Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Swapping iPhone 5 for replacement at Genius Bar - WARNING!

C

CmoranRVA

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 16, 2011
26
0
Swapping your phone for a replacement voids your ability to return the phone. Learned this first hand today, it's due to the phone serial # no longer matching the box. Long story short - if they have stock, return and purchase again!
 
That should fit in with common sense. The moment you do a support swap on any product instead of a return or exchange (i.e. return/repurchase) - you're losing the ability to return. This applies to any product that is tracked by a serial number.
 
CmoranRVA said:
Swapping your phone for a replacement voids your ability to return the phone. Learned this first hand today, it's due to the phone serial # no longer matching the box. Long story short - if they have stock, return and purchase again!
Click to expand...

Man that is good to know. I'd be super pissed if I kept getting dud replacemtents and then couldn't return the phone because of that.
 
i returned mine after it was swapped at the store. Maybe theyve changed the policy but I did it Sept 22.
 
bogatyr said:
That should fit in with common sense. The moment you do a support swap on any product instead of a return or exchange (i.e. return/repurchase) - you're losing the ability to return. This applies to any product that is tracked by a serial number.
Click to expand...

Disagree. I bet more people DON'T know this versus do...

Thanks for the tip OP.
 
when I did they gave me the phone in the white box but told me it was brand new. In the store it looked fine but when I got home it had a nick in the side and other issues so I went right back and returned it for a refund.
 
My original and first replacement both had reception issues not related to my carrier. I tried to exchange for another replacement on Thursday, and was denied. I brought the phone back today and was told it couldn't be returned, but they agreed to swap with a white box phone. So far, so good. Not seeing the wifi issues either. Both the original and first replacement were week 36, this one is week 37; hopefully a fix was implemented.
 
CmoranRVA said:
Swapping your phone for a replacement voids your ability to return the phone. Learned this first hand today, it's due to the phone serial # no longer matching the box. Long story short - if they have stock, return and purchase again!
Click to expand...
This is not true. There are many reports of people swaping iPhones several times due to scuff issues and Apple finally stopping them suggesting they make a refund and wait for future better QC batches. So yes, you can return even if you swapped.
 
GoodBoy said:
This is not true. There are many reports of people swaping iPhones several times due to scuff issues and Apple finally stopping them suggesting they make a refund and wait for future better QC batches. So yes, you can return even if you swapped.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm just going by what the Genius Bar Admin told me. I'm sure if you press hard enough, they'll do the exchange.
 
bogatyr said:
Why would you ever do a support swap instead of a retail exchange when it is within the return period?
Click to expand...

kellte2 said:
...because they don't have retail units in stock?
Click to expand...

Yeah, if your options are:

1. Return the phone and wait another month until they come back in stock so you can re-buy

or

2. Take this brand-new device in this other little box that was set aside specifically for this purpose.

... I'm guessing most people would go #2 (lol)
 
You also can't buy AppleCare+ once you swap out your phone. And it apparently takes time for your account to register AppleCare+ was purchased, so you can't buy it and swap phones at the same time. Sorry if that's been said already, just a heads up for anyone considering it. At least, this is what I was told after driving 1.5 hours to the Apple store.
 
bsmsam said:
You also can't buy AppleCare+ once you swap out your phone. And it apparently takes time for your account to register AppleCare+ was purchased, so you can't buy it and swap phones at the same time. Sorry if that's been said already, just a heads up for anyone considering it. At least, this is what I was told after driving 1.5 hours to the Apple store.
Click to expand...

And the information is appreciated. This sure is a shady policy implemented by Apple - especially when it runs contrary to the stated return policy on the website. No caveat is ever mentioned on any terms and conditions page for AppleCare + or any other document for that matter.
 
I had 1 of my iPhone 5 replaced 2x at Apple Store that was ordered online. But I was still able to return it last Saturday.
 
I had my phone swapped out because of nicks and other cosmetic damage. A week later I returned it because I realized I didn't need 32gb of space, and got a 16gb instead... So yes, you can return the phone after you have had the original swapped out.
 
You can get AppleCare+ after swapping out your phone. My initial phone had hardware issues (could not connect to network) Genius Bar replaced it, and I then purchased AppleCare+. No issues. This was only 1 day after purchasing the phone.
 
GoodBoy said:
This is not true. There are many reports of people swaping iPhones several times due to scuff issues and Apple finally stopping them suggesting they make a refund and wait for future better QC batches. So yes, you can return even if you swapped.
Click to expand...

I went to pick mines up on sunday and did swap through 4 phones, but everytime the phone was returned and i technically purchased a different phone... phone got reactivated then box was opened. they didn't ever just swap, and i was told once i "swapped" with a genius i could no longer return the phone.
 
It does seem logical - but then again, everything is electronic and there should be a record that your original phone was replaced with the new phone, then if the new phone is returned, they will have that serial anyway...
 
I just did an exchange at my local apple store. I downgraded from a 32 black to a 16 white iPhone. They offered me the Apple care+ but I rejected it. Today I decided to go naked with my iPhone and went to the store and bought Applecare for $99 bucks. I didn't have any issues.
 
The genius did it wrong.

You warranty should transfer onto the new phones serial number.

Had to get three replacement 4S's last year, and the warranty AC+ was transferred onto each new phone.

----------
bsmsam said:
You also can't buy AppleCare+ once you swap out your phone. And it apparently takes time for your account to register AppleCare+ was purchased, so you can't buy it and swap phones at the same time. Sorry if that's been said already, just a heads up for anyone considering it. At least, this is what I was told after driving 1.5 hours to the Apple store.
Click to expand...



Last year I shattered a 4S, got AC+ the day I got a replacement from the Apple Store no problem :/

My dad got a yellow screened 4S out of the box this year, went to the apple store got it swapped, put AC+ on the replacement that day
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back