Apple Store refused to help because I purchased through Verizon?

[ProMod]

My phone's bezel had several chips out of the box, and after using it for several days, everyone I talk to says I sound horrible and they sound bad on my end too. So I think I have at least two legitimate reasons to try an exchange.

I first visited the Verizon store because it's closer. They said they would gladly do an exchange, but they had no stock and wouldn't be able to get me a phone until the middle of October. They suggested I try the Apple store.

So I booked a Genius appt. and went in this evening. The guy barely finished greeting me when he said there was nothing he could do to help me since I had purchased my phone through Verizon. He said all Verizon and Sprint exchanges had to be handled through the carriers, but they could swap out phones purchased through Apple directly or AT&T (huh?). He told me if I had ordered through Apple they would give me a "white box" swap, but that "right now" Apple is mandating that only phones purchased directly through Apple (and apparently AT&T) are eligible for swaps at the Apple Store. Verizon and Sprint customers are SOL.

I was stunned. I've owned every generation iPhone and have never been told this. Of course all of my previous iPhone purchases were directly from Apple, but I went through Verizon this time because I was porting over two separate AT&T accounts into one new Verizon share plan, and I couldn't perform that procedure on Apple's site during pre-orders.

What is going on here? Is this even remotely true? Could it be something Apple has implemented due to stock shortage? I feel like the guy was just ready to go home for the day or something.

 

[verwon]

I'm betting it's due to the high demand.

 

[killerrobot]

Call Apple and talk to them on the phone. There's no reason the store shouldn't be willing to help as it's an Apple product no matter where you bought it from.

 

[aquadisiac]

The guy barely finished greeting me when he said there was nothing he could do to help me since I had purchased my phone through Verizon. He said all Verizon and Sprint exchanges had to be handled through the carriers, but they could swap out phones purchased through Apple directly or AT&T (huh?). He told me if I had ordered through Apple they would give me a "white box" swap, but that "right now" Apple is mandating that only phones purchased directly through Apple (and apparently AT&T) are eligible for swaps at the Apple Store. Verizon and Sprint customers are SOL.

That's incorrect. I purchased mine from Verizon and they swapped it out last night at my local Apple store. They didnt even ask where i bought it from.

Did you get his name? It's so funny how the "geniuses" spew untruths with confidence. Better go back or go to another Apple store and ask to speak with a manager if they tell you the same thing.

 

[ProMod]

Call Apple and talk to them on the phone. There's no reason the store shouldn't be willing to help as it's an Apple product no matter where you bought it from.

That's exactly what I thought their policy was. I'll be calling Apple and laying the wood.

 

[CrazyMutha29]

Did you approach the conversation as though you wanted to exchange your purchase (which was not through Apple)? Maybe the Genius didn't understand you we're looking for a warranty replacement... Or, like others have said, your Genius was just lazy. I would try them again... No reason they shouldn't replace your phone.

 

[ProMod]

Did you approach the conversation as though you wanted to exchange your purchase (which was not through Apple)? Maybe the Genius didn't understand you we're looking for a warranty replacement... Or, like others have said, your Genius was just lazy. I would try them again... No reason they shouldn't replace your phone.

No I approached it as though I would like a swap for one of the replacement phones that I knew they had in the back. His response was that they could only do that if I had purchased through Apple or AT&T. He said they didn't have warranty parts for repairs. Dude was clueless and I was too dumbfounded to go any further.

 

[Puevlo]

They are legally obligated to honour the warranty regardless of where it was purchased from. It's entirely your choice where you decide to get the phone replaced.

 

[RxMac]

Must have just recently changed, I had mine replaced today at 2:30 at the apple store and it was purchased through verizon on launch day. Mine was due to cellular problems.

 

[TannerH]

My phone's bezel had several chips out of the box, and after using it for several days, everyone I talk to says I sound horrible and they sound bad on my end too. So I think I have at least two legitimate reasons to try an exchange.

I first visited the Verizon store because it's closer. They said they would gladly do an exchange, but they had no stock and wouldn't be able to get me a phone until the middle of October. They suggested I try the Apple store.

So I booked a Genius appt. and went in this evening. The guy barely finished greeting me when he said there was nothing he could do to help me since I had purchased my phone through Verizon. He said all Verizon and Sprint exchanges had to be handled through the carriers, but they could swap out phones purchased through Apple directly or AT&T (huh?). He told me if I had ordered through Apple they would give me a "white box" swap, but that "right now" Apple is mandating that only phones purchased directly through Apple (and apparently AT&T) are eligible for swaps at the Apple Store. Verizon and Sprint customers are SOL.

I was stunned. I've owned every generation iPhone and have never been told this. Of course all of my previous iPhone purchases were directly from Apple, but I went through Verizon this time because I was porting over two separate AT&T accounts into one new Verizon share plan, and I couldn't perform that procedure on Apple's site during pre-orders.

What is going on here? Is this even remotely true? Could it be something Apple has implemented due to stock shortage? I feel like the guy was just ready to go home for the day or something.

I purchased mine directly from Verizon and I can tell you that is not true. Mine had nicks and scratches. I took it into an Apple Retail Store and had it replaced in under a half hour. It was a white box replacement, and now it has a replacement Model Number (after only three days!) but, it works.

 

[ProMod]

I scheduled a call for today from Apple. Just got off the phone with them. They were shocked I was told they couldn't help me. They set me up with another appointment to try again today.