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

[SuperCachetes]

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?

Exactly. Further, I have had doubts about the longevity of the fit of either of these flexy bands. Though I like the look of the braided one a lot, I’m not in the habit of replacing bands outright that often - as they stretch, or my weight changes, or whatever the reason.

Plopping that kind of money down for a non-adjustable fit sight unseen is daring to say the least. It’s kindof a shame that Apple painted their usual picture of convenience and accuracy and then fumbled a bit on both.

I plan on buying a Series 6 with a SPORT loop for Christmas.

 

[Apple_Robert]

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

le sigh

It is great. If only we could all meet in person and talk tech. That would be off the charts nerdvana.

 

[darkslide29]

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.

It would be nice to be able to buy the watch only. The watch and band come packaged separately anyway (sure in the same box, but sealed separately). I’m a simple guy with not a lot of bands. And since I can trade in my watch without including the band, I’m not particularly wanting a collection of bands. Just agree that it would be a nice choice.

 

[ridethectrain]

I didn't even use the new band, I used last years band

 

[Fousthvk]

Since most people will need to size only 1 down and this is a very small size difference for one size how many people will wait till the stock is good, go buy the size they want then put the old bigger size in the smaller size box and return that......

 

[symphony]

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.

I’m sure that the customer rep made it clear what Eli’s only option were, yet Hodapp goes on an adult temper tantrum, being impolite, for what? To knock the person down for doing their job or seeking special treatment?

Entitled and Rude. Guy needs to grow up

This is how you make customer reps feel sorry for you:

 

[jclo]

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.

Sounds like it did get escalated to someone more senior and Apple is looking into providing a $50 band credit. So probably the best Apple can do unless there's a band exchange policy change.

 

[suzanne5ive]

Glad I ordered my series 6 with the regular sport band.

I did an order pickup on a solo loop band today at my closest Apple store, thankfully they are open again. I ended up choosing the correct size using a tape measure and the online sizing chart. For reference, it advised me to go with a size 5, my measurement was 15.5 cm. Anything above that measurement advised me of a size 6. While in line to enter the store an employee had me use their disposable measuring system, and it stated I go with a size 6. Once in the store I tried on a size 5 demo band, which fit snug and comfortably. So from my experience the solo loop bands run big, it’s better to go with the next size down.

They had braided solo loop demo bands, but none to purchase. I didn’t try any of those on, wasn’t interested in paying double the cost.

 

[iRun26.2]

If the sizing tool is fine for many, while also being wrong for many, I would assume:

1) people have different preferences in how tight or loose they like it (complicated by the O2 measurement needing a snug fit).

AND

2) some are not printing the sizing tool at 100%

I’m sure both are happening.

Also, Apple needs to have a better way to facilitate the exchange. They could send out the new band and charge you for the replacement if you don’t return it, i.e., cross-ship.

The printout I used came with a credit card shaped thing that needed to match the size of a real credit card. This was supposed to help verify that people didn’t somehow print it incorrectly. That seems somewhat idiot proof to me.

 

[PhillyGuy72]

Just reading this insanity makes my blood boil, especially the response to "$100 - lesson learned"

Also horrific flashbacks in dealing with the awful online chat customer service on Amazon 11 months ago. Just got stupid runaround nonsense. "Policy" blah blah!

 

[Rogifan]

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.

Then why does the Apple Watch band come in a separate box? I’m sorry but when you have a band that you can’t try on they should allow exchanges. Mine fits OK now but I have a feeling it will stretch overtime so I’d like to try a smaller size. Having to return the entire watch just to get the right band size is absurd.

 

[makingdots]

they forgot to consider the obvious demographics of overweight americans

 

[Mr. Dee]

Honestly, I don’t know why this was even created in the first place. More like a problem in search of a solution that turned out to be more of a hassle.

 

[Boatboy24]

It really would work easier if you had the price for the device and then the price for the band and they ship independently of one another.

I probably would've ordered a 6 when they were announced if that was the case. I have the bands I want. If I could've gotten a watch only at a lower price, it would have been a no brainer. As it is, I'm happy enough with my 4 to wait 4-6 months and see what the series 7 rumors are or grab a 6 on the cheap.

 

[PickUrPoison]

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

View attachment 957169View attachment 957170View attachment 957171View attachment 957172View attachment 957173

Smart ass customer with way too much time on his or her hands. Apparently enjoying the argument.

This tells you all you need to know:

Hope this wasn’t at the beginning of the two hour ordeal, that poor CSR 🙁

 

[patent10021]

I think this is a perfect example of how old and out of touch the leaders of Apple are. Definitely needs to be some kind of culture shift at Apple. Who is the PM that thought it was a good idea to have a new loop that requires millions of customers to print out 1970's cereal box instructions? If you want to sell those kind of bands don't offer humans options where the chance for error is pretty high considering the multitude of variables. Sell them only at the store. This is why the best PMs should be former engineers who have the ability to think logically and practically. Apple's watch PM probably has a marketing background.

 

[zorinlynx]

I don't get it. How hard would it be for Apple to INCLUDE a prepaid return envelope for the band in case it's the wrong size? It would add almost nothing to Apple's cost if the envelope goes unused (if the band is the right size) and is cheaper than sending back the watch and shipping a whole new one if the size is wrong.

Hell, online clothing retailers do this all the time. Buy the wrong size? Use the included return label to do an exchange. Apple is a trillion dollar company and they can't figure these things out??!

 

[DotCom2]

It is great. If only we could all meet in person and talk tech. That would be off the charts nerdvana.

”nerdvana". 🤣🤣🤣

 

[puckhead193]

....and?....

I was able to swap the band size in under 5 minutes after waiting inline for like 10 minutes. (Apple didn’t list it in stock but they had it) maybe they are holding stock back for exchanges?

 

[centauratlas]

The cutout sizer on the ordering page was off for the braided solo band by 1 size for a lot of people ... including me.

Me too. It was about one size too big. I just used the old sport band.

The ability to trade bands would be nice for sure.

The Apple stores near here are still closed.

 

[magicschoolbus]

lmao, shame on apple for selling the watch combo'ed with this loop.. should have made it an option to buy just the band and not buy it as a "set"

 

[ScottHammet]

I don't get the interest in these solo loop bands. They remind me of the surfer bracelets from the 80s...you put them on, got them wet, and they shrunk to fit your wrist. You had to cut them off, no slipping them off, once the stink got bad enough (after a few months) that you didn't want to accidentally get it near your face.

 

[tsduke]

Luckily, I hopped on chat with Apple before ordering and was told the entire watch would need to be returned if the band didn’t fit. I ordered my series 6 with a standard sport band and a solo loop separately. Received both on Friday and the loop was too loose.

I got sized ranging from 7-9 from using both the offered measuring methods so had no confidence in the sizing. After checking it out in person I’m not sure the loop is for me anyway.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Imagine positing a chat with Apple support all over the internet. Just to cost someone their job because they were trying to acquiesce to the customer because they were mad about the size of their watch band on a luxury item. Seems like a great guy.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

FUUUUUUUUUU..........

I ordered an AW late that first night and my apple watch issn't coming till mid-to-late Oct and I'm now 95% certain that I got too big of a band size. I asked an apple sales rep over chat the next day if I could alter the band on the order I made and was informed that I would have to cancel and reorder, but he also assured me (obviously incorrectly) that I could easily switch out bands at an Apple store when it arrived... Well hopefully by mid-to-late Oct this will all be sorted out.