iPhone 16/Plus Stop ordering and returning

[TheColtr]

Returns are a very important business component that removes friction from the buying experience. You don’t want people to not buy your product because they’re concerned they may not like it and be stuck with it.

If you’re a small company, you may not be able to swing it. However, Apple is one of the richest companies on earth. It makes no sense for them to change their policy. They already monitor individuals who make numerous returns.

This, I wanted to experience the Windows environment when the Mac was in its slouch (2015-2019). I tried a Dell from Bestbuy, didn't like it, went to return it and they charged me a restock fee. I tried a Surface Book from Microsoft online store, the return process was so bad I had to make a BBB complaint and have some vice president of Microsoft help me with the return process.

All that to say, ive been tempted over the years to try different stuff, but with Best buys restock fee, and other companies difficult return process, I am hesitant to try new stuff. Microsoft and Google never get the opportunity to convince me to be a customer or show me why they're better, because I don't want to be stuck with something I dont like.

 

[raylo32]

Of course they are not struggling. They just pass those costs along to us and we happily pay them. LOL.

I’m sure Apple is really struggling to pay the bills 😂

 

[TheWraith]

I think doing that is cheap, lazy, selfish, and shows what a low-life the person is.
It’s a form of stealing or theft.

Really, this level of Puritanism is a lot. There are so many things to be indignant about, like human rights abuses and wars and famine. This…isn’t those things, and the world’s richest company is doing ok.

 

[raylo32]

I would argue that this is pretty poor ethics on your part buying stuff to "try". And in any case, you can't really make a judgement on something like that in a couple weeks or whatever. You need to learn what you need to get competent in it... or just not bother in the first place.

My most recent purchase is a MacBook Air with M2 and coming from mostly Windows it was and sometimes still is frustrating after a year and a half. And it isn't really much better than my older Zenbook except in battery life. But I didn't send it back. LOL.

This, I wanted to experience the Windows environment when the Mac was in its slouch (2015-2019). I tried a Dell from Bestbuy, didn't like it, went to return it and they charged me a restock fee. I tried a Surface Book from Microsoft online store, the return process was so bad I had to make a BBB complaint and have some vice president of Microsoft help me with the return process.

All that to say, ive been tempted over the years to try different stuff, but with Best buys restock fee, and other companies difficult return process, I am hesitant to try new stuff. Microsoft and Google never get the opportunity to convince me to be a customer or show me why they're better, because I don't want to be stuck with something I dont like.

 

[JDP1970]

How many people is “the amount of people”? I ask because (until just now) I’ve never read about anybody doing this on the MacRumors forums.

Obviously I know people return various things for various reasons. But now is literally the first time I’ve read of what you are describing.

If you go back over the years the posts are certainly there; ordering the “wrong” iPhone for launch day just to tide them over until they can get the model that they really want, ordering a launch day iPhone in the wrong colour/storage size, again to tide them over until they can get their iPhone of choice etc.

I can imagine that some people feel really left out if they don’t have a launch day iPhone to play with. It’s the instant gratification culture.

 

[Marty80]

Get over it, Apple offers the consumers choices, there products are already pricey as hell. I would feel much comfortable to have some cooling off period, even though I doubt I would use it.

 

[TheRealAlex]

and that, in a nutshell, is where the majority of the Vision Pros went!

I wonder how many of those were purchased out of curiosity or for attention seeking in social media with zero intention of keeping it more than 13 days 23 hours and 59 minutes.....

... quite a lot I imagine.

100% I have an actual career. But I’m not sure if I envy or loathe Influencers it’s like a Life Hack to not have a job. Just uploading Videos. A.I. might just kill Influencers completely. But I kinda am curious of how Influencers make money. Hey look at my new Vision Pro, they make in a week 10 videos and bank them. And slowly roll out a new video each week. Making it seem like there’s fresh content but it’s all Fake.

Just wait til a Pretty girl starts doing this in America.

companies send free items to be featured for 1 second. It’s QVC but much faster. And you can buy directly from the screen.
this is the future.

 

[jagolden]

Really, this level of Puritanism is a lot. There are so many things to be indignant about, like human rights abuses and wars and famine. This…isn’t those things, and the world’s richest company is doing ok.

True. But this discussion is about the buy/return cycle.

 

[DMG35]

I can tell you this, I'm returning this complete POS Beats case that Apple is charging $50 for. Its literally a $10 plastic case you can get on Amazon. I should have known better.

 

[TheWraith]

I can tell you this, I'm returning this complete POS Beats case that Apple is charging $50 for. Its literally a $10 plastic case you can get on Amazon. I should have known better.

Yes, I got one as well and am definitely sending it back, very terrible with an awful texture and cheap as hell.

 

[Fred Zed]

I think Apple should step up their game and up their return period to 30 days. 😂

 

[threeonthetree]

Wow, I can’t believe someone would actually start this thread. As others have mentioned, if I anticipate having a hard time returning an Apple device if something goes wrong, I simply won’t buy it. I’ve only returned one device before, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max might be the second due to touchscreen issues. But honestly, people shouldn’t judge others for returning their phones. Not everyone knows how a product will perform until they actually use it, even if they’re familiar with the specs.

 

[Shirasaki]

I don't need to visit a store to know I won't like a color. I knew the day of the reveal that I did not like natural or desert. IRL viewing not required.

Good for you, but other people will probably beg to differ. I always want to visit my Local Apple Store to take a look at the device in person, play around with it a bit before making a final decision, including the colour choice. And I am not alone.

 

[currocj]

It's been mentioned here before, but it's the FOMO culture. They want to be the first ones to get the device, to post it on socials and then when the dopamine wears off, it's like nah... I don't really need it after all, so they return it.

The same FOMO culture leads people to buy a new iPhone needlessly yearly.

So it goes both ways.

No way am I plunking down $1100 for a device I can’t return for WHATEVER reason I please

 

[mhdena]

The amount of people I see on this forum ordering the latest iPhone and then returning within the return window is really frustrating. I would suggest it’s only so those doing it can take part in the pre-order/new release hype with no real intention of keeping the device. But it takes away a phone from someone else waiting during launch, not to the mention the environmental impact and administrative burden.

Has it bothered anyone else seeing this practice be mentioned on here?

Do you have this same frustration every September? Seems unhealthy.

 

[unregbaron]

More refurbs for the rest of us I guess? Plus Apple had their money for those few days even if it costs them to process the return. Another plus - I bet a lot of people end up not returning their purchase for whatever reason.

 

[chmania]

This, I wanted to experience the Windows environment when the Mac was in its slouch (2015-2019). I tried a Dell from Bestbuy, didn't like it, went to return it and they charged me a restock fee.

Looks like you are living in a customer unfriendly country.

 

[chmania]

I would argue that this is pretty poor ethics on your part buying stuff to "try".

That's the main idea behind the 14-day no questions asked return policy. The consumer has the right to try the product, before deciding to keep it. The consumer rights come before the manufacturer's / seller's.

 

[chmania]

Get over it, Apple offers the consumers choices, ...

Actually, Apple (and other manufacturers) are forced to "offer" that "choice."
In my country, Apple (and other manufacturers) are forced to "offer" a 2-year statutory guarantee. In some countries in the EU, that statutory guarantee period is even more, like in Ireland, where Apple Europe is headquartered.

 

[mkjnkn]

That's the main idea behind the 14-day no questions asked return policy. The consumer has the right to try the product, before deciding to keep it. The consumer rights come before the manufacturer's / seller's.

My argument is you should ‘buy/try’ something you have a genuine intention of keeping. I’ve just read a post in the UK orders thread; someone with a 15PM, ordered a 16Pro, 16PM in a colour they don’t want and a 3rd iPhone 16PM in a colour they do want still to come in October. I would suggest they have done this because the Pro delivered sooner, then the wrong colour delivers next whilst they wait for the actual device they want. That is wasteful.

 

[chmania]

My argument is you should ‘buy/try’ something you have a genuine intention of keeping.

We all buy something with good intention, but we never know if the manufacturer or the seller has our good will in their corporate heart, so the regulators had decided that we, the consumer have the right to try-before-buying for 14 days. The 14 day return policy is actually, the right to try-before-buying. Why some people are still batting for the company?

 

[mkjnkn]

We all buy something with good intention, but we never know if the manufacturer or the seller has our good will in their corporate heart, so the regulators had decided that we, the consumer have the right to try-before-buying for 14 days. The 14 day return policy is actually, the right to try-before-buying. Why some people are still batting for the company?

We all buy something with good intention - incorrect, otherwise I wouldn’t have posted this thread.

There’s posts on this forum from people buying a device they don’t want because it delivers before the delivery date of the iPhone they do want. There’s also people on this forum buying for the hype/unboxing with no intention of keeping.

 

[chmania]

We all buy something with good intention - incorrect, otherwise I wouldn’t have posted this thread.

Okay, most of us are buying things with good intention, but we cannot guarantee that the manufacturer has a good intention towards us, other than the corporate profit. The 14-day no questions asked return serves us, those with that good intention, not the corporations.

There’s posts on this forum from people buying a device they don’t want because it delivers before the delivery date of the iPhone they do want. There’s also people on this forum buying for the hype/unboxing with no intention of keeping.

Why not? If they can make some money making YT videos, etc?
This is after all 2024, not the 90s last century, no one should pre-order something, or jump at the first release. Everyone can buy anything at their leisure today. Some people in some countries are brainwashed by corporate specialists that they should pre-order, or buy at the release day.

 

[JonnyIve]

I do it just to piss off Apple. They make you believe they giving you something new, and I make them believe I am buying something new. It’s a fair exchange.

 

[chmania]

After the release day, within weeks, all major distributions start fighting with each other cutting prices, so one can buy something at a cheaper price few weeks later. Whatever it is, the 14-day no questions asked statutory return policy is actually excellent, this try-before-you-buy policy.