MiMiRet said:
Subarusam, We are on the same page. For those of you who preach to us about how wonderful Apple is, well like in LaLa Land if you want, but don't expect me to follow you there. My husband dropped his IPad 2 that he'd had exactly 3 months. Didn't fall very far--not a hard drop. No matter. Has several cracks that go all way across screen. LCD works fine--although cracks are extensive you really can only see them if the light hits it a certain way. IPad still works as it did before drop. Took it to local Apple store, expecting to PAY for glass screen replacement. Was told that they would not, do not replace screen. Instead they "switch out" with you. They'd return the "damaged" one and give me a new one for $249.00 before tax and shipping. Since IPad 3 is now out and I know that I can buy a new IPad 2 for $399.00, I thought this seemed a bit ridiculous and decided to better educate myself on my options. Checked computer repair shop and they wanted $149.00 to replace screen, which would void the 9 months still left on warranty. Spent all morning today on phone. Called what I thought was a different Apple store and chose option of tech support section. That experience took 1 hr, counting all the time I was on hold. First the person answering phone told me I could still buy the warranty plus program for $99.00 which would include 2 accidental damages and would be retroactive to time of purchase 3 months earlier--meaning that it would cover current breakage. Seemed a no-brainer. Get the Warranty Plus and screen replaced for same price a third party replacement would cost. Then he put me on hold and came back to tell me he was wrong. The warranty would not cover this time and that the replacement of the screen would cost me $249.00. Asked to speak to his boss, who gave me the information that I got last time. He also told me (after I asked) that the dropping it and damage would void the remaining 9 months warranty. Finally he told me that they were just a call center contracted by Apple and that an Apple store might be able to give me a better deal. After 1 hr, I find out I'm talking to a call center who knows nothing. Then I googled Apple Corp customer service # and called them. On auto phone, I selected sales because I know someone in sales will always answer. They will always be someone to sell you something. I relayed my frustration and confusion to him (after I assured he was not a call center). Bottom line from him is this: They do not replace screens. They "trade" out IPads. When I directly asked him, he admitted that I would be getting a refubished IPad. They get my 3 month old IPad that will cost them a few dollars to replace screen on and then I will get a "refubrished" one which could be a couple years old. When I pointed that didn't seem to be much of a deal, he assured me that they check everything and put in new parts, etc. before they send them to the warehouse of refubrished IPads from where the switch-out one would be sent. Talk about a scam--a legal scam. And there is nothing we can do about it except bend over because they have a monopoly. So for those of you who think you are getting new IPads, think again. They won't tell you unless you force them to tell you. And he assures me that the warranty is still good although it was dropped. Not sure I believe him. I think the call center had it correct. They don't know enough to "spin" it. Because they told me that it cost $249.00 to replace the screen--they didn't mention switching out to another IPad. I think they usually only replace the screen, send you back your old IPad or else they send you one of the refurbished ones that just had a screen replaced and then they replace the screen on yours and then send it to join the other IPads in the warehouse. My husband says he can use his and will just keep it with the broken screen. If it goes, then he'll just get a new one before he'll let Apple have his IPad of 3 months while we pay them $249.00 plus tax & shipping to get an older IPad. I'd been waiting on Sprint to get an IPhone (won't change my cellular service from Sprint) and had intended to upgrade us to IPhones this spring. Forget it. I'm not dealing with another Apple product. Terrible Customer service but they don't care. They don't have to care. Getting their record profits with bad service. Why should they pay more to deliver better service? Won't happen until they get some competition.
Wall of text. Wow. Haven't seen one of these in a long time. Not trying to dis on ya, but paragraphs would have been nice. As it is, it's hard on the eyes and I really had to force myself to read the whole thing through. Probably why nobody has commented on it until now.
Anyway, so WHAT if Apple gives you a refurbished unit instead of a "brand new" one? The point is it's a good, practically new working unit that has a beautiful screen free of cracks. Try this: tip your 50" big screen TV over, crack its screen and take it to Panasonic or Vizio and see if they'll give you anything for it, let alone another unit of the same make and model, new or even refurbished, in good working order, without a cracked screen for free or half the cost of a new one. With any kind of remaining original warranty. They won't. They'll just say "too bad, so sad" and suggest you buy a new one. It's all the same with ANY new product you buy...you break it, it's your loss. Apple really has proven themselves to be different by allowing some free or half-priced replacements on a case-by-case basis.
So what if the replacement you got is technically older than the unit you surrendered for it? Does it look and feel so old that you can really tell the difference? Again, you COULD have gotten shrugged shoulders and an "oh well...life's not fair". You see, Apple is NOT obligated to do this because you weren't careful with your stuff. But they do and that's refreshing. That doesn't make them saints but It shows me that they, to some extent, actually DO care about maintaining some goodwill with their customers.
In case you haven't noticed before: just about ANY product warranty is void the moment YOU damage an item. A warranty covers defects or damages caused by the manufacturer or their agents (the stores, etc). Just like the brand new 2012 Mustang you just bought...it depreciates the second you get possession of it and take it home. There is no real way to say for sure the damage you caused to the unit by dropping it didn't cause the defect that would otherwise normally be covered by the warranty. But some kind Apple reps have been known to say something like "oh, I see...the home button stopped working BEFORE the iPad was dropped, right?" (wink, wink) and proceed to make the switch. That's an act of generosity. Again, they could've said "awww, that's too bad" and left it at that, smiling and steering you over to the brand new devices.
"I think they usually only replace the screen, send you back your old IPad or else they send you one of the refurbished ones that just had a screen replaced and then they replace the screen on yours and then send it to join the other IPads in the warehouse.". Yep. I'm almost sure that's what they do. It's efficient and not wasteful. For many units the screen is the only thing that's wrong, or maybe the home button is broken...everything else is perfect. So? You think they'd take an iPad that, aside from the damaged screen or home button, is a perfectly good unit and just simply dump it in the trash just to unbox a brand new one for you? That'd be wasteful and irresponsible. It's because they can carefully inspect the perfectly good harvested parts from broken iPads and use them to fix other broken iPads that gives them the ability to offer free or cheap replacements in the first place. They could just as easily give you suggestions as to what you can do with your broken one; like use it as a door stop, a paperweight, a serving tray, etc. and save themselves the resources and manpower of fixing iPads up and shuffling them back out into the world. Maybe they make a little money out of doing that but in all likelihood it's probably closer to being a wash and a loss leader for them, in which case it becomes a good PR tool. Makes them look good and people still get to go home happy with a perfectly good working iPad...instead of tucking the broken one under an arm, sadly walking out of the store and contemplating what a nice paperweight it could be.
Sorry for your misfortune, but this seems to be much ado about sour grapes.
Michael "Spam, spam, bacon, eggs and spam. Hold the bacon and eggs." Sent from my iPad 2 using iPF
