Will warranty replacement items ordered by Apple and delivered to an Apple Store for customer pickup be refunded if not picked up?

[Tozovac]

Hypothetical situation. Let's say you purchased a wireless magic keyboard less than 1 year ago when you purchased your M1 Mac Mini, with AppleCare+. Let's say you've been extremely disappointed with the butterfly keyboard feel since day 1, only to have the keyboard eventually get mushy for a few keys after less than 1 year's normal use. Let's say you initiated Apple support and they guided you to a physical store which agreed to exchange the keyboard but you have to go back to the store later to pick it up. Let's say you're so disappointed with the crappy keyboard that you wished you could be given a credit to buy a better Apple keyboard that might actually be reliable over time. Let's say you never went back to pick up the keyboard once it arrived to the store.

Has anyone wandered this hypothetical path and received a non-hypothetical refund?

Asking for a friend.

 

[chabig]

I don't think you're charged until you pick up the device.

 

[Tozovac]

I don't think you're charged until you pick up the device.

There would be no charge in this hypothetical scenario, as the keyboard is a warranty replacement for one purchased less than 1 year ago.

I would tend to believe in this imaginary scenario that nothing would happen (no refund), if the crappy butterfly keyboard replacement keyboard were left at the store un-picked-up, unfortunately.

 

[posguy99]

What would you expect to happen? What are they "refunding" in this scenario? Against what transaction? What payment instrument?

 

[Tozovac]

What would you expect to happen? What are they "refunding" in this scenario? Against what transaction? What payment instrument?

Did you read my first post? They could be refunding a warranty return that I might not pick up in the store later. The warranty return would replace the original keyboard I (unfortunately) purchased in November 2020.

What a disappointing keyboard, I feel so sorry for anyone who purchased a MacBook with this poorly designed butterfly keyboard. How such a cheap-feeling keyboard ever passed Apple's design management is a travesty.

 

[jz0309]

why do you think you would get a refund after 1 year? you had the standard 14day return period and according to your 1st post you were not happy with it from day 1 ... using it for a year and then expecting a refund is unrealistic, and to think that because you don't pick it up from the store they will send you money????
Pick up your new keyboard and sell it ...

 

[Tozovac]

why do you think you would get a refund after 1 year? you had the standard 14day return period and according to your 1st post you were not happy with it from day 1 ... using it for a year and then expecting a refund is unrealistic, and to think that because you don't pick it up from the store they will send you money????
Pick up your new keyboard and sell it ...

Well, first of all, this post is supposed to be half-real, half-hypothetical, half-silly, and half a way for me to vent about a poorly-designed keyboard. And please listen to a few Click & Clack Cartalk episodes before blasting me that those sum to four halves.

Secondly, Apple is technically refunding me something after a year, replacing a crappy keyboard within warranty/AppleCare+. Had the (poorly designed) keyboard kept working I would have just kept using it, but keys started getting mushy and I don't recall spilling anything on it.

Third, the original post was inspired by knowing of instances where Apple customers have received refunds for things owed to them but not picked up in the store. Several tricky MacRumors members have reported buying MacBooks during the summer student special that offers a free set of AirPods, where people specified their AirPods for in-store pickup...only to never pick them up, resulting in an actual refund of AirPods they officially paid for. That's not surprising due to how Apple handles that promotion - Apple discounts your MacBook by the price of AirPods but then you pay for AirPods (which I would think is Apple's way of artificially propping up AirPods sales, but that's a separate discussion...)

Thank you for chiming in.

 

[alFR]

What a disappointing keyboard, I feel so sorry for anyone who purchased a MacBook with this poorly designed butterfly keyboard. How such a cheap-feeling keyboard ever passed Apple's design management is a travesty.

The external magic keyboard uses scissor switches, not butterfly.

 

[Tozovac]

The external magic keyboard uses scissor switches, not butterfly.

Cool thanks for that. I didn’t think these low-travel keys were scissor-type. It’s an awful keyboard tho, too little travel.

 

[TiggrToo]

Hypothetical situation. Let's say you purchased a wireless magic keyboard less than 1 year ago when you purchased your M1 Mac Mini, with AppleCare+. Let's say you've been extremely disappointed with the butterfly keyboard feel since day 1, only to have the keyboard eventually get mushy for a few keys after less than 1 year's normal use. Let's say you initiated Apple support and they guided you to a physical store which agreed to exchange the keyboard but you have to go back to the store later to pick it up. Let's say you're so disappointed with the crappy keyboard that you wished you could be given a credit to buy a better Apple keyboard that might actually be reliable over time. Let's say you never went back to pick up the keyboard once it arrived to the store.

Has anyone wandered this hypothetical path and received a non-hypothetical refund?

Asking for a friend.

Basically are you asking if you are committed to go through with the exchange?

If so, no. If you don't turn up they'll repurpose the exchange (which would have quite possibly been a refurb anyway).

However if you attempt to call them again on the issue that they might question you.

It's all but guaranteed though that you'll NOT get a credit for it - nor should you. That window is small - and once passed it's repairs/replacements only.

 

[Tozovac]

That window is small - and once passed it's repairs/replacements only.

Sadly true.

Good thing my wired keyboard with longer-travel keys that came with my 2006 Mac Pro still works flawlessly compared to this wireless short-travel POS keyboard.

 

[Boyd01]

Putting the refund issue aside.... I just don't agree with your impression of the Magic Keyboard. Have had a number of those old wired aluminum Apple keyboards and they were always my favorites, so I was disappointed when they were discontinued. When I got a new 2018 Mini, I reluctantly got a space grey Magic Keyboard with keypad.

After a few days with the new keyboard, I dragged out the old one and did an A/B test. To my surprise, I like the new one much better than the old wired keyboard. I'm a fast touch typist and the new keyboard has a much more satisfying "click" when the keys are pressed. My impression is that the new keyboard has more travel.

But maybe you are talking about different models of the old/new Apple keyboards?

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

The wife loved her old all plastic 'arena seating' Apple keyboards. (You know the ones) And bitched and practically screamed when her last one died. She even ordered one from a guy on ebay, and it was DOA. I felt sorry for the seller because he got an eyeful from her when he tried to deny a return.

Now, having used the 'new' external keyboard, she's really liking it. I personally hated those old plastic arena seating keyboards. Too big, clunky, sculpted. Good riddance. On the MacBook Pro side, I had three different keyboard feels. One from an older 13", and the 'butterfly' 16", and now the replacement 16". It's a keyboard. It's a tool. It's something we are in contact with 100% of the time we are using the computer. Apple did us a dirty by coming up with that ridiculous butterfly keyboard, and then walking away from the mess. I'm still rather pissed over it all. My all time favorite keyboards are the IBM keyboards. I had one that lasted decades. I was distraught when it finally died)


But back to the OP post, if you don't pick it up, you *can't* be charged. If you pre-paid for the replacement, and never picked it up, it *should* be refunded at some point. Setting up a replacement and not following through with it is a stupid move, and you basically burned Apple, but they shouldn't penalize you for it. 'Things' happen... Dropping Apple after going through the process is kinda rude, IMO, but you should be good. (It's made more glaring by your ignorance of Apple's products. (See post #8))

 

[Tozovac]

The wife loved her old all plastic 'arena seating' Apple keyboards. (You know the ones) And bitched and practically screamed when her last one died. She even ordered one from a guy on ebay, and it was DOA. I felt sorry for the seller because he got an eyeful from her when he tried to deny a return.

Now, having used the 'new' external keyboard, she's really liking it. I personally hated those old plastic arena seating keyboards. Too big, clunky, sculpted. Good riddance. On the MacBook Pro side, I had three different keyboard feels. One from an older 13", and the 'butterfly' 16", and now the replacement 16". It's a keyboard. It's a tool. It's something we are in contact with 100% of the time we are using the computer. Apple did us a dirty by coming up with that ridiculous butterfly keyboard, and then walking away from the mess. I'm still rather pissed over it all. My all time favorite keyboards are the IBM keyboards. I had one that lasted decades. I was distraught when it finally died)


But back to the OP post, if you don't pick it up, you *can't* be charged. If you pre-paid for the replacement, and never picked it up, it *should* be refunded at some point. Setting up a replacement and not following through with it is a stupid move, and you basically burned Apple, but they shouldn't penalize you for it. 'Things' happen... Dropping Apple after going through the process is kinda rude, IMO, but you should be good. (It's made more glaring by your ignorance of Apple's products. (See post #8))

I did Apple wrong? Lol, don’t worry I picked up the replacement keyboard. How about Apple doing me wrong by making the customer come back a 2nd time to the store for a replacement crap keyboard instead of mailing it. I wasn’t aware it was a scissor-switch variant but no matter, my beef is/was not about whether it was butterfly or scissor but rather how bad certain aspects of the keyboard was — it was very low/short travel, it felt like typing on a table top, which is what made me assume it was a butterfly keyboard. Some keys got mushy/sticky after less than 1 year of ownership, which is what made me wrongly assume it was a butterfly keyboard. My battery operated wireless Apple keyboard with longer-travel keys that felt more like the current Magic Keyboard on the current macbooks lasted over a decade without the slightest degradation of keyboard function. And, butterfly or scissor, the non-inverted-T arrow keys were never a joy to use. They might look nice and symmetrical on a designer’s screen but too often my fingers couldn’t find their right position without me taking time to look..further hindered by the short travel that made it near impossible to feel you way around the keys. Glaring ignorance lol…an Apple consumer shouldn’t have to worry or wonder if they have a scissor or butterfly keyboard. Apple should worry when customers find themselves having to worry about it.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I did Apple wrong? Lol, don’t worry I picked up the replacement keyboard. How about Apple doing me wrong by making the customer come back a 2nd time to the store for a replacement crap keyboard instead of mailing it. I wasn’t aware it was a scissor-switch variant but no matter, my beef is/was not about whether it was butterfly or scissor but rather how bad certain aspects of the keyboard was — it was very low/short travel, it felt like typing on a table top, which is what made me assume it was a butterfly keyboard. Some keys got mushy/sticky after less than 1 year of ownership, which is what made me wrongly assume it was a butterfly keyboard. My battery operated wireless Apple keyboard with longer-travel keys that felt more like the current Magic Keyboard on the current macbooks lasted over a decade without the slightest degradation of keyboard function. And, butterfly or scissor, the non-inverted-T arrow keys were never a joy to use. They might look nice and symmetrical on a designer’s screen but too often my fingers couldn’t find their right position without me taking time to look..further hindered by the short travel that made it near impossible to feel you way around the keys. Glaring ignorance lol…an Apple consumer shouldn’t have to worry or wonder if they have a scissor or butterfly keyboard. Apple should worry when customers find themselves having to worry about it.

I have thought it weird that Apple won’t ship things from their stores. Like if they have an iPhone 13 TODAY, why can’t I get them to ship it to me. *shrug*

 

[Tozovac]

I have thought it weird that Apple won’t ship things from their stores. Like if they have an iPhone 13 TODAY, why can’t I get them to ship it to me. *shrug*

Not sure if you’re trolling but the store had to have a replacement keyboard shipped to them. Instead of it shipping to…