I trade in two iphone 12 pro. Apple just received it and I can see online that now part (or all) of the trade in will be refunded with a gift card. What is this ? they did not tell me about the gift card thing when I sent the phones. I want money back on my credit card! Anybody had the same problem?
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iPhone 13 Pro Apple trade in issue
- Thread starter topomango
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Sorry but the trade in deals aren't a money back refund..they're usually credit or credits toward a newer phone. Apples deal seems to be a gift card which is pretty cool. Be sure to always read the fine print when doing trade ins...
Trade in Refunds go to Apple gift cards.
But don’t worry- they’re actually doing you favor to save money towards your next iPhone purchase. Because everyone eventually has to buy another iPhone.
But a 14 day return item will get credited back to the source that was used to pay for it.
But don’t worry- they’re actually doing you favor to save money towards your next iPhone purchase. Because everyone eventually has to buy another iPhone.
But a 14 day return item will get credited back to the source that was used to pay for it.
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Not true. Last year I got money back in my credit card. It’s something they implement this year.
You might have to call Apple. I got my refund return to my Apple card but I also traded in my phone at the store that day.
The trade in should be refunded to the credit card used if you did it online. Even at the Apple Store Retail side, you can even give them your debit card and they will put that trade in credit. I’ve done this multiple times already when apple started this program.
I did trade in in store this year, when I got to the store they were confused saying they weren’t doing in store trade ins this year. I showed them the screen shot from my pickup showing that it said to trade in at the store, the guy said “oh I guess we are doing it for some people.” I immediately got credited for the same amount on my new phone but then at the end of the transaction it popped up on the screen to give me a $60 gift card. They couldn‘t figure out why it turns out there’s a tax law in my state where original tax paid has to go back to the consumer when they trade a device in (phones, cars, etc).
Anyways, talked to someone else who works there later and they said it should have been refunded back to my credit card NOT a gift card. Apparently apple store will only refund to CC with manager override, they try not to as it somehow looks worse for their numbers (what a separate employee told me, also workers weren’t trained properly on trade ins in the first place). Entire thing sounded sketchy how can you force consumers to use a gift card when the STORE itself owes you tax money (separate from a phone credit)?? Heard 3 different conflicting answers from different employees, it’s a mess.
Anyways, talked to someone else who works there later and they said it should have been refunded back to my credit card NOT a gift card. Apparently apple store will only refund to CC with manager override, they try not to as it somehow looks worse for their numbers (what a separate employee told me, also workers weren’t trained properly on trade ins in the first place). Entire thing sounded sketchy how can you force consumers to use a gift card when the STORE itself owes you tax money (separate from a phone credit)?? Heard 3 different conflicting answers from different employees, it’s a mess.
I'm rather confused as I always assumed (also by reading online) that trade-in will also go to apple gift card? I was surprised when a friend of mine went down to Apple to do a trade-in (after getting the 13, but she did not check that box when buying the new 13). She told me they gave her the trade-in amount back onto a debit card (they told her even a credit card would be okay).
So I'm wondering if they did this because they assumed she got a new phone and is doing a trade-in for the new phone? Or is this just a regular thing where you could request to get the amount back onto your credit card? Also, I traded in my ipad pro (wasn't using it at all) in-store and they just gave me a gift card, I was not offered any option to have it put back on either a debit or credit card.
Update: So, I think I know how this work now. I went into the store to trade in my iphone 12 today. Once everything was good and verified it initially showed up as gift card. I then asked if it was okay to get it back on my CC (I mentioned that I had purchased a new iphoen 13), they asked to see proof and also took down the online order number, which after they had to get a manger authorization to give my money back on my cc. This is very different than my previous experience where I would trade-in just to get store credit (with my Ipad pro). So, in conclusion, OP should have gotten refund back on his CC.
So I'm wondering if they did this because they assumed she got a new phone and is doing a trade-in for the new phone? Or is this just a regular thing where you could request to get the amount back onto your credit card? Also, I traded in my ipad pro (wasn't using it at all) in-store and they just gave me a gift card, I was not offered any option to have it put back on either a debit or credit card.
Update: So, I think I know how this work now. I went into the store to trade in my iphone 12 today. Once everything was good and verified it initially showed up as gift card. I then asked if it was okay to get it back on my CC (I mentioned that I had purchased a new iphoen 13), they asked to see proof and also took down the online order number, which after they had to get a manger authorization to give my money back on my cc. This is very different than my previous experience where I would trade-in just to get store credit (with my Ipad pro). So, in conclusion, OP should have gotten refund back on his CC.
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I got the same email and I'm also super confused. As long as I can remember, when I checked the box for trade-in as part of the online Pre-order on opening pre-order day, my mail-in device trade-in value was always credited back to the credit card that I used to place the Pre-order for the new device. This was the case for iPhone, Watch, and iPad pre-orders in the past.
This year, it seems to be different for some reason and I'm not sure why. Unless, this email is just wrong and it will be credited back to the credit card within a few days? 🤷♂️
When I have done Apple Trade-Back on Apple devices which were not associated with a new device pre-order, I have gotten a Gift Card for the device trade-in value but that was expected since it was not part of a new device pre-order.
What might be a unique case for me this year was that after the payment for my pre-order was processed, my Apple Card "online" credit card number was apparently stolen by someone who really wanted some "free" Popeye's, postmates, uber eats, and liquor (based on the charges with the stolen number). Anyways.... my Apple Card "online" number had to be changed between the pre-order and the trade-in being received. I'm not sure if this forced the gift card credit instead of credit to Apple Card directly because they had to change my Apple Card number?
I must admit that I really liked getting the credit back onto the credit card as a result of trade-in with the pre-order. I'm not as big of a fan as extending $640 to Apple for them to invest and make more money on until I have to buy another Apple device to get that $640 back.... which likely won't be until the next major product update (iPad/iPhone) which could be 6-12 months gap where that big chunk of change is unusable for me to use or invest.
@mistergadgett and @topomango
Did you guys who received the confusing email like above got your refund back now ? Did they give you back to your credit card or on Apple gift card? I just received same email as about which says part of refund will go to apple gift card and i paid in full using my credit card.
Did you guys who received the confusing email like above got your refund back now ? Did they give you back to your credit card or on Apple gift card? I just received same email as about which says part of refund will go to apple gift card and i paid in full using my credit card.
I'm in the same boat. I stupidly made my Apple Store purchase with Apple Pay and now I got an email saying that a gift card will be sent to me. I do not want an $800 gift card. I want my credit card charge credited. Did you happen to use Apple Pay to make your purchase?
What did your trade in tracking say once your trade in was approved? Did it say that a gift card would be sent?
Any update topomango? Did you in fact recieve a gift card? Were you able to contact Apple and have them fix it and properly credit you're initial charge?
Hey, I got the same email and the "We'll send you a gift card" message in the trade-in tracking screen. I just checked my credit card statement and it seems I did receive the credit to my balance, but the transaction hasn't posted yet. So it may just be an error on Apple's part. The refund should go to the original payment method.
Thanks for letting me know. I have still not seen any credit on my credit card but i paid using Apple Pay just like you. So i hope it is just email error on apple part.
As with everyone else, mine went back to my card: in this case my Apple Card:
That was for my aging iPhone 7+. Since I'd used it to purchase my iPhone 13 Pro, and got the 3% daily cash, they took 3% back out again as per the trade in.