Watch-AppleCare-FedEx Nightmare

[sploithunter]

Today I finally lost faith in any notion that Apple is superior in customer service or general business practice for that matter. Here is the rundown...

Wife drops Watch Series 4 with cell, cracks screen (early March) but we have AppleCare.
Take to Apple Store, can't get an appointment anytime soon, Apple Store employee pushed (hard) to just call and do it via FedEx.
Call on April 1. Get a claim for $79. Apple has wife remove watch from Find My.
Box arrives a few days later about the same time as COVID lockdown becomes serious.
Pack up Watch and attach Apple created label but not sure where we can drop off because of COVID.
Apple has pretty strong language that it must be shipped in 10 days.
Decide to drop off in FedEx Drop Box (spoiler: NEVER, EVER use a drop box even under state ordered social distancing).
Two weeks later get an email that claim has been cancelled.
Call AppleCare to see what is going on.
AppleCare claims to have never received the watch.
Told to contact FedEx.
Call FedEx and realize that Apple has all of the necessary information to start looking for the phone.
All AppleCare and get a tracking number (reluctantly given).
Call FedEx and give them the tracking number, they start an investigation and will call back.
2 weeks pass without a call from FedEx.
Call FedEx again. They agree that a claim should be filed and even mention that they have had problems with the drop boxes lately.
FedEx informed my wife that Apple did not insure the return box and FedEx will only cover $100. Also informed that since she was not the shipper (Apple created the label) Apple would have to provide FedEx with some information (like the address to the facility which the box was intended to be shipped as well as a point of contact for Apple for the claim).
Call AppleCare again. AppleCare refuses to give any information whatsoever (not even the address where the box was to be shipped) and refuses to speak to FedEx. AppleCare employee "Eric" even goes as far to lecture my wife that she should have taken a picture of the label.

This is where we are today. My wife is out a watch (we can't track it because Apple demanded we remove it from Find My), Apple didn't claim a value for the item so she is stuck with the $100 minimum, she can't even get enough information from Apple for FedEx to give us the $100 minimum, she has made more than 15 calls between the two and never gets a number to bypass the automated system and is on hold, again, at this moment, with FedEx to inform them that Apple is uncooperative. The best part, she paid $79 for the pleasure of the experience.

It sucks but I have lessoned learned on FedEx drop boxes. More so, I have been completely disillusioned with Apple as a superior company to any competitor.

 

[konqerror]

You made a huge mistake. You dealt with FedEx yourself. Apple should be doing this, not you, because they paid for the shipping. You should be complaining to Apple and nobody else.

Apple has internal processes to deal with shipping. The reason why you're getting the run-around is you're bypassing these processes and people you're talking to do not have authority to do anything outside these processes.

FedEx informed my wife that Apple did not insure the return box and FedEx will only cover $100.

Nearly all businesses self-insure shipping because carrier declared value is really expensive. Further, Apple's contract likely waives the right to all claims in exchange for deep discounts. Again, if you had dealt with Apple, they would have eaten the loss.

NEVER, EVER use a drop box even under state ordered social distancing

That is true, and further, even if it was carrier-insured, there's relatively low value limits for drop boxes. You should have asked Apple if they could do a pick-up.

Simply: do not contact FedEx again, bug only Apple, and escalate with Apple. Your problem is you shipped the package and it never arrived, not anything about FedEx or anything about a claim.

 

[sploithunter]

Konqerror,

I am sorry I wasn’t clear. Apple told her to contact FedEx and told her there was no further action that could be taken on their part without her contacting FedEx. She possibly could have ignored the directive but that does not instill faith in Apple as a company. Insider knowledge to pierce a bureaucracy is helpful and I thank you for that; however, if such knowledge is required then the system or service cannot be recommended.

 

[konqerror]

I am sorry I wasn’t clear. Apple told her to contact FedEx and told her there was no further action that could be taken on their part without her contacting FedEx. She possibly could have ignored the directive but that does not instill faith in Apple as a company.

I got that part, the right response would have been to escalate it with Apple. There was a mistake or miscommunication here which unfortunately steered the response onto the totally wrong track.

This isn't just Apple, this is the right way for any vendor, retailer, even eBay purchases. The person paying for the shipping is the only one who can deal with the carrier. FedEx probably tried to tell you that, but she probably responded "but Apple told me to contact you".

 

[YaShiMo]

I’m sorry this happened to you and your wife. I make sure to always take a picture of the device I’m sending to Apple and also the shipping in case something like this happens. I sent my S2 to Apple because of an issue and someone dropped my watch leaving a dent on the side and decided to send it back to me like that. Because I had proof of the condition prior to sending, Apple had no choice but to replace my watch. I hope you can get this issue resolved.