Just curious, never used step-up before until this series.  Got my step-up submitted and confirmed within the 1st hour.  Going to list my timeline below, feel free to add yours as well.
 
Step 1: Sept 17, 2020
Step 2: tbd
Step 3: tbd
Step 4: tbd
Step 5: tbd
  
**EDIT: Spoke to CS just now.  Was informed it could take anywhere from 1-3 months to get to Step 2.. no problem and completely understandable**

nope and been on it since probably a few hours since it was announced

No idea first time doing it. 

1 guy confirmed he moved to step 2 he received his email like 14 minutes after launch. I got mine 21 minutes after launch and have not got to step 2 yet.  Prior to this it was between 4 weeks and 6 months to get your card with the 1000 series. I am almost certain it is done in the order received so the earlier you got into queue the faster you get your card, stock permitting.

Stepping up to the 3090 Ultra FTW, but still waiting for Step 2.  I hear more this week, but have yet to actually see any progress.  Would be nice if they had some sort of "you are 1000000 in line" kind of count down, but not sure we would want to see that number anyway... :)

Edited my OP.

More of the same here, started the step-up right after launch still waiting for step 2.

I had 39 days left of my 90 so I'm just glad to be on the list TBH. My 2070S is serving me well right now, plus I'm in the process of rebuilding so I'm in no rush.

I would've done step up if I'd had the thought within 48 hours of release, but by the time I actually considered it I figured I was so far down the list that I'd get one quicker fighting it out

The step up program is a good way to get full retail back on your old card. No worries about the resell market you pay shipping and taxes and any difference in price. If you are like me who sells his old cards to put towards new ones its perfect you get in line and forget about it until your email comes. If you want a card now its probably not for you. If you do not have a backup card to replace your card during shipping its probably not for you. If you are fine with the card you have now until they get to you in queue and have a backup plan in the interim during shipping where you will not have a card then your the target for this program. It is not a speedy process but does assure you a upgrade and full retail of old card towards said upgrade. Avoiding all this hullaballoo of f5 refresh, bot smash, and site crashes is worth it to me. 

bradsteele88
I got the email yesterday that I am now out of the queue and onto step 2. Anxiously waiting for the step 3 email now!
 
Email reads
"Dear BRADLEY STEELE,
We are happy to announce that your Step-Up request has completed the queue process. EVGA will now review your request by looking over your invoice. Any adjustments to the price will occur at this step. If you are approved, you will receive another email with instructions to pay for your Step-Up."

How long ago did you submit?

Honestly, I would do it.. as long as you sign up for the step-up within the 90 days, you will get the upgraded model even if the time it takes, takes you past the 90 days.. once you are in the step-up queue, you are good to go.. even if it's 6 months from now.. I honestly would just do it.. that way you get the full retail price you paid for your 20 series card back and credited towards the 30 series purchase.. I paid 769 for my 2080 Super XC Ultra, because I HAD to build a PC for my son for school, so I just gave him mine and built myself a new one.. I paid $40 to upgrade to the 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming.  If you want it out, and try to resell your card, you aren't going to get even close to the same amount of money back.

bradsteele88
I got the email yesterday that I am now out of the queue and onto step 2. Anxiously waiting for the step 3 email now!
 
Email reads
"Dear BRADLEY STEELE,
We are happy to announce that your Step-Up request has completed the queue process. EVGA will now review your request by looking over your invoice. Any adjustments to the price will occur at this step. If you are approved, you will receive another email with instructions to pay for your Step-Up."

Awesome! Grats!  Yeah I was about 45 mins after launch.  Will be interesting to see the difference in response time compared to the half an hour between queue submissions.

So how does this work? Do they withhold stock just for step-up program people? What if there is a decent amount of stock in October or November and you guys are in a 3-6 month queue?

I hope you guys don't get the XC3 with POSCAPs.

Poss273
So how does this work? Do they withhold stock just for step-up program people? What if there is a decent amount of stock in October or November and you guys are in a 3-6 month queue?

If you bought an EVGA GPU within 90 days of a new series launch.. IE, in this case, if you bought a RTX 2080 in August, and the RTX 3080 released Sept 17th, then you are within 90 days.. then you are eligible for the EVGA Step-Up program.  Basically this means they give you back EVGA store credit for your original purchase price of the 2080 to go towards a new 30 series card.  Example: I paid $769.99 before tax for my 2080 Super, and the 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming is $809.99.  All I have to do is pay the difference, so $40, and EVGA sends me the 3080 FTW3 Ultra Gaming, and I send them back my 2080 Super.  Regarding the hold times, I don't care how long it takes.. honestly.. it's only $40 for a big upgrade.. Even if they had stock online, and I could buy new and have it shipped overnight and in my hands tomorrow, I would still Step Up, because they give me credit in the amount of the original retail price.. if I tried to sell the 2080 Super myself to someone else I would be real lucky if I got $500 including shipping for it.  Just not worth it.  2080 Super is a fantastic  GPU, and would definitely be worth using for 6 months (I doubt it will take near that long), for a cheap upgrade.