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JRoDDz

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 2, 2009
1,927
183
NYC
9af6566535236e1be69440f0df147354.jpg
 
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Surfer13134

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2010
1,040
776
Florida
So basically you're just gambling on trade in value. I send in perfect condition iPhone back and they could tell you whatever they want.
It's not just Apple, this happens with all mail in trade ins honestly. Samsung has it the worst, I used Gazelle once and they tried pulling that crap saying the screen was cracked, luckily I had pictures and they quickly gave me my full value I was quoted. Sometimes you get lazy people that do check ins on the phone or they accidently swap phones but like others have said unless you have pictures of proof the phone was in good condition its your word VS theirs. I mean let's face it there is some people in this world that will try to scam the trade in process (I'm not saying you are).
 

JRoDDz

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 2, 2009
1,927
183
NYC
It's not just Apple, this happens with all mail in trade ins honestly. Samsung has it the worst, I used Gazelle once and they tried pulling that crap saying the screen was cracked, luckily I had pictures and they quickly gave me my full value I was quoted. Sometimes you get lazy people that do check ins on the phone or they accidently swap phones but like others have said unless you have pictures of proof the phone was in good condition its your word VS theirs. I mean let's face it there is some people in this world that will try to scam the trade in process (I'm not saying you are).

I agree. I have no reason to send them a broken phone. I will never send another trade-in via mail again. Now I have to wait to see what the "investigation" provides. Worst case I'm out $400.00 and receive a broken phone back when I sent my perfect condition iPhone to them.
 

Surfer13134

macrumors 65816
Jun 12, 2010
1,040
776
Florida
By any chance did you have apple care on the phone? I know with t-mobile and the Jump plans they use the insurance if the phone gets damage or returned in a state not as described. I wonder if Apple will just file an apple care claim and just credit your account?
 
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Otflyer

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2017
1,474
999
SF Bay Area
Geesh, now I have to take photos of my trade in before sending in to Apple....
That would be the smart thing to do.
[automerge]1569505863[/automerge]
Apple should provide a service of packing up and shipping these trade-ins for customers so as to verify their condition. This type of discrepancy is unacceptable.
Just take your own photos. I do.
 

BrettDS

macrumors 65816
Nov 14, 2012
1,489
634
Orlando
It wasn’t a trade, but I had something similar happen with an Apple Watch repair. During a firmware update my series 3 watch got bricked and stuck on the apple logo. The watch was in perfect condition otherwise. I called apple and they said that they would send a box for me to send the watch in to be fixed. I got impatient waiting for the box to arrive and took it to the Apple store figuring it could be sent in from there immediately.

At the store they took it and put it in a box while I was standing there. A couple of days later I got an email from Apple telling me that they couldn’t do anything with the watch until I paid to fix the cracked screen. I was very confused as the watch didn’t have a cracked screen when I gave it to them at the apple store. I called and wound up getting escalated a few times, but eventually Apple did make it right and sent me back a functional watch without a cracked screen at no cost to me.

Apparently one of the things that saved me was the fact that the notes the rep took when she checked the watch in at the store didn’t mention that the screen was cracked (which, of course they wouldn’t, since it wasn’t cracked at that time). But without those notes it might have been a much harder fight to try to prove that the watch was uncracked when it left my hands.
 

archer75

macrumors 68040
Jan 26, 2005
3,116
1,746
Oregon
Ultimately if it's damaged in shipping you have to file a claim with the shipping company. That's why they sell insurance. Apple could cover it anyways but it's not their responsibility for shipping damage.

I've used the IUP since it's inception and send 2 phones back every year. So far never had a problem.
 
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JRoDDz

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 2, 2009
1,927
183
NYC
By any chance did you have apple care on the phone? I know with t-mobile and the Jump plans they use the insurance if the phone gets damage or returned in a state not as described. I wonder if Apple will just file an apple care claim and just credit your account?

Yes! I do have Applecare on it. They are supposedly sending me the phone back. I'll take it to the Apple store and do an Applecare claim on it I suppose. It's $99 for any kind of damage. ?
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,676
5,895
The mail in trade-in’s go to a third party not Apple. The best way to trade is at an Apple store when you purchase a new phone. Apple store employees are not as critical of defects.

This. I hate to say it, but you live and learn. You should have done this at an Apple store.
 
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michie0708

macrumors newbie
Sep 16, 2019
14
18
Dallas, TX
Oh man, that stinks. I was truly paranoid about just mailing my phone. I took pictures (lots of them) and video showing that it was in working condition. I then took video of myself at the UPS store packing the phone into the return box and turning it in. Made sure that the tracking number was visible.

This way if it gets there damaged, UPS is responsible. I also bubble wrapped it.
 

jbachandouris

macrumors 603
Aug 18, 2009
5,809
2,948
Upstate NY
This is exactly why I do my trade ins for IUP at the store. No chance of shipping breaking it and no chance of the employee receiving it dropping it and blaming me. Also, the store employees know me. They know that if I was able to hack the IMEI and serial number, I could easily sell mine as new. My trade ins are ALWAYS mint condition.
 

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,676
5,895
It wasn’t a trade, but I had something similar happen with an Apple Watch repair. During a firmware update my series 3 watch got bricked and stuck on the apple logo. The watch was in perfect condition otherwise. I called apple and they said that they would send a box for me to send the watch in to be fixed. I got impatient waiting for the box to arrive and took it to the Apple store figuring it could be sent in from there immediately.

At the store they took it and put it in a box while I was standing there. A couple of days later I got an email from Apple telling me that they couldn’t do anything with the watch until I paid to fix the cracked screen. I was very confused as the watch didn’t have a cracked screen when I gave it to them at the apple store. I called and wound up getting escalated a few times, but eventually Apple did make it right and sent me back a functional watch without a cracked screen at no cost to me.

Apparently one of the things that saved me was the fact that the notes the rep took when she checked the watch in at the store didn’t mention that the screen was cracked (which, of course they wouldn’t, since it wasn’t cracked at that time). But without those notes it might have been a much harder fight to try to prove that the watch was uncracked when it left my hands.

That's the good thing about sending off repairs at the Apple store. They note the condition of the watch, phone, laptop, etc. If it doesn't specifically mention damage it works in your favor.
 
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phpmaven

macrumors 68040
Jun 12, 2009
3,466
522
San Clemente, CA USA
Next time sell it yourself on Swappa. Taking pictures of it before you send it may help, but ultimately it doesn't prove anything. How hard is it to take pictures of a pristine phone and then put a busted one in the box.
 
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Givmeabrek

macrumors 68040
Apr 20, 2009
3,464
1,161
NY
Yes! I do have Applecare on it. They are supposedly sending me the phone back. I'll take it to the Apple store and do an Applecare claim on it I suppose. It's $99 for any kind of damage. ?
And you will get a new or refurbed phone. You can then sell for a profit and also get a refund on your AppleCare. I know, you could have just broken it yourself and come out ahead...
 
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lovehateapple

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2015
617
954
USA
This is a horrible story and a valuable lesson for us all. I guess the smart thing to do in the future would be to sell the item you want to trade in on craigslist or ebay, get the cash, and then buy what you want from apple...
 
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