Frustrated by Apple's Return Process

[rockitdog]

On Dec 29th I ordered an Apple Watch. Payed via Paypal. I changed my mind almost immediately after placing the order and tried to cancel and within 20 minutes it was "processing". After an online chat they canceled the order and had it re-routed back to Apple - cool! The Watch was received back to Apple on 1/8/21. It sat until it was processed on 1/16/21. That email stated that refunds are normally processed within 5 business days or receipt.

So I waited and waited and waited and never received a refund notification from Paypal. I called Apple on 1/21 to inquire about my refund and they even opened a case that instantly closed. I contacted Paypal and they never received the payment either. I opened a Paypal case which was also closed quickly and I received a notification that I must contact my bank to dispute the refund.... well I used Paypal Credit... sooooo Paypal would be my bank! So here I over a month later with a provisional credit from Paypal pending further investigation.

Why does it have to be so complicated? So frustrating!

 

[Apple_Robert]

I agree you shouldn't have to wait over a month to get refunded. In the future, use an actual credit card so you don't have to worry about Apple or some other retailer immediately closing the case. PayPal should not allow immediate case closure unless it is done by the purchaser.

 

[chscag]

I opened a Paypal case which was also closed quickly and I received a notification that I must contact my bank to dispute the refund

You have a credit card or bank account that you have setup with PayPal. You need to notify the bank or credit card that you have listed with PayPal. PayPal is NOT your bank. They are merely an intermediary.

 

[rockitdog]

You have a credit card or bank account that you have setup with PayPal. You need to notify the bank or credit card that you have listed with PayPal. PayPal is NOT your bank. They are merely an intermediary.

PayPal Credit is its own entity that acts like a CC. You get a line of credit and while yes, you pay it off with a bank account it is basically like a credit card, My bank has nothing to do with this transaction.

 

[4sallypat]

PayPal Credit is its own entity that acts like a CC. You get a line of credit and while yes, you pay it off with a bank account it is basically like a credit card, My bank has nothing to do with this transaction.

Yes, PayPal is it's own credit card company - they have 2 Mastercard types:
1. Debit Paypal Mastercard: you can choose to use the debit portion if you have a balance in PP.
2. Synchrony Mastercard is a PayPal card and acts like a credit card.

And there is a 3rd way - link your other credit cards - even Amex to pay for items using PayPal but funded thru your bank card...

Whenever I purchase an Apple product, I use the Apple Card Mastercard because of the easy way to track returns on my wallet app.

 

[KaliYoni]

In the US, banking and credit card issuance is highly regulated by various governmental agencies. This means that many companies that offer branded credit and debit cards, including PayPal and Apple, are not the actual card issuer.

Specifically, the Apple Card is issued by a division of Goldman Sachs, Marcus, and PayPal's cards are issued by either Synchrony or The Bancorp. Marcus, Synchrony, and The Bancorp are all legally considered banks. The main benefits to a PayPal or an Apple for partnering with existing card issuers are avoiding entering a market with extremely heavy government regulation–Robinhood users might recall Robinhood having to cancel a savings account product due to regulatory problems–and avoiding tying up capital in credit card loans, credit lines, and required reserves.

Yeah, so what? Well, this means that in the US, any disputed charges are the card issuer's responsibility to handle. Synchrony or The Bancorp, then, have ultimate responsibility for PayPal's cards. If I was in the OP's position, I would find out how to contact my card's issuer about my refund problem.

 

[chscag]

Yeah, so what? Well, this means that in the US, any disputed charges are the card issuer's responsibility to handle. Synchrony or The Bancorp, then, have ultimate responsibility for PayPal's cards. If I was in the OP's position, I would find out how to contact my card's issuer about my refund problem.

Spot on. As stated above, the OP needs to contact his CC holder or bank if he expects to get the refund problem resolved.