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Resolved Apple doesn't seem to want their phone back

daneoni

daneoni

macrumors G5
Original poster
Mar 24, 2006
12,034
1,951
The 4S i received on launch day came with a scratch on the screen so i called Apple and they organized a replacement (which arrived), and told me UPS would call me to arrange pick up of the old phone within 72hrs.

That was over 4 weeks ago. I called them again to remind them and they fed me the same line. That was last monday.

Maybe they just don't want it

*shrug*...oh well, i've done my part. If they end up not collecting then i'll just sell it off :p
 
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Just be careful, even though it is there screw up they will probably end up trying to charge you for the phone that was not returned.
 
You cannot sell the phone they replaced, it's not your property... Don't be stupid.
 
daneoni said:
:confused:

The phone which was replaced and hasn't been collected.

Did u...even...read my post
Click to expand...

Your post didn't say that you received your new phone, just that they were picking up the old one so it wasn't very clear at all.

If they don't get it back, you will be charged full price for the replacement. You need to try a little harder.
 
*sigh*...i'm not actually going to sell the phone...i have no need to. i'm just curious if people have had similar experiences and how it panned out.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

Be patient...
 
Are you dealing with the Apple Online Store, or with Apple Technical Support/warranty claims? (If the replacement you received just included the phone, probably the latter; if you got a new shrinkwrap box replacement with all new accessories, then I'm sure the former.)

I've never dealt with the Online Store as far as exchanges go, so I can't help you there, but if the replacement came from warranty claims, I would check any printed instructions that came with the replacement...it's possible you missed them and/or are misunderstanding them and the telephone reps you have been speaking with.

(Mind you that what I'm about to tell you is true in the U.S. and that I don't know how Apple may operate outside of the U.S.)

Whenever I have had to deal with a warranty replacement situation with iPhone, I have been given 2 options: standard service, or express service (otherwise known as "advance replacement"). With standard service, you ship them your old phone *first*, and then they ship the replacement out after they get it and have had a chance to inspect it. With express service, they will ship you the replacement first so that you are never without a phone. This service costs $30 per event unless you have AppleCare, in which case it is complementary. Also, in addition to the $30 (which is non-recoverable), Apple will put a hold on your credit card in the amount of the full retail price of the iPhone model that is being serviced, in case you don't follow through with returning the old phone.

When I've used the standard service, Apple just tells me to take the phone down to my local UPS Store. Apple has an agreement with UPS where you can just drop the phone off to them, you give UPS the RMA#, and they'll even box the phone up for you, and then ship it off to Apple on Apple's dime. Pretty convenient.

In every instance where I have opted for express service, the box that they ship me the replacement phone in is the same box that they want me to use to ship the old phone back in. There will be a pre-paid return label already attached to the box, and they (typically) use FedEx for both the shipping and return shipping. I typically just take the box down to my local FedEx Kinkos center after I've got the old phone bundled up in there and drop it off as I've found that's the easiest way to get it back to them (especially since it's close to where I work). You *can* schedule a pick-up with FedEx, and it won't cost you anything extra, but doing so *is your direct responsibility* if that's the way you want to go; Apple's not going to schedule the pick-up for you.

When using express service, you need to be aware that you have a *very* limited amount of time to return the old phone to them before the hold charge they placed on your credit card becomes permanent. I want to say this is somewhere between 3-7 days, if that! So if it has been 4 whole weeks, you might be out of luck by this point!

So call Apple again, read every scrap of paper that came with the replacement phone, and make sure your understanding of the situation is correct, because the way you say they are handling your case is like nothing I've ever either heard of them doing or experienced myself...

-- Nathan
 
^^

Mine is the Apple Online route so a shrink wrapped phone got to me first. I was told to repack the old phone and put an RMA number on its box, and that UPS would call and arrange pickup. Same exact instructions in the email and same exact instructions when i called them up again to remind them. Nothing else besides packing receipts in either boxes.

Guess i'll just keep waiting.

Thanks for the info though, really helpful.
 
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Okay, well if it is Apple Online Store, and they shipped you a second shrinkwrapped phone, then this is different than anything I've dealt with.

Only other thing I might add is that although I have not exchanged an iPhone through Apple Online Store, I have *returned* an iPhone through them within the 30 days. In that case, they issued me a pre-paid FedEx label that they sent to me via e-mail and that I had to print out myself before taking it down to FedEx Kinkos to ship it off. When I went to the site and logged into my account to initiate the return, they gave me an option to print a non-prepaid return label that I could use with the carrier of my choice (but then I would be responsible for paying postage), or I could call and ask them for a pre-paid FedEx label, and that's exactly what I did. At no time did they give me the option of having them schedule a UPS pick-up for me.

I'd still call them again.

-- Nathan
 
A few years ago we had an X Serve on lease from Apple Business. When the lease came to an end, they offered us the chance to purchase it at a reduced rate. We didn't have any need for it then, so said we didn't want it and asked them to collect it. It took over 6 months and half a dozen reminders before they finally picked it up so you'll just have to keep reminding them!
 
You a just one of a million... imagine how many returns do they need to handle since 4S is launched??
 
why don't you call UPS yourself and arrange a pickup?


you're making this harder than it's supposed to be, and starting a stupid thread. i understand UPS didn't give you a call, but that's outside Apple's control now.. they don't RUN UPS.
 
if they do not get the phone back, they will charge you for the phone eventually. Even though you took the steps to return it to them, they will discover the phone out of inventory and track it back to you. They will seek payment for this inventoried product.

Do not fool yourself into thinking you have a free phone. You do not. Apple is dropping the ball on the return, but they will get paid.

I would speak with somebody in customer service and ask for a manager/supervisor and let em know its been 4 weeks and they need to get their property.
 
If you already have the RMA paperwork I'd just call the courier directly. For various products I've dealt with I just called them up and said I have an RMA ready for pickup, and fixed the label on it. No questions asked. Apple is probably too busy on their end but it's better to do that instead of having them charge you full price way down the line - and better than sitting around with the phone collecting dust for a year while you wait.
 
daneoni said:
*sigh*...i'm not actually going to sell the phone...i have no need to. i'm just curious if people have had similar experiences and how it panned out.
Click to expand...

"*shrug*...oh well, i've done my part. If they end up not collecting then i'll just sell it off"

You said it yourself that you were gonna sell it off
 
Called Apple again yesterday and was told they'd put the request through again and reassured me (again) that i'd get a call within 72hrs.

Got the UPS call today and they'll do the pickup tomorrow.
 
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