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Strap choice at purchase from Apple

Mainbeam said:
Hi folks,

I want to buy this watch http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-wa...e?preSelect=true&product=MNPV2B/A&step=detail but I prefer this strap http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/favoriteProduct/MMHD2ZM/A/42mm-black-classic-buckle
Does anyone know if I can select the black one over the brown at purchase or am I stuck with the brown one? Seems bad to charge £149 for a strap in a different colour.

Thanks

Paul
Click to expand...

You can't change it, but you could consider buying a cheaper variant with the sport or nylon band. That way you'd only be out £49 in total, the cost of a sport or nylon band.
 
Thanks nico. I want the sapphire crystal for scratch resistance. (I have another watch with sapphire crystal. 15 years later and not one scratch).
 
YMMV. I would order the watch and talk to Apple. Supposedly, the Apple Customer Service line was supposed to help me swap Sports Band colors after I received my Silver Stainless Steel Series 2 with the White Sports Band. Sadly, customer service would only allow me to pay the difference to "upgrade" to a higher level of band but only with their predetermined colors.

I called a local Apple Store and management there allowed me to come in and do a band swap. I got the Black Sports band. I would never wear a White Band for anything in my life. This is just me though.

Again, YMMV on this but this is how I resolved the situation. It helps if you mention that this is going to cause you to return the watch or phrasing like that. Apple needs to hear these "buzz words" or "keywords" in order to do this type of exchange.

For me, this whole thing is silly. They should offer a Watch Only package and give you a discount to buy the band of your choice. I understand the need to prepackage these items but Apple should also let you pick the band you want.
 
pkahleeb said:
YMMV. I would order the watch and talk to Apple. Supposedly, the Apple Customer Service line was supposed to help me swap Sports Band colors after I received my Silver Stainless Steel Series 2 with the White Sports Band. Sadly, customer service would only allow me to pay the difference to "upgrade" to a higher level of band but only with their predetermined colors.

I called a local Apple Store and management there allowed me to come in and do a band swap. I got the Black Sports band. I would never wear a White Band for anything in my life. This is just me though.

Again, YMMV on this but this is how I resolved the situation. It helps if you mention that this is going to cause you to return the watch or phrasing like that. Apple needs to hear these "buzz words" or "keywords" in order to do this type of exchange.

For me, this whole thing is silly. They should offer a Watch Only package and give you a discount to buy the band of your choice. I understand the need to prepackage these items but Apple should also let you pick the band you want.
Click to expand...

The guy is in the UK. The majority of these "extra mile" customer service things just don't happen outside of the US at all; managers perhaps don't have the same leeway.

In your case, Apple has run an official band swap program since the early days but it must be for another SKU offered (so in the days of the sport line, space grey owners were SOL as it only came with the black band). As the stainless steel only comes with one colour of sport band, I can definitely see why customer services gave you that option - apart from the nylon band at the same price, all the other SKUs are more expensive.
 
nicho said:
The guy is in the UK. The majority of these "extra mile" customer service things just don't happen outside of the US at all; managers perhaps don't have the same leeway.

In your case, Apple has run an official band swap program since the early days but it must be for another SKU offered (so in the days of the sport line, space grey owners were SOL as it only came with the black band). As the stainless steel only comes with one colour of sport band, I can definitely see why customer services gave you that option - apart from the nylon band at the same price, all the other SKUs are more expensive.
Click to expand...
Apple should have the same policies in North America as they do in the rest of the world IMO.

The band swap program is not something that is done very often in stores currently. It is not done via the phone AT ALL. The only option you have there is to upgrade your band to a different kind of band. Example: White Sports to Silver Milanese or Brown Leather Loop or Stainless Steel. No other color options are offered and you pay the difference minus the $50 you get back from sending back your White Sports.

The Store had to get SPECIAL PERMISSION by management to do a band swap for the color I wanted. This is one example of how Apple is NOT taking care of customers. You should be free to get ANY color you want even if it isn't the preferred color choice.
 
pkahleeb said:
Apple should have the same policies in North America as they do in the rest of the world IMO.

The band swap program is not something that is done very often in stores currently. It is not done via the phone AT ALL. The only option you have there is to upgrade your band to a different kind of band. Example: White Sports to Silver Milanese or Brown Leather Loop or Stainless Steel. No other color options are offered and you pay the difference minus the $50 you get back from sending back your White Sports.

The Store had to get SPECIAL PERMISSION by management to do a band swap for the color I wanted. This is one example of how Apple is NOT taking care of customers. You should be free to get ANY color you want even if it isn't the preferred color choice.
Click to expand...

i agree they should have the same policies worldwide, and it's annoying, but they don't. it is what it is.

if you read what i said that is exactly as expected. you can't swap white sports to any other colour because they don't offer any other colour (in fact, i just realised they pulled the SS + pearl nylon band, so that's not even an option either). so clearly, the only other ones you can swap to are going to be more expensive.

rechecking the current packages offered, the band swap program is essentially pointless now. the only options you really have are to swap a sport band for a nylon band (in the case of the aluminium watches) in a colour predetermined by apple, or to buy a more expensive band for your SS or SBSS watch.

the main problem with allowing band swaps en masse would be with the matching hardware (ie the concrete band on the gold aluminium watch comes with gold hardware; those bought separately have SS hardware)
 
nicho said:
i agree they should have the same policies worldwide, and it's annoying, but they don't. it is what it is.

if you read what i said that is exactly as expected. you can't swap white sports to any other colour because they don't offer any other colour (in fact, i just realised they pulled the SS + pearl nylon band, so that's not even an option either). so clearly, the only other ones you can swap to are going to be more expensive.

rechecking the current packages offered, the band swap program is essentially pointless now. the only options you really have are to swap a sport band for a nylon band (in the case of the aluminium watches) in a colour predetermined by apple, or to buy a more expensive band for your SS or SBSS watch.

the main problem with allowing band swaps en masse would be with the matching hardware (ie the concrete band on the gold aluminium watch comes with gold hardware; those bought separately have SS hardware)
Click to expand...
This could all be solved if Apple sold a "watch only" configuration. Maybe even forced you to buy a band and give you the discount you got when buying their current package. Then you could choose what you want. It is STUPID that Apple forces all Stainless Steel Silver users to get a White Band. I would never wear a white band any day in my life even if someone paid me to do so.

If they don't do that, why not let a user get a half price Sports or Nylon Band when purchasing a brand new Apple Watch in any version? Sure 25 bucks still sucks but it is better than paying 50 for one. I know Apple still makes money on a band even at $25.

I was never offered the Nylon band as an option in my scenario I listed in the previous post. I probably would not have elected this option though. This is the only kind of band there isn't a Third Party option that is available cheaply. I haven't tried them yet.
 
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pkahleeb said:
YMMV. I would order the watch and talk to Apple. Supposedly, the Apple Customer Service line was supposed to help me swap Sports Band colors after I received my Silver Stainless Steel Series 2 with the White Sports Band. Sadly, customer service would only allow me to pay the difference to "upgrade" to a higher level of band but only with their predetermined colors.

I called a local Apple Store and management there allowed me to come in and do a band swap. I got the Black Sports band. I would never wear a White Band for anything in my life. This is just me though.

Again, YMMV on this but this is how I resolved the situation. It helps if you mention that this is going to cause you to return the watch or phrasing like that. Apple needs to hear these "buzz words" or "keywords" in order to do this type of exchange.

For me, this whole thing is silly. They should offer a Watch Only package and give you a discount to buy the band of your choice. I understand the need to prepackage these items but Apple should also let you pick the band you want.
Click to expand...

Wow, I'm in the US and they wouldn't offer me any swap options. Chatted with four different agents over 3 hours...

Did you happen to choose the option to get the chat transcript emailed to you? If so, what was the name of the agent that arranged this for you?
 
Mainbeam said:
Hi folks,

I want to buy this watch http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-wa...e?preSelect=true&product=MNPV2B/A&step=detail but I prefer this strap http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/favoriteProduct/MMHD2ZM/A/42mm-black-classic-buckle
Does anyone know if I can select the black one over the brown at purchase or am I stuck with the brown one? Seems bad to charge £149 for a strap in a different colour.

Thanks

Paul
Click to expand...
Try some of the alternative uk apple dealers such as KRCS. They have a lot of the older bands in different colours at the old prices. The classic leathers are still £129
 
Mainbeam said:
Hi folks,

I want to buy this watch http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/buy-wa...e?preSelect=true&product=MNPV2B/A&step=detail but I prefer this strap http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/favoriteProduct/MMHD2ZM/A/42mm-black-classic-buckle
Does anyone know if I can select the black one over the brown at purchase or am I stuck with the brown one? Seems bad to charge £149 for a strap in a different colour.

Thanks

Paul
Click to expand...

I would go to Apple Store and check both bands out. IMO, the Saddle brown leather feel/texture is a lot better than the other colors...very Hermes-like in feel!
 
Synomenon said:
Wow, I'm in the US and they wouldn't offer me any swap options. Chatted with four different agents over 3 hours...

Did you happen to choose the option to get the chat transcript emailed to you? If so, what was the name of the agent that arranged this for you?
Click to expand...
I did have the chat agent conversation emailed to me when they told me this before I purchased. However, Apple, over the phone, would do nothing. For me, I had to go into a store. They put me on hold for about 10 minutes to "talk to management" where it was approved. I went into a local store and told them who said this could be done and then they made it work.
 
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