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

[orourke]

I had this problem last year with the leather band that was a little too big. Went to the apple store prior to purchase online and they had zero leather bands to try on. Then when I ordered the large size because I've always worn M/L bands it was very close to lapping over the screen!

Went to apple store, told that they would need to return the whole watch, despite the fact that the band comes in a SEPERATE retail box when you receive it. So dumb. It would have taken more than a month to get a new watch so I just gave up but definitely lost a fair amount of goodwill towards apple support.

My point being, they had this problem in their customer service last year (when they introduced the mix and match apple watch purchase option); They've known this is an issue for customers and they just don't give a ****.

 

[XXPP]

I am sure that the cost of shipping and distribution when sending back a non-matching band is several times higher than the price of the band.

 

[symphony]

You’re looking at two lines of chat in a two hour long iMessage conversation.

No. I’m referring to the images that you shared online.

 

[az431]

Why is this even news? I've never heard of returning part of an item if you bring it home and part of it is missing/broken/unusable.

 

[-BigMac-]

Let’s invent a watch band which has multiple holes for people with different sizes of wrist!

Come on man.. that would save production costs!!

 

[iBJW]

 think different

 

[Rychiar]

I'd much rather just have the watch and buy a much better third party band....

 

[Analog Kid]

I have to say, this whole thing seems ill conceived...

First, the printable sizer is just a weird thing in this day and age. I've got a printer, but it's unplugged in a closet somewhere. I'd also have no idea if the print is actually scaled properly.

Then, such fine sizing that they need 9 different SKUs? That's just asking for discontent on something as personal as the tightness of a watchband. The difference in feel between a paper test strip and a stretchy silicone is going to make a lot of people mis-size on the first go.

Then to have to return the watch and band if you get it wrong? That seems like a lot of effort to correct a simple mistake.

This all seems like a supply chain and inventory nightmare... Very un-Apple, if you ask me. Is the blood oxygen sensor that unreliable with the older band designs?

 

[cmaier]

Yes, just absolutely dripping with entitlement that my $900 watch that I bought using the Apple sizing guide doesn’t fit right.

The chat seems pretty entitled. I’ve always found that if you’re polite and pleasant, apple just gives you what you’re asking for. At least that’s always worked for me.

 

[JM]

That really sucks. I'm sorry for all you that don't have an Apple Store nearby. Mine is closed still, and I would be so mad if I had to return the whole watch.

 

[Analog Kid]

I am sure that the cost of shipping and distribution when sending back a non-matching band is several times higher than the price of the band.

Good point. I was thinking to suggest that they ship the bands in bundles of 3 or something, to bracket the size you request. That seemed wasteful, but I wonder if it's really more wasteful than shipping the whole set back and forth until you get the right size.

 

[citysnaps]

So much drama here.

Life goes on.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The chat seems pretty entitled. I’ve always found that if you’re polite and pleasant, apple just gives you what you’re asking for. At least that’s always worked for me.

That has been my experience as well. Treat people with respect, let them know you are understanding of the problem and their position, and a company is much more willing to work at keeping you as a happy customer, versus being rude to them and getting nowhere.

 

[Apple_Robert]

So much drama here.

Life goes on.

MacRumors has been nominated for an Emmy, for best drama and educationally riveting forum on the internet.

 

[gwbandrew]

Last year I was able to swap out my band (bought with my S5 watch) in person at an Apple store with no issue. I believe that they had to process it as a return of the entire watch, but in reality, the watch never left my hand; they just took the old band and gave me the new one.

This is the common strategy with untrained staff, but there's a much, MUCH quicker & easier way for the Specialist to process the return without having to do the entire set:

In their system, there's an option to do an "accessory swap" for the Watch bands.​

Select old band in transaction.​

Scan new band.​

You're on your way.​

The entire return/exchange is a much longer process; dealing with refunded money (can't do an zeroed-out exchange with the same Watch S/N but two different bands in a single transaction), possible manager override (which can be a wait if they're all busy)...

 

[mtbdudex]

For those who are thinking to lose weight, your wrist size WILL GO DOWN, so don’t lose that weight!!

 

[tgwaste]

The closed loop band is one of the dumbest ideas in the history of Apple.

 

[xander09]

The chat seems pretty entitled. I’ve always found that if you’re polite and pleasant, apple just gives you what you’re asking for. At least that’s always worked for me.

Yup, it's not the what (being frustrated by an online sales and support system that can't handle band exchanges) but how that frustration was expressed. I do wonder if folks have had different results talking (politely) with with customer service on the phone. I've usually been able to get accommodations through phone support (after going up a level or two in the support hierarchy). Not sure if the chat feature is as effective.

But regardless, Apple should have been prepared to process band exchanges by mail.

 

[jclo]

The chat seems pretty entitled. I’ve always found that if you’re polite and pleasant, apple just gives you what you’re asking for. At least that’s always worked for me.

I don't think the chat really sounded entitled so much as incredulous, but not sure it mattered what was said. It's Apple's policy and there's nothing that online chat person can do based on all of the other people that have gotten the same response.

 

[jclo]

Yup, it's not the what (being frustrated by an online sales and support system that can't handle band exchanges) but how that frustration was expressed. I do wonder if folks have had different results talking (politely) with with customer service on the phone. I've usually been able to get accommodations through phone support (after going up a level or two in the support hierarchy). Not sure if the chat feature is as effective.

But regardless, Apple should have been prepared to process band exchanges by mail.

I haven't yet heard of anyone able to get a swap not in a store, so would be interested to hear other people's experiences with customer service on this issue.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't think the chat really sounded entitled so much as incredulous, but not sure it mattered what was said. It's Apple's policy and there's nothing that online chat person can do based on all of the other people that have gotten the same response.

Maybe so. However, if the customer had been polite instead of rude etc. the customer rep might have been inclined to consult his or her boss on the customer’s behalf, and offer some Apple good will.

 

[darkslide29]

That’s too bad. Puzzling since the watch and band are always sealed in their own separate packages. From an environmental concern, this kind of cancels out not including a power brick in the box!

 

[CJ Dorschel]

6 pages of people arguing over a tech giants watch bands.

le sigh

 

[doboy]

I could only think of the R world, but it's politically incorrect to say it.

 

[Maconplasma]

I do wonder if folks have had different results talking (politely) with with customer service on the phone.

I wonder if people like that customer on the chat of entitlement have ever worked in customer service having customers throw snide remarks and jabs at them in regards to the company's decisions that are out of their control? I worked in customer service longer than many here that have probably even lived so I know how it feels to be the employee getting mud slung in my face from entitled customers.