Empty box delivered from Apple

More information you may find more useful.

Check the email confirmation from Apple for the iPhone's purchase. It's essentially a 100% certainty it states a signature is required upon delivery. Meaning, they can't just drop the box and go. They have to take it back to the truck and try again the next day.

That is the main point.

At this time of year in particular, drivers are overworked, and the yearly temps don't always follow the rules. We replaced my wife's old iPhone 5 with an iPhone Xr. The email stated that yes, a signature was required. And yet, when the driver dropped off the box, all they did was ring the doorbell and leave as quickly as possible. I work out of the home, and from the time the doorbell rang and I got to the front door (all of 15-20 seconds), the driver was already back in their vehicle and pulling away.

The point being, no signature was ever given by you for reception of the item.

1. Check the email, and/or call Apple to confirm a signature was required. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't.
2. Call UPS, FedEx, or whoever was responsible for the delivery who signed for it?
3. If no one signed, then they are responsible for reimbursing you for the stolen item.
4. If it was signed, then it was fraud. You should be able to prove it wasn't you by the time stamp of when it was delivered. As in, you weren't even there because you were at work. And again, the delivery service is responsible for reimbursing your loss.

When did I ever say it was your fault?

Twice now, I have stated this. The phone was removed by someone along the delivery chain.

That the box was opened and re-taped proves that notion. What can you do about it? Contact the company that dropped off the package and tell them what happened. If a thief simply took the phone after delivery, they wouldn't bother to re-tape the box. They wouldn't even bother to open it at your home. Just pick it up and run. That it was re-sealed means a delivery employee is the thief.

Then Apple is trying to help. They've launched an investigation with UPS to try and find out who took your phone. The most likely thief (but not absolutely) would be the driver.

It would still be a very good idea for you to call UPS. It can't hurt at all to double down on the theft. And as Lawrence noted, the faster you get on it, the better.

You do realize that if the same thing happens with the shipment of any other product, from any other retailer, the same thing is going to happen. You are going to have to wait until the shipping company (in this case UPS) completes their investigation into the theft and reports that to the shipper (in this case Apple). You will be made whole as soon as that happens. Be patient, you will get your $!200 worth.

Yes, you did get something. A box. Getting nothing would mean the item was never even sent.

Again, someone along the delivery chain took the phone out of the box. It's possible an employee at Apple did it.

Did the box have any indication of having already been opened? Such as, the seal was cut through and taped over with a new piece of tape. Or, the original tape had been peeled off and new tape put on. There's always an indication that has happened since it's impossible not to tear some of the cardboard paper off with the original tape.

If either of those were true, you shouldn't have refused acceptance of the package from the driver. This, of course, if you were there when it was delivered, and not just coming home to a box sitting on your doorstep.

Yes, that’s exactly what I suggest. UPS owes you the phone or the value of the phone. Have you even tried to contact them?

Same here. The only possible solution has been given: Call UPS.

Apple sure didn't steal it. Someone who works for the delivery service did. You'll have to take it up with them. From there, they can see who was the driver on your route. But it could have been removed from the box anywhere along the way.

That is your opinion, however, in general, the law says it is UPS who is responsible as the shipper loses control once it is out of their hands. There’s no point in arguing in this forum; the only one who is responsible is UPS. You need to contact UPS and work it out with them.

Did UPS tell you that? Or haven’t you even tried? You’re running out of time; there’s a time limit on filing delivery claims. As you are not listening to anything posted in this thread I’m bowing out.

You'd be out of business pretty quickly doing that. If, as per your example, UPS declares they can't find fault on their end and doesn't reimburse your business, and you've already given the customer a replacement phone or cash, then you are out $1,200.

How many times do you think you could do that before you'd have to shutter the doors? Thieves would pack your store like sardines, claiming to have had their phone stolen and asking you to replace it at your loss.

Apple does not owe you anything. They didn't lose or steal the phone. They shipped it as promised and expected. It's completely out of their hands after that. They cannot in any way control what the shipper does with the package.

Someone working for UPS is responsible for the theft. Call them.