Other Apple Upgrade Program Return MESS

[a1c]

Have a big issue with the Apple upgrade program I need advice on.

Wife and I both are on the Apple upgrade program. I have been for years. Convinced her 2 years ago to join as well. All has been good until his past upgrade.

I packed both of our phones up, in their respective box, and dropped off at FedEx. They shipped no issues and were delivered to Apple 2 days later.

My phone was accepted and loan closed the day it was received.
We never heard anything about my wife's from Apple.

We called and were told to give it time. Shipping showed received and would be processed.

Now 1 month later we get an e-mail that her trade in has been canceled because her phone was not received in time and was being mailed back. WHAT??!

Support call #1- We are told the phone did arrive via FedEx, but for some reason wasn't processed. A case would need to be opened and sommeone would call back in 24 hours.

3 days = no call

Support call #2- We are told the phone was received 2 days after we shipped it, but upon inspection what was returned was not an iphone or apple product. WHAT?! We were told there was nothing we could do "you must have shipped the wrong phone" and that it was being returned.

All this and nothing has been said to us for a month!

Still no updated call or contact from Apple and nothing has been returned.

Support call 3#- Finally get support to contact "senior support" Senior support says they looked at photos provided by the upgrade returns department and it they can't tell, but looks like something other than an iphone was in the return box. After asking me several times if I still had the iphone and if I returned the wrong phone, they finally acknowledge something my be wrong. They acknowledge they may has messed up or the box could have been opened and the iphone taken and switched with something else. (of which they still won't tell me)

All that and they still have no solution.
They have reopened the old loan and say I have to pay the old loan and new loan since they "don't have the old phone"

They say they will investigate deeper but can't do anything about the old loan.

They even go as far to say "we are mailing you back whatever it is was mailed to us in the return box. If it is the iphone just can start a new return and mail it right back to us" Again WHAT?!



Anyone has thoughts, ideas, someway to get this problem elevated even higher and resolved?

 

[MICHAELSD]

This seems to be a major issue this year with trade-ins. My friend is having the same problem, and the solution of Apple Support was to extend the window for Apple to receive the device. But if it was nabbed somewhere during the shipping process that won’t help, which it likely was after a month.

Apple advised me to take pictures of my iPhone return all packed up prior to shipping, which they hadn’t asked before in the past.

 

[lala042883]

This is why I stick to trade in I actually like how Samsung does it over Apple I love my iPhone

 

[fatTribble]

That’s absolutely nuts! I’m frustrated just reading it. I’ve never had an issue with returns. I think Apple should start accepting returns in-store for iPhone Upgrade Program. Hope they resolve this ASAP for you!

 

[MICHAELSD]

That’s absolutely nuts! I’m frustrated just reading it. I’ve never had an issue with returns. I think Apple should start accepting returns in-store for iPhone Upgrade Program. Hope they resolve this ASAP for you!

I believe they do if you pickup an iPhone at the store.

 

[lala042883]

That’s absolutely nuts! I’m frustrated just reading it. I’ve never had an issue with returns. I think Apple should start accepting returns in-store for iPhone Upgrade Program. Hope they resolve this ASAP for you!

I agree but you know they never make things easy

 

[lala042883]

I believe they do if you pickup an iPhone at the store.

Yes I brought mine did the trade in got the full trade in value on gift card due to store sold out ordered online I traded 13 pro for the 14 pro deep purple

 

[Greenmeenie]

Bummer. I always wanted to do the Apple upgrade program, but I use Mint Mobile which they don’t accept at checkout. So i buy an unlocked iphone in full & trade my old one in For a nice cash discount. It usually works fine cause the phone I trade in is always in perfect condition. But this year I completely shattered the front & back of my iphone 11 Pro Max while installing solar panels all Summer. It is completely dead, so I can’t trade it in and have to pay full price for the iphone 14 Pro Max.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Bummer. I always wanted to do the Apple upgrade program, but I use Mint Mobile which they don’t accept at checkout. So i buy an unlocked iphone in full & trade my old one in For a nice cash discount. It usually works fine cause the phone I trade in is always in perfect condition. But this year I completely shattered the front & back of my iphone 11 Pro Max while installing solar panels all Summer. It is completely dead, so I can’t trade it in and have to pay full price for the iphone 14 Pro Max.

You can replicate the AUP by adding AppleCare+ to any iPhone. Trade-in values usually end up being 50%+ at the end of a year.

 

[Ntombi]

I swear, the iPhone upgrade program is worse than I’ve ever experienced. I wrote about my issues when my return in another thread, and the problems—which didn’t start with Apple—were compounded by their lackadaisical attitude when I tried to resolve it. After happily dealing with Apple since the mid-80s, I was truly disappointed.

 

[a1c]

I swear, the iPhone upgrade program is worse than I’ve ever experienced. I wrote about my issues when my return in another thread, and the problems—which didn’t start with Apple—were compounded by their lackadaisical attitude when I tried to resolve it. After happily dealing with Apple since the mid-80s, I was truly disappointed.

My exact feelings.
My return went just fine and has for years.

But this has been a mess for my wife's phone.

Support seems to have idea and then senior support gets involved and decides they only want to talk to other support agents. When I called the 3rd time tier 1 contacted her manager. Who approved it to be advanced to tier 3 senior support. But senior support decided they would just read the "internal notes" and tell the tier 1 support agent what to do instead of talk to me.
Luckily tier 1 support agent on call 3 was super nice and talkative, telling me all the happenings. But said she was just as confused as me.



I'm reaching the point where I just tell them to declare the old phone "lost/stolen" and make them replace under the still active AppleCare+ (since they are keeping the loan payments going on the phone) and technically it is still mine I guess. Then turn around and return the replacement they send to close the loan account.

I mentioned this to them earlier and it seemed like I was speaking alien.

 

[CMoore515]

I believe they do if you pickup an iPhone at the store.

Based on my experience with an iPad trade in last week, I can't say I recommend that either.

Bought a M2 12.9" 256gb iPP with cellular and selected to drop off my trade-in in store. I had already received the credit due to paying with Apple Card installments, so keep that in mind. For some reason the store's system wasn't allowing them to complete the trade as it saw that they'd already given me the credit, as it should, but they should've still been able to process the trade in.

Well after over a hour on the phone with Apple between me and two in store employees, they finally returned the iPad in store and I repurchased it and went on my way.

My total time in store was probably close to a hour and a half and my stress level was at about 20. If I had been delayed any further I would've told them to forget it.

I did get a free charger and case from them for the trouble and my patience, but still. 😂

 

[Smoovejayy]

Open a complaint with the BBB. That has a chance of getting the outcome you deserve.

 

[NeonNights]

This seems to be a major issue this year with trade-ins. My friend is having the same problem, and the solution of Apple Support was to extend the window for Apple to receive the device. But if it was nabbed somewhere during the shipping process that won’t help, which it likely was after a month.

Apple advised me to take pictures of my iPhone return all packed up prior to shipping, which they hadn’t asked before in the past.

I was so paranoid about the mail-in trade-in program with Verizon that I recorded myself placing an iPhone 12 Pro Max and a Samsung Note 10 Plus in each return box, showing each phone was in pristine condition, and powers on. I recorded this while in my car, parked outside the UPS store. I kept recording as I exited the car and walked into UPS to hand it to the employee. There is no way Verizon, Apple, or anyone can accuse me of sending in the wrong device!

Surely Apple is aware of the potential for trade-in iPhones being stolen. I would expect better measures in place to catch and discourage theft. Since OP has AC+, I agree they should report it as stolen. I haven't used the AUP, do you pay the loan with a credit card? If so, can you contest the charges with your credit card company?

 

[Ntombi]

. I haven't used the AUP, do you pay the loan with a credit card? If so, can you contest the charges with your credit card company?

Yes, via credit card. I pay via my Apple Card. I suppose I could contest it, but let’s just say I’m glad it was resolved before it got that far!

 

[msackey]

This is why I stick to trade in I actually like how Samsung does it over Apple I love my iPhone

How does Samsung do it?

 

[psbnyc]

I have participated in Apple's trade-in program every year since its inception. I have had no problems with my return until this year. Three days ago, I received the same cancellation email that others have mentioned in this thread having returned my iPhone 13 Pro three days after I received my iPhone 14 Pro. This occurred in the last week of September. I have the FedEx tracking information documenting that the return box that they provided was signed for at Apple's facility in Pennsylvania a few days after I placed my undamaged, fully functioning iPhone 13 Pro. Assuming I run into the same issue that others in this thread have experienced, it seems to me that the Apple Care plus insurance that I had purchased for the iPhone 13 should cover the cost to replace the missing phone.This would mean that I would have to pay the deductible, but that would certainly be better than being on the hook for a phone that was lost due to theft while in transit or some problem at Apple's facility. The fact is that I should not be held liable for a loss that occurred while the iPhone was in the hands of Apple's chosen agent for shipping or in the facility that they control. This level of incompetence and lack of goodfaith in refusing to indemnify their customers who trusted the company to use due care in administering the trade in program would be one of very few things that would prompt me to stop buying their products. I wonder if anyone has attempted to use their Apple care plus coverage to replace their iPhone if it went missing during the return process. I would think that the policy would be in force until Apple received the retired phone and closed out the account.

 

[Ntombi]

That would probably have been my next step if Apple hadn’t resolved things correctly.

 

[psbnyc]

Thank you for your reply. I would think that the insurance coverage would have still been in force. Furthermore, since it is Apple’s own plan, it would be a clear bad faith action on their part if they disclaim coverage. Especially given the fact that we should not have to resort to making a claim and incurring the deductible cost after having complied with the return requirements. If someone at FedEx tampered with the shipment, that would be between them and FedEx. Things might be different had we chosen the shipper. FedEx was their agent. Not ours.

 

[psbnyc]

A ten minute visit to an Apple Store where the issue was documented during a call to the corporate headquarters and one five minute follow-up call were all that was necessary to resolve the issue. The purpose of the follow-up call was to allow a few days for verification. On the fourth day, I received an email confirming that the old phone had been received within the alotted time and the matter was closed. All in all minor inconvenience.

 

[compwiz1202]

This seems to be a major issue this year with trade-ins. My friend is having the same problem, and the solution of Apple Support was to extend the window for Apple to receive the device. But if it was nabbed somewhere during the shipping process that won’t help, which it likely was after a month.

Apple advised me to take pictures of my iPhone return all packed up prior to shipping, which they hadn’t asked before in the past.

I always take a pic of both sides of the iPhone, front with the About screen up with the equipment info. Problem is that's not proof in my eyes. I could have done that the second I got the phone. I could still return the device damaged or some other phone or a rock etc...

 

[psbnyc]

I had heard of others receiving the same response as your friend. In fact, the same was proposed to me at first while we were speaking with Apple's corporate headquarters from an Apple Store in Manhattan. I pointed out the fact that since I had tracking info from FedEx showing that the return box made it to Apple's facility, and unless they were prepared to accuse me of theft, anything that may have occured after the time that I dropped the shipment off at FedEx was between Apple and FedEx. I suppose that making a video of the phone being placed in the return box would provide ample proof. However, I still don't feel that doing so is necessary. It is entirely reasonable to assume that simply following the instructions provided will be sufficient to avoid liability for any loss or damage in transit. Furthermore, in a case where a tracking number shows that the return box was placed in FedEx's hands, it would be up to Apple to prove that the customer was guilty of some sort of fraud. It would not be incumbent upon the customer to prove his innocence. In a final strange twist, when I brought the issue to Apple's attention, they informed me that they had shipped the old phone back to me, since the rules of the program require one to purchase the old phone if it is not returned on time. I asked for a tracking number, but they didn't have one. It has been over a week since they claim the old phone was shipped back to me. It has not arrived, but the matter has been closed. Clearly, there is a glitch in their system or there is a training issue. People affected should not panic. It is all easily resolved.