Can you return an online Apple Store purchase to a retail store?

[mnoble01]

This sounds like a dumb question, as I would assume you could. However, I don't see that explicetly written anywhere on Apple's website.

I recieved a 5.5 gen 30gig ipod for Christmas. My plan was to return it, get store credit, and hold out until Jan 9th. Once I know what's coming out, I am planning on either re-purchasing the 5.5 gen, or holding out/buying the new one.

Has anyone returned online items to the retail store before?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[mccldwll]

I wanted to one time and couldn't. Had to return by mail. Always worth calling a store if interested in an exchange.

 

[mnoble01]

Doesn't that seem really dumb?

Most, other stores that have both online and bricks and morter allow online returns to their retail shops. I don't understand why apple wouldn't want this to occur - they're all owned by Apple.

 

[jsw]

Most, other stores that have both online and bricks and morter allow online returns to their retail shops. I don't understand why apple wouldn't want this to occur - they're all owned by Apple.

I completely agree. Apple online and Apple brick-and-mortar stores seem to act as though owned by completely different companies - I wonder if this is due to some legal requirement.

I'm often miffed by how you can't order BTO Macs for pickup in the stores (suppose you don't want one sitting on your doorstep) or use the developer discount at stores. The return policy is another area of annoyance.

 

[quiksilver180]

I wanted to one time and couldn't. Had to return by mail. Always worth calling a store if interested in an exchange.

You should be able to, unless it was purchased through the education Apple online store, or a business Apple store. Apple stores don't normally refund these purchases because they are at a discount (though hardware should be alright).

I would email Apple's online store support and see if you are able to return it to a store.

 

[daneoni]

I was successful in returning a defective PowerBook once. Although i had permission from AppleCare.

 

[Wikindie]

The only way you can return a product purchased from the online Apple Store is by mail. You can take it into a 'brick and mortar' Apple Store, but they will charge you a small fee to send it back for you. The money will then be refunded to you once the online Apple Store has received it and processed the transaction. This is because the online Apple Store and 'brick and mortar' Apple Stores are effectively different internal companies.

If you purchased a product from the online Apple Store, and it is defective, then it is possible for you to get it repaired and replaced if needed, at a 'brick and mortar' Apple Store.

I hope this helps.

 

[puckhead193]

I'm often miffed by how you can't order BTO Macs for pickup in the stores (suppose you don't want one sitting on your doorstep) or use the developer discount at stores. The return policy is another area of annoyance.

I know what u mean, i had a screaming argument with apple cause i didn't want my imac in my schools mail room, i ended up giving in

 

[Unspeaked]

I've spoken with Apple reps who've said the reason it's so difficult to exchange online purchases as brick and mortar stores is that Apple has three distinct retail channels: education, online and retail.

Because they two locations are different channels (in this case, online and retail), they were have different inventories. If you drove to an Apple Store and took one of their items in exchange for yours, it wouldn't show up as an even swap in their inventory database, and much red tape and paperwork would have to be gone through to remedy this.

Don't ask me why they keep things this way - I think it's rather silly - but that's the way it is.

 

[iW00t]

I completely agree. Apple online and Apple brick-and-mortar stores seem to act as though owned by completely different companies - I wonder if this is due to some legal requirement.

Actually in Australia (at least), Apple(tm) license out the AppleCentre name as some sort of franchise to third party resalers. Hence that AppleCentre you see around may very well be a separately owned entity that has nothing to do with Apple.