SAMSUNG'S GALAXY FOLD ON DEMAND

[Anchor Lead]

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Fold smartphones are flying off the shelves. Used Galaxy Fold gadgets are even sold for exorbitant prices. Some of the customers have to wait for nearly a month to receive their purchases.

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The Galaxy Fold phones were sold out in just 10 minutes after the first round of pre-booking began. During the second round, the phones were sold out in one hour. The proud customers bragged about their purchases on the Internet. Some even re-sold Galaxy Fold gadgets for hundreds of thousands of won more than their original price. However, this person who booked his Galaxy Fold nearly a month ago and even paid for it at an official Samsung store has yet to receive it.

[Soundbite] (PURCHASED GALAXY FOLD ON SEP. 5(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "At first, I received a notice saying that I would be able to receive my phone on September 16. But when I checked with the store again, they told me that shipment had been postponed to September 26. Then it was delayed by one more day."

No notices about delays were sent out to customers. When they inquired first, all they could hear in response was that there were delays, and no further explanation was provided. This customer was charged for his purchase even before he received his Galaxy Fold, which he bought and paid for at an official Samsung store.

[Soundbite] (PURCHASED GALAXY FOLD ON SEP. 3(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I paid on September 3. When I asked if there was a way to check when I would receive my phone, they said there was no way to do that. I haven't received my product yet, but I got a call that I would be charged for it the day after tomorrow. It's utterly frustrating. I'm worried that I'll never receive my phone."

Most of the customers who paid for their phones at Samsung stores starting September 2, before the official release of the product, have not received their phones yet. Samsung has failed to even grasp their exact number. The company promised to provide the phones eventually and said the problem occurred because excessive bookings were received without grasping the amount of available products. Customers' frustration keeps growing over Samsung's response and unexplained delays.