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I am shocked by Apple's customer service and close to contacting a lawyer

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bruinsrme said:
Why should apple replace the film. It didn't come witht the phone. How about apple charge the op $15 for returning a modified phone.?
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This point is as valid as that the OP is making, imo. I can't understand how the OP feels he's being 'cheated' out £15. Fair enough, the guy in the Apple store recommended it, but let's be honest, he's probably trying to manipulate his accessories as a percentage of total sales to make target. If the OP bites, that's good for the employee, and the OP gets his screen protector.

Why Apple should cover the screen protector, sold as an accessory to the purchase, and produced by an entirely different company, is beyond me.
 
superstrikertwo said:
What I find funny is you say your iPhone is completely dead yet you refuse to send in your dead iPhone because then you won't have a phone.

Don't you already not have a phone right now seeing as the iPhone is dead?
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What is this, LogicalRumors.com?! ;)
 
ss957916 said:
My six week old 3GS has suddenly died. Dead. Nothing. Apple phone support admit it's kaput and that I need a new one. But it's not that simple.

They want me to send it back to them and wait five working days for my replacement - meaning I'm without a phone for five days more than I think necessary. They refuse to send the replacement FIRST even though I've offered my card number as a guarantee. I suggested going to a store instead (even though my nearest is about 100miles away) but they said I can't do that because the replacement is a 'special replacement one' that has no box. Sounds like a refurb to me, even though the support guy denied it.

Furthermore, when I bought the 3GS (in an Apple Store), the attendent recommended I have a matte film for the front - I agreed and he put it on, charging me £14.99. When I asked if the replacement will come with a replacement film (as it shows on my receipt), the guy said no and that Apple don't recommend using protective films and that they wouldn't supply one or refund my £14.99.

I'm livid. This all just sounds wrong to me - they're just not interested in keeping me happy. And let's keep perspective - I spent hundreds of pounds on an iPhone just SIX WEEKS AGO.

Rubbish.
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Being livid might make you feel better, but it doesn't much help resolve the situation. You've got a simple choice between getting angry, or getting it sorted.

Given that you are in the UK and the sale of goods act applies, if you're not happy with the service Apple offer and aren't minded to be flexible in your approach to resolving the problem, I suggest you take a trip to your nearest trading standards office - usually in (or near) the town hall, but certainly listed in the phone book. They deal with consumer protection issues, and specifically with those arising from the sale of goods act. They will give you a clear outline of your rights, and in the event Apple are not fulfilling their statutory responsibilities under the act, they will take up the case on your behalf to ensure you get what you have a right to.

In the broader sense, it's best to acknowledge the fact that even though it shouldn't happen, it's an invariable truth that sometimes stuff breaks or fails, and that this time you've got the rough end of the stick instead of someone else. Better that it happened after 6 weeks than after a year and six weeks when you'd have no warranty and much more flimsy protections under law. I'd be aggravated as you are, but it makes far more sense to put your energies into getting your dead iPhone replaced than in trying to fight lengthy and expensive battles that won't get you anything more than you could get with a 5 minute phone call or a (fairly) brief trip in the car.

Whether the replacement is a refurb or not is immaterial. The set-aside stock are iPhones, the same as the one you bought. The advantage of going to the store and exchanging your dead one there and then is that at least you can check over the replacement to make sure it does work and is fit for use.
 
I think this thread is amazing... in the time spent to discuss the phone would already being replaced

I just had my new 32GB 3GS replaced last week and the experience is far different.. and I just used the STANDARD Apple procedure.

Phoned to Apple last Thursday at lunchtime. The nice lady on the phone just asked me to do some procedures to try to revive the phone (included a full restore that I had already tried). 5 minute call (wait to get the line was longer) and she agreed to send a replacement straight away via UPS (just putting a reserve on my card in case it was not covered by warranty).

Next morning at 9 am I had the replacement iPhone delivered to me with an empty prepaid box to send the broken one back. iPhone was in a black box and I believe was brand new. Only accessory was a paper clip to extract the SIM card and a sticker with the new IMEI/serial numbers

Tracking the parcel via UPS I discovered that was sent from Apple service center for Europe (located in the Netherlands) at 4.15 PM, travelled via UPS to Cologne (Germany), cargo flight from Cologne to Venice (Italy) during the night and at 6.15 was picked up by the UPS van to be delivered to my address. At 9.09 the van driver delivered to me.

Total time without the phone: less then one day.

Total cost on my side: the phone call to Apple Service Center (in Italy is not a toll-free number) plus the film cover (but I just paid it 1.99 euros :)).


PS to have the possibility to receive the replacement straight away, you need to have (at least in Europe) the Apple care + plan but this is standard with my provider. But even if you take the option to send the broken phone first and wait for the replacement, it only takes 3 days, unless you live in a remote location.
 
i would go to the apple store and have them swap it out...or at least explain your situation and see...whats the worst that can happen? if they say no, then you just lose out on a car ride (unless its like mega far from you).

I too returned a iphone with a screen protector on it, of course, they will not replace that. I almost tried to remove it before hand, but thought i would rather a different one anyway. I went with the anti glare, i had a crystal on my phone prior. I did over hear people talking about putting a screen protector on the 3GS...since of the new coating thats on the screen. I didnt hear the details, but the tech for sure said its not AS needed on the 3GS due to that coating on the screen. The person didnt listen anyway...bought the anti glare...he was behind me in line.

i was under the impression that Apple did advanced RMA (where they send you new device, you drop yours in the box and return). I would keep calling CS and maybe you get lucky...find a nice guy/girl =)
 
OP:

Look, don't be "that guy." I hate it when people act this way over these situations. If you do not mind driving the distance to go to the store than do it. They will take care of you. As for not wanting a referb; get over it. It is in 100% working condition as well as being 100% defect free visually. This phone is no different from the one you originally got, and not to mention it actually works where as the one you have now does not.

The screen protector situation is just dumb. You cannot honestly think that Apple should be responsible for replacing it. It would be like buying a new car, getting a paint job done on it, it messing up, the car company offering you a new one, and you expecting the car company to pay you back for the paint job! Absurd right? Yes.

You don't need a screen protector anyway. I have carried my 3G naked for over a year and before that my original naked for a year.
 
Go ahead and contact a lawyer so he can tell you to stop being a crybaby.
 
ucfgrad93 said:
If only that would happen. Sadly, the lawyer would try and turn this into a class action lawsuit.
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Lawyers have to eat, too. I think any lawyer that did what you suggested they would do would be one broke-ass lawyer.

Sadly, no one will likely remember this UK bloke being all litigious next time they suggest that the US is where all the lawyer happy people live.:D
 
I understand that replacements are most likely refurbs, except possibly right after a new model is released.

Doesn't mean I have to like it. Back when I still used a dedicated PDA, a Dell Axim, the original stopped working reliably during warranty (screen calibration really off). Replaced it with a refurb. Turned out the speaker didn't work (they missed it during the tests). Then the next one, 3-4 months later, started locking up. Bad memory. Out of warranty by then. So bad results from one company on refurbs. Obviously these were not just returns by people who changed their minds...

Anecdotal experience, of course. Of course, by that factor, I have never had an apple fail me. 2 computers, and one phone (except for the crack I'm living with. Do I want to risk a refurb that may be worse? It isn't getting worse :)
 
everything in electronics/technology is refurbished in some shape or form, if you actually think you are ever getting anything truly brand new you are fooling yourself
 
By UK law if a product is under 30 days old and fails its considered DOA so you are entitled to a new replacement or a refund. If its older than that you are entitled to have it repaired or replaced with a repaired/Refurb' unit. They are allowed 28 days to effect the repair or replace your unit.
If you don't like it, write to your M.P..
 
jabbawok said:
By UK law if a product is under 30 days old and fails its considered DOA so you are entitled to a new replacement or a refund. If its older than that you are entitled to have it repaired or replaced with a repaired/Refurb' unit. They are allowed 28 days to effect the repair or replace your unit.
If you don't like it, write to your M.P..
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I'm 99% sure that it doesn't go into the detail you just gave with the refurb thing. You get a replacement or refund. The replacement is THE SAME AS ONE OF THE PHONES IN THE BOX ON THE SHELF, the box is just a little different.

I'd understand the problem here if Apple were refusing to replace it, however, they're not. They are simply saying it will have a different box. Get over it. Most companies I've dealt with wouldn't even do this (I'm looking at you, Dell!)

So seriously, get it exchanged it a store. Discussion over.
 
I'm close to contacting a lawyer about people who post on MR whining about contacting a lawyer. :rolleyes:

I'm not sure what merit my case will have, but it should have about as much chance of me getting reparations as the OP's. 5 days w/o an iPhone. Horrors!
 
179202 said:
I'm 99% sure that it doesn't go into the detail you just gave with the refurb thing. You get a replacement or refund. The replacement is THE SAME AS ONE OF THE PHONES IN THE BOX ON THE SHELF, the box is just a little different.

I'd understand the problem here if Apple were refusing to replace it, however, they're not. They are simply saying it will have a different box. Get over it. Most companies I've dealt with wouldn't even do this (I'm looking at you, Dell!)

So seriously, get it exchanged it a store. Discussion over.
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Your replacement can be either a new phone or refurb. There's no way to know if it's a refurb until you look at the serial number (5k is refurb).

I have received both new and refurb via exchange at the Apple store. I had issues with the "new" phone and the refurb, my current 3Gs, looks and behaves like a million bucks. My best experience has been with a refurbished phone. There's zero reason to get upset that it's refurbished.

The 3Gs is a new device, so even the refurb phones can't be very old. All of these phones have been manufactured within a few months of each other. Refurb or not, the main thing to do is check for screen consistency. 3Gs screens have hit or miss screens. It's the first thing I look if I need to exchange my phone and unfortunately, I've had to exchange my phone quite a few times...
 
Hey

Get a lawyer, sue the pants off of them....you'll spend hundreds if not thousands...you'll win 14.99...your phone is still broke and you have been
without it for 2 years....well at least your contract will be up...:D
Move on drive the 100 miles if you love your :apple:iPhone:apple:

Oh yeah..then get a Blackberry or something...that way we don't have to read posts like this..LOL
 
ss957916 said:
I'm going gaga because the person who sold the phone to me RECOMMENDED that I buy it. Now the phone has gone wrong (rendering the cover useless) Apple are saying they recommend NOT using covers. So I was cheated out of £15 and either want that refunded or want them to replace it.

When I questioned why they don't recommend it he said it has a scratch resistent screen. So I asked if he'll replace my replacement phone should it scratch after taking his advice not to use a protective cover.

The answer was no.
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as for them "not recommending a screen protector", that seems strange. They obviously try to make the phone operate as good as possible without one, so im sure they dont see it as a necessity, but they sell them in their stores. They've been known to not sell cases in the past if they have a bad reputation of scratching up phones (not all cases that scratch, but some), so I doubt theyd continue to sell screen protectors if they thought theyd damage the device.

And if you have a power support film (the only kind apple sells, so Im assuming thats what you got if you got it from them), then you can peel it off with your fingers or with some masking tape, and then reapply it to your new phone. You can even was it with soap and water, but make sure its dry before you reapply it
 
Man there are some tools on MR. You realize that the time you've spent here whining like a little girl, you could have sent the phone in, got in replaced and had it back? Once you've had it for 14 days and need a new one, you get a refurb. That is Apple's policy. Get over it. Try reading the fine print in your Terms of Service Agreement next time. Also, getting a lawyer? One would tell you the same thing I'm about to tell you. Your an idiot. Send the phone in, quit your bit**ing, and move on. Read your TOS on your iPhone and gain a little intelligence.

/thread
 
Sorry but what apple has asked you to do is perfectly reasonable. How can they and we be sure your phone is fine and you are after a free phone.

OK probably not but if they do as you suggest everyone will be doing the same thing- oh my iphone has died- fine where do you want your new one sent to? Strange that is you fifth new iphone, must be a faulty batch where you live I guess. Thank you for buying an apple product.

Drive 100 miles what like 2 hours at the very most- sorry big deal. Have fun on the journey sounds like you need to get out more anyway...

You live in the UK and have to drive 100 miles. So where do you live then??? Sorry I know the UK I was born there- it is a densley populated country and find it difficult to believe your nearest store is 100 miles away. If you were in Australia or Canada then maybe but not good old blighty but even so come on 100 miles its not a 1000 mile trek. The Uk has a superb road and motorway network.

Your phone was used when it broke down so just accept the refurb.


The lawyer will laugh at you and charge you for the privelidge so get over it and get in the car...
 
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