Level 1

8 points

Waiving 10% restocking fee?

Would like some opinions from the apple faithful on my situation. My wife and I have been AT&T customers since 2005 and we decided to purchase new iphones since our contract was up for renewal. We purchased our new phones on monday (9/8/2008) from an authorized AT&T corporate store. Got them phones home and realized that my phone wasn't allowing me to talk. No one could hear me on the other side. Took the phone back the next day and explained to them what was happened. They tinkered with it, reset the iphone and still no help. They told me they could exchange it, but there would be a restocking fee of 10%. I argued that it is a defective unit and that it is less than 24hours old. It's never worked. They told me I could also call Apple and utilize the 1yr warranty. AT&T said apple would send me a new one and I would have to send the defective one back. Said I would give that a try. Went back home and spend 2.5 hours on the phone w/ Apple diagnosing the phone and same conclusion. Defective phone. But they wouldn't send me one because an Iphone must be repaired 3-4 times before they would authorize a new replacement one. So their offer was to mail my unit to them for repairs. So now I would be without a phone for another 5 days. They also told me I should go back to AT&T and see if they would waive the restocking fee since it is less than 24 hours old.

Any one have any luck on having this restocking fee waived? I could see if I didn't want the unit and just wanted to return it, BUT I am returning a defective model (which they agree it is defective) and just want a new working one. How difficult do they have to make this?

Thanks anyone for your imput

Phil

Iphone 3G, Other OS

Posted on Sep 10, 2008 9:19 AM

54 replies

tokatta

Level 3

869 points

Sep 11, 2008 8:18 AM in response to pfry10

Your venting is 100% understandable. I am sure Apple will fix you up. Most people that talk about visits to the genius bar are satisfied when the leave. It sounds like you did everything right and got the run-around.

When you get a working phone, you should send a certified letter to ATT and one to the president of ATT letting them know your displeasure and how you were unable to use your phone for X days and how ATT wanted to charge you a restocking fee for something defective out of the box. If you take the time to do this, you will probably be rewarded. It doesn't make for all your hassle, but if you write a real letter and send it to the right people, someone will take notice.

First step, is to get a working phone.

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 8:24 AM in response to Tyler Parker

I have the box, plastic cellophane, cords, manuals, cleaning cloth, sim card tool, everything. I have the receipt and also the AT&T orange bag. 🙂

So I hope I receive a new one and I'll keep asking till I do...I feel I deserve a new one.

I have stated to both AT&T and Apple that I have no problem paying the restocking fee at this point....I just want a new working phone.

Message was edited by: pfry10

SteveDC

Level 1

139 points

Sep 11, 2008 8:36 AM in response to pfry10

Yeah, I'll second sending a letter to the president -- or instead, the chairman -- of AT&T. I did that on a minor but frustrating issue on a $25 a month dial up internet service I am subscribed to. It was fixed immediately, and I was surprised to get a call the next day from one of the chairman's assistants asking me if it was OK, and then a call a different assistant a week later asking if it was still OK.

Complaining about big things such as your iPhone dropping calls won't do much -- they know that already. But my sense was there is little tolerance for the kind of nonsense you are going through.

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 8:35 AM in response to SteveDC

SteveDC wrote:
Yeah, I'll second sending a letter to the president -- or instead, the chairman -- of AT&T. I did that once on a minor but frustrating issue on a $25 a month dial up internet service I am subscribed to. It was fixed immediately, and I was surprised to get separate calls from two of the chairman's assistants asking me if it was OK.

I definitely plan on sending letters out due to what I have experienced. Do you know where I can find the address to where they should be sent to. I found a website that shows who the executives are and some have links where you can e-mail them, but I feel a letter would be more official. Or maybe I should send the letter and also the e-mail.

Thanks everyone for your advice, supports, and comments. Definitely like the Apple community and it really makes me feel that I'm not alone out there.

Sep 11, 2008 8:46 AM in response to pfry10

This is pretty pathetic. You are still within your time period of which you can return everything and cancel your contract with no cost. I know you probably don't want to do that, but if you don't get satisfaction from Apple, you might consider this option.

Just take everything with you to the ATT store you bought it from and, get the manager and tell him/her either you get a brand new phone right then or you want your money back for them, and you will cancel the 2 year contract. They will most likely get you a new phone. If they don't, you can cancel it and go to Apple and buy new ones from them. Now, I think there is some time period after you do this before you can then sign a new contract, but I don't know what it is. You should find this out first.

Money is the only thing these companies understand or care about. Threating to cancel the 2 year contract is something they can see in dollars and cents, although in future dollars and cents which might not be enough, versus their immediate cost. It can't hurt to try and you don't have to cancel if you don't want to, even if you threaten to.

Good luck, and hopefully Apple will fix your problem for you (give you a new phone) and this won't be necessary. I think people who want to buy an IPhone 3G are better off buying it at an Apple store if at all possible, rather than ATT.

The Omega

Jimmy16

Level 1

0 points

Sep 11, 2008 8:44 AM in response to pfry10

Whatever you do, don't pay the restocking fee as I am shocked they are looking for the fee when the phone is faulty from the word go.

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 9:11 AM in response to Jimmy16

Jimmy16 wrote:
Whatever you do, don't pay the restocking fee as I am shocked they are looking for the fee when the phone is faulty from the word go.

I agree. That's what my argument with AT&T was from the beginning. If in fact I would have to pay that fee, I would technically be paying 10% more for another iphone that should have been working from day 1.

Sep 11, 2008 9:13 AM in response to pfry10

You need to stop dealing with AT&T. Go to your appointment tonight at Apple ... in my opinion they hand out new phones a little too readily if anything. I'm sure you'll be out the door with a new phone in 1/2 hour. They might send yours out for repair and give you a loaner and the new or repaired phone will come to your house within a week with a prepaid box to return your loaner.

I think we forget AT&T sells lots of phones besides the iPhone and my understanding is the terms are different with the iPhone and it sounds like you've had the unfortunate experience of speaking with uninformed people. Maybe you should have asked the apple person on the phone to call the AT&T store for you about the restocking fee since the store refused to take it back the first time.

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 9:25 AM in response to Mary Glynn

Mary Glynn wrote:
You need to stop dealing with AT&T....

The only reason I was initially dealing with the AT&T store is because they told me they would due the exchange in the first place....but then changed their story after I came back to them when their first recommendation failed.

That..and also the apple store is over an hour away from my house, so it was a little more convenient to go to the AT&T store.

Lesson learned!

Sep 11, 2008 9:59 AM in response to pfry10

pfry10 wrote:

tokatta wrote:
The ATT store was wrong. Period. The 10% restocking fee applies to returns only. If you decided you didn't like the iPhone and wanted a flip phone, you would have to pay the fee. Also, they should have replaced an obviously defective phone.

You should have asked for a manager, or gone to another ATT store.

I spoke w/ a manager; I went to a different store. Pretty much exhausted all my resources I thought at the AT&T store. Their story now is that they do not handle any returns what so ever. That must all be handled thru apple. I know someone posted that earlier but I just think it is crap. Aren't the sales reps supposed to make 2 test calls from the new phones when you buy them to make sure they are working? Because they didn't do that with mine. And if in fact they were supposed to, they would have seen right away that the microphone/speaker part of the phone was defected from the start and they could have given me a different one RIGHT THEN!

I argued and argued the restocking fee to them to no avail. I made the claim, that by paying the 10% restocking in this case is like paying $20 for a replacement phone that should have been working in the first place. AT&T claimed that is was Apple's policy. The night I was on the phone w/ Apple support, they told me to go back to the AT&T store where it was purchased and ask for them to replace it and have the restocking fee waived. Now, if it was apples policy, why would they be telling me to ask AT&T to waive it. It's been such a pain in the butt through all this. I hope to god the apple store tonight can fix all this, and they better replace it with a new one, not a refurbished one because it's not like I had the phone for 4 months and something went wrong...it's never worked, from day 1.

Sorry for my venting....I'm just a little frustrated.

spikesnet wrote:
What they are doing is wrong and there are things you can do about it. They can not sell you something that is broken and then require payment from you in order to make it right. <Edited by Moderator>

Curious about what my other options are? Did the moderator delete the rest of your post?

I can't tell you what the other options are because the moderator keeps deleting those options.

<Edited by Moderator>

Sep 11, 2008 10:11 AM in response to spikesnet

spikesnet wrote:

pfry10 wrote:

tokatta wrote:
The ATT store was wrong. Period. The 10% restocking fee applies to returns only. If you decided you didn't like the iPhone and wanted a flip phone, you would have to pay the fee. Also, they should have replaced an obviously defective phone.

You should have asked for a manager, or gone to another ATT store.

I spoke w/ a manager; I went to a different store. Pretty much exhausted all my resources I thought at the AT&T store. Their story now is that they do not handle any returns what so ever. That must all be handled thru apple. I know someone posted that earlier but I just think it is crap. Aren't the sales reps supposed to make 2 test calls from the new phones when you buy them to make sure they are working? Because they didn't do that with mine. And if in fact they were supposed to, they would have seen right away that the microphone/speaker part of the phone was defected from the start and they could have given me a different one RIGHT THEN!

I argued and argued the restocking fee to them to no avail. I made the claim, that by paying the 10% restocking in this case is like paying $20 for a replacement phone that should have been working in the first place. AT&T claimed that is was Apple's policy. The night I was on the phone w/ Apple support, they told me to go back to the AT&T store where it was purchased and ask for them to replace it and have the restocking fee waived. Now, if it was apples policy, why would they be telling me to ask AT&T to waive it. It's been such a pain in the butt through all this. I hope to god the apple store tonight can fix all this, and they better replace it with a new one, not a refurbished one because it's not like I had the phone for 4 months and something went wrong...it's never worked, from day 1.

Sorry for my venting....I'm just a little frustrated.

spikesnet wrote:
What they are doing is wrong and there are things you can do about it. They can not sell you something that is broken and then require payment from you in order to make it right. <Edited by Moderator>

Curious about what my other options are? Did the moderator delete the rest of your post?

I can't tell you what the other options are because the moderator keeps deleting those options.

<Edited by Moderator>

I swear to god I'll never buy another apple product again. I'm sending Steve Jobs an letter right now telling him how you mods not only cost him any future business from me but also got apple an enemy for life. I will tell everyone I ever meet from this day forward how bad apple is.

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 10:20 AM in response to spikesnet

Thanks Spikesnet

I was able to read what you typed before the moderator deleted it. I'll definitely be using that site very shortly.

Sep 11, 2008 10:27 AM in response to pfry10

pfry10 wrote:
Thanks Spikesnet

I was able to read what you typed before the moderator deleted it. I'll definitely be using that site very shortly.

No problem. What happened to you is very wrong and I hope you get it all worked out.

Tamara

Level 6

13,744 points

Sep 11, 2008 10:27 AM in response to The Omega

Actually, there is a 10% restocking fee if you return the phone.

ATT does not handle defective phones so going there and threatening to cancel your contract if ATT won't hand you a replacement phone is kind of pointless. Any issues with the hardware are taken care of through Apple either via the Genius Bar or AppleCare (1-800-myiphone).

Sep 11, 2008 10:34 AM in response to Tamara

Tamara wrote:
Actually, there is a 10% restocking fee if you return the phone.

ATT does not handle defective phones so going there and threatening to cancel your contract if ATT won't hand you a replacement phone is kind of pointless. Any issues with the hardware are taken care of through Apple either via the Genius Bar or AppleCare (1-800-myiphone).

You can not restock a defective phone, therefore there is no fee. I could understand if he wanted to return a perfectly working phone. And he has 30 days to cancel his account without having to pay a fee.

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Waiving 10% restocking fee?