Absolutely LIVID with Apple.

[Bogart24]

I understand your frustration. Of course it's just a phone. That's not the point. You feel that you've been screwed. I would be angry too.

The iPhone distribution system is complicated, but in normal conditions is works miraculously well. However, when you want to operate outside of normal conditions, you have to expect some difficulty.

In this case, you returned a product that you bought from Verizon to Apple and rather than take it in for warranty repair they gave you a replacement. Normally in this situation I'm pretty sure the Apple Store would have simply given you a brand new product, but they probably had none in inventory.

I didn't enter a billing password at all on the online reservation system. You might want to try again. Also, I had an outstanding order for an iPhone from Apple online that I could not cancel on my own because it considered the Applecare, which was linked to the phone, to have been delivered. And I could not get through to customer service. This meant I had some trouble making a reservation for in-store pick up because the system thought AT&T had already used my upgrade.

You may be in a similar situation unless you cancel your Verizon phone (and allow time for the cancellation to be processed.)

 

[dthmtlgod]

This I did understand, but does this mean that I should just suck it up and take a replacement that may or may not have been dropped on the ground at some point before I take possession? If it had, and then stops working, it's conceivable that they could deny another replacement citing damage that's not covered under warranty. I'd be fine with that if it were me that did the damage, but if it were pre-damaged that would be a problem.

I'm shocked that nobody seems to be able to understand this.

A dent and scratch does not mean a defective phone. I am sure they have done all their refurb steps. If the dent and scratch are an issue with you, but on a case.

 

[Cougarcat]

Since the iPhone 5 launched, this place has become a plethora of First World Problems.

You mean since MR launched. This is a site about expensive shiny electronics, after all.

 

[bowlerman625]

cool story bro

 

[KPOM]

Yeah I tried that, Verizon can't activate another phone to my account while this replacement is pending. They also don't do loaners. I have old Verizon phones from when I was with them a few years ago, but they can't activate one for me because of this new one that's supposedly coming.

As for Apple, I was willing to take something from the replacement stock, just not something I couldn't be sure hadn't been dropped on the ground. I was surprised and shocked that they weren't willing to help me find one that wasn't damaged, that's all. I'm used to Apple providing the highest levels of customer service; and that wasn't my experience this time.

I'm sure you're all independently wealthy, but I'm not. I expect a certain level of quality from the things I choose to spend my money on (as anyone should) and especially in the case of high priced electronics that are marketed as a piece of art as much as a functional telephone.

I'm not sure what my wealth or lack thereof has to do with any of this. I agree it's frustrating getting back an item with a cosmetic flaw. However, I don't think these replacement phones have been deliberately dropped or that you have anything to worry about mechanically. If you recall the first couple of days this board was flooded with complaints about "pre-scratched" units that appeared to be cosmetic production flaws. Those threads have since died down quite a bit, which suggests to me it's a bit less widespread than initially reported. But nevertheless they exist.

My guess is that the reason they are in the replacement stock in the first place is that somewhere along the line (either in shipment or at the store) they were identified as cosmetically damaged and pulled out of the retail sales channel.

Unfortunately, until supplies improve, this is going to be an issue. Since you bought it from Verizon, your best bet is to take it back to Verizon and ask them to pull something from one of their shipments. Doing a "cross exchange" at a different retailer, even one owned by the manufacturer, commonly creates issues because systems don't talk to each other.

 

[tigerfan41]

Verizon lied to you. Unless they pull off a miracle, it will be the end of October before they get you the new iPhone. When I went in there earlier this week and the rep and I spoke to Verizon corporate, I was informed that they wouldn't ship me my replacement (for an iPhone with a defective home button) until at least October 21. Not only that, but I was told that I would have to pay the $300 AGAIN for the new phone and then get $300 refunded once I received the new phone and returned the old one.

They wouldn't budge on this with me and again, unless they lied to me and others I've talked to who had the same issue with getting a replacement, I'm afraid they're not going to budge for you.

I ended up taking my defective iPhone to an Apple store about 1 hr away. They replaced it and the one I got is in brand new condition, no chips, no scratches, and it works flawlessly (it's a white one). I'm a happy customer as a result.....not with Apple's QC, but with their retail store.

It's probably too late for you to do this, but why didn't you try your luck with another Apple store? I realize it's a bit of a hassle, but I've heard that some are really good about customer service while others aren't. I'm guessing the one you went to doesn't really give a **** about customers.