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PSA: New Apple Watch Owners Have to Return Entire Device for Ill-Fitting Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop

I ordered a solo band (just the band, not a whole new watch) and I prefer them snugger, so based on the measurement guide I ordered a 7 (thinking it would be snug) and it was so loosey goosey... I made an appointment to get a new size at an Apple Store and ended up getting a 4... I'm thinking the 4 might be too tight now -__- but it's much better than the loosey goosey 7. I am a big fan of how slip the watch feels now, especially while wearing long sleeve shirts.

The employee at the store said that most people need to order 1-3 sizes smaller than the recommendation, so I personally would get 2 sizes smaller than the number on the measurement guide. Also Apple really should update the measurement guide & allow band replacements instead of having to replace the entire watch.
 
So I stopped at an Apple store to inquire about exchanging the solo loop band for a smaller size. The employee confirmed that they have the size and color I wanted in store. But he said all he could do was sell me the band. No exchange. I would need to call Apple customer service. I did. Waited on the phone for a half hour while the employee spoke to their supervisor. They told me all they can do is process a return and once it’s processed I could order a new watch. Ridiculous. I went back to the store told them I would be doing a return and not buying a new one. I explained why. This employee left to speak with the store manager. 5 minutes later he came back and just swapped the bands out. What a cluster—. I told the employee this is a real issue they will need to address. He agreed. Let’s see if management dies anything about it.
 
After a few days of getting different answers from Apple reps, I just got back from my local Apple Store today and was ultimately able to swap just the Solo Loop for a smaller size without needing to do anything crazy with a return!

I had spoken to 1-800-APPLE yesterday and a supervisor told me that they released updated guidance to retail staff that a "band swap" is approved. The store I went to luckily had smaller sizes in stock and I was able to walk out with the new band and my current watch without an issue. They did give me a receipt which made it look like I purchased the band and then got a credit for it at the same time. I ended up going two sizes down which shows just how bad the printable sizer was.
 
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AppleAviator18 said:
After a few days of getting different answers from Apple reps, I just got back from my local Apple Store today and was ultimately able to swap just the Solo Loop for a smaller size without needing to do anything crazy with a return!

I had spoken to 1-800-APPLE yesterday and a supervisor told me that they released updated guidance to retail staff that a "band swap" is approved. The store I went to luckily had smaller sizes in stock and I was able to walk out with the new band and my current watch without an issue. They did give me a receipt which made it look like I purchased the band and then got a credit for it at the same time. I ended up going two sizes down which shows just how bad the printable sizer was.
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I hope they’re changing policies. What they really need to do is separate the watch and band at time of purchase so they’re treated as separate items which would make band exchanges easier. These new bands are really nice. Shame if they got a bad rap or were discontinued because of retail/sales/customer service policies.
 
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The Apple policy makes no sense. I was not about to return a perfectly good Watch 6.

SOLUTION: Sold my too large Solo Braided band on eBay for more than the Apple Store is asking.

NOTE: I see people sold their Solo Braided for over $150. I did not ask that much and sold in an hour.
 
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Shocking! Just like before. This has always been the policy since they let you customize band choice before purchase.

No, it's not a good policy, but it's also not new.
 
I just got off the phone with support and was given two options: send entire watch and band back for an exchange or make a Genius Bar appointment (which they did for me). At appointment the Apple Store will either have my band in stock in my size, which I doubt, or order the blue braided loop in my size. I'm fine with the appointment solution because I'm using a band that fits my new Series 6 and I can wait a few months for the replacement band.
 
Such effing idiocy. And people still wonder how Apple managed to treat their professional Mac Pro users like they did and still… I was watching Neil Parfitt’s description of Apple staff’s braindead response to his purchase of a spare power supply the other day, and now seeing this, which absolutely takes the cake as it hits squarely at their most profitable market segment, does make me wonder about exactly who sets these policies… Eddy Cue? 😂
 
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Apple should let us buy a watch and band separately. I have so many bands, unless they change the size from 44 to something larger, I don't need another band.

This would make stock keeping much simpler, and would prevent the issue of having to return both watch and band combo, just because the band doesn't fit.
 
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kiko69 said:
Apple should let us buy a watch and band separately. I have so many bands, unless they change the size from 44 to something larger, I don't need another band.

This would make stock keeping much simpler, and would prevent the issue of having to return both watch and band combo, just because the band doesn't fit.
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I have a feeling by pairing the watch with bands, they purposefully inflate their quarterly reports by indicating those extra “sold” bands in their “accessories” or “other” category.
 
I still don’t understand how some people are saying the sizes are 3 or so ”off” when they go in to a store, compared to using the paper tool? How can there be that much of a discrepancy?

I totally understand that some people will go down/up a size to get a more/less snug fit, but having seen the bands in the store, a few sizes down is a significant difference in size, so are some people printing the paper strap at the wrong size or something?
 
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My watch is ordered. Size 9 solo loop. Coming Oct 14 - Oct 21.

Thing is, I was pretty close to the line with Size 8. I tried to call them to get them to alter the order to size 8 loop. The only option was to cancel the order and re-purchase. However, now, reading all this, I'm actually tempted to cancel the order and re-purchase with a size 8 loop.

But I don't want to go to the back of the line. What do you all think? If I cancel and re-purchase, how badly pushed back do you think my delivery will be?
 
dang, good reason to not get one with the watch but separate

sounds like a hassle. for both parties,
 
BasicGreatGuy said:
If Apple did that, people would expect the watch to be cheaper. No way Apple is screwing around with their hefty margin.
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I tend to take a less cynical, glass-half-full approach. You could also say that if Apple didn't sell bands with the watch, they'd have less control over the user experience.

From what I've heard, there are some awesome third-party bands out there for a fraction of the OEM cost. But if I were Apple, I could never trust that all of the aftermarket bands are great - and if they aren't, then the whole Watch product line might be represented poorly. (Ok, so more poorly, perhaps...)

I do think Apple "tries" with these bands. Due to policy, or pandemic, or just poor strategy they missed the mark this time with the solo loops. Oh well. And yeah, I'm positive the markup is insane. ;)
 
SuperCachetes said:
I tend to take a less cynical, glass-half-full approach. You could also say that if Apple didn't sell bands with the watch, they'd have less control over the user experience.

From what I've heard, there are some awesome third-party bands out there for a fraction of the OEM cost. But if I were Apple, I could never trust that all of the aftermarket bands are great - and if they aren't, then the whole Watch product line might be represented poorly. (Ok, so more poorly, perhaps...)

I do think Apple "tries" with these bands. Due to policy, or pandemic, or just poor strategy they missed the mark this time with the solo loops. Oh well. And yeah, I'm positive the markup is insane. ;)
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I agree with you about Apple messing up marketing and proper communication prior the sale.
 
I’m sure this has probably already been said (thread is too long to go through all 14 pages) but for the solo loop at least, if you’re between sizes I was smack dab between 6 & 7 at 165mm) go for the smaller option. The band is stretchy so the smaller size is really comfy for me. I absolutely love it. So comfortable. Snug but not tight at all. And the watch doesn’t move around (barely). The bigger size was really loose for me. I tried them both in person at an Apple Store.
 
So, um, buying the right size watch band is somehow just too difficult? I'm sure there might be a market for those bands in the future. Just thinking out loud. Heck, even just a random band would fill the need until the bands are in stock in all the sizes (if that's the case).
 
The band doesn’t fit so you have to return the whole watch... this is so stupid. Must be from the same team that designed the butterfly keyboard to require replacing the entire top case for a bad key.
 
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PickUrPoison said:
How some managed to order 3 sizes off using the printed tool still puzzles me. Maybe they’re the ones who didn’t match the credit card?
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That seems quite plausible to me.

As for myself, using the credit card method to be sure I'd printed the right size, its pretty clear I'm on the border between Size 8 and 9.

So, I've now canceled my size 9 order and ordered the size 8... but the upshot is my delivery day has now been knocked back a month!
 
NervousFish2 said:
My watch is ordered. Size 9 solo loop. Coming Oct 14 - Oct 21.

Thing is, I was pretty close to the line with Size 8. I tried to call them to get them to alter the order to size 8 loop. The only option was to cancel the order and re-purchase. However, now, reading all this, I'm actually tempted to cancel the order and re-purchase with a size 8 loop.

But I don't want to go to the back of the line. What do you all think? If I cancel and re-purchase, how badly pushed back do you think my delivery will be?
Click to expand...

well if it’s delivered late October and it doesn’t fit, the replacement could be December? Probably better at the back of the line now, than being put at the back in October?
 
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