Waiving 10% restocking fee?

Question

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

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Answer 1

Adlerson

Level 1

0 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:22 AM in response to pfry10

I can't help you, unfortunately, but if this result remains standing it's a testimony to the abysmal customer service corporations think they can get away with these days. I hope it works out for you!!

Addy

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Answer 2

Sep 10, 2008 9:22 AM in response to pfry10

All warranty service/exchanges are handled by Apple. If you live anywhere near an Apple Store, make a Genius Bar appointment and take it in.

I've had my phone replaced, and my wife's phone replaced, as well as a pair of Apple BT Headsets, all on the spot, all with new, in-the-box units. (They do have the option to replace with a refurbished unit, but they're as good as the new ones.)

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Answer 3

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:25 AM in response to neuroanatomist

NEUROANATOMIST - I'm kind of new to apple...what do you mean make a Genius Bar appointment. How would I do that? I live about 35 minutes from an Apple store, so I could take it in.

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Answer 4

Ansuz82

Level 6

8,285 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:26 AM in response to pfry10

pfry10 wrote:
How would I do that?

You can either call them or book online via the stores page on Apple's site.

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Answer 5

Sep 10, 2008 9:36 AM in response to pfry10

http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Use the pop-up menus in the box on the right to select your store, then book an appointment (you're a Guest).

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Answer 6

Tamara

Level 6

13,744 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:43 AM in response to pfry10

The restocking fee is pretty standard for electronics.

If you have an Apple Store in your area, make an appointment at the Genius Bar. If you don't have a store in your area, Apple can send you a loaner phone to use while your phone is in for repair.

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Answer 7

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:51 AM in response to Tamara

I understand that there are restocking fees in the electronic world, and by no means is this me being cheap.

My beef with that is that the phone a defective unit (determined by both AT&T and Apple), not just something I'm returning because I don't like it or don't wish to keep it. I'm just trying to get a working unit. I just think it comes down to AT&T being greedy, but that is just my 2cents.

I think that since I just shelled out $400 for 2 iphones and one is defective that they would have some decency and waive the restocking fee so I can get a working one.

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Answer 8

Sep 10, 2008 9:59 AM in response to Tamara

While I agree restocking fees are not uncommon if you choose to return an item you don't want, they are very uncommon on defective, warranty returns. In fact I have never heard of them.

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Answer 9

Ansuz82

Level 6

8,285 points

Sep 10, 2008 9:59 AM in response to pfry10

The problem is that AT&T does not handle any warranty issues regarding the iPhone. They should not be charging you a restocking fee since they shouldn't be doing the exchange at all.

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Answer 10

Tamara

Level 6

13,744 points

Sep 10, 2008 1:45 PM in response to kdawg3100

In the case of a defective item, the usual practice is to offer a replacement.

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Answer 11

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 4:35 AM in response to pfry10

So after another worthless trip to see AT&T, I still have a broken Iphone and nothing to replace it with. Biggest problem during all of this is that I'm told to do something by AT&T (go talk to apple) and I do that and then Apple tells me to go back to AT&T to get a replacement and I do that and AT&T NOW tells me that they won't do that. So everyone keeps changing the story of what to do. If AT&T would of just tested the phone by making 2 phone calls at the store when I first bought it on Monday, all this could have been avoided.

So I did make an appointment with the Genius bar at my local Apple store for this evening. Hopefully I will get a new iphone tonight. I don't want a refurbished one because this phone was originally defective and I would like a new one to replace my lovely paperweight.

Thanks for all your help and guidance

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Answer 12

tokatta

Level 3

869 points

Sep 11, 2008 4:43 AM in response to pfry10

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 am sure the Apple store will take care of you and make things right.

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Answer 13

Sep 11, 2008 6:00 AM in response to pfry10

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.

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Answer 14

pfry10 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2008 7:51 AM in response to tokatta

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?

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Answer 15

Sep 11, 2008 8:12 AM in response to pfry10

yes the is really ridiculous. Unless you were to speak to a manager, not even sure it would be an option then, you will get a refurbished iPhone. I would imagine that an Apple store manager would be able to give you a new-in-box one if you brought all of that came in the box, including the receipt.
If that doesn't work, and you don't feel like fighting anymore, I would try to pay the restocking fee if it is still an option. I would rather get a new-in-box than a refurbished...Let us know what happens.

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