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iPhone 13 Questions RE: Gifting an iPhone

GrandeLatte

GrandeLatte

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 2, 2016
984
2,322
Dear Folks,

I have a few questions. I'm trying to gift my friend who's out of state, the new pink iPhone 13. I get to the order summary page and I have SO many questions, the Apple specialist was NO help at all.

I put down her address as the shipping address, my contact information: email and phone number. And add her as the optional shipping email address so she would get updates on status. But what if she doesn't like this gift or prefers something else?

Can she just take this phone to any Apple store for an exchange or gift card of equivalent value? What I'm saying is my email is the primary email because I PLACED the order. But she walks in with an iPhone, how does Apple know it is a gift, and not a stolen good? My credit card is used for this purchase obviously, but here is someone else with this phone......

Please help me out here. Most people buy for themselves, so there's no place to click "is this a gift" so the recipient can take the goods and the receipt and do what she wants.....HELP.
 
If the phone was purchased and paid for in your name then you'd have to be the one to return it. There is always a chance that if you contact her local Apple Store and explain the situation they *might* be able to honor the return for her. But with fraud being so prevalent these days I would not expect much.

If the return is honored, they should be happy to give her a gift card, or perhaps give you the gift card to send to her.
 
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I recognize that getting the phone directly for her is the preferable gift-giving experience, but would it be safer to just purchase the Apple gift card in that amount and send her that, with whatever sentiment appropriate to communicate that your intent is to gift her the phone?
 
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Yikes. I understand what you guys are saying. I knew something doesn't quite add up when I was trying to place the order. It would be terrible if she has to go to an Apple Store and feel "humiliated" trying to return or exchange the gift. That would be so much hassle.

Better if I get her something from Saks or Neiman, or Louis Vuitton because at least they include the gift receipt in the package so she can do what she wants.

Sending an Apple gift card with a dollar amount feels so cold. Aye.....

I was at my local Apple Store and that pink 13 was gorgeous. I thought it would be the perfect gift. But now I understand. Thanks people!
 
GrandeLatte said:
Yikes. I understand what you guys are saying. I knew something doesn't quite add up when I was trying to place the order. It would be terrible if she has to go to an Apple Store and feel "humiliated" trying to return or exchange the gift. That would be so much hassle.

Better if I get her something from Saks or Neiman, or Louis Vuitton because at least they include the gift receipt in the package so she can do what she wants.

Sending an Apple gift card with a dollar amount feels so cold. Aye.....

I was at my local Apple Store and that pink 13 was gorgeous. I thought it would be the perfect gift. But now I understand. Thanks people!
Click to expand...
But what if you buy her something else and then find out she did really want a pink iphone?

Edit: Giving her an Apple gift card instead is not 'cold' as long as it comes with the right words.

All you need to say is that you wanted to gift the pink iphone 13 but Apple's online ordering process makes it's far too complicated and difficult so you got the gift card so she can purchase it herself.

if you word it something like that, I see nothing wrong with giving the gift card.
 
Last edited:
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GrandeLatte said:
Yikes. I understand what you guys are saying. I knew something doesn't quite add up when I was trying to place the order. It would be terrible if she has to go to an Apple Store and feel "humiliated" trying to return or exchange the gift. That would be so much hassle.

Better if I get her something from Saks or Neiman, or Louis Vuitton because at least they include the gift receipt in the package so she can do what she wants.

Sending an Apple gift card with a dollar amount feels so cold. Aye.....

I was at my local Apple Store and that pink 13 was gorgeous. I thought it would be the perfect gift. But now I understand. Thanks people!
Click to expand...
Good luck! It's frustrating to find a great gift and have these kinds of odd issues get in the way.
 
Nobody with any character would return a gift like that.
Buy it for her. She’ll be thrilled if she’s an iPhone girl.
 
When I saw the pink 13, my first reaction was "who wouldn't want this phone, it's SO damn cute". And then I run into this problem.

I've gifted an Apple Watch before, but I gave it to the recipient in person. I never tried to order a gift online, so I didn't know there's an issue.

Let me think about this more. Who knew gifting would be so hard???
 
I've bought iPhones as gifts before. I think it's always best to walk into the store for a gift. Ask for a gift receipt. Sounds like you ordered it online, call Apple to see if you can get a gift receipt. For example, if you go to Best Buy, you can get a gift receipt and give that to your friend. The last iPhone I purchase as a gift was from the Apple Store and I didn't ask for a gift receipt so I'm not sure if Apple gives gift receipts.
 
For what it’s worth, a couple of years ago my parents gifted me some airpods from the apple store, but I actually already had airpods, so I didn’t need them. I went to return them at the apple store and brought the packing slip. They could see the original order that way and see that it was sent to me, so there was no concern about it being a stolen item or anything. The default was to apply the refund to my parent’s credit card, but I explained the situation and the fact that it was a gift and they had no problem giving me an apple store gift card instead.

I don‘t think your friend would have any problem exchanging the phone if she wanted to.
 
BrettDS said:
For what it’s worth, a couple of years ago my parents gifted me some airpods from the apple store, but I actually already had airpods, so I didn’t need them. I went to return them at the apple store and brought the packing slip. They could see the original order that way and see that it was sent to me, so there was no concern about it being a stolen item or anything. The default was to apply the refund to my parent’s credit card, but I explained the situation and the fact that it was a gift and they had no problem giving me an apple store gift card instead.

I don‘t think your friend would have any problem exchanging the phone if she wanted to.
Click to expand...
Problem is, if he and his friend were to do this and she didn't like or want the phone, would his friend then feel she is being ungrateful if she was to return to the store and get something else, or for the store to get it refunded to the gifters credit card. If you know the person for sure wants the item that your going to gift them then there is no issue but when if the person is unsure? which is the exact situation the OP is in.
 
laptech said:
Problem is, if he and his friend were to do this and she didn't like or want the phone, would his friend then feel she is being ungrateful if she was to return to the store and get something else, or for the store to get it refunded to the gifters credit card. If you know the person for sure wants the item that your going to gift them then there is no issue but when if the person is unsure? which is the exact situation the OP is in.
Click to expand...

I think the OP’s question was “If she doesn’t like it and wants to take it back to the apple store to exchange it, can she?” And I answered that question. I don’t think any of us are qualified to answer the moral question about how she would feel about doing that return.
 
GrandeLatte said:
Dear Folks,

I have a few questions. I'm trying to gift my friend who's out of state, the new pink iPhone 13. I get to the order summary page and I have SO many questions, the Apple specialist was NO help at all.

I put down her address as the shipping address, my contact information: email and phone number. And add her as the optional shipping email address so she would get updates on status. But what if she doesn't like this gift or prefers something else?

Can she just take this phone to any Apple store for an exchange or gift card of equivalent value? What I'm saying is my email is the primary email because I PLACED the order. But she walks in with an iPhone, how does Apple know it is a gift, and not a stolen good? My credit card is used for this purchase obviously, but here is someone else with this phone......

Please help me out here. Most people buy for themselves, so there's no place to click "is this a gift" so the recipient can take the goods and the receipt and do what she wants.....HELP.
Click to expand...

I got my phone as a gift I had all the rights as a person buying it. All I needed was the order ID and I could return it to my card etc the barcodes are linked to that Apple ID. Even the warranty is linked under that. Also it won't be stolen as they will check it it will be linked to you as soon as they scan the barcode so don't worry the guy did at the apple store :)


Also she can swap it and pay the rest or get a gift card she would just need the order details etc.
 
I thought about this thoroughly and decided to get her a gift card so she has flexibility. I placed the order and wrote her an email about my appreciation for her during my darkest times and that exchange or refund would be difficult if iPhone were purchased using my Apple ID and cc info.

I got her $800 so she can get whatever she wants and I picked the pretty physical card to be mailed to her address. I think she will be very happy. :);):)
 
GrandeLatte said:
I thought about this thoroughly and decided to get her a gift card so she has flexibility. I placed the order and wrote her an email about my appreciation for her during my darkest times and that exchange or refund would be difficult if iPhone were purchased using my Apple ID and cc info.

I got her $800 so she can get whatever she wants and I picked the pretty physical card to be mailed to her address. I think she will be very happy. :);):)
Click to expand...
That is the best way to go in my opinion. As I said before in a post, if you knew 100% she would have wanted the pink iphone then of course get it but if your unsure then the issue of trying to get it exchanged or refunded due to the way Apple restrict everything towards the buyer, it's just not worth the hassle. A gift card and a nice message to go with the gift card is always appreciated. You've done that thus I think your friend will be very happy :)
 
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GrandeLatte said:
I thought about this thoroughly and decided to get her a gift card so she has flexibility. I placed the order and wrote her an email about my appreciation for her during my darkest times and that exchange or refund would be difficult if iPhone were purchased using my Apple ID and cc info.

I got her $800 so she can get whatever she wants and I picked the pretty physical card to be mailed to her address. I think she will be very happy. :);):)
Click to expand...

I am glad you were able to come to a decision and not feel bad and that made you very happy. You are one good freind not only the money aspect but the time and appreciation of that freind :) have a lovely day
 
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