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What happens to all the returned iPads?

C

Cavan2211

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2010
60
15
I just wondered what happens to all these returned iPads...not all of them are going into the refurb store, are they?
I mean for example those which are returned with money back, are they just new sealed and sold as new?!
Maybe thats why so many bad iPads are circulating...
Here is what's on my mind:
I'm returning my iPad with money back, it's sealed and sold to the next customer, but he did also return an iPad because he wants a "better" one; but all he gets is my bad iPad; so all the faulty iPads are floating around from one customer to the next...
It's a vicious circle.

Just a thought though
 
Maybe eventually? We know it isn't know because it's the serial # tells u production week, so if u go into a store now but pick up a week 2 that's kinda fishy... Or that's ow I see it at least
 
Apple would not be permitted to sell used iPads an new. Whilst I have no inside knowledge I suspect they will be refurbished and sold as such.

Whilst it seems like many are being returned I suspect it is a small percentage of those sold.
 
They go to the land of misfit iPads, it's the home of iPads no one wanted:( some are yellow or have blotchy screens, some have dead pixels...Oh wait I'm thinking of something else.

Actually I was told they get torn down and returned to like new condition, everything is tested and anything not meeting requirements is replaced. Not sure I totally believe that, but the refurb iphone I got was Perfect and looked new.
 
They either are recycled or become refurbs. Apple cannot sell as new once box is opened.

There are not a lot of defective iPads - just a few loud owners that were statistically unlucky or unususally OCD. Consider a .5 to 1% defect rate on a total of say 3 million iPads. Also many of the screen issues are due to glue not curing before its turned on by buyer for first time.
 
Unopened iPads go back in the sellable box. Opened iPads returned for buyers remorse would go into the refurb pile. DOA iPads are repaired/used for parts and then go into refurb or warranty replacement models.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
They either are recycled or become refurbs. Apple cannot sell as new once box is opened.

There are not a lot of defective iPads - just a few loud owners that were statistically unlucky or unususally OCD. Consider a .5 to 1% defect rate on a total of say 3 million iPads. Also many of the screen issues are due to glue not curing before its turned on by buyer for first time.
Click to expand...


Depends on your definition of defective. Unlucky? Maybe but I went through this dance with the iPad 2. I don't believe I am that unlucky but who knows. :)

I'm hoping to pick up a unit today. I hoping I hit the lottery. That's not a good way to feel when buying something yet I'm still gonna try. :D
 
Cavan2211 said:
Here is what's on my mind:
I'm returning my iPad with money back, it's sealed and sold to the next customer, but he did also return an iPad because he wants a "better" one; but all he gets is my bad iPad; so all the faulty iPads are floating around from one customer to the next...
It's a vicious circle.

Just a thought though
Click to expand...

I'm not following you, if you are returning a sealed iPad how do you know that it was bad in any way.
 
It gets even worse

Now consider this. Let's say you seal your box but Do Not Include the actual iPad. They resell the empty box to some poor unsuspecting customer who gets home only to find an empty box. He then goes into a rage and deep depression and races back to the Apple Store driving too fast and erratically in an effort to get to the store before closing time.

In fear of being late, he uses the off ramp to get onto the Interstate faster, not realizing that he is going the wrong way against traffic. Now once again, Apple, the evil giant corporation is responsible for yet another community disaster. I can see the headline now "Apple's Retail Policy Causes 100 Car Pileup"
 
melva said:
Now consider this. Let's say you seal your box but Do Not Include the actual iPad. They resell the empty box to some poor unsuspecting customer who gets home only to find an empty box. He then goes into a rage and deep depression and races back to the Apple Store driving too fast and erratically in an effort to get to the store before closing time.

In fear of being late, he uses the off ramp to get onto the Interstate faster, not realizing that he is going the wrong way against traffic. Now once again, Apple, the evil giant corporation is responsible for yet another community disaster. I can see the headline now "Apple's Retail Policy Causes 100 Car Pileup"
Click to expand...

that's not going to happen. americans are very good and professional drivers. [\sarcasm]

in any case computers and such have usually a return rate between 1 and 5% so large companies are prepard to handle that. the refurb them or just recycle them. And the iPad has likely not a much higher return rate than other gadgets.
It's a 20 billion dollar business. They can handle some returns.
 
Returned iPads go back to Apple where they are inspected and either sent back to the factory to be reworked or simply sold as refurb units thru the Apple store.

Many returned units are brand new with no faults whatsoever. They cannot however be resold as new under California law if they were opened by the consumer.

In no case are they "used for parts". Any parts that go into a repair or refurb are factory new, not removed from a returned unit.
 
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