iPhone 5 Replacements: Where do they come from?

[Kelped]

Where do the "white box" replacement iPhones come from? Are they refurbished phones, phones that other customers returned, or do they come from the same stock as the new phones being sold?

I'm thinking of getting a replacement phone, but I really don't want to end up with a phone that has even more issues.

 

[CanadaEh]

They have a batch to sell and a batch for exchanges.

 

[aristobrat]

The white boxes are generic reusable boxes used at the Genius Bar. They contain warranty replacements that may or may not be refurbished. If they are refurbed (which isn't likely this soon after a launch), they'll come with a new exterior shell and a new battery.

If you bought your iPhone from Apple, you can return it within 30 days and then buy another. This guarantees you get a new one, but you run the risk of them not having any brand new ones in stock to sell you.

 

[richmds]

Apple, and almost every electronics vendor, official policy is any exchange or repairs will be done with refurbished parts or units.
Most people assume because the iP 5 just launched that it has to be brand new units for exchange. This may have been the case first week or so, but considering how there are stories of folks exchanging 3-4 iPhones the first weekend because of minor cosmetic issues, there should be an ample supply of refurbished or open box units floating around by now.

Give it a few more weeks I am sure they can resurface blemished ones for recirculation.

 

[Ran7]

they cant replace a new with a refurb, even a perfect condition refurb, if it is an issue out of the box that your report out of the box. that isn't legal anywhere in the states.

If you brought it in with issue that occurred afterwords they can use a refurb.

 

[billinaz]

they cant replace a new with a refurb, even a perfect condition refurb, if it is an issue out of the box that your report out of the box. that isn't legal anywhere in the states.

If you brought it in with issue that occurred afterwords they can use a refurb.

Care to cite this law?

 

[DustyLBottoms]

Well, when two iPhones love each other very much.....

 

[darngooddesign]

They come from China.

 

[darkside flow]

Well, when two iPhones love each other very much.....

Lies! The iPhone stork brings them!

 

[Ran7]

Care to cite this law?

Yes, Magnuson–Moss. people are citing the written warranty which has to do with damage buyers do after purchase. that isnt relevant to damage at the plant. Implied warranty law means that the sold phoens have to be in the condition of advertisng images and samples of new items (not handled) product in the store. It is illegal under Magfnuson to replace an item under those conditions with a refurb. It is actually a fraud. There is second liability under false adverting laws.

Waht the other poster was suggesting is that if you order a new car, and the vehicle is damaged at the factory and/or truck and the door and fender are bondo'ed with fiberglass and repainted that you would have to take deliver or lose your deposit. No. You have to be offered a new vehicle with no prior damage or use, or your deposit. Apple has to refund or replace with new. it is illegal to replace with a refurb in those conditions. Apple can replace with refurb under apple care claims but this is not an apple care claim.

Apple does have replacements in slim no accessory boxes, but they are marked in the system as new or refurb and the refurbs cannot be used for the factory damaged replacements without consent of the buyer.

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

are all ND phones refurbs ?

 

[aristobrat]

Apple does have replacements in slim no accessory boxes, but they are marked in the system as new or refurb and the refurbs cannot be used for the factory damaged replacements without consent of the buyer.

At the Apple Store I worked at, if someone brought back a defective product purchased from Apple during the return window, we accepted the product as a return, gave the customer a refund, and then (on the same transaction) sold the customer another brand-new one, right-off-the-shelf, accessories included.

If someone brought in a defective product that wasn't originally purchased from Apple, they were given the choice of either returning it to the store they bought it from (and getting another brand-new one, right-off-the-shelf), or they could have it repaired at the Genius Bar. Their choice.

Perhaps the receipt the customers sign upon receiving a Genius Bar warranty replacement, which states that the replacements may be refurbs, serves as adequate consent of the buyer. Because honestly, as litigious as people are against Apple, I haven't heard of anything in the US about Apple violating any acts by doing this.

 

[Ran7]

At the Apple Store I worked at, if someone brought back a defective product purchased from Apple during the return window, we accepted the product as a return, gave the customer a refund, and then (on the same transaction) sold the customer another brand-new one, right-off-the-shelf, accessories included.

If someone brought in a defective product that wasn't originally purchased from Apple, they were given the choice of either returning it to the store they bought it from (and getting another brand-new one, right-off-the-shelf), or they could have it repaired at the Genius Bar. Their choice.

Perhaps the receipt the customers sign upon receiving a Genius Bar warranty replacement, which states that the replacements may be refurbs, serves as adequate consent of the buyer. Because honestly, as litigious as people are against Apple, I haven't heard of anything in the US about Apple violating any acts by doing this.

Look Apple is under several warranties. there is their printed warranty and federal a law on warranties which supersedes anything written. There are also several kinds of warranty claims. This one is factory damage. I fyou look at the pictures it is stunning. So Apple is going to in this case be ruled by public relations concerns, pluys the possibility of litigation down the road (probably wouldn't even start for 12 months). But that doesnt change the fact that you cant sell a factory damaged item as new in the first place.

If your phone is scratched up at the factory this is not a claim on the written warranty it is a claim on the implied warranty, which counter-intuitively to most people, is a stronger claim.

As you point out it is moot since they may have a genral have a policy on new not refurb within 30 days of purchase. The stickly part for Apple would be forcing people to go to seller. A maker cannot actually stop there on a product with factory damage if the retailer balks. Apple cant give a refund of purchase price since 95% of the provider as retailer sales are subsidized.

Again legally, it is not the selller, provider, or OM (Foxconn) that is legally responsble to the buyer -- it is Apple. And the implied warranty as far as case damge derives not from anything in writing but from the advertising pictures.

Again Apple seems to be doing the right thing by people after an initial and not suprising period of confusion and confused information for service reps. the right thing, and the legal obligation for damage out of the box is full refund or replacment with new, not refurb product. Again that is differnt case from user damaged product. Apple doesnt warrant agaisnt slight damage by user (user case and screen scratches).

 

[aristobrat]

This one is factory damage. I fyou look at the pictures it is stunning.

I don't see where the OP has posted pics in this thread.

 

[themadrussian]

are all ND phones refurbs ?

No. They're replacement phones. There are no refurb iPhone 5s yet.

ND models for A1429 (CDMA) are unlocked with respect to Sprint and Verizon and require you to select a carrier before activating the phone. I'm not sure about ND AT&T models (if they even have any).

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

Yes, Magnuson–Moss. people are citing the written warranty which has to do with damage buyers do after purchase. that isnt relevant to damage at the plant. Implied warranty law means that the sold phoens have to be in the condition of advertisng images and samples of new items (not handled) product in the store. It is illegal under Magfnuson to replace an item under those conditions with a refurb. It is actually a fraud. There is second liability under false adverting laws.

Waht the other poster was suggesting is that if you order a new car, and the vehicle is damaged at the factory and/or truck and the door and fender are bondo'ed with fiberglass and repainted that you would have to take deliver or lose your deposit. No. You have to be offered a new vehicle with no prior damage or use, or your deposit. Apple has to refund or replace with new. it is illegal to replace with a refurb in those conditions. Apple can replace with refurb under apple care claims but this is not an apple care claim.

Apple does have replacements in slim no accessory boxes, but they are marked in the system as new or refurb and the refurbs cannot be used for the factory damaged replacements without consent of the buyer.

I haven't heard that part of the Magnuson-Moss Act if what you wrote is actually accurate and you're not misinterpreting the law (I'm familiar with the part where they can't void the warranty just because you make a modification to it or you do the repair yourself instead of the dealer); however, you can't have it both ways. Either it's illegal at all cost or it's legal with the consent of the buyer.

 

[TSX]

I'm pretty sure the initial batch of replacements come from factory rejects that get refurbished and then used as replacement phones.

 

[Applejuiced]

I heard the Stork dropps them off.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

I got a replacement and was told it was a brand-new phone.

It was in better condition than my "brand-new" phone which came with a ding in the backplate. Even the home button clicked more precisely.

Yes, it would be illegal to sell you a refurbished phone without telling you it is such. Even if it was refurbished, does it really matter? They are probably about the same when it comes to quality given that new phones have so many defects.

 

[Ran7]

I haven't heard that part of the Magnuson-Moss Act if what you wrote is actually accurate and you're not misinterpreting the law (I'm familiar with the part where they can't void the warranty just because you make a modification to it or you do the repair yourself instead of the dealer); however, you can't have it both ways. Either it's illegal at all cost or it's legal with the consent of the buyer.

It is ok you are unfamiliar with the law and the case law. Lots of people are.

And I did not say "both ways." Where you quoted me in the first sense there is the active verb sense, ie a maker simply provide a replacement without saying it is a refurb and asking for consent (usually in consideration such as a partial refund/discount) is not allowed on DOA merchandise. (you actually run into both bait and switch and false advertising laws in that case a well) that is why the two statements seem exclusive to you even though they are not. I worked in distribution of various products . You cannot sell product damaged at factory as new. If you do so inadvertantly it is not legal to force a refurb on unwitting buyers of such product.

----------

I'm pretty sure the initial batch of replacements come from factory rejects that get refurbished and then used as replacement phones.

I am pretty sure they are not otherwise Apple woudl be creating a massive liability. Adn it is way to early anyway. They will more likly hold the dinged phones to use as replacements for purchases of applecare buyers. an applecare replacement is in a different category and under the written warranty, not the stronger implied warranty of sold as new handsets. Under the implied warranty controlling sales of "new" the replacements for (apple controlled) transport and factory damage mus be new. Under the both the written warranty and apple care extended you might exercise if, say your screen fails in 6 moths as a hypothetical due to maker responsibility, the written langauge controls and it almost certainly says "functional equivalent" meaning they can give you dinged or cosmetically marred re furb to fulfill that obligation

 

[billinaz]

Yes, Magnuson–Moss. people are citing the written warranty which has to do with damage buyers do after purchase. that isnt relevant to damage at the plant. Implied warranty law means that the sold phoens have to be in the condition of advertisng images and samples of new items (not handled) product in the store. It is illegal under Magfnuson to replace an item under those conditions with a refurb. It is actually a fraud. There is second liability under false adverting laws.

Waht the other poster was suggesting is that if you order a new car, and the vehicle is damaged at the factory and/or truck and the door and fender are bondo'ed with fiberglass and repainted that you would have to take deliver or lose your deposit. No. You have to be offered a new vehicle with no prior damage or use, or your deposit. Apple has to refund or replace with new. it is illegal to replace with a refurb in those conditions. Apple can replace with refurb under apple care claims but this is not an apple care claim.

Apple does have replacements in slim no accessory boxes, but they are marked in the system as new or refurb and the refurbs cannot be used for the factory damaged replacements without consent of the buyer.

They are sending out new phones. They are in the white boxes with no accessories.

All this diatribe about what apple HAS to do is fodder. They sell you a phone. If youre not happy about what you get you have 2 options. Refund or replacement.

Same thing that happens with all consumer good in the USA.

 

[itjw]

When a mommy iPhone and a daddy iPhone love each other VERY much...

Nah. They're all dirty refurbs! Refurbs that (even though you can't tell) have "I'm a refurb, neener neener neener" on a note just under the screen.

People can't tell the difference. Everyone always asks and says they don't want problems, when historically the refurbs have more problems worked out by the time they make it white box anyway.

Look at all of the brand new problems, then compare it to all of the refurb issues.

Refurbs are almost superior (the way apple does them, with all new exteriors).

 

[Ran7]

All this diatribe about what apple HAS to do is fodder. They sell you a phone. If youre not happy about what you get you have 2 options. Refund or replacement.

Same thing that happens with all consumer good in the USA.

You seem to have no idea of US consumer law. I hope you are happy takin delivery of new cars or watches that are scratched or suits that are stained.

Consumer goods damage at factory sold as new cant be replaced with refurbs.

So you are missing what was being discussed: Replacement with what? Some people are under the erroneous impression Apple can replace with a refurb (which is probably moot this early). The point is that isn't legal to force a refurb. Factory damaged items are not written warranty claims, they are stronger claims under the law (implied warranty). In fact if there is no written warranty they have to give you complete refund, or completely new replacement.
Rfeurbs can have considerably rough handling, a fair amount of scratches on body or screens etc. they only have to be "functional" under law, but those are for warranty claims -- the type of claims being discussed on this thread are not written warranty claims..

I am not ragging on apple, they are doing the right thing for example the Support people noted my account to just return the two phones and keep chargers, lighting cables and earrpods. So I got new phones each with double accessories because of the scratches!