sniffinpoprocks,
If BFL was mining at one of its four associated mining farms in Kansas it could make $2,201 total income per 5 GH/S Jalapeno mining continuously from today to the end of 2014, assuming a $100 bitcoin average rate and the current difficulty of 11,187,257 increased at 18% each two weeks (or $2,570 if difficulty increased at 15%).
So actually $2,201 is substantially larger than they would get from sending to customers as you mention.
I am not claiming the company is mining for its own benefit, I am simply stating expect further delays if one ordered today, if they are. It may help customer confidence if they made a categorical and full denial of having any benefit in mining whatsoever other than purely testing.
Unfortunately many of pre-order customers are missing out on the investment return they should have received if the company shipped according it's promises.
[copy of previous post 11/5/13]
... Expect an even later delivery if BFL start mining for their own benefit from cancelled orders. Your purchase is therefore a massive gamble....
I think that point is not valid. For example: If I can make a widget with a ROI of a month and it costs me $100 to make it. Would I sell it today for $200 and use that to make two more that I could sell tomorrow, or keep that one for a month just to make $200? The economics favor selling and shipping as fast as possible so more are on the market and more will get ordered. They will make more money shipping(hence attracting more customers) than actually mining.