Apple Return Policy - 14 Day Leniency?

[jprovost]

Anyone have experience where the Apple Store would return a product well beyond the 14-day window when a customer is very dissatisfied with the product and wishes to upgrade?

Backstory:

I bought an Airport Express on October 14, to replace a Belkin mostly for Nintendo DS compatibility but also naturally for under-desk sexiness, and was initially impressed. Beautiful design, easy to set up, effective interface, and AirTunes was a great added feature. 14 days came and went and I was pretty happy with the purchase.

In the month since though, I've had frequent interference problems that I never had with my previous wireless router. I work at home and the router works flawlessly all day, but come 4-5pm, the cutouts begin and continue sporadically all night until about 10-11. I'd wager it's caused by a cordless phone in the 2.4Ghz band in an adjacent apartment... but it could be the 35+ wifi networks within range of me. Anyways, this has left me extremely dissatisfied with the product - especially since I can't plug into the Express when the cutouts start, it lacking any LAN plugs.

I've done some reading and it sounds like I can save myself these maddening cutouts by getting an Airport Extreme as it operates in the near-vacant 5Ghz band.

None of this is really Apple's fault, but if I can't exchange the Express for an Extreme (+$80), the Express is getting shelved and I'll have to go back to the Belkin...

 

[GoCubsGo]

Anyone have experience where the Apple Store would return a product well beyond the 14-day window when a customer is very dissatisfied with the product and wishes to upgrade?

Backstory:

I bought an Airport Express on October 14, to replace a Belkin mostly for Nintendo DS compatibility but also naturally for under-desk sexiness, and was initially impressed. Beautiful design, easy to set up, effective interface, and AirTunes was a great added feature. 14 days came and went and I was pretty happy with the purchase.

In the month since though, I've had frequent interference problems that I never had with my previous wireless router. I work at home and the router works flawlessly all day, but come 4-5pm, the cutouts begin and continue sporadically all night until about 10-11. I'd wager it's caused by a cordless phone in the 2.4Ghz band in an adjacent apartment... but it could be the 35+ wifi networks within range of me. Anyways, this has left me extremely dissatisfied with the product - especially since I can't plug into the Express when the cutouts start, it lacking any LAN plugs.

I've done some reading and it sounds like I can save myself these maddening cutouts by getting an Airport Extreme as it operates in the near-vacant 5Ghz band.

None of this is really Apple's fault, but if I can't exchange the Express for an Extreme (+$80), the Express is getting shelved and I'll have to go back to the Belkin...

Well, over a month of use I'd say no. I thought this would have been that you just missed your window. Your very best bet is to not shelve the item but to sell it. The item new is $99, with an educational discount (at least through my university) it is $89. I would wager that you could easily ask for $70 shipped for the item, not really too huge of a cost savings to the student because for $19 more they could get new in the event there is an issue with the airport express, but still a savings nonetheless. I would not sell for less than $60 shipped though. That is one idea.

The other idea is to trade for the item you want plus cash. + $80 for the extreme you have to pony up some cash. Why would anyone want to downgrade? My guess would be in a dorm-like situation it may be handier or something like that. Don't just toss the item aside though because it is a saleable item.

As for your issue with interference, I do believe you nailed the cause and it sounds like you are in a very city like setting if you have that may wifi networks around you.

 

[jprovost]

Selling it makes sense, and a trade sounds ideal. I'll probably try to unload it locally to save the cost of shipping. Craigslist, ahoy!