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

swingerofbirch said:
I did AppleCare Support, both on the phones and chat. You weren't allowed to apologize for policy no matter how asinine it was. You could say something like you were sorry about their frustration, or say that you were sorry about the experience of the band not fitting. But you could not criticize Apple's policies. (And you had to lie, too. In so many ways.) Hopefully that person keeps their job.
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I have chatted with four people about the band i have from my AW6 purchase. I need a smaller size. All of them said they agreed with me that this policy is not good.
 
goonie4life9 said:
Folks, here’s an update from Apple. The Senior Advisor I spoke to said he has never heard of this sizing issue. He also checked with his colleagues and they also haven’t heard of this issue, so we can be sure this isn’t an issue because they talk to millions of people with these bands every hour. To troubleshoot, they’ll need you to download a fresh copy of the sizing guide. If there still is a sizing issue after you’ve confirmed the sizing guide gives a size that doesn’t fit, you’ll need to restore your band to factory settings and set-up the band as new. Once you’ve done that, re-apply the sizing guide. If the mis-size persists, they’ll need to escalate to engineering. To do that, the Senior Advisor will send you a file to collect diagnostic data from the band. You’ll need to plug-in your band and run the diagnostics tool, with Mail logging enabled. Once the logs are collected, you’ll need to physically zip them up and submit them to Apple. Engineering will get back to you within 48 hours with the instructions to keep your band updated with the latest version of the size guide.
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You had me in the first half 😂
 
Maconplasma said:
While it's unfortunate that some are not getting the perfect fit, to complain about having to return the entire Apple Watch is just something you have to deal with. Right now due to the pandemic customers can't even try on clothes at any store. You have to buy them and try them on at home. If they don't fit you have to return them. Some Walmarts aren't even taking returns. They force you to go to the next closest store in a different city to do a return even though you bought it from that store. People are taking risks being the first man on the block with a new Apple product so while it's unfortunate there won't be more until November that's the risk you take being "First", especially during the pandemic where distribution is limited with every major company.
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You shouldn't have to return the whole watch, buy an new one and repair it to your phone. The watch case, and band are in separate boxes. And the band box is in the same boxes as the others. It really should be a simple exchange.
 
gomichaelgo said:
You shouldn't have to return the whole watch, buy an new one and repair it to your phone. The watch case, and band are in separate boxes. And the band box is in the same boxes as the others. It really should be a simple exchange.
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I didn't say that the whole watch should be returned, I'm saying that it's unfortunate that it's this way right now. Furthermore it's getting tiring that every single time someone is SLIGHTLY disappointed with Apple it has to hit the internet waves as if all other companies don't disappoint customers. I just spent $1000USD with Netgear upgrading my system to Wifi6 and while the product is good their customer service is outsourced and perhaps the worst I've dealt with in years. I did not resort to Twitter or start threads to tell on Netgear.
 
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Hodapp said:
Yes, just absolutely dripping with entitlement that my $900 watch that I bought using the Apple sizing guide doesn’t fit right.
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I know, but is that how you treat someone who has no control over your situation? They have rules to follow. You can just return your watch.

Maybe it’s just the Canadian in me that thinks this way, and this is how Americans just act.
 
Several years ago, when I bought my iMac I accidentally ordered it with the standard keyboard instead of the model with a numeric keypad. Apple wanted me to drag the whole iMac in to the store to exchange it. I was luckily able to just exchange the keyboard and pay the difference when I actually went in to the store and spoke with someone.
 
Popped into the local Apple Store today to try out an S6 and get my wrist sized. Apple's own sizing guides are well made but I still had to try on two sizes to find the right one. On that basis, it's 50/50 whether anyone will get the right size first time - there are going to be a lot of returns!

I found the Braided Solo Loop rather scratchy and decided against. The silicone Solo Loop was much better.
 
mattan_lines said:
I mean, it makes sense but at the same time it's utterly ridiculous. If I purchased a MacBook that came with a bad charging block, they wouldn't make me turn in my MacBook with it, they'd just replace the block.

Like yeah, the watch was "configured to order", but the value of the goods remains the same either way.
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It‘s not even that. Charging block included in MacBook box while the watch band comes in SEPARATE box. I’m not sure why it couldn’t be exchanged separately. Just send the band box back. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
swingerofbirch said:
I did AppleCare Support, both on the phones and chat. You weren't allowed to apologize for policy no matter how asinine it was. You could say something like you were sorry about their frustration, or say that you were sorry about the experience of the band not fitting. But you could not criticize Apple's policies. (And you had to lie, too. In so many ways.) Hopefully that person keeps their job.
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For the record, this is as it should be. No employee of a company should feel free to blast their employer to customers.
 
I knew as soon as I saw these straps that they weren't for me. I generally like my watch to fit loose, but I tighten it up when I work out so the heart rate reads better.
 
Yep ran into this problem. Chatted with online specialist who told me I have to return the whole thing. Went to an Apple Store and was told the same. Ended up buying an extra band at the store and just shelved the one that doesn’t fit. Apple should remedy this.
 
Maconplasma said:
I didn't say that the whole watch should be returned, I'm saying that it's unfortunate that it's this way right now. Furthermore it's getting tiring that every single time someone is SLIGHTLY disappointed with Apple it has to hit the internet waves as if all other companies don't disappoint customers. I just spent $1000USD with Netgear upgrading my system to Wifi6 and while the product is good their customer service is outsourced and perhaps the worst I've dealt with in years. I did not resort to Twitter or start threads to tell on Netgear.
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You literally said " to complain about having to return the entire Apple Watch is just something you have to deal with." We are saying NO, you shouldn't have to deal with it or return the whole watch. It should be simple and Apple typically prides themselves on the "it just works" philosophy. There seems to be a LOT of people in a similar boat and we are communicating to see how to work it out the best way. Apple should update their POS system as well as their inventory. Furthermore they should be selling the case completely independent of the band. That would be a simple resolution right there.
 
MacDevil7334 said:
So...Apple created bands that have to be ordered in a fitted size, in the middle of a pandemic when many people can’t/won’t go to a store to try them on, and then had no game plan to handle returns when people inevitably ordered the wrong size? Bad idea all around.

It’s time for Apple to completely decouple the purchase of a watch from the band. You should be able to buy just the watch on its own without a band. And you should never have to return the watch if you want to return the band it came with. Crazy bad customer experience here.
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The most absurd part is that the watch and band are packaged completely separately inside the outer packaging that has no mention of the band or size. You could literally just take the box with the band in it and return/exchange it like you bought it separately. Full retail packaging with a price tag.
 
gomichaelgo said:
You literally said " to complain about having to return the entire Apple Watch is just something you have to deal with." We are saying NO, you shouldn't have to deal with it or return the whole watch. It should be simple and Apple typically prides themselves on the "it just works" philosophy. There seems to be a LOT of people in a similar boat and we are communicating to see how to work it out the best way. Apple should update their POS system as well as their inventory. Furthermore they should be selling the case completely independent of the band. That would be a simple resolution right there.
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Firstly you don't know Apple's reasoning behind it so to start with the "It just works" nonsense, is ridiculous. Yes WE as consumers have to deal with lesser customer service than we are accustomed to getting. It's because of this little known issue called COVID-19. Secondly you obviously have forgotten there is a worldwide pandemic and EVERY major company has modified the customer's convenience for purchases, returns and store hours.

"Furthermore they should be selling the case completely independent of the band. That would be a simple resolution right there."

Maybe you should be running Apple because apparently you have all the answers without any information from the inside.
 
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