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My Experience returning iPhone 4

J

jasondono

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 6, 2009
56
0
Brooklyn, NY
I decided to return my iP4 and go back to my 3GS. I've been having slow data, including the capped upload speed. Dropped calls and poor call quality, even standing in the same room with my Microcell(avoiding the "deathgrip"). Decided to return and see if they fix the problems.

First I called At&t and tried to get my 3Gs turned back on. I was told that they can't reactivate a sim card, and that I would have to purchase a new one for $30. When I expressed my disbelief at the unfairness of this, she recommended that I try an Apple store and maybe they would give me one for free.

So I decided to kill two birds with one stone. I made a genius bar appointment hoping to return my phone and get a new sim card. I was told at the Apple store that I couldn't return my phone to them because I had ordered it online. ALso told that if I tried a replacement I would not be allowed to do a return if I was also unhappy with it. They did give me a free sim card for my 3GS though.

This morning I tried to do a return through the Apple store website and it informed me that I was out of the return window. So I called and waited a half hour on hold. I told the rep that I wanted to return the iphone and she told me I was outside of the return window, but she would try to get an exception, but I would have to pay a 10% restocking fee. I told her that the Apple store website says that there is a 30 window for the iPhone http://storeimages.apple.com/1721/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/salespolicies.html#iphonereturns) and says nothing about a restocking fee, besides which, wasn't there a press release saying that they were waiving a restocking fee because of the reception problems? She said that there is no reception problem, it was just a software problem that has been updated, but she would also try to get the restocking fee waived.

Upshot, they are taking the return, no restocking fee and they are paying shipping. If I hadn't asked though, i would have been charged.

All in all, a very frustrating experience.
 
Sorry to hear about that, but at least there was some light at the end of the tunnel with the waived fees. There's nothing wrong with asking, it's your money or theirs!
 
One suggestion:

Sell the iP4 for several hundred.

Get sim card adaptor for your 3G.

Of course, this doesn't reset your AT&T contract...
 
Neat.
 

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rotobadger said:
One suggestion:

Sell the iP4 for several hundred.

Get sim card adaptor for your 3G.

Of course, this doesn't reset your AT&T contract...
Click to expand...

x2... the iPhone 4 is still worth alot on eBay, at least $700. Sell it, buy a used 3GS on eBay for $300, and make some money.
 
aluren said:
x2... the iPhone 4 is still worth alot on eBay, at least $700. Sell it, buy a used 3GS on eBay for $300, and make some money.
Click to expand...
I wanted to go back to my old contract and I wanted the option to purchase a new iPhone if they resolve the problems. Also holding out hope for a verizon iPhone at year end when my contract expires.
 
How Long Do We Have To Return The 4 Phone?

jasondono said:
I decided to return my iP4 and go back to my 3GS.
(edited)
I was told at the Apple store that I couldn't return my phone to them because I had ordered it online. ALso told that if I tried a replacement I would not be allowed to do a return if I was also unhappy with it.

This morning I tried to do a return through the Apple store website and it informed me that I was out of the return window. So I called and waited a half hour on hold. I told the rep that I wanted to return the iphone and she told me I was outside of the return window
Click to expand...

WAIT - How can you already be outside the return window? No one got the phone until the 23rd? Are they counting the days from when it was shipped? Are you in the US?

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE? (those of us who ordered for shipping on launch?)

I wonder if the warning that you could not return the replacement had to do with the end of the return window rather than the concept that you cannot return a replaced phone?
 
bushbaby said:
WAIT - How can you already be outside the return window? No one got the phone until the 23rd? Are they counting the days from when it was shipped? Are you in the US?

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE? (those of us who ordered for shipping on launch?)

I wonder if the warning that you could not return the replacement had to do with the end of the return window rather than the concept that you cannot return a replaced phone?
Click to expand...

She said it was 14 days. According to their site, though, it should be 30 days for the iPhone. It seems that they are trying to make it as difficult as possible. The uninformed consumer will try to return it through the website, be told it's too late ang give up. Or be told by a rep and give up. Pretty dishonest.
 
What did they use as your "purchase date" to start the countdown? Was it when you ordered it online or when you received the phone?

Because most of us who ordered from Apple.com for launch delivery are figuring we have 30 days from when we received the phone.
 
bushbaby said:
What did they use as your "purchase date" to start the countdown? Was it when you ordered it online or when you received the phone?

Because most of us who ordered from Apple.com for launch delivery are figuring we have 30 days from when we received the phone.
Click to expand...

You do have thirty days, she was either lying or mistaken. I assume it's from receipt. Starting the clock from when you preordered would make no sense.
 
rotobadger said:
One suggestion:

Sell the iP4 for several hundred.

Get sim card adaptor for your 3G.

Of course, this doesn't reset your AT&T contract...
Click to expand...

I'm planning to either do what the OP did (thanks for that post, it might help me when/if I have to go through this) or sell the iP4 to a local guy who was buying them the 24th for $850 (doubt the price is the same now). My only question: Is there an adaptor for micro SIM to SIM? I haven't seen any posts for that (nor, admittedly, have I done a google search).
 
rburly said:
I'm planning to either do what the OP did (thanks for that post, it might help me when/if I have to go through this) or sell the iP4 to a local guy who was buying them the 24th for $850 (doubt the price is the same now). My only question: Is there an adaptor for micro SIM to SIM? I haven't seen any posts for that (nor, admittedly, have I done a google search).
Click to expand...

Check Ebay. You can also make one yourself fairly easily (I did) but I would not recommend the homemade version for a longterm solution.
 
Apple Liars

jasondono said:
She said that there is no reception problem, it was just a software problem that has been updated, but she would also try to get the restocking fee waived.
Click to expand...

Great to see that Apple still refuses to acknowledge the issue and instructs their CSR's to LIE to customers. :rolleyes:
 
I had a very similar experience, when I returned my iphone 4 today.
1. Called apple (wait time 22 minutes). Advisor says "easiest way to return your phone is to take it to the nearest apple store. But remember to port your number to the old phone before you take it to the apple store"

2. Called AT&T, they said "No you return the phone to apple and then come to us; we'll give you a new sim as we cannot activate the old sim".

3. I took my old phone to AT&T first. They give a little resistance about not being able to port the number. I told them that I spoke to apple support and they asked me to get the number ported before returning so I have a working phone after I return. They grumble and replace the old SIM on my 3G.

** Now my 3G phone works and the iphone 4 does not. I reset the iphone 4.

4. I take the iphone 4 to apple store and they tell me that they cannot process the return of an online ordered iphone 4. They show me a device that they use for managing iphone orders and tell me that the device does not recognize online orders. So I have to call online support. I tell them that online support asked me to take it to the apple store in the first place!

5. Apple store calls apple online store (45 minutes wait time). They haggle and fight between themselves. I overhear the online store wanting a 10% restocking fee and shipping for the return. Apple store supervisor gets involved at this point; she explains some internal memo on July 10th that indicates no restocking fee or shipping; and how they have processed similar returns. Some silence and am informed that I will get two emails, one from apple online store confirming the return and the second from fedex with the shipping label.

6. The 2 said emails arrive in my inbox. I thank the (friendly) apple store employee and supervisor for putting up with me at the cash counter for an hour and 30 minutes. Get to fedex, print the shipping label, pay $10 for packaging and ship the iphone 4 to the online store returns center in PA.

So if anyone else reading this thread, planning to return the iphone 4. Please call them during odd hours (say 1 AM or 6AM) to have a shorter wait time. Else you have a 45 minute wait time. Please don't fall into the trap of paying the restocking fee or shipping the product back. Its defective, its does not work for you and its not right for you to pay for the shipping or restocking. And plan on spending atleast half your day completing the return!
 
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