Apple Now Allowing Band-Only Returns For Ill-Fitting Solo Loop

[44267547]

Love eating all this claim chowder from the big-brain geniuses in the original thread who were trying to blame me for getting the wrong band when the Apple support agent repeatedly reiterated that the nylon loops ran big and I did order the right size based on my measurements using the paper tool. Nom nom nom.

I wasn’t one of those numbers in that thread ridiculing you, but your screenshots from that thread that you were a bit entitled, and not to mention, but there was a lot initial confusion at first regarding the band sizing and others were essentially indicating that you didn’t measure your wrist properly, thus leading them to believe you made the wrong decision on the band size. Regardless, your above post is Unnecessary and juvenile. It’s like you feel the need to yell and shout acting like ‘I told you so’.

It’s good that Apple is rectifying the issue for everyone, but there’s no need to go around and gloat because you feel the need to ‘prove something‘ because you were originally chastised.

 

[AirunJae]

See, was that so difficult?

 

[fhopper]

Some Product Manager should be fired, his boss and who ever is in operations dealing with the manufacturer.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I am glad to see Apple finally changing policy. This release has been botched from the beginning, Hopefully, it will be much better next year.

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

Trillion dollar company and watch bands ... Apple is Not doomed at all - but these are signs for a rotten apple!

 

[JPSaltzman]

Apple will discontinue this type of band within 3 months. You can bet on it. It's costing them too much money.

Must. Keep. Stockholders. Happy.

 

[bodonnell202]

They really need to make the watches a separate package from the bands moving forward... that way they can ship and do the combos more efficiently / faster.

They actually are separate now (or at least they were when I purchased my series 5), there’s one box with the Watch and charger, and then the band in a separate box (the same box it would come in if you bought it individually) and those two items are put together in a fold up box which isn’t sealed. That’s why I thought it was silly that they weren’t just doing exchanges of the band right from the start.

 

[tzm41]

I was able to do an exchange through online chat this morning with out having to do it over the phone.

Just chatted with online specialists. They told me they can't do anything and to call over the phone instead...

 

[Roichu]

Does this apply to spanish costumers too? I ordered my S6 with a Size 8 band but I ended needing a 6 :/

 

[joeblough]

i just chatted with an online specialist and alls they did was to make me an appt at a local apple store. i will go, but they show out-of-stock for the color/size band i think i need as a replacement. i never opened the watch (tested band with s5) so maybe they will just give me a whole new kit. not looking forward to all the interaction during COVID though.

 

[Mr. Dee]

The MBA who made the original decision probably got fired to make this happen and its probably thanks to a designer who went straight Tim.

 

[rmoliv]

Whoever is responsible for this mess, have they been FIRED yet? The whole method of taking one's wrist's measurement they came up with is beyond belief...

 

[44267547]

i just chatted with an online specialist and alls they did was to make me an appt at a local apple store. i will go, but they show out-of-stock for the color/size band i think i need as a replacement. i never opened the watch (tested band with s5) so maybe they will just give me a whole new kit. not looking forward to all the interaction during COVID though.

I wouldn’t chance it. I would see if they can arrange where they can ship you one when they have available stock. Unless they can guarantee you that you can just make an exchange without any hassle, but like you said, I wouldn’t want to surround myself around all people inside the store. A bit risky over a watch band.

 

[frostbit3]

I'm on the phone with apple right now (have been for 45+ mins) this entire process has been a nightmare. Spent 30 mins talking to a support supervisor who was trying to claim I was outside of the 14 day window even though the watch was just released. Then she told me I did the right thing to order a new watch. Had to explain for the 6th time that the point was for me to cancel my second watch that I was forced to make, and just get my band replaced.

I've now been transferred to a third person who at least understands what I'm trying to accomplish and is working on it.

Very frustrating apple.

 

[deeddawg]

What we see as common sense, Apple's seeing as avoiding the high cost of taking in all these otherwise functional watches and parking them for refurbs, all while delaying revenue from other customers due to pushed out new watch delivery date.

IMHO the inability to do band swaps independent of the watch is a huge miss on Apple's part. Hopefully they will soon move to a model in which the watch and band are sold as independent line items (yet still delivered together).

 

[Bobby Koke]

Currently on hold with Apple, they were initially unaware of the solo loop band style and asked if I tried tightening it They are processing a repair request for the band and the system keeps crashing on their end.

 

[cocky jeremy]

It was a matter of time until they changed the policy on it.

 

[lsh]

Don’t forget to make a ‘shopping specialist’ appointment or you may not get in the store. I made an appointment and their tool showed i was on the line between 5&6 - shopping for a braidied solo. With the 6, it felt like the watch itself was too heavy for the band and was flopping a bit. With my wrist upside down, their was space between my arm and band But the 5 felt right.

 

[Analog Kid]

Holy Patata! Apple does listen!

Also, I’m sure the original approach had become an burdensome and costly process that they likely would have needed to correct regardless...

 

[jbarbuto]

I just called. They said I need to make an appointment in-person at the Apple Store. Kind of surprised by the low level of customer service this time around. They're usually more accommodating. This is an expensive band for this kind of an error and forcing another trip to the store. The band measuring device estimated way too big...

 

[TeamMojo]

Love eating all this claim chowder from people in the original thread who were trying to blame me for getting the wrong band when the Apple support agent repeatedly reiterated that the nylon loops ran big and I did order the right size based on my measurements using the paper tool. Nom nom nom.

MacRumors removed my initial comment because they said it was an insult. So I will restate. I think you could have been more cordial in your initial interactions with Apple and posts to Twitter.

 

[curdy]

On the phone with Apple now from Canada and the support person has no idea about this...

 

[CommishME]

Well this Pretty much sucks since I just returned mine 2 hrs ago to the fedex drop off since they wouldn’t swap out the band. Now I’m waiting another month and I ordered it with a traditional band so I didn’t have to wait 2 months. Plus I ordered the braided loop in the correct size separately so if it’s too small I could return it without having to return it again. That was after two texting conversations with Apple right after I got it yesterday and today around noon.

 

[joeblough]

I wouldn’t chance it. I would see if they can arrange where they can ship you one when they have available stock. Unless they can guarantee you that you can just make an exchange without any hassle, but like you said, I wouldn’t want to surround myself around all people inside the store. A bit risky over a watch band.

well, i'll check it out. i went to a different apple store in the middle of this pandemic to pick up a MBP and it was pretty painless; everything happened outside. of course right now this county (northern ca) is in a lower risk tier and i think indoor biz might be permitted right now. so they might have me standing around inside in which case i'll probably just bail.

i actually already ordered a new band yesterday and they are back ordered till oct 23. so even if they ship me one it's going to take forever. i can see online that some stores do have stock of certain colors/sizes so they are probably prioritizing in-person band-related stuff rather than by mail.

we'll see.

 

[Fred Zed]

This is becoming very controversial LOL

People not reading instructions on how to measure their wrist sizes is comical. I bet some don’t even know what area of the wrist to measure.