Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Appropriate compensation for 9+ hours @ Apple Store, $800, and still no solution?

mattcube64

mattcube64

macrumors 65816
Original poster
May 21, 2006
1,297
115
Missouri
Hi all!

Really, really long story short: Last night my phone gave me a SIM error. Turns out when I flipped with a white box/refurb a few months ago, Apple accidentally gave me a Canadian carrier-locked phone, even though I'm in the US on AT&T. I hit two Apple stores, an AT&T store, and was exclusively devoted to this from 9am -6pm tonight.

Eventually, they had to go up up up into support, and supposedly my phone will begin working in 24 hours - but they're not sure. And after an entire day without a phone and all those issues, and a week ahead of me busy at work, I ended up just buying a brand new iPhone, unsubsidized, for about $800 with the agreement I'll just return it when they get my old phone working.

***

I was extremely polite, and constantly told them I knew it wasn't their fault - that **** happens. But, at the core, this was 100% *Apple's* fault; and they wasted an entire day of my time, and I had to put a $800+ "hold" on my account in light of their inability to solve the issue.

The manager asked me if I needed a case or Applecare around 2, and I declined. I said that if it was solved today, I would seek nothing. However, that if it didn't get solved, I would hope for some level of compensation. Well, it didn't get solved today. I have the manager's card, and he told me to call him once everything was figured out to "make it right."

Assuming it *is* solved tomorrow - and I'm not confident - what do you feel is appropriate compensation?

I don't want to be that guy... you know? **** does happen. But on the flip side - between two 70+ hour work weeks and lots of travel - my Sunday and my sanity are valuable.

I was thinking of trying out that new Fitbit One or whatever - seems intriguing but not worth $130. Does that seem like an appropriate request? Is that too greedy? Or not fair for me? To be honest - a case or some $30 junket doesn't really make me feel any better. Honestly, a day of work pays me more than that Jawbone costs - so I honestly feel like a new Airport Extreme is more appropriate; but then I tell myself that's too pricey and to be thankful for anything.

Thoughts?
 
I would expect nothing but the gratitude of a grateful Apple employee for the restraint and patience I demonstrated as this issue was sorted out.
 
braddick said:
I would expect nothing but the gratitude of a grateful Apple employee for the restraint and patience I demonstrated as this issue was sorted out.
Click to expand...

Wait... I feel like that was snarky but I don't know what side you fell on? ;p

Are you one of those that was helping me?! That's pretty awesome if so.

If true, I hope you understand the point I was trying to make in my original post - I recognize none of this was the staff's fault; I certainly appreciate their help and am thankful for their time. But, as for Apple as a whole, they certainly wasted my time by giving me the incorrect phone in the first place.
 
mattcube64 said:
Hi all!

Really, really long story short: Last night my phone gave me a SIM error. Turns out when I flipped with a white box/refurb a few months ago, Apple accidentally gave me a Canadian carrier-locked phone, even though I'm in the US on AT&T. I hit two Apple stores, an AT&T store, and was exclusively devoted to this from 9am -6pm tonight.

Eventually, they had to go up up up into support, and supposedly my phone will begin working in 24 hours - but they're not sure. And after an entire day without a phone and all those issues, and a week ahead of me busy at work, I ended up just buying a brand new iPhone, unsubsidized, for about $800 with the agreement I'll just return it when they get my old phone working.

***

I was extremely polite, and constantly told them I knew it wasn't their fault - that **** happens. But, at the core, this was 100% *Apple's* fault; and they wasted an entire day of my time, and I had to put a $800+ "hold" on my account in light of their inability to solve the issue.

The manager asked me if I needed a case or Applecare around 2, and I declined. I said that if it was solved today, I would seek nothing. However, that if it didn't get solved, I would hope for some level of compensation. Well, it didn't get solved today. I have the manager's card, and he told me to call him once everything was figured out to "make it right."

Assuming it *is* solved tomorrow - and I'm not confident - what do you feel is appropriate compensation?

I don't want to be that guy... you know? **** does happen. But on the flip side - between two 70+ hour work weeks and lots of travel - my Sunday and my sanity are valuable.

I was thinking of trying out that new Fitbit One or whatever - seems intriguing but not worth $130. Does that seem like an appropriate request? Is that too greedy? Or not fair for me? To be honest - a case or some $30 junket doesn't really make me feel any better. Honestly, a day of work pays me more than that Jawbone costs - so I honestly feel like a new Airport Extreme is more appropriate; but then I tell myself that's too pricey and to be thankful for anything.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

OP, were you in Canada when you took your iPhone in? Generally, U.S. stores don't even stock carrier locked foreign iPhones.

If you *were* in the U.S. then that's a big blunder on the part of the store. I don't think you'd be greedy with your proposal.

If you made the switch in Canada--then the error is a little more understandable.
 
I was told last time when I got compensated that I could choose one item from the store that is worth up to certain amount of money and it cannot be apple care, iPod, Apple TV etc etc..(a list of apple brand products) not sure what if the manager you are dealing with told you that. I ended up getting a fitbit scale...

Yes it's apple's fault and the staff that you were dealing with did not make this mistake. However, you are really getting a compensation from apple, not from that individual. Just feel free to tell them what you want that makes you happy see if they will give it to you.
 
No, I'm asking to be compensated because they wasted my time. 9 hours - pretty much my entire Sunday - is a lot of time to sit in an Apple store and twiddle your thumbs; especially when a solution wasn't even found ;p And for what it's worth - I was offered something - I didn't ask.

Yeah, I've never been to an Apple Store outside the US. They admitted it was a pretty massive screw-up.
 
Last edited:
Am not reading your manifesto but assuming, by carelessness and incompetence was Apple's, u can ask for a gift card or store credit, would be acceptable behavior. No guarantee they will honor.
 
sviato said:
So you should be rewarded because a mistake is being fixed? this is unbelievable :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
The way I read it, the OP didn't ask for compensation, but compensation was offered by a manager. I'd agree with you if it was the other way around.

That's just decent service though, whether it's Apple or not. Company X made a mistake, Company X is fixing the mistake, but in the interest of good customer service, Company X is also offering the customer something as compensation because it was Company X's mistake that is inconveniencing the customer.
 
Last edited:
sviato said:
So you should be rewarded because a mistake is being fixed? this is unbelievable :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Um, getting a carrier locked Canadian iPhone from a U.S. store which inconveniences the OP and takes hours of his time is a pretty big mistake. Besides, Apple offered to give home something, so I'm not sure what justifies your righteous indignation.
 
No one wasted your time.

Buying any consumer product brings risks. If ones not willing to take those risks the solution is straightforward. Don't make the purchase. It's as simple as that.

I'd venture a guess that if the specific risk factor was calculated based on total sales volume of said product, as compared to the smartphone sector average, ones chances are the best, or least risky when doing business with Apple.

Finally I'd kindly remind you this is a mass produced product. A fact that's true of all smartphones, save for the customs hand made for the big money crowd.
 
I don't think they're just going to say "Okay whaddaya want sonny?"
I'm sure they'll give you some options on what you can take as compensation.
If they DO let you just pick something, I wouldn't ask for anything more than $150, nor expect anything more than $100.
 
mattcube64 said:
I was thinking of trying out that new Fitbit One or whatever - seems intriguing but not worth $130. Does that seem like an appropriate request? Is that too greedy? Or not fair for me? To be honest - a case or some $30 junket doesn't really make me feel any better. Honestly, a day of work pays me more than that Jawbone costs - so I honestly feel like a new Airport Extreme is more appropriate; but then I tell myself that's too pricey and to be thankful for anything.
Click to expand...

Yikes. I'd be pretty upset too if I was stuck there for 8 hours (plus the $800 hold).

It never hurts to ask. And if you feel like they are low-balling you, then negotiate with them and higher-ups if need be (nicely of course).

maxosx said:
No one wasted your time.

Buying any consumer product brings risks. If ones not willing to take those risks the solution is straightforward. Don't make the purchase. It's as simple as that.

I'd venture a guess that if the specific risk factor was calculated based on total sales volume of said product, as compared to the smartphone sector average, ones chances are the best, or least risky when doing business with Apple.

Finally I'd kindly remind you this is a mass produced product. A fact that's true of all smartphones, save for the customs hand made for the big money crowd.
Click to expand...

I don't know about you, but if I'm buying a product from Apple, I expect it to work. And as a US citizen, I expect my phone to work with US providers.
 
at the very least you should get a autographed Steve Jobs Biography for your troubles.
 
I had a similar problem a few years ago. Before the unlocked iPhones were available in the US, I drove to Toronto to buy one since I needed an unlocked one for international travel even though I use AT&T in the US.

A few months later, my proximity sensor wasn't working very well, and I was told by a US store that if I were to have it replaced, I would get an AT&T locked phone. I ended up driving all the way back to Toronto to get it replaced, but it wouldn't activate using my AT&T SIM card, because it was locked to a Canadian carrier. The Genius assured me that it was just taking a while for the serial number to be processed on Apple's servers and that everything should be fine by the time I got home.

When I got home, I still couldn't get it to work with my AT&T SIM card. That's when I realized that the serial number of my iPhone didn't match the number on my repair paperwork. I called the store, and they admitted that they must have given me a different phone, but the unlocked one I was supposed to receive was nowhere to be found.

AppleCare couldn't help me, so I had no working phone for 3 days. The store that made the mistake said I had to drive all the way back to get it unlocked. When I got there, they still couldn't unlock it. The manager finally stepped in and unwrapped a brand new unlocked iPhone and even gave me a receipt that looked like I paid $800 in cash for it even though there was no money exchanged. That was the only way they could resolve the issue. The manager then said I could choose an iPhone case for free.

The free case was obviously nowhere close to the wasted gas and time, but what can you do... just bad luck I guess.
 
So you feel the need to be paid for being polite - shouldn't people be polite in the first place. :confused:

What's with this entitlement mentality people have now. Apple solved the problem, you have a new phone, why are you trying to get something? So what if you had to spend 9 hours over a course of a week to resolve something - that's life.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back