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Other Buy and Return iPhones at Apple Store Repeatedly
- Thread starter TechNismo
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After a while, they will flag you as someone who abuses the return policy and may eventually refuse to sell you anything.
And Apple isn't alone. Many businesses do this.
There have been comments here about people getting their Amazon accounts closed for excessive returns.
There are restaurants who know that certain people have a tendency to no-show for a reservation. There are businesses that know if you are "difficult customer."
Your financial institutions will know if you routinely make late payments. Your dentist probably keeps track of whether or not you are punctual for your appointments.
And Apple isn't alone. Many businesses do this.
There have been comments here about people getting their Amazon accounts closed for excessive returns.
There are restaurants who know that certain people have a tendency to no-show for a reservation. There are businesses that know if you are "difficult customer."
Your financial institutions will know if you routinely make late payments. Your dentist probably keeps track of whether or not you are punctual for your appointments.
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For the record, Apple does have an in-house flagging system that they use with this type of consistent behavior. There have been members who have expressed that they have been denied returns/exchanges for reasons of excessive returns/exchanges.
There are companies, such as Best Buy for example, they use a third-party company called "The Retail equation" that actually has access to Best Buy's returns/exchanges records and will temporarily ban customers for making any returns/exchanges up to at least a year. Best Buy then will advise the customer they are flagged And cannot make the return, then they have to dispute the returns if they so wish.
Why would someone do that and what would they use after the phone is replaced? Doesn't make sense to keep buying/returning something. I mean if you're returning it because you don't like how the phone operates why keep buying the newer ones? The year over year changes are typically quite minor, so what you didn't like in one year will still be year the following year.
Yes, as noted a person with high returns will be flagged. They don't want to deal with an individual who costs them more money then they make. They're in the business to make a profit, and if a given customer causes a negative cash flow consistently they'll just tell that customer to take their business elsewhere.
Raised in an entitlement culture.
Seems like a hassle to me. I don't purchase something that I don't intend to keep. Given that with the exception of the X, iPhones are generally a known quantity, so to speak, and you can try them in stores, and there's extensive reviews and coverage online, I've never felt the need to purchase one just to try it for a few weeks.
Besides, it's depriving someone of a new phone who actually wants it.
Besides, it's depriving someone of a new phone who actually wants it.
I have heard of this. Do they advise the customer at the time of purchase that they aren't allowed a return?
From my understanding, Best Buy prints out a receipt when you're flagged and it has a number for you to call, which then you have to file a dispute against the returns. Best Buy bans customers up to one year from returning/exchanging items.
Really? If the receipt is printed the transaction is complete. I have no idea how this works but I would think they would warn you before the point of no return. (Inadvertent pun, the best kind.)
Edit: BestBuy notifies you when you make the return, before you make another purchase. That makes sense.
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When you try to make the return, they ask for your information (Phone/Drivers License) which is linked to you, which then you will be informed you are flagged. The initial receipt you receive is Not a return receipt, it's a receipt stating your flagged just printed off for your reference of the company to contact information. The Store cannot override the return or exchange.
How many returns at Apple is excessive? I'll give you my scenario:
In Jan. 2017, I bought the 15" MBP-tb. I thought it was too big and cumbersome for travel - returned.
In Jan. 2017, along with the MBP, I purchased AirPods, because I didn't like having to use my iPhone to Volume+/- and change tracks when working out - returned.
In Oct. 2017, I purchased the 13" MBP-tb. It was too small - returned. However, I am going to repurchase the 15" MBP now that I have tried both sizes.
In Dec. 2017, I purchased the X. I really wanted a Plus, but didn't like the archaic design of the 6/7/8, and after hearing of rumors of the X Plus, I figured I can wait one more year - returned.
Is this excessive? I was concerned about this being too many returns. I am going to repurchase the 15" MBPtb, however, after hearing about keyboard issues, I'm going to wait for the 2018 model to ensure myself I won't be returning any other Apple product unless defective.
Note that this is the first time that I returned 4 items in one year time. I purchased the 4S, 5S and 6 Plus, and never exchanged or returned those phones. Those phones were in perfect working order.
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I honestly don't know. I do know the flagging is based on excessive returns in a short amount of time and when the customer makes the returns to multiple Apple stores.
Apple does not state what it believes to be excessive to the public. A customer will only find out what the number is, when he or she is flagged by Apple.
I don't think that's excessive at all. The idea of excessive would be making multiple purchases with in a short few weeks and making those returns/exchanges almost immediately. Also, making the returns excessively to multiple Apple Stores is another indicator.
But do you think my 4 returns this year is excessive? I've read here at MR of people returning multiple iPhones within a given week due to yellow tint to get the perfect one.
I wouldn't consider your returns excessive. I have returned about $6,000 dollars worth of Apple devices this year, because I decided a different product would suit my needs better, or I chose to upgrade to a higher price model. I don't consider my returns this year excessive, especially since I ended up spending more than I returned.
Some of the forum members around here are policy abusers and should be banned, in my opinion. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
What the OP is asking about / considering is highly abusive.
I think if you’re in swap hell you won’t get banned provided you end up keeping a unit. Think about it a few swaps and you keep a good unit, you’re still going through sellable inventory.
I think however if you “rent” phones throughout the year Apple will take notice and implement the ban hammer on you (as they should at that point, imo, that seems wholly unethical)
I think however if you “rent” phones throughout the year Apple will take notice and implement the ban hammer on you (as they should at that point, imo, that seems wholly unethical)
No one can answer this type of question. There are no doubt a myriad of factors involved that no one knows a number, the timeframe, and so on. If you return something and buy a replacement, that's not as "bad" as simply returning an item and not buying something. The return reason could also factor in. Apple no doubt categorizes the reasons given and a reason like "I didn't like it" won't help a customer's 'rating'.
I heard returns to any company that uses the 3rd party return count against you. Meaning, you could have lots returns elsewhere and that could count against you When you want to return at BB.
I hardly ever return stuff - I've bought and returned a MacMini once or twice, trying to use it as a media PC but found out that Apple TV is just better suited for that.
This year I bought my wife a Space Grey 256GB iPhone X on launch day, and had the store install a Belkin screen protector, but returned it unused when she decided her iPhone 7 was perfectly fine (I wanted to hand her old iPhone 7 down to our daughter who is using a 6). I felt really bad because while unused it was opened at the store for the protector, and so they couldn't return it to stock.
This year I bought my wife a Space Grey 256GB iPhone X on launch day, and had the store install a Belkin screen protector, but returned it unused when she decided her iPhone 7 was perfectly fine (I wanted to hand her old iPhone 7 down to our daughter who is using a 6). I felt really bad because while unused it was opened at the store for the protector, and so they couldn't return it to stock.