Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ghanwani

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 8, 2008
4,821
6,142
Disclaimer: This is a rant.

I called to return a machine yesterday (one which had problems from booting up the first time) and was told it would take 24 hours for the shipping label to be generated.

Well 24 hours later, I call. I get really bad phone connection. The rep says they cannot call me back (don't have the ability to do it). We agree to work with the broken fade-in/fade-out connection because she says she is "almost done."

She tells me the previous times I called the reps probably screwed up because my information wasn't in the system.

Earlier I received an email saying that "You should have received a shipping/return label."

Anyone else have problems like these?

What are my options now? I was trying to get the machine exchanged and the store doesn't have them. But now it looks like I may have to return it to the store and place a new order. But the problem is that I ordered it through a friend who works at Apple and I would have to put him through that hassle again, which I would rather not.

I think maybe the universe has decided that the current 13" rMBP is not for me.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Why not just hang up and call back and get a different rep and better phone quality?
 

ghanwani

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 8, 2008
4,821
6,142
Why not just hang up and call back and get a different rep and better phone quality?

Tired, not thinking straight, too lazy to want to go through the 3 or so steps to get to a rep and re-explain my problem.

But regardless, I think they have an issue if they are unable to call someone back. It is pretty standard for customer service reps to be able to call a customer back in case they accidentally disconnected. Otherwise the customer has the start the process all over.

The other issue is that the reps provide inconsistent answers. All of them told me different things with respect to what they can do (the rep this morning said they can mail a physical label if needed, all other reps said they were unable to do that), what the store can do (whether they can accept a return on behalf of 1-800-MY-APPLE), and what fedex will do (whether they will provide a box or not).

Anyway, I called in again early this morning and this time around the rep was able to get me a label.
 

Dekema2

macrumors 6502a
Jul 27, 2012
856
437
WNY or Utica
I can't even call my own :apple: Store through the store number without going through a machine, and to reach the Genius Bar or a representative, it's like you need a secret password! I still haven't gotten to a team member yet.
 

ghanwani

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 8, 2008
4,821
6,142
I haven't had trouble getting to a store rep, although I do have to go through a somewhat painful automated system to get to one. The bigger issue is that the reps are usually not very knowledgeable. I get different answers from different reps, often incorrect.

In the latest instance, I had asked the store rep if they can ship the rMBP back on my behalf given that I already had an authorization/shipping label. The reason I wanted to do that is because I did not have a box to ship it back in (this would be in addition to the regular packing box). The rep said they would be able to do it. I took the machine in, and at the store I was told that they cannot do it. I ended up taking it to Fedex and paying ~$20 out of pocket to box it with proper insulation...probably more than was necessary, but that is what the fedex person said they do when shipping laptops, otherwise they cannot take responsibility if it is damaged.
 

ghanwani

macrumors 601
Original poster
Dec 8, 2008
4,821
6,142
The saga continues...

I sent in the machine. I got no notification it was processed. I called in today (almost 2 weeks since I sent it back), and was told it was processed as a return -- so I basically went through all this hassle of setting it up as an exchange for nothing (including spending $20 on packaging)!

The rep said there was no record of the calls I made or the exchange setup...it was setup as a return. They say the money has been returned to my credit card, but when I login to the credit card account, I don't see the money. They say I need to take it up with the credit card company.

I am now stuck with the superdrive that I have no use for (which I had ordered with the rMBP). I have no idea if the store will take it back.

I guess there's still more issues to go.

Not to mention my old Airport Extreme seems to have crapped out...keeps losing connectivity.

The connectivity of the call was bad today as well, both with the rep and the supervisor.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.