14” mbp… Apple sent me an iPad instead

[MayaUser]

2-3 days for this big company, trust me, is very reasonable and maybe not likely...i guess it will take longer
Again, if it was a far smaller company 2-3 days was a thing...
For example when i have an issue with the bespoke by Cesare Attolini, the thing it gets adjusted in 2-3 working days...and Cesare Attolini is top notch but a very very small company compared to what Apple is
You dont get personal with Apple, its too big,you dont talk directly with Tim Cook or something close to him, but with smaller companies you get personal and get into a very close professional relationship very very quickly
So again, IF it takes just 2-3 days beautiful, no matter how the device costs ..but i think it will take a week or so on this level

 

[andrewstirling]

Other big companies…. Like Amazon for example have a far far better service. I think that’s why people on this thread are sympathetic with the OP. This is a poor response in comparison to what people would normally expect from an online retailer. I would expect a very small company to have a more cautious response to an expensive item but apple can afford to have a more customer centred response. Let’s just get our fanboy hats off and call it for what it is. It’s crap customer service.

 

[EugW]

Other big companies…. Like Amazon for example have a far far better service. I think that’s why people on this thread are sympathetic with the OP. This is a poor response in comparison to what people would normally expect from an online retailer. I would expect a very small company to have a more cautious response to an expensive item but apple can afford to have a more customer centred response. Let’s just get our fanboy hats off and call it for what it is. It’s crap customer service.

I mentioned it earlier but I had to call Amazon several times over the course several days in order to get a straight answer out of them for an item that was delivered twice to me.

What was the most frustrating was people telling it didn't happen because they didn't have a record of it.

It worked out in my favour, but one reason I wanted it sorted out is because I didn't want to be charged twice for the item, as they came in two different shipments with two different waybills.

 

[Taz Mangus]

If it were me I would be calling Apple customer relations and they would probably get it sorted out for you. And while you are chatting with customer relations get them to give you something for your inconvenience. They will do that for you if you ask, at least they have done that for me in the past. Worth a try.

 

[collin_]

Which claim?

Can't get more authoritative than the FTC's own website. The FTC page describes situations where companies send out “freebies”, but then charge people. That is the one case where people can keep what is sent. Those are scam situations. Just because the FTC doesn't use the term “scam” doesn't mean that's not what they are!

But that wasn’t the point, anyway.

The point is that nothing on that FTC web page supports the ridiculous idea that people are entitled to keep, for free, any mistaken or wrong order they receive.

What's described there has nothing to do with improperly filled or wrong orders, which is the OP's situation. Apple needs to make things right — and should have done so right away.

No, what they're saying applies to all unordered merchandise, including this situation. They do not say that it applies only to scams, and if they did, it would make things very complicated (who gets to decide what's a scam and what's not?).

"By law, companies can’t send unordered merchandise to you, then demand payment. That means you never have to pay for things you get but didn’t order. You also don’t have to return unordered merchandise. You’re legally entitled to keep it as a free gift."

 

[Digital_Sousaphone]

Damn bro. Life happens. Deal with it....or cry about it on the internet....seems to be the new new.

 

[Technerd108]

Any resolution?

 

[pshufd]

Other big companies…. Like Amazon for example have a far far better service. I think that’s why people on this thread are sympathetic with the OP. This is a poor response in comparison to what people would normally expect from an online retailer. I would expect a very small company to have a more cautious response to an expensive item but apple can afford to have a more customer centred response. Let’s just get our fanboy hats off and call it for what it is. It’s crap customer service.

I had this happen with Amazon with a paperback book. They sent me a second one after the first didn't arrive but indicated that it had been delivered. The other one arrived a few days later - it apparently had been delivered to another address. So I called them up and asked them what to do and they said just keep it. I think that I gave it to the local library. The book was around $8 so it would cost more to return it.

I don't know what they do with more expensive stuff as I've never run into that problem.

 

[eschap]

Update here. I emailed Tim Cook yesterday because I still hadn’t heard anything. Within an hour or two I received a phone call from someone on the executive relations team who had been forwarded my email. He started the call by stating that the response Apple had provided was totally unacceptable given the circumstances and he would personally see it through to resolution. So I guess some kudos for that. Anyway, I receive an updated order immediately following the call with new dates, which are another month out. He warned that the system would automatically reflect that timeframe (same as any new order would be shown) but that in reality I will receive it significantly sooner because behind the scenes this is being prioritized. Whether or not that comes to fruition, we will have to wait (sigh) and see, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since that’s all I can really do right now. I had customized my laptop with the 10/16/16, 32gb ram, 1 tb ssd configuration and I’m not sure that something like that is just sitting around in a store waiting to be sold. I just have to hope that I’ll jump to the front of the line of people waiting for that configuration.

With respect to the iPad, he made no mention of me keeping it. I received a pre paid postage label to send it back but I made clear that I’d prefer a courier come to get it. In truth there’s a fedex drop off a short walk from my house so I probably don’t need to fight over this, but the principle of me going out of my way to correct their mistake just bothers me. Probably some sort of character flaw there but whatever.

I guess the last thing for me to think about is what I ask for for my troubles if anything. If the laptop comes in the next week or so, I’ll drop this and move on. If it’s another two weeks+ AND I’m dropping the iPad off for them, I think applecare+ on the laptop paid for by Apple seems like a fair request.

Will update when something changes.

 

[pshufd]

Update here. I emailed Tim Cook yesterday because I still hadn’t heard anything. Within an hour or two I received a phone call from someone on the executive relations team who had been forwarded my email. He started the call by stating that the response Apple had provided was totally unacceptable given the circumstances and he would personally see it through to resolution. So I guess some kudos for that. Anyway, I receive an updated order immediately following the call with new dates, which are another month out. He warned that the system would automatically reflect that timeframe (same as any new order would be shown) but that in reality I will receive it significantly sooner because behind the scenes this is being prioritized. Whether or not that comes to fruition, we will have to wait (sigh) and see, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since that’s all I can really do right now. I had customized my laptop with the 10/16/16, 32gb ram, 1 tb ssd configuration and I’m not sure that something like that is just sitting around in a store waiting to be sold. I just have to hope that I’ll jump to the front of the line of people waiting for that configuration.

With respect to the iPad, he made no mention of me keeping it. I received a pre paid postage label to send it back but I made clear that I’d prefer a courier come to get it. In truth there’s a fedex drop off a short walk from my house so I probably don’t need to fight over this, but the principle of me going out of my way to correct their mistake just bothers me. Probably some sort of character flaw there but whatever.

I guess the last thing for me to think about is what I ask for for my troubles if anything. If the laptop comes in the next week or so, I’ll drop this and move on. If it’s another two weeks+ AND I’m dropping the iPad off for them, I think applecare+ on the laptop paid for by Apple seems like a fair request.

Will update when something changes.

People cancel orders or otherwise change their minds all the time and they could just reroute one of those to you. I cancelled an iPhone 13 mini but they shipped it to me anyways. I dropped the unopened shipping package off at my local Apple Store and I'm sure that they just sold it to someone else.

 

[andrewstirling]

I had this happen with Amazon with a paperback book. They sent me a second one after the first didn't arrive but indicated that it had been delivered. The other one arrived a few days later - it apparently had been delivered to another address. So I called them up and asked them what to do and they said just keep it. I think that I gave it to the local library. The book was around $8 so it would cost more to return it.

I don't know what they do with more expensive stuff as I've never run into that problem.

In the U.K. you print off a tracking label and the replacement is usually on its way the second it’s scanned at collection.

 

[kirbyrun]

Any punchline on this? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[eschap]

Any punchline on this? Inquiring minds want to know!

As a matter of fact, I got my shipping notification yesterday. It’s supposed to arrive next week, as early as Monday. All in all it will be about a two week additional delay and they’re sending a courier to pick up the iPad next week. So an annoying experience no doubt, but not really that big of a deal. I think the main lesson learned (for “serious” issues anyway) is to contact Tim Cook, as ridiculous as that sounds. Once I did that, a higher level rep got in touch with me and made things happen.

So now the question is do I ask for anything for my troubles, namely Apple Care? It’s two weeks extra time, although that’s 50% longer than the original expectation. I can convince myself that’s fair as easily as I can that I’m being obnoxious. Maybe both are true.

 

[profcutter]

Thank you for the update, it’s good to know what happened. I’m frankly surprised they didn’t just offer you something for your troubles. The fact that they just decided to do what they should have done in the first place, while asking you to return the iPad, seems a little greedy.

 

[mollyc]

did you send back the ipad?

 

[collin_]

So now the question is do I ask for anything for my troubles, namely Apple Care?

They don't have to give you anything for your troubles, but you also don't have to give them the iPad back (as in, you can legally keep it).

Would I give a $3,000,000,000,000 company who had wasted a decent chunk of my time the $329 iPad back? Personally, no. But that's entirely up to you. Just wanted to make you aware of the option as many consumers aren't familiar with US law on this topic.

EDIT: I think I already posted about that actually. Sorry I have a bad memory

 

[mi7chy]

That's for "unsolicited goods". For wrongly shipped item not only is it unethical to keep but shipper can legally pursue to get it back.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/39/3009

 

[russell_314]

did you send back the ipad?

they’re sending a courier to pick up the iPad next week.

From the OP. Apple has really good customer service compared to most companies. I've had an issue with Razer and it took two months to get any resolution for a defective product and they ended up sending me a lesser refurbished model as a "fix". I think Apple has set the bar so high with their customer service that when the rare problem does occur people expect Tim Cook to personally fly down to meet them and fix it.

 

[eschap]

Regardless of the law, I’m not going to keep the iPad. They are sending a courier and I’m fine giving it back. But hopefully they’ll be cool and not fight if I ask for something relatively small in return

 

[collin_]

That's for "unsolicited goods". For wrongly shipped item not only is it unethical to keep but shipper can legally pursue to get it back.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/39/3009

If a company ships you a product you didn't order, that technically is "unsolicited goods" even if you did order something else and that's what it was meant to be.

I know this all too well because Apple sent me over $1,000 of unsolicited goods years ago (2 Apple watches, you can find it in my post history).

Everyone told me that I was being scammed, but there was no evidence of that anywhere and it did not end up being any sort of scam. Just a genuine fluke.

Apple themselves told me to just keep the watches and I did seek legal console out of curiosity (before contacting Apple) and was assured that I had no legal obligation whatsoever to send them back.

I think I have posted this elsewhere in this thread but the FTC's website states the following:

"By law, companies can’t send unordered merchandise to you, then demand payment. That means you never have to pay for things you get but didn’t order. You also don’t have to return unordered merchandise. You’re legally entitled to keep it as a free gift."

Whether or not it is unethical to keep the goods in any given situation is a matter of personal opinion. I just wanted to make OP and others aware of the facts (regarding US federal law).

 

[Taz Mangus]

Regardless of the law, I’m not going to keep the iPad. They are sending a courier and I’m fine giving it back. But hopefully they’ll be cool and not fight if I ask for something relatively small in return

It shows that deep down you want to do the right thing even if it is a little bit of a hassle. It is interesting how things turn out when you least expect. If it was me, I would ask for something for my inconvenience. Asking for Apple Care might be a stretch considering how expensive it is. Maybe ask for 6 months of Apple Care monthly.

 

[the8thark]

But if McDonald's gets my Big Mac order wrong, I'm not going to go Ape Shyt.

You should though.
The Maccas staff learning how business works and the value of getting the order correct, each and every time is a valuable skill which future employers value highly.

In relation to the OP,

3 days is not too bad. However if there is no response after the 3 days, I will call Apple up and say you are going to involve the police if the situation is not rectified. Of cause you would have already forwarded to Apple, the evidence of this mistake. Apple need to be held to account to every single mistake, like we all should anytime a company makes a mistake.

 

[the8thark]

You're absolutely right.

You're entitled to exactly what you expect and nothing less.

The catch is many people's expectations do not fall in line with reality.

 

[andrewstirling]

But peoples expectations are most often set by their experiences with other companies. They sent the wrong item. This should have been resolved in the initial phone call. I think the OP was just unlucky to get a terrible call handler.

Apple have now apologised and accepted that their initial response was unsatisfactory. If I was in the OPs position that’s pretty much what I would have wanted to hear and he has eventually achieved a positive outcome. But let’s not defend the initial response from apple.

 

[icymountain]

Regardless of the law, I’m not going to keep the iPad. They are sending a courier and I’m fine giving it back. But hopefully they’ll be cool and not fight if I ask for something relatively small in return

I would do the same as you are doing, and also feel that a free AppleCare or something like this would be fair. It is not only about the delay, but also the trouble (especially since you had to escalate the thing to "email Tim Cook"...).