request?

Unfortunately, if you requested to have your TouchPad order canceled, it is already in process and cannot be stopped. We are not able to reprocess the order due to lack of TouchPad inventory.

More Information about Online Orders from HP's Home & Home Office store.

Q: I placed my order online with HP's Home & Home Office Store. How can I check the status of my order from HP?

For Home & Home Office customers you can check your order status here. Once you follow the steps to either enter order number and phone number or sign into the site, you will be shown your order status:

• If it shows Shipped, then your order has already shipped.
• If it shows Item being processed, then your order is in queue to be shipped and all shipments should be complete by Wednesday August 24, 2011.
• If it shows Order Pending, then your order is in review and we ask you to please check your order status again the next business day.
• For all other order statuses, please contact our call center at 1-888-476-3988.

Q: Why was my order canceled from HP Home & Home Office Store?

Because of the fast pace of order volume over the weekend, some customers placed orders which we were unable to fulfill. Those customers received cancelation emails informing them that we were unable to fulfill their order and that their credit would appear on their bank statements within 3-5 business days. If you have not received an email notification and are still uncertain, please visit www.hpdirect.com/shop/liveassistance for more details.

More Information about Online Orders from HP's Small & Medium Business store.

Q: I ordered from the HP SMB Store during the promotion but the discounted price was not reflected in my cart/order confirmation page/invoice. Is HP honoring the discount price?

Yes, some of our SMB customers may have experienced a pricing error while purchasing on August 20th and 21st. We are in the process of ensuring every order is honored at the discounted price. Most orders are being manually updated to reflect accurate pricing, prior to invoicing being sent. However, for those orders that have already shipped and invoiced, a credit will be applied for the difference and a revised invoice sent.

Q: I placed my order online with HP's SMB Store. How do I confirm that it was received?

For orders placed after 4am CT on Monday 22nd August, US SMB had already sold out of HP TouchPad. We are unable to fulfill these orders and they have been cancelled. If you saw a reserve hold for the amount of your order on your credit card, no actual charges have been made and this reserve hold will be released now that the order has been cancelled.

If you placed an order prior to 4am CT Monday, August 22, we are working through the large volume of orders, verifying payment details and seeking to source inventory for fulfillment. This process is taking longer than first anticipated. At this time, we cannot guarantee supply to all these orders but are working to supply as many orders as possible. If you saw a reserve hold for the amount of your order on your credit card and your order cannot be fulfilled, no actual charges have been made, and this reserve hold will be released if the order is cancelled.

You can check your order status here. If your order is not recognized, please check your order status again the next business day. When inventory has been allocated the status will change to shipped. Please note that planned ship and delivery dates on the order status page are not accurate for TouchPad orders. You can only be certain that we have identified a unit to fulfill your order once the order status shows a shipment tracking number.

Q: Why was my order canceled from HP Small & Medium Business Store?

If you placed an order for a HP TouchPad on Monday, August 22^nd - Wednesday, August 24th this was after a Sold Out message was posted on our webstore. All of these orders are being cancelled. If you saw a reserve hold for the amount of your order on your credit card, no actual charges have been made and this reserve hold will be released as soon as the order is canceled.

There are several reasons that your order would have been canceled if you placed it on Saturday, August 20^th or Sunday, August 21^st, such as a duplicate order found or billing issues on the account. If you believe your order was canceled in error, please contact an HP Customer Service Representative at 1-866-625-0242 (Dial option #3) or via Email Customer Service option who will be happy to assist you. Please be aware that we are experiencing significant call volumes with extended wait times, so we ask for your patience.