Wondering if Apple trade in is a scam

I read this thread when pondering how to manage my trade in of 2017 MacBook for new MacBook Pro. I did not want to take the chances of what has been reported here, & finally decided & handled it this way: I decided to push for & finally received a Genius Bar appointment to take in my MacBook. I had to spend quite a bit of time on the phone with Apple Support, going up to the 4th level, but it paid off. I was finally able to convince the 4th level tech person to call & intercede for me with the Apple Store (closed due to Covid, with limited access for on-line pick up of purchases & drop off for repair). She was able to get an appointment scheduled for me, which allowed me to get in front of an Apple person. Keep in mind: I had an inordinate amount of problems with my MacBook, and Apple has a long record of it. It had just been repaired from a mother board failure & I decided that I just needed to let it go & get a new one with the M1 chip. So, it was working perfectly at the moment & I was actually able to get the maximum value for it, which allowed me to move forward. I told several people along the way of why I was so insistent on having an Apple person assess my MacBook in person. Most had no idea that Apple was using a 3rd party company. I don't know if this would work for anyone else, but I was relieved to be able to do it in this way. I wish all of you luck, & be persistent.

I had the same experience with my daughters 2017 Mac Book, they offered $340 for a trade in for a new Mac Book, after sending it in I received the revised offer of $140 due to 3 white dots. I declined and had it sent back to me. Upon receipt I didn't see any white dots and contested Phobio using the number included on the sheet with the returned Mac book. I was told that the 3 white dots was incorrect and the reduced cost was due to de-lamination of the screen, when I asked for more details that really meant the marks from the keys on the screen. If you hold a flashlight up to your screen with no display on you will probably see markings/outlines from the keyboard. No we have 3 other Mac book products in our house so I went and they all have the same markings from the keys but this is not visible at all when the display is on. It is a by-product of the Mac book design and in my opinion, very misleading to consumers. I spoke to Apple and they said Phobio is in charge with the return parameters and that I could send the Mac book in again and then get Apple involved, seemed like a waste of my time. I took the Mac book and sold it on eBay for double the offer received. As a customer and stock holder in Apple I'm extremely disappointed in how this is a mute issue on their part.

I just let them send it back, got it back in the same perfect condition I sent it in. Seems they are hoping you just say keep it. So Apples estimate was $45, got 0$ adjusted offer for cracked screen, took it to Experimax and got $70. Get your phone back and take it to a local, more reputable, shop. I decided Apple is a scam, no longer a question but a fact.

To get an idea just how ridiculous this is, at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202471, Apple states that "The pixel density of Retina displays is so high that your eyes can't detect individual pixels at a normal viewing distance." And yet, if the trade-in company's sensors detect 3 or more pixels (out of more than 4 MILLION) that are "white" (not working, I assume) -- remember, Apple says your eyes can't even detect those pixels -- the value of your trade-in computer is less than half what they originally said. No, I requested they return it. I can either sell it to another company, or just give it away and feel better than being ripped off like this.

Yeah, this is really sad. Working with Apple (or their representative), I got the following offer:

Your device: 

MacBook Pro Core i5 2.9GHz 13" (Early 2015) 512GB SSD

Estimated Trade-in Refund:

$350.00

Revised Trade-in Refund:

$120.00

Reason:

Display has 3 or more white spots

I declined and they shipped it back. I then reached out to another company that deals in used Macs. For this same item, they offered me $545 prior to inspection. Once received, they lowered the amount because the battery was swollen, and the screen was delaminating. But they sent me pictures to show me what they were referring to! Because of this, they revised the offer to $420 - still better than Apple's original offer. I gladly accepted, and received a check in a few days.

Sorry, Apple. While I've been a loyal Mac enthusiast since 1984, and am happy to hear you speak about helping the environment, you're totally failing when it comes to this trade-in program.

There was an article a couple months ago about the 3rd-party company that handles Apple's trade-ins having a higher-than-normal number of complaints about situations just like yours.

https://9to5mac.com/2021/04/14/apple-trade-in-partner-mac-complaints/

The reality is Apple doesn't deal with this. It has other companies handle it for them. If you feel you're getting taken advantage of, ask to have your MacBook sent back and sell it privately. It could be possible that these spots were something you didn't notice. Either way, you're allowed to get your property back.

garrison84:

Feedback is a 'one-way avenue' to tell or ask Apple, about an issue.

Or to thank them; for a good product, or above average service, etc.

Some leave it at that, and walk away; knowing that path was trod.

Others who do that know they've actually let Apple know.

There are official Apple contact phone numbers, to try too.

• Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

https://www.apple.com/contact/

• Contact Apple for Support and Service - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201232

..Perhaps you've been too subtle..

While I haven't offered a Cure, maybe if you feel

a need to get attention: avoid self-immolation.

Good poker players haven't need to 'show' cards.

You may also look into 'Shopping Help' at Apple

Store online, to ask questions they may answer.

~ To contact a 'consumer protection agency in your

state or country, and File a Complaint with third-parties

by name, instead of Apple; they can handle this.

Be that phobio or any other, they're run independent.

I agreed to a trade in of my iPad Pro for $260. It was in perfect shape and sure enough I got the same scam played on me. They wouldn’t specify the reason but the offer was reduced to $0. After 3 attempts to find out exactly what their “issue” was with my iPad Pro I rejected the offer and am waiting to hopefully get my old unit back in the condition it was sent in.

Apple uses a 3rd party for this program and as a result communication is pathetic in trying to resolve any issue. Never again. Sell your unit locally and make more $. The effort is worth it.

I bought a new iPad Pro and planned on trading in my old iPad Pro for a trade in value. After I described its condition it was valued at $295. The iPad was in excellent condition. I got an email today saying the value dropped to $0 due to white spots on the display. I rejected the trade in and the iPad is being shipped back to me. After reading this thread I am appalled at how many customers have been scammed by apple’s trade in department. I will be inspecting my iPad once it arrives to ensure it wasn’t damaged in transition and will proceed to call apple and demand for it to be inspected in person. If the pixels cannot be seen from a standard viewing point then how can you tell me there’s something wrong with the display? If this was able to be done in person this wouldn’t have happened. And There is no reason why customers are not allowed in store. Put safety and covid protocols in place to ensure we get the best customer service possible. Instead we have to rely on a third party company who tells you there’s something wrong with your display but there’s no proof because it’s not visible from a standard view point.

This is just an end user forum. If this is in fact the trading happening at the Apple Retail Store, ask to speak to the manager and ask them to voice feedback to their manager.

If this is after calling 1-800-MYAPPLE ordering a purchase direct from Apple, you can also call AppleCare and ask to be connected to customer relations.

If this is a company other than apple.com your best point of action is locate the company's home base and complain to the Better Business Bureau. Someone called appletrade.com is not Apple. So be careful who you are dealing with.

Always pay attention to the full website address.

https://www.apple.com/ with the periods in between or something in place of www are secure apple pages.

http://www.apple-trade.com or other similar addresses are not Apple, and should be looked at warily. You can report such instances also to Apple trademark infringement office on https://www.apple.com/legal/more-resources/

Dennis,

Nothing is stopping you from filing a claim with the company you shipped the machine with. It is entirely possible the crack formed during shipping.

And if you paid with credit card, there may be insurance with that.

Good luck, and I hope you get your reimbursement.

This is in response to a person suggesting I file a claim with the shipping company or third-party repair facility for a crack that may have happened in transit. Thank you for this suggestion. I would love to be able to do so, but there have been layers placed in the way that disallow direct communication with the contract shipper and the contract facility who inspects the machines. Contact is only through Apple, the boxes come from Apple with an address and a FedEx label, there is essentially one-way communication except to respond to a <YES/ACCEPT> or <NO/RETURN> option. They don't even respond with a return tracking number, we just had to wait until the machine arrived at our door one day (it took about 10 days). And inside the box was a card that said "we are sorry this exchange did not work out for you. We treated your device with the utmost care and it's hard drive has been wiped clean and is prepared to be initiated with your login information." But no contact information. So, while I would love to fight up the chain and force them to have a rational discussion about why I think this is at least very "scam-like," the most I can do right now is to swallow their decision, pay them $590 more than I expected for the new laptop (feels very much like a bait and switch), I have taken the old machine back into our fleet and built out the protocols under my login credentials with my 7 year old's Apple ID as the user and will make this his computer. With distance learning for end of 2020/2021 and into 2021/2022 school years, we have accepted the use of a school-controlled Chromebook, which is fine, but I have learned how to utilize the Chrome browser on my Macs to mimic his machine and manage his content from my own laptop. I will do the same with his and eliminate the need for the school to provide us with their technology for next year, or at least have a family-managed device. I simply didn't expect to be forced to make this fiscal decision because of the scheme set up by Apple to limit transparency and communication. To be completely clear, I love the Apple Universe, and have made good use of all old technology by Apple in our collection. We needed a newer model for speed (CAD Program) for our business, and the trade-in program offer of $590 for the older machine was what put us over the edge. On one other occasion (for me), Apple has left us hanging. When they chose to stop supporting Aperture for us photographers who found the program ideal in so many ways. There was a period of time I could not even access my ~90k photos because of MacOS updates that kept me from them. Eventually I stumbled on a bridge where I can get into my 2010 17" MBP to access Aperture and my photos. I am finding workarounds to export my images, but it is daunting. Again, they sold a bill of goods, then nailed the lid closed on the coffin of that program for many of us. Anyhow, I digress. These two instances are simply a "buyer beware" and "user beware" warnings. I have learned much from these and simply wish to let others know what to expect. By the way, when we DID get our 2018 MacBook Air back, we looked all over for a crack that might have instigated the diminished trade-in value, and we finally found the tiniest of hairline cracks in the black strip where the screen glass becomes that black metal or plastic strip. If I had known the criteria by which they reduced the value, I would have not bothered in the first place, and likely would have waited to make the new computer purchase, which is exactly what Apple and this third party are banking on. It's very calculated and this only becomes apparent in the end. I am not bitter, I am angry and frustrated, but here at home we have a new MacBook Air with the M1 chip and no fan that is performing for our clients in a swift manner when rendering design options for the CAD program we use. I have the old one back and will simply use it for our son until it no longer helps him, at which time we will wipe it and make it ready for the next 5 year old who could benefit from a computer, which is what I've done with other old Apple devices. Considering we have a graveyard of Windows PCs from before I could convince my husband to come to Apple, we still appreciate the design and longevity of most Apple devices. Even when obsolete, our Apple products still power up and provide a usefulness, even if it's as a photo frame or dedicated music device. I hope this helps others.

I did talk to an Apple rep today and they advised that they can request pictures from the 3rd party trade in company for them to show the white dots in the display.

Unfortunately, I had already declined the revised offer so the process to send back my daughters MacBook started so Apple couldn’t request the photos.

Perhaps instead of adding to this lengthy thread, an idea may be to tell

Apple directly; via their Feedback site. ~ They do read all submissions.

Main "Contact Feedback/Website" issues

Choose from general selections, to send message:

https://www.apple.com/contact/feedback/

• Product Feedback - hardware product/name - Apple

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

"Give feedback on Apple products"

Good luck & happy trails!

🌞🌿⛵️🎣🌻🐢⛄️🌤🌎

Yes, that is what was explained to me as well. The buttons rub, the simple action of opening and closing lid can scrape away the "protective" screen coating and then they do not value it. They are not backing their products. $590 down to $210 is a HUGE downgrade in trade-in value for a simple screen rub that they know happens and will replace screen and resell LIKE NEW. They know the issue, they know the solution. They do not make good on their products. As a stock owner and life long customer and promoter of Apple/Mac products I too am VERY disenchanted with ALL of this.