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

[TrulsZK]

This is like returning the entire iMac because the keyboard failed under warranty!

But with the iMac this is not the case, they just send a new keyboard and you return the broken one.

Why can not Apple do the same for the Apple Watch bands?

 

[MacCheetah3]

I’m assuming the set that is sent back (watch and band) are now sold as refurbished?

Then there might be plenty of open box, err refurbished AW SE models for me to choose from.

I have the opposite issue....

The solo loops fits great!

Did you use the printable sizing band?

Just a thought. If you purchase the watch and only the watch without any bands, then purchase the band separately, but at the same time as the watch, that you get two separate orders shipped at the same time, then all you have to do if the band didn’t fit, you just send back the band and not the watch. Does that make sense to you guys?

Looking beyond the fact that you can't purchase an AW (via retail that is) without a band, your idea is satisfactory to those desiring more than one band and can find the config with a band they like/want, then purchase a Solo or Braided Solo separately. So, it is a plausible approach for some buyers.

Fortunately, I'm not in a rush to get the watch and even less so for the Solo Loop as the few activities I see it being a big advantage for aren't in my near future plan.

 

[Robsdc]

This is more like having floor mats not quite fitting your car and having to return the car to the factory to have new floormats fitted.

Uh, no. Bad analogy. Car floor dimensions and OEM mat sizes are 100 percent known ahead of time. More like selecting custom seats for a car by mail order and finding out they don’t fit your legs.

 

[cult hero]

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.

Hahaha. Yeah. All bad. All bad.

 

[xchucky88]

So here’s what I’ve got to say about this whole hullabaloo...according to apple’s measuring band I’m between 9 and 10 (more like 10 for comfort). When I went to the store to buy the watch on Friday I’m glad I actually tried it on first. My actual size was 7!
Now, on a separate note, just seeing how poor and utterly stupid this whole issue is being handled, I’m by no means surprised. I’ve had Apple Store damage my MacBook Pro while in repairs time after time this June (I mean I can’t even tell you how ridiculous it was, but basically they would fix one thing, but then the screen would be all scratched, then they’d fix that and on return the bottom of the shell would be scratched, then they would bring it to me and the new bottom would be all loose on one side have super wide gap on the side.....). I had to go during COVID and living 30 miles away from the Apple Store a total of 6 times. The solution was for my inconvenience to give me a 10% discount for a purchase of any device in the store. This was confirmed by their corporate when I dialed and escalated the issue. This is the bottom line: in 2020 the only thing that Tim Cook’s Apple cares about is profits and selling you more stuff. Customer service/tech support? Forget it. This is what happens when the company is being run by an accountant (truly nothing against the occupation) and not a visionary. I know I’ll get a lot of criticism for being so pessimistic and mad, but you know what? I remember when Apple would give you a new laptop if there was an issue and did extra to keep you satisfied as a customer. And I also remember when Genius Bar actually had very bright young men and women who cared and actually knew what they were doing. Right now, there are no standards. It’s all just sales/retail kids who know very little about the devices they sell. Sorry, it just makes me feel sad and nostalgic when this was more than a fancy brand. I miss the community. Anyhow, I’m sure I’ll get a ton of hate for this post, but good night everyone. Live long and prosper

 

[itsmilo]

Doesn’t surprise me. It’s the same crap as when you forget to apply a discount on a retail page. Instead of just charging you back the difference. You have to send back the item and order it again, case in point: Amazon

 

[pavinder]

Let me just fly to another state since none are open in Texas

Not targeting WiiDSmoker in particular, but anyone complaining about the return policy seems like overreaction to me.

Any item of clothing (or anything else) that needs to fit correctly obviously has a high chance of needing to be exchanged if you don’t try it on for size first.

Why blame Apple when you were the one taking the risk of buying before trying?

It seems obvious to me and many others that, especially as many stores are closed, buying an adjustable strap is the simple way to avoid any issue, whether to do with sizing or returns.

 

[joecomo]

Now I feel lucky that I ordered my watch with a new leather loop and some solo bands separately

 

[ani4ani]

Not targeting WiiDSmoker in particular, but anyone complaining about the return policy seems like overreaction to me.

Any item of clothing (or anything else) that needs to fit correctly obviously has a high chance of needing to be exchanged if you don’t try it on for size first.

Why blame Apple when you were the one taking the risk of buying before trying?

It seems obvious to me and many others that, especially as many stores are closed, buying an adjustable strap is the simple way to avoid any issue, whether to do with sizing or returns.

There is a reason, that since people decided to strap pocket watches to their wrists, that straps were designed adjustable for all history.

Only Apple could try and sell an unadjustable strap as a marvel for us to behold. The fact that they have 9 (Nine!) different sizes says it all. Apple has always favoured form over function and this is the epitome of that approach

 

[indiekiduk]

fixed size bands are wrong on so many levels

 

[Analog Kid]

Not targeting WiiDSmoker in particular, but anyone complaining about the return policy seems like overreaction to me.

Any item of clothing (or anything else) that needs to fit correctly obviously has a high chance of needing to be exchanged if you don’t try it on for size first.

Why blame Apple when you were the one taking the risk of buying before trying?

It seems obvious to me and many others that, especially as many stores are closed, buying an adjustable strap is the simple way to avoid any issue, whether to do with sizing or returns.

I think part of what stings is that people ordering on day one do it because they’re excited for the latest watch. It’s not just an overnight exchange in this case, it’s a month or more now— which means it wastes the effort to get an early order in, and the delay is even too long to order another and return the first when the replacement arrives.

Yeah, there’s a risk, but it seems like there are better ways to handle this and people aren’t used to having to treat Apple purchases this way.

 

[jdoyle]

This is a new level of silliness from Apple. They should never have been a set to begin with. Separate them out.

 

[Ruggy]

I dunno what I find more a joke. This ridiculous process or the fact that the already overpriced sports band at £50 are now £100 for a slight variant on a similar material.

Haha. We have bought really excellent third party sports bands for a few dollars and a really excellent leather strap for about 20. Definitely an area where you can save money.

 

[Macmelman]

This is surprising but not. When you look at shipping times for a single Apple Watch model, let's say Graphite Stainless 44mm with the sport loop. Depending on the band color you choose the shipping times are a week to a month and a half. If you look at the solo loop, depending on the size of loop you choose it varies as well.

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.

The problem is that the price of the band included with the watch seems to be lower for Apple than the price of the band sold separately. I think that is the key of the question. They could not sell a watch without a charger and without a band, but they coouldn't include the full price of the band in the price of the watch (I am speculating). As they overcharge for the bands sold separately, they don't want you to return just the band and get a theoretically more expensive sold separately band. They are expecting to make a certain amount of money with those, and that won't work if they give them away for the price of the ones included with the watch.

 

[Macmelman]

If only they had someone at Apple who was good at inventory and supply chain management, perhaps even known for it, they might be able to smooth situations like this out. Ah well, I guess it can't be helped.

In all seriousness, what is stopping them from just shipping a new band that's the correct size to the customer? For a non-adjustable band that many people might not have an opportunity to try on, you'd think that one free band exchange per watch would be the type of premium experience that Apple would aim to provide for its customers. Even if every single customer requested a new band and sold it, what harm could that do? Reduce the values of the bands on eBay? It's not like the cost of materials to Apple is all that much.

Even if they could, that won't help. The bottleneck for deliveries is actually the band. I can pick up a new watch with a normal sport band at any apple store right away. If I want one with a solo loop band in certain sizes, the most popular ones, I would have to wait until November. So even if they let you exchange just the band, you would still have to wait until November for it.

 

[Macmelman]

This is a new level of silliness from Apple. They should never have been a set to begin with. Separate them out.

They would never hear the end of it: Apple releases a watch that forces you to pay extra for a charger and for the strap to put it on.

But it would have been easier to sell them with the regular bands, the ones they have in stock, and announce that later in the year new bands would be available once they have enough stock and these problems don't exist. They could have announced them as an add-on, rather than the bands the watch comes with.

 

[Stromos]

Not targeting WiiDSmoker in particular, but anyone complaining about the return policy seems like overreaction to me.

Any item of clothing (or anything else) that needs to fit correctly obviously has a high chance of needing to be exchanged if you don’t try it on for size first.

Why blame Apple when you were the one taking the risk of buying before trying?

It seems obvious to me and many others that, especially as many stores are closed, buying an adjustable strap is the simple way to avoid any issue, whether to do with sizing or returns.

Not to start an argument but if you order something tailored and it doesn’t fit then you have to wait months for the replacement you have every right to be upset. They provided the tool. People confirmed the print with a credit card and are still having sizing issues. It was “tailored”. Also I wouldn’t expect to return a whole outfit if the shoes don’t fit right.

 

[orbital~debris]

On this article thinking it was about the ‘side gaps in the strap notch’ issue (also ‘ill-fitting’).

 

[ani4ani]

The problem is that the price of the band included with the watch seems to be lower for Apple than the price of the band sold separately. I think that is the key of the question. They could not sell a watch without a charger and without a band, but they coouldn't include the full price of the band in the price of the watch (I am speculating). As they overcharge for the bands sold separately, they don't want you to return just the band and get a theoretically more expensive sold separately band. They are expecting to make a certain amount of money with those, and that won't work if they give them away for the price of the ones included with the watch.

They have to sell a band with the watch, because that guarantees at least one stupidly priced band (1000%+ markup) is sold to every watch owner. If the watch was sold without a band, 95% of folks would never own a band made by Apple

 

[ani4ani]

Not to start an argument but if you order something tailored and it doesn’t fit then you have to wait months for the replacement you have every right to be upset. They provided the tool. People confirmed the print with a credit card and are still having sizing issues. It was “tailored”. Also I wouldn’t expect to return a whole outfit if the shoes don’t fit right.

They’re not tailored...they’re off the shelf items, in nine fixed sizes!

 

[Biorunner]

Ummm... what are you talking about. The Apple employee didn't post this chat. This is called iMessage lol, the guy who is complaining in the Twitter post took the screenshot clearly. Time to explore iMessage a bit more eh buddy! nice try on the joke though

It would appear most of us understood what johnnyenv was trying to say. Your response suggests you enjoy being a facetious pedant.

 

[byronjason]

Who approved this?

 

[Macmelman]

Not to start an argument but if you order something tailored and it doesn’t fit then you have to wait months for the replacement you have every right to be upset. They provided the tool. People confirmed the print with a credit card and are still having sizing issues. It was “tailored”. Also I wouldn’t expect to return a whole outfit if the shoes don’t fit right.

But even if they let you return your strap only, you would have to wait for a couple of months anyway. The problem here is not the watch, it is the straps.

 

[Macmelman]

They have to sell a band with the watch, because that guarantees at least one stupidly priced band (1000%+ markup) is sold to every watch owner. If the watch was sold without a band, 95% of folks would never own a band made by Apple

I don't know about that. I bought my watch with a regular silicon strap cos 1) that is the one I use at the gym and 2) I could get the watch right away. But I ordered already a couple of the new ones to be delivered in November. I have tried third party straps, and at least the ones that are significantly cheaper than the Apple ones, are very far from them in terms of quality. Same happens to me with third party iphone cases. Official Apple cases are way better than anything else (unless you get something as expensive) in my opinion.

 

[MHenr]

This is why I do not buy Nino Cerruti suits online after having post college experience fitting people for suits.
Why are people so stupid as to just try and guess this?

Because Apple supplies a fitting tool?

On the one hand, it's not very logical for someone to fall in between 2 sizes and to choose a size larger when it's an item that should fit quite snug.
On the other hand, this is not a very well thought through situation by Apple.