i am afraid that when sales people hear that "shipping has begun" they interpret that information in the most useful way for themselves. Being that it is being shipped to customers. And if it is not being shipped to customers, they can always say, "oh well i heard that the shipping had started so i assumed.... that it was shipping to customers."

Thereby when Peter tells that the shipping has begun, he uses this phrase in the most useful way for HIMself. Which is the very first moment that shipping has begun, he will say it to the crowd.

Peter is not going to wait for the shipping of stores to customers to say that shipping has begun. And the store guy is not going to say to customers that the shipping has begun JUST IN KOREA but he is just going to say that the shipping has begun. And thereby letting the customer believe what he wants to believe.