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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
Suppose a customer comes in after 14 days asking a Genius to replace it under warranty because it scuffs too easily. What do you think the Genius would say? That's right, "normal wear and tear." Some people are naturally clumsy/careless and can most definitely scuff it up in no time.

What do you make of all the iPhone 5 that made their way into retail boxes full of nicks and scuffs last year? Aluminum is soft and they had to step up their quality control as a result.
Yup, seems like there have been plenty of stories of iPhone 5 phones already coming with scuffs, scratches, and even dents right out of the box that people would then go and exchange/return just because of those issues that shouldn't have been there to begin with. Now in this car it might certainly come down to the specifics of the damage, but if it's something along the level of what it was for those phones then it should more than likely be just fine when it comes to returning (although as always it will depend on the store and employee that one deals with).
 

Max(IT)

Suspended
Dec 8, 2009
8,551
1,662
Italy
Yup, seems like there have been plenty of stories of iPhone 5 phones already coming with scuffs, scratches, and even dents right out of the box that people would then go and exchange/return just because of those issues that shouldn't have been there to begin with. Now in this car it might certainly come down to the specifics of the damage, but if it's something along the level of what it was for those phones then it should more than likely be just fine when it comes to returning (although as always it will depend on the store and employee that one deals with).

Quite sure any half brained Apple Store employee could see the difference from an iPhone with packaging/manufacturing damages (the notorious "scuffgate") and an iPhone with a drop damage.
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
Quite sure any half brained Apple Store employee could see the difference from an iPhone with packaging/manufacturing damages (the notorious "scuffgate") and an iPhone with a drop damage.
Depends on the drop damage. Some can really be just a scuff or something like that. There can be no easy way to tell it came from a drop or wasn't even there from the beginning even.
 

Max(IT)

Suspended
Dec 8, 2009
8,551
1,662
Italy
Depends on the drop damage. Some can really be just a scuff or something like that. There can be no easy way to tell it came from a drop or wasn't even there from the beginning even.

Well ... Without a picture we can't tell
 

wordoflife

macrumors 604
Jul 6, 2009
7,564
37
They're not going to deny a return for a small scuff. When I returned my iPhone, the guy didn't even look at the phone.
 

drew0020

macrumors 68020
Nov 10, 2006
2,334
1,235
They're not going to deny a return for a small scuff. When I returned my iPhone, the guy didn't even look at the phone.

Most iPhone 5/5s's I have seen have small scuffs out of the box. I think significant damage is a problem but a minor scratch is nothing to be worried about.
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,222
23,964
Gotta be in it to win it
Most iPhone 5/5s's I have seen have small scuffs out of the box. I think significant damage is a problem but a minor scratch is nothing to be worried about.

If that is indeed the case lousy quality control. Nobody would accept a $500 piece of jewelry with a scratch. My 5s was bought at the vzw store and i carefully inspected my phone.
 

Max(IT)

Suspended
Dec 8, 2009
8,551
1,662
Italy
If that is indeed the case lousy quality control. Nobody would accept a $500 piece of jewelry with a scratch. My 5s was bought at the vzw store and i carefully inspected my phone.

Except it is not a jewel but an aluminum phone ....
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,222
23,964
Gotta be in it to win it
Except it is not a jewel but an aluminum phone ....

Right it is a phone, out of the box condition should be perfect from Apple (a premier manufacturer of upscale phones). For me, I would not tolerate any type of damage on any new item that was bought. Would you tolerate scratches on a new car that is not driven out of the showroom?
 

Max(IT)

Suspended
Dec 8, 2009
8,551
1,662
Italy
Right it is a phone, out of the box condition should be perfect from Apple (a premier manufacturer of upscale phones). For me, I would not tolerate any type of damage on any new item that was bought. Would you tolerate scratches on a new car that is not driven out of the showroom?

There are quite a lot of little scratches on a new car. Hundreds.
I agree that a new phone shouldn't have any damage when out of the box, but I saw picture of so-called "defects" that were sub-millimetric scratches ...
 

Brian Y

macrumors 68040
Oct 21, 2012
3,776
1,064
Right it is a phone, out of the box condition should be perfect from Apple (a premier manufacturer of upscale phones). For me, I would not tolerate any type of damage on any new item that was bought. Would you tolerate scratches on a new car that is not driven out of the showroom?

Good luck finding a car with a 100% perfect paint finish out of the factory ;).

I don't see why people are so fussed - it's a phone, that's meant to be use. If you want something to stare at, buy some jewellery with your £600!

And as for being able to tell the difference, you will be able to tell straight away whenever the damage was there out of the box - it's a very different type of damage and, when you see it day in day out, you'll know how to spot it ;).
 

I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,222
23,964
Gotta be in it to win it
Good luck finding a car with a 100% perfect paint finish out of the factory ;).

I don't see why people are so fussed - it's a phone, that's meant to be use. If you want something to stare at, buy some jewellery with your £600!

And as for being able to tell the difference, you will be able to tell straight away whenever the damage was there out of the box - it's a very different type of damage and, when you see it day in day out, you'll know how to spot it ;).

Why are people fussed? Would you accept any new car that had any obvious defects? A car is out if your control, flying debris damage, door dings, vandalism, etc. it really doesn't matter the turnover condition of a new car since it will get damaged anyway. Might as well take it with a dented fender.

My phone should be as perfect as my eyes can tell out if the box. If my phone has subatomic damage and I can't see it, I'm okay with it.
 

djmac7

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 23, 2010
17
1
So I returned my 5s to the apple store today with no fuss. The phone was no even inspected for dents/scratches etc. I think as long as it is not obviously defective, like a broken screen, then it will be taken back. I think this is a good strategy on apple's part. Imagine how may pissed off customers they will have if they nitpick every little scratch on the phone! What they are doing is ensuring a lifelong customer.

Thanks for all your input.
 

JayLenochiniMac

macrumors G5
Nov 7, 2007
12,819
2,389
New Sanfrakota
So I returned my 5s to the apple store today with no fuss. The phone was no even inspected for dents/scratches etc. I think as long as it is not obviously defective, like a broken screen, then it will be taken back. I think this is a good strategy on apple's part. Imagine how may pissed off customers they will have if they nitpick every little scratch on the phone! What they are doing is ensuring a lifelong customer.

Yes, like I said, at the end of the day it gets refurbished with a brand new case, screen and battery so they couldn't care less about what condition it's in as long as the innards are salvageable, but they don't like any obvious drops (e.g. shattered screens) because of potential damage to the innards that could cause problems when refurbished. Even if you return it in pristine condition and don't use it even for 1 hour, the case/screen/battery are replaced anyway.

You know how Apple offers free engraving on the back of iPads, iPods, etc.? Guess what, they won't bat an eye if you change your mind and return it within the return period, because these get refurbished with a new case too so your "I'm so special" engraving will be gone anyway.

Carriers may have a different policy because they don't refurbish the returned iPhones like Apple does so it's in their best interest to receive them back in the best condition possible, which they basically clean up to sell as "refurbished" iPhones. They come with their own 90 days warranty, unlike Apple's one year warranty.
 
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