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WARNING about Apple Service
- Thread starter kryptticAZ
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I took photos, but did not make a video. I'm not sure what that would prove anyway. There's nothing to stop a person from filming a video and then opening the box afterward to remove the contents.
Well, yes. Apple is responsible. They are the UPS "customer" here and it is their responsibility to pursue remediation through them. UPS won't even talk to me since I'm not the one that paid for the shipping label. I didn't choose to use UPS, this is Apple's provided procedure. I paid them $100 for battery service and they sent me a label and box to use.
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has before you have been offered a reasonable solution perhaps you want more or see an opportunity to capitalize on the mishap by UPS . your fortunate to be dealing with a company that has resources to offer you a solution without dragging yourself into a court to resolve. honestly take the offer and learn from it .these things happen and often companies are reluctant to admit to error or offer a solution that benefits the customer outright
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You need to write to Apple in your country, quote the relevant consumer protection laws with a timeline of what has happened so far, what you expect them to do, how disappointed you are and what you'll do if they don't respond (in writing) to you by a set date (few weeks) - usually contacting some sort of ombudsman or your solicitor engaging them.
You can fight it, but it could cost you money and stress. It's wrong, but they know that and they know most people just won't bother. A letter, with a company like Apple, should suffice. Someone higher up will pick it up and should have a better attitude than whoever messed up your original return.
They use DHL in the UK and they are also incredibly incompetent, and when something goes wrong they bounce you between Apple and DHL support who both ultimately do nothing other than apologise.
You can fight it, but it could cost you money and stress. It's wrong, but they know that and they know most people just won't bother. A letter, with a company like Apple, should suffice. Someone higher up will pick it up and should have a better attitude than whoever messed up your original return.
They use DHL in the UK and they are also incredibly incompetent, and when something goes wrong they bounce you between Apple and DHL support who both ultimately do nothing other than apologise.
This is why I ALWAYS do advanced exchange when sending in AW. They send you the replacement first and then you ship back yours. They do put a hold on your credit card util they get one back.
Included in AppleCare. Surprised most don't already know that. Bear in mind, I'm in the US so I have no idea if this is world wide.
Included in AppleCare. Surprised most don't already know that. Bear in mind, I'm in the US so I have no idea if this is world wide.
Mailing in their Apple Watch or iPhone for AppleCare service is usually done by people who don’t live near an Apple Store. However, those who live close to an Apple Store can still mail in their devices if they prefer, as it’s easier than waiting for a long time at the Genius Bar. That’s where express replacement comes into play.
Even if you have your Apple Watch serviced, the Apple Store will still need to send it to the Apple repair depot, as they don’t repair watches in their stores.
I agree with you that Apple should be held liable for this corrupt AppleCare service. They sent you the prepaid shipping label for the Apple Watch, which is a clear indication of their responsibility.
Furthermore, whoever took the watch to the repair depot or similar facility should also be held liable for any damages incurred to the Apple Watch Series 5 edition. It’s unacceptable that they switched it with the wrong watch or even a different, damaged one instead of a replacement.
Since you’re still unable to get reimbursed from Apple for this issue, I’m curious if you could also email Tim Cook about it. I recall a similar case where a titanium Apple Watch Series 7 wearer didn’t receive the correct watch with blood oxygen monitoring. He had sent an email to Tim Cook, and Apple’s executive relations department responds to these emails from customer feedback.
Express replacement is indeed a possibility as you can get the replacement Apple Watch while you still have the existing one, and you can also easily start wearing the new one and transfer data on your own time instead of being without it while the replacement comes. But it’s exclusive to AppleCare + or AppleCare one, the watch still has to have the existing coverage renewed in order to do that.
I would imagine that it would be trivial for Apple to take the serial number of the thief's watch (the one you received) and look up which Apple accounts it was tied to in the past. If they really wanted to put effort into tracking down the thief, that is.
That's fine, unless someone steals your watch on the way to Apple...and then the hold they put on your card is going to turn into a full charge.
Another great point.
But all the watches must be unpaired from their respective iPhones and find my must have been turned off in order to ship them out
You can still look the serial numbers up if you want to see the warranty and AppleCare status
Considering the Ceramic Watch is an Edition Watch, the closest “like for like” replacement would be an Hermès Edition. That being said, the best replacement would be the Ceramic S5 that they would’ve gotten with a battery replacement anyway. Offering a standard aluminum Watch then instead dropping assistance entirely is so unlike Apple.
Only a couple years back when I had significant issues with a repair due to their mistake, I got something of equal level but newer *and* extra goodies on top. Might be worth OP calling the phone support and asking for customer relations at this point, as Applecare clearly doesn’t care that much anymore.
I already did speak with an Executive Relations representative after emailing Tim Cook. That representative is the one that told me Apple's final decision is to offer me nothing.
I provided them with the S/N of the Series 3 Al I received but I don't think it was of any use. That beat up watch is still sitting on my desk as a reminder of the Ceramic that was stolen from me.
Yes, I did email Tim Cook. That's why the Executive Relations Rep called me. She is the one that told me Apple's final position is that they will do nothing.
Express replacement wasn't an option for me, as this was a battery service (out of warranty) and not an AppleCare replacement.
You do know that tech depreciates as quickly if not more than a used car value.
My iPhone 16 Pro that was $1200 1 year ago - got $580 trade in for my 17 Air.
Apple did act accordingly because asking for a replacement on an original price 6 years ago is being unreasonable.
BTW: It does not matter how much money Apple places a charge hold for an advance replacement - that's done to encourage the customer to return the AC covered device. It gets refunded when the covered device is returned to Apple.
Yeah, that's a false equivalency though. You chose to trade in your phone for that price. It wasn't stolen from you.
And, presuming it's unreasonable to just politely ask (not demand, not shout, not threaten) if they can provide a more equivalent replacement, does that mean Apple/UPS no longer have any responsibility to correct this? I think you'd have a different opinion if Apple lost or stole your trade-in and refused to offer any compensation.
And of course the amount of the hold matters. Because if you don't return the item, then that hold becomes a charge. By that logic, it would be OK if Apple put a $10,000 hold on every exchange?
So did Apple offer you the S11 Apple Watch and you turned it down? Apple isn't going to give you a Ceramic Watch, they don't make them anymore. Offering a S11 (which is the newest model) is a good offer, you're getting the latest model which will last longer than if you got your ceramic Apple Watch back, as it wouldn't have the latest features.
He said (up in post #22) that he already owns two S10 Titanium's and two Ultra 3's, so he already has Apple Watches with the latest features. I assume that the S5 ceramic is what he wears when he doesn't want to look like every other Tom, Dick, and Harry with an Apple Watch, and why an aluminum S11 might not be as appealing to him as it would be to others who responded in this thread.
Fair enough , but the point still stands that Apple won't give a ceramic Apple Watch, probably because they don't make that model anymore. I do think they should offer something tho.
They offered a S11 on Monday. I emailed them later that same day politely suggesting that I didn't think an Al watch was an equivalent replacement and if they would consider something else. I got a call the next day that they would not offer anything. I don't know if that final decision was a result of me balking at the offer of a watch I didn't want or if they or UPS just simply changed their mind as to fault. Unfortunately, the rep would only keep repeating that this was their final decision and refused to provide details.
I already own four current watches with the latest features. The White Ceramic is unique and gorgeous. Its value is much more than the S5 guts inside of it--just like a Hermes watch is not equivalent to an Aluminum Series 11, even though they are the same inside the case.
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When they looked it up on their internal servers, was it still under any AppleCare or tied to an Apple ID?
I’m also curious if they made a mistake, like if UPS accidentally sent someone’s trade-in or their broken Apple Watch instead of the correct replacement. However, if it was Apple, it would be even worse than for UPS because they wouldn’t treat customers by sending them a different watch that looked like someone else’s broken watch.
Did Apple send any updates on the repair status website on the tracking website?
Has Apple notified you if the original ceramic Apple Watch Series 5 was going to be mailed back, or was the ‘replacement’ the broken watch the one you received when you checked it? Please provide screenshots or proof.
Indeed, that would be long overdue if AppleCare+ had been renewed after those two to three years had passed, making it out of warranty and necessitating servicing over an Express Replacement .
It’s a complete waste when Apple executives are unable to take any action to rectify the situation. I recall your statement about them offering to replace the faulty, broken Apple Watch Series 3 with the Apple Watch Series 11 in exchange for that wrong watch. Perhaps if they explained that they couldn’t obtain a ceramic s5 replacement for you, they would allow you to get a replacement Series 11 titanium model instead.
“sent my Series 5 White Ceramic Apple Watch in for a battery replacement and somebody at Apple or UPS stole it and replaced it with a cheaper, beat up S3 Aluminum watch and mailed that back to me. I wrote a letter to Tim Cook and a member of their executive relations team got back to me to say that during their investigation, UPS admitted responsibility and Apple would like to replace my missing watch with a new..”
this is where this all doesn’t make sense UPS admitted responsibility and what apple received is an S3 because UPS made an error . based on apple received an S3 because of the UPS error or whatever ,Apple then offered a new S11 which is an appropriate good replacement . now apple apparently have changed their minds but at some point you have been told UPS admitted responsibility?? if that is true then you have nothing to lose if you have the will and patience to pursue your loss if UPS has admitted responsibility. has we all digest your post apple have offered a new S11 based on they received an S3 not your original S5 ceramic. end of the day it seems based on your original post the part UPS admitted responsibility is the key to resolving the mystery of how an S5 became S3 . hope sincerely you get to a point of a resolution.
this is where this all doesn’t make sense UPS admitted responsibility and what apple received is an S3 because UPS made an error . based on apple received an S3 because of the UPS error or whatever ,Apple then offered a new S11 which is an appropriate good replacement . now apple apparently have changed their minds but at some point you have been told UPS admitted responsibility?? if that is true then you have nothing to lose if you have the will and patience to pursue your loss if UPS has admitted responsibility. has we all digest your post apple have offered a new S11 based on they received an S3 not your original S5 ceramic. end of the day it seems based on your original post the part UPS admitted responsibility is the key to resolving the mystery of how an S5 became S3 . hope sincerely you get to a point of a resolution.
The rep was unwilling to share any information about that.
Everything appeared normal at the start. I dropped the package off and was tracked via UPS to Apple Service and confirmed received. I received an email a few days later that the service request was cancelled with no explanation. Later that same day, the wrong watch was delivered to my doorstep. I immediately called Apple Support and (after two hours on the phone), a Level 2 Supervisor told me that the service request was cancelled and my watch returned to me because it wasn't the Ceramic S5 I claimed to have sent in for service.
They stated that they never received the ceramic watch, and sent me back what they claimed I shipped. I'm not sure what screenshots or proof you are requesting--this was all on the phone.
After I got off the phone with the executive relations representative, I sent her an email with a summary of our conversation and asked her to reply back in writing to confirm. She refused to put anything in writing and insisted on a phone call. That phone call was the following day and she was very terse, only stating repeatedly that Apple would offer no compensation/replacment and this was their final decision. She would not provide any more details. UPS admitted responsibly to Apple (according to this rep), but I have no proof of that nor do I have access to any of their internal discussions, nor will UPS talk to me because Apple is the customer.