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Resolved Buying several iPads and refund the "bad ones"

pixelements

pixelements

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 18, 2013
156
124
Germany
So, I'm really sick of the QC that Apple has with the newest iPads and I'm also sick of exchanging one single iPad, waiting days over days for the new one etc.. A friend of mine got a nearly perfect screen of the rMini with no yellowing (it was his 5th iPad), so now I'm sure, there ARE rMinis out there that satisfies me and my expectations.

So the idea I have is to buy 3 or 4 iPads online, take the best one and refund the rest. Is that possible? Should I buy all at once or is it better to buy 3 iPads as a single iPad, if you know that I mean?
 
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I suppose I would just be aware that any retailer I purchase from may ask me to not visit the store again. Good luck finding a "gem."
 
pixelements said:
So, I'm really sick of the QC that Apple has with the newest iPads and I'm also sick of exchanging one single iPad, waiting days over days for the new one etc.. A friend of mine got a nearly perfect screen of the rMini with no yellowing (it was his 5th iPad), so now I'm sure, there ARE rMinis out there that satisfies me and my expectations.

So the idea I have is to buy 3 or 4 iPads online, take the best one and refund the rest. Is that possible? Should I buy all at once or is it better to buy 3 iPads as a single iPad, if you know that I mean?
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I lucked out on the Ipad Air, got a great one out of the gate, I'd like to get a 16gb Mini Retina just as an ereeader mainly gonna wait awhile
 
Ask yourself what would happen if everybody did that.
Why should your case be special and warrant such an action?
No company in the world can cope with customers behaving that way.
My advice is, don't do it. Go to a store and explain your problem and ask what are they willing to do to help you finding the "right" iPad.
 
Wando64 said:
Ask yourself what would happen if everybody did that.
Why should your case be special and warrant such an action?
No company in the world can cope with customers behaving that way.
My advice is, don't do it. Go to a store and explain your problem and ask what are they willing to do to help you finding the "right" iPad.
Click to expand...

Net result will still be the same. Could be a few opened boxes.

Real question is why customers are thinking so creatively....because they want a perfect ipad that they're paying top dollar for and apple just can't fulfill that expectation.
 
Well, I don't even want a "perfect iPad". I accept the other things like light bleeding (yes it is visible while watching videos in the bed) or even ghosting (saw that yesterday after I've sketched 15 min in Sketchbook pro and went back to the gallery with a grey background, my sketch was still visible for 30-50sec). You can't deny that Apple got some troubles in manufacturing perfect iPads like the 1st mini. So I'm buying the most expensive tablet on the market and I'm already accepting two different "defects" (light bleeding + ghosting, 1st mini didn't have that). The only thing I want is an even screen, without hue's. I saw it's possible to get one (already said that before, so why should I give up if I want that device?).

That being said: why do you get mad like this? I would also hate these kind of customers, but seriously, if apple would manufacture "perfect iPads" or iPads with an even screen color, I would save a lot of time, a lot of stress and a lot of anger. It's not that I'm doing it on purpose or that I'm having fun exchanging these again and again. I just want to save time and hundreds of calls to the apple store.

What would you suggest me to do? By the way, there is no apple store near by. I have to buy the iPads online.
 
KhunJay said:
apple just can't fulfill that expectation.
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If that was true, why buying Apple?
The screen on my first Air was clearly and obviously wrong (I had not read any thread on this forum yet).
I've exchanged it and the second one is great. The very great majority of iPad Air owners are happy with their device. I am not saying there is not a problem with some units, but clearly Apple ARE fulfilling the expectation of the great majority of their customers.
The action suggested by the OP is unacceptable and would probably result in him/her getting banned from purchasing from that retailer ever again. And rightly so.

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pixelements said:
What would you suggest me to do? By the way, there is no apple store near by. I have to buy the iPads online.
Click to expand...

I can only tell you what I would do.
If the iPad is faulty (and it would seem that your is) I would return it for an exchange.
In all likelihood the replacement will be fine, however I'd be prepared to swap it twice and then ask for a refund until I have a chance to walk into a store.
That is precisely what I told myself when I had the first Air.
I wish you the best of luck. Really there are many good units out there.
 
pixelements said:
Well, I don't even want a "perfect iPad". I accept the other things like light bleeding (yes it is visible while watching videos in the bed) or even ghosting (saw that yesterday after I've sketched 15 min in Sketchbook pro and went back to the gallery with a grey background, my sketch was still visible for 30-50sec). You can't deny that Apple got some troubles in manufacturing perfect iPads like the 1st mini. So I'm buying the most expensive tablet on the market and I'm already accepting two different "defects" (light bleeding + ghosting, 1st mini didn't have that). The only thing I want is an even screen, without hue's. I saw it's possible to get one (already said that before, so why should I give up if I want that device?).

That being said: why do you get mad like this? I would also hate these kind of customers, but seriously, if apple would manufacture "perfect iPads" or iPads with an even screen color, I would save a lot of time, a lot of stress and a lot of anger. It's not that I'm doing it on purpose or that I'm having fun exchanging these again and again. I just want to save time and hundreds of calls to the apple store.

What would you suggest me to do? By the way, there is no apple store near by. I have to buy the iPads online.
Click to expand...

You could but at some point I think the system will flag you. There are people who get their orders canceled after they placed it online.

You can ask for AppleCare replacement over the phone. They either have you mail the one you have back or put a hold on your credit card if they ship you one out first.
 
Practices like what the OP wants to do, is the kind of thing that drives prices up for the rest of us. If someone pulled that kind of crap in a store I was head over, I would see to it, that he or she would not be able to pull that stunt again.
 
BasicGreatGuy said:
Practices like what the OP wants to do, is the kind of thing that drives prices up for the rest of us
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Could you exemplify your thoughts on that? How does it drive the price up? "For the rest of us", that's funny, so if I'm not satisfied with half yellow tinted screen, I do not belong to the rest? I have to play quality control for apple and I have to print 5 (FIVE!) pages every single time I want to do an exchange, yea, but if I want to buy 3 iPads to look for the best one, so I can finally stop this nightmare of exchanging, I suddenly become a bad guy. Because apple won't use the iPads as refurbished or something, yea right..

Well, since people are taking my thoughts too personally, I guess this thread can be closed.
 
BasicGreatGuy said:
Practices like what the OP wants to do, is the kind of thing that drives prices up for the rest of us. If someone pulled that kind of crap in a store I was head over, I would see to it, that he or she would not be able to pull that stunt again.
Click to expand...

I returned 2 of my iPads and on my 3rd one got a refund. I dont really blame op considering how bad the QC and design on these ipad screens are. The difference between me and him I suppose is that if I get done wrong so many times I won't support the product or company.
 
While there is nothing stopping you from doing this, be aware that, as some other posters have noted, some stores (Apple included) have policies in place that can disallow people to do multiple returns like this, and they would almost certainly flag these returns.

If you search the forums you'll likely find a story or two; I remember there being one somewhat recently.
 
pixelements said:
Could you exemplify your thoughts on that? How does it drive the price up? "For the rest of us", that's funny, so if I'm not satisfied with half yellow tinted screen, I do not belong to the rest? I have to play quality control for apple and I have to print 5 (FIVE!) pages every single time I want to do an exchange, yea, but if I want to buy 3 iPads to look for the best one, so I can finally stop this nightmare of exchanging, I suddenly become a bad guy. Because apple won't use the iPads as refurbished or something, yea right..

Well, since people are taking my thoughts too personally, I guess this thread can be closed.
Click to expand...
If you buy and then try and return 3 or 4 iPads from a single seller it's likely after the first 2 returns they may stop selling to you. In practical terms if you buy from a number of different places then it's more likely they will accept your return. You should of course check the legal obligations in your country (Germany?) as it may be that you are entitled to a replacement device but not a refund in which case you could end up with 3 or 4 machines.
 
eastercat said:
I don't understand why you simply can't get one iPad at a time. This befuddles me. :confused:
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This is what I'd do. Buying a bunch and opening all of them is abusive, and is the most self-serving behavior imaginable.

EDIT: I can understand not wanting to wait for returns and new shipments, but don't open all of the boxes to compare one with the others. If the first iPad is fine, leave the rest unopened. ;)
 
I'm buying from the online apple store. I know their policies. Many people think I want to buy them from a store?

Why I don't get one at one time? Well.. Short story: I bought my first rMini, exchanged it 2 times and called apple for a refund. I wanted to try 1 month later, hoping they fixed their manufacturing defects. The refund took me 3 (!) weeks. I had to call 3 or 4 times per week! Every time they told me another story. First time I called, my iPad wasn't delivered back to apple, I asked her how could it be? The iPad was picked up 1 (!) week ago with an express delivery. She said I don't know but it's not there. Well I had to call them 4-5 times per week again (everyone said the money was sent back to me, it's paypal's fault etc.), till one guy finally said, he will contact apples credit card apartment.. Well.. There was an internal error, or what so ever. No one even apologized that I've received my money after THREE weeks and had to wait for so long!!

So one month later I decided to try once again (because I love the rMini itself and I really want to have it) and bought the rMini again.. I've exchanged it.. 1,2 times. And now I had to return it again (because after 2 weeks you will only get the refurbished ones). So, I don't want to wait 3 weeks if they fail again like the last time. It just saves time for me and for apple. I wont have to wait every day for UPS, I wont have to wait for a call from TNT to pick the iPad up, I wont have to call apple again and again.

That being said, there is not a big difference if I will keep trying with single iPads and wait 2-3-4 Weeks again and again or just buy three at one time and hopefully (!) get one that satisfies me.

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FrankB1191 said:
EDIT: I can understand not wanting to wait for returns and new shipments, but don't open all of the boxes to compare one with the others. If the first iPad is fine, leave the rest unopened. ;)
Click to expand...

I don't even want to do that! I don't want to compare, I just want an even screen. If I open the first one and it's perfect: then I'll be the luckiest man in the world and won't even try to open the others, that makes no sense.
 
Buying 3 or 4 at once may not be enough. As you can see from a parallel thread, even 12 may not be enough.

I'd at least double on that, i.e. buy 24 iPads at once! Become a legendary serial cherry picker and earn the admiration of OCD community! :D
 
Dont blame the OP at all.. Apple needs to get their QA and hold their suppliers/vendors to a higher standard. We are already paying top dollars for the most expensive tablet on the market. We should not settle for a screen that is uneven. I really tried to get use to it after my 5th exchange and decided to use it for a week. Everytime I read a ebook or even browsing the web/forum I would see the transition from white/grey to yellow/grey. It really was a distraction so I took mine back to the store where the apple genius also noticed the issue and was quite shocked on how much worse the screen looked compared to the store models. Not only was it uneven it was just a lot less bright/yellow overall compared to the store models. He opened an addition 4 for me all with no luck and all had the yellow. Anyways I gave up on my 11th ipad and decided to return it and try one more time online. I just got my 12th ipad today and its perfect!!
I'm finally happy.. I felt horrible for making the apple guy open all those ipads and even told him you know what it's okay.. i give up.. he was the one that said no no no let's try one more..
 
Ugh. No iPad is perfect. Where does it end? Why are people this obsessed with Apple like an abusive spouse? Wouldn't they be happier just going separate ways?

Defects are one thing. A cherry picking journey is quite another. I used to work in retail. A customer once said "I've returned everything I've ever bought". I said "why do you shop here?" He looked at me as if he'd never contemplated it.
 
Mr. Buzzcut said:
Ugh. No iPad is perfect. Where does it end? Why are people this obsessed with Apple like an abusive spouse? Wouldn't they be happier just going separate ways?

Defects are one thing. A cherry picking journey is quite another. I used to work in retail. A customer once said "I've returned everything I've ever bought". I said "why do you shop here?" He looked at me as if he'd never contemplated it.
Click to expand...

id consider a yellow screen a defect...agree nothing is perfect and my new screen is not perfect but its to the standard of my other displays.. no significant yellow that stands out like a sore thumb
 
pixelements said:
So, I'm really sick of the QC that Apple has with the newest iPads and I'm also sick of exchanging one single iPad, waiting days over days for the new one etc.. A friend of mine got a nearly perfect screen of the rMini with no yellowing (it was his 5th iPad), so now I'm sure, there ARE rMinis out there that satisfies me and my expectations.

So the idea I have is to buy 3 or 4 iPads online, take the best one and refund the rest. Is that possible? Should I buy all at once or is it better to buy 3 iPads as a single iPad, if you know that I mean?
Click to expand...

Do it. Make a new Apple ID. Use a new credit card not on file. Buy on separate tickets so it will be easier to return in store if need be. Get what you want buddy.
 
samiznaetekto said:
Buying 3 or 4 at once may not be enough. As you can see from a parallel thread, even 12 may not be enough.

I'd at least double on that, i.e. buy 24 iPads at once! Become a legendary serial cherry picker and earn the admiration of OCD community! :D
Click to expand...

Please don't associate this behaviour with OCD.

If you don't trust an iPad - why buy one? If it was my store and you did that, I'd refund them and tell you you were never welcome in the store again.
 
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