The box was for a return, not the trade-in.
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Apple screwed me out of $830
- Thread starter oliverades
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My 12 Pro Max trade to ATT had small 5mm or so hairline sized mark on the screen. Barely noticeable, but you could feel it with your fingernail. When the ATT questionnaire asked about my trade, it asked if my screen was free of cracks or blemishes (forget the exact words). When I responded NO, the value of my trade was significantly degraded. I took my trade to a retailer and sold it for much less, but got the money up front so that I didn't gamble on someone's subjective opinion of an imperfect phone. I've had some weird experiences buying and selling on EBay, so I didn't want to go personal sale route. You've got a great phone - try to find a way to pay it off and enjoy it. I'm sorry this happened to you, but you'll probably only make that mistake 1x. We all get the bad end of a deal from time to time, and take our lumps and learn.
I'm disappointed. You've got one of the best phone cameras in the world, yet unable to take a clear photo of the screen's crack.
Seriously doubt anyone would consider this to be a full-value trade. Did you see the photos? If the OP wanted $830 on trade, they should have repaired the screen at the very minimum. These trade in phones get sold through other carriers and offshore. This phone is simply not in any condition to do that. If the iPhone is not pristine, assume the worst. At the minimum take it in for trade to the Apple Store. They give you the option of taking it into the store. So you take it into the store, and they tell you no bueno, you simply cancel the original order. And you don’t say Apple screwed me out of $830 - which is absurd… beyond absurd.
I’d like to point out, your phone isn’t “worth” $830, but you signing a carrier deal and trading in your phone is “worth” $830. It may seem like a small thing, but it really is a very important distinction. The real value to the carrier here (Verizon in this case) is you signing a contract.
As for not accepting your return, well you always gotta keep the original packaging. My wife hates it, but I keep all original packaging to any tech item until at least the manufacturer warranty expires. Most people really only need to hang onto it during the return period.
Please read the whole thread. You might find an answer.
I read the original post differently. I read that the box that Apple Store is requesting is NOT the box of the old phone. The box they want back is the box of the new 15 Pro Max box, the one that OP wanted to return/exchange for another brand new 15 Pro Max.
Agreed.
I think as a population, we're slowly being groomed by companies to shift our expectations and standards whereby a 2 or 3 years old phone once considered still pretty new or still worthy to keep becomes increasingly seen as worthy of replacement. Unfortunately, the hype cycle and expectations of greater and greater revolutions of products year after year also feeds into this shifting of expectations.
Recently on another thread, someone with I believe a Series 6 Watch asked if they should upgrade to a Series 9. They had zero indication that they were unsatisfied with their Series 6 and just wondered if they "should". Most people replying said YES, upgrade because it's "worth it". I replied and said NO don't upgrade because you aren't dissatisfied with your Series 6; only upgrade when you are dissatisfied because it no longer fulfills a function or something like the cost of battery replacement could go towards a newer Watch unless you're happy with just replacing the battery.
My point is, we're not realizing how we are buying into changing expectations that companies sell us year after year. We can resist.
(Another case: my husband's Series 5 watch battery life was below 80% and he started wondering if he should get a new Watch instead. I said why not just replace the battery since you're happy with the Series 5. Replacing the battery using Apple's service is only something like $90 (or was it $79; it's something like that) which is way cheaper than buying a new Watch. Besides, when Apple replaces your battery, they aren't just replacing the battery. My understanding is they are basically giving you a new Watch. My husband's Watch had slight screen burn in from the Always On; when he received the Watch with the battery replacement, the burn in was gone. That's because the whole thing was replaced, not just the battery! Win for him!)
Your logic is flawed though. If it costs 80-90 for a new battery but a new watch is 280-400 se or basic, you aren’t JUST concerned about cheaper. You are concerned about using that money toward a new watch which will inevitably happen while maintaining a high enough trade in or residual cvalue for your current watch to make it worth selling. These upgrades don’t go in the trash. They are used. And while something may work fine, it clearly lacks things newer models have. Once those newer models have enough upgrades that you are willing to pay for one, then it is definitely worth NOT paying for a battery upgrade. And using the value of the watch to buy new.
I also think companies are doing the OPPOSITE of what your first paragraph suggests. Apple is not grooming us to think a 3 year old phone is no longer new - they did that already when they training us to think a 1 year old phone is old. Now they are making small changes yearly because people DONT upgrade every 2-3 years and they are totally ok with that. You know this because of their shift toward accessories and content sales. It’s not as big of a jump year too year as it used to be. They are pushing for more base users to get those users to buy associated products.
Your point is understood, but I would disagree with almost all of it. The only consideration when having a device Is not ONLY if it still functions.
Count me as the other extreme. I still have the original packaging of my iPhone 6s Plus despite the device being given to my parents (and subsequently thrown away during their upgrade) years ago.
We as general public is certainly impressionable and get swayed to whichever direction companies want us to go. Yes, we can resist, but how many truely can, unless the life forces them to resist.
Same. I have all of mine since I sell my old stuff second hand. Just saying the box is still there makes the sale so much easier.
Not all of us live in countries where the trade in values of a 2-3 year old device + cost of battery exchange is comparable to a brand new device. Plus if the 2-3 year old device meets all of one's needs, then a new device becomes a waste.
No it doesn’t. It can always be sold or used by someone else. And all of us live in countries where you can sell an older device. The speed at which you buy a new watch doesn’t affect the longevity of the old watch unless YOU throw it away.
And I didn’t say the selling price was comparable to a new watch. I said that there is a more complicated relationship between increasing value of utility for new functions with new hardware to a user, decreasing value of the model you have, and the cost of a battery.
If your watch is worth $100 to sell, and a battery replacement is $90, you sell it. Someone will want it and use it. And you buy a new one. You can do whatever you want. But I know that devices get laggy and beat up after 4 or so years that I hold onto them. I won’t be replacing my battery when I could use that money to buy a new device. It simply doesn’t make sense - to me. But you do you. And NONE of my devices end up in the trash. So none of them become ewaste because of my upgrading.
I did. Several people are asking the same thing.
"People thinking its cool for Apple to require the original box for a trade in" just to name one.
They didn’t read the whole thread either. And that’s why, after reading so many comments that didn’t read the thread I commented on yours. This is answered half a dozen times.
It has nothing to do with the trade in. It’s in reference to returning a device altogether at Apple within the 14 day return window. Apples policy’s clearly state they require the phone, cord and packaging for a return.
I see a response was posted a DAY AFTER mine that states this from darngooddesign. I did not see ANY reported instances of it before.
A good rule of thumb that applies to any product you purchase. Always keep the packaging until the product is out of warranty. I know this may take up space in your house but it’s a good safeguard in case you need to make a warranty claim.
So here's one thing: if those trade-in watches actually will be used, why not be the person who will use them? So in other words, instead of upgrading when ones doesn't feel one really needs it (except for FOMO or just wanting the temporary feeling of something glitzy), why not be the one who will instead be the continued owner of the product?
Yes, I understand the $80 or whatever cost of battery replacement can go towards a new Watch. But also, in the long run it's cheaper not to keep upgrading to new hardware when it isn't needed. When one is ready to upgrade, the years of having lengthened the use of the older watch simply means you get to now upgrade to a MUCH more advanced watch and get to enjoy even newer features than if one were to have a quicker upgrade cycle.
I don't think with the trade-in values done multiple times you'll be getting a better deal because of the more frequent upgrades. But also, cost isn't just immediate monetary. There's also cost to being a consumer (a habit of mind and habit of being), psychological cost to not learning to be more satisfied, environmental cost for more frequent upgrades.
Yes, it of course lacks the newer features that newer models would have. But if one is satisfied with what one has and wasn't even looking for the newer features, why bother upgrade especially if it's a FOMO situation? And yes, at some point, the battery upgrade may not work anymore because there could be a time when the newer features are needed or the watch isn't a compatible with later operate systems. No one's arguing about that though.
You misunderstood my point. I didn't say that the only consideration is when a device no longer functions. The surrounding contextual statements of my post indicates that when the person isn't even complaining about function or lack of features (including issues like compatibility), there's not much point in upgrading rather than extending the life of one's watch. There are many times when people upgrade because it's perceived that "everyone else" is upgrading. Meanwhile, without that perception, they are just as satisfied with the function of their watch/device. In those cases, I say just use your existing device and don't worry about FOMO.
Verison would NEVER give you $830. Read the details of the offer. They would pay you a total of $830 over several years, something like $30 or $40 per month and yes it would add up to $830 but,... (1) you would have to pay Verison a lot more than $40 per month to get the $40. and (2) if you change providers they stop paying you.
This is one of those deals where you get something for free ONLY over you hand over some money. (Like "Free earbuds if you sign a $1,400 contract") Is it really free? In this case, you might have to pay $120 per month to get the $30 per month. Not as good a deal as if you got $830 in cash. No way would they pay up front
Better to just keep the phone and use it. Do you really need a new phone? If you do need a new phone, sell yours but then a phone with a chipped screen is not worth much. The smallest visible defect kills the value of the phone
But if the user does not make use of such new features, it's still a waste. It's much better to pay the $90 vs $400. To make a simpler comparison, let's say I use 20gb on an iphone 12 and the phone just sits around as a relay since i mostly use my other devices. Or Grandma just uses it to make calls and facetime.
The 15 pro max 256gb ($1200 plus tax) no doubt has more features but is a complete waste in every way, given the above situation. Even if the 12 fetched a trade in value of $800 (!!), it would still be a waste since I can just spend $65 to get the battery replaced on the 12. Features have also plateaued. It's not like the 4S days where each generation saw doubling of performance and an array of new features.
Of course, this doesn't mean upgrading is always a bad thing but it's definitely not the only sensible direction.
Am I the only person that saves literally all iPhone and iPad boxes? For one, I'm a little bit of a tech packrat, but two if you resell it on Craigslist or whatever, people really like having the box. Can increase resale value
i keep my boxes but not because I’m a packrat or find that I want to resell my phone. It’s because I forget. Let me explain. So I keep the box of new items and the intention is to keep it until the return period is up or until the warranty runs out. Well I also am not actively counting down to when either of those timepoints come around so what happens is I forget to throw away the boxes when it comes time. But every now and then when I open that drawer and see boxes I don’t need, I throw them away.
They literally did for me $830 and I had a crack on both the front and the back. SO...........................you are wrong...