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Apple - Wrong product delivered, no Apple packaging, iPod in a plastic bag!

C

ChrisWB

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 28, 2004
254
1,358
Chicago
I'm sharing this story because it makes me unbelievably angry. By sharing it, I hope to work out some of that anger.

I ordered a new iMac as part of Apple's back to school program. The promotion allowed me to purchase an iPod 30Gb Video for $50 after the rebate. I went along with it and purchased the iPod.

Both the computer and iPod were supposed to be delivered yesterday. I tracked the packages online via FedEx's website. At approximately 11:00 FedEx tracking stated my address didn't exist and the driver could not deliver my package. This was odd to me seeing as how my father's business, a frequent customer of FedEx with custom FedEx address labels and the works, is located at the same address. I had to drive out to the FedEx shipping center to pick up my iMac and iPod. This put me in a lovely mood, as I'm sure you can imagine.

Today, I opened the box that should have contained the iPod. Within, I found two plastic bags. One contained a scratched iPod Nano. The other contained a group of accessories and a CD. They were loose in the FedEx box.

I obviously called Apple support right away. The apologized and are allowing me (allowing me?) to return the iPod for an exchange. I have to wait until they receive the iPod they sent me before they mail the iPod I ordered.

I am livid with anger! The iPod was quite literally rattling around in the FedEx box it was shipped in. The iPod was in a plastic bag - the type you might purchase in a dollar store. Unbelievable.
 
DarthTreydor said:
wow. that is ridiculous. it sounds like something sketchy is going on. like maybe the fedex truck driver decided to trade in his old nano.
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That's certainly possible. If you haven't boxed it up already I'd look up the serial number of the nano on Apple.com just to see if it is the driver's.
 
Yeah...this is unnatural. I did the back to school stuff (as did millions) and everything ended up quick, new, and in the beautiful Apple packaging. I hope everything ends up okay for you.
 
kuebby said:
That's certainly possible. If you haven't boxed it up already I'd look up the serial number of the nano on Apple.com just to see if it is the driver's.
Click to expand...

Did the box looked like it was tampered with? That would be determining factor. If the box looks like it was opened, someone could have pulled a switch, though ups or Fed-ex employees I think should be bonded but I am not 100% sure about that.
 
DarthTreydor said:
wow. that is ridiculous. it sounds like something sketchy is going on. like maybe the fedex truck driver decided to trade in his old nano.
Click to expand...

Sure sounds like it, I think someone did an "upgrade" somewhere along the shipping line because I know from buying several products from Apple they would never let a thing like this happen.
 
Plus it doesn't sound like it's Apple's fault. And as far as them 'allowing' you to return it. Think how it must sound when someone rings up to complain that their iPod is opened and unboxed, I bet a few people try to perform some sort of switch on Apple, you have to forgive them their weariness. Seems to me that Fedex are the problem here.
 
scottrob said:
It's only an iPod. Apple has offered to make it right. Why the tirade?
Click to expand...
Scott,

I can see where you are coming from. The tirade stemmed from a culmination of events that have made this week downright lousy. The iPod was the event that finally set me off.

Saying "It's only an iPod" is not fair - that is $250 of my earned money that is gone without the product I ordered in return. $250 is a lot of money for me.

Jim,

Also a good point.

I have actually received a number of products from Apple that were broken right out of the box. My first two MacBooks arrived broken. I had to send them back and wait over a week both times for the money to be refunded. For third MacBook, I went to an Apple store where I asked the salesman to open the box and allow me to test the computer before I walked out.

My father's iMac arrived with the operating system installed incorrectly. Apple had me reinstall it. No dice. They repaired it.

It is easy to understand how I feel. Out of the four MacBooks I purchased (two returned due to their failure to function out of the box), only two worked properly. Out of the three iMacs, only two worked properly at arrival. My family has experienced a high percentage of failures on Apple's part. 3/7 computers arriving damaged, and now this.
 
The box the iPod came in, was it an iPod nano box? or was it the 5G box you would expect. The reason I ask is because the new iPods do not come with install discs for iTunes. So if there is a CD then clearly it was a switch.
 

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ChrisWB said:
Today, I opened the box that should have contained the iPod. Within, I found two plastic bags. One contained a scratched iPod Nano. The other contained a group of accessories and a CD. They were loose in the FedEx box.
Click to expand...

So it was the FedEx box you opened which should have had the iPod, I understand. It wasn't clear, even still the 5G iPod don't come with a CD neither do any of the new iPods. What generation was the Nano?
 
ChrisWB said:
It is easy to understand how I feel. Out of the four MacBooks I purchased (two returned due to their failure to function out of the box), only two worked properly. Out of the three iMacs, only two worked properly at arrival. My family has experienced a high percentage of failures on Apple's part. 3/7 computers arriving damaged, and now this.
Click to expand...

Seems like you've had a really tough time of it as far as build quality goes. I have to say this couldn't be further from the experiences that I've had with Apple. Here's hoping for a rapid resolution and an apology (from someone) - people always seem to weary to say worry but it is not an admission of guilt, it's just good manners.
 
kwood said:
So it was the FedEx box you opened which should have had the iPod, I understand. It wasn't clear, even still the 5G iPod don't come with a CD neither do any of the new iPods. What generation was the Nano?
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Kwood,

Beats me. It wasn't aluminum. Does that make it the first generation? There was no Apple packaging material whatsoever. Everything was just tossed in the two plastic bags.
 
ChrisWB said:
Kwood,

Beats me. It wasn't aluminum. Does that make it the first generation? There was no Apple packaging material whatsoever. Everything was just tossed in the two plastic bags.
Click to expand...

That would make it first generation. Even the refurb iPods come in apple refurbished packaging. Someone switched out your iPod.
 
ChrisWB said:
Scott,

I have actually received a number of products from Apple that were broken right out of the box. My first two MacBooks arrived broken. I had to send them back and wait over a week both times for the money to be refunded. For third MacBook, I went to an Apple store where I asked the salesman to open the box and allow me to test the computer before I walked out.

My father's iMac arrived with the operating system installed incorrectly. Apple had me reinstall it. No dice. They repaired it.

It is easy to understand how I feel. Out of the four MacBooks I purchased (two returned due to their failure to function out of the box), only two worked properly. Out of the three iMacs, only two worked properly at arrival. My family has experienced a high percentage of failures on Apple's part. 3/7 computers arriving damaged, and now this.
Click to expand...


Isn't this your post from last month?

"I ordered one from Amazon. It arrived in three days, but arrived broken. I called to return it and they said it would take about two weeks for them to take the one I returned and send me a new one. They told me that, as an alternative, they could set up a new order for me and send one out immediately. They would simply refund the first laptop when it arrived. I agreed.

The second laptop arrived after another ten days and died within the first five minutes I had it on. It was a rather dramatic death, too. Amazon quoted the same policy. I told them I would simply return it as I couldn't wait another ten days.

I bought my third MacBook from the Old Orchard Apple store. They let me take it out of the box in the store and test it for a good hour (I was taking no chances). This MacBook is picture perfect and has had no problems to date - knock on wood.

Moral of the story: I would not purchase a MacBook from Amazon. Their return policy is a pain in the butt. They ended up waiting about two weeks each time to refund my money. They even gave me a follow-up call saying that yes, the computers were quite broken."
 
That is really fishy -- two plastic bags. WTF?? It's good Apple let you return it (I would be pissed about it as well) but you need to talk to FEDEX as well, because their driver or someone on the loading line is one hell of a thief, and if they are going to keep delivering your orders, something has to change.
 
Yeah, that sounds like a FedEx screwup too. While unlikely, I know more than one person that has had a courier have two packages open with similar items. Since they don't know which one goes in which, they simply stick one in one and the other item in the other. Unlikely, but it could have happened in your case. Or, someone could simply have stolen it from the FedEx delivery.

Even Apple refurbed products come in a brown box... but you wouldn't get a refurb from Apple with the edu deal.
 
Resolved!

Guys,

Apple came through for me. Last night, I emailed Steve Jobs in an attempt to resolve the situation. Today, an Apple representative called me in regards to the situation. He stated that he had been investigating and had narrowed it down to the FedEx center. Apparently, as many of you suggested, an employee switched out his old iPod Nano with my new iPod Video. Luckily, Apple can track the guy via the serial number on the iPod. They'll report to FedEx. Hopefully he is disciplined.

I feel as though Apple has worked hard to make amends. I have never been more impressed by a company's customer service.
 
Congrats! Glad that your problem's been resolved. I hope that FedEx guy gets fired.
 
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