Wondering if Apple trade in is a scam

Total scam - first time I have used the trade-in option - never again. Traded in my 8 plus - really good condition - always been in a protective case, no scratches on screen, no scratches on case - even sent it back in the original box. Was advised of a $290 trade in - get an email last night due to scratches on back it has a value of $79. The back has never seen the light of day.

I would not have bought another apple if the trade in value was not attractive - this is just a scam. Rejected the offer and this will be my last iphone - if you can't trust the service provider, I won't continue to do business with them.

Thank you for you lengthy response. I know exactly what you are talking about and it does certainly appear to be a bait and switch (bait with a high value and "find" damage then offer a lower value). Apple needs to adjust their trade-in methods and procedures to fix this now rather than wait until it negatively affects their bottom line.

Tried to trade my Mac pro retina and got an “estimate of $460! Sent it in and after few days got a “ re evaluation “of $ 0 ! ! Due to “swollen battery “ nothing wrong with the battery: the keyboard is fine, the bottom of the laptop is in perfect condition,no “ signs “ of deformity anywhere ;I never had any problem with the laptop;I just wanted to get a new Mac mini. The company that seems to be handling the trade in is called AUCNET DP …… have you ever hear about this company? Well I just find that “ trade in” very dishonest.

Yes...I think it's a scam. Same thing just happened to me. 6 year old Macbook Air in very good condition they valued at $240. I traded it for a new Air. I've set it up. Needed to purchase new adaptors and a new monitor to work with the new Thunderbolt (USBC). They come back and say dead spots on the screen. $90. No way there were dead spots on the screen. I told them to send back my computer. They think they made the sale of the new computer, but I am considering sending it back. It will go back if my computer does not come to me in the condition I sent it. Bait and Switch is my personal experience.

Apple offered me $460 for my laptop Mac Pro retina ,I thought I was going to deal with Apple so I sent it, surprise! It’s Phobio the company that deals with the offers and they emailed me telling me that the laptop was worth $ 0 …..zero,nada,zilch!

this company Phobio has been doing business for Apple for years in spite of hundreds of bad reviews and complaints…… Why?

How come that nobody including the BBB does anything to stop this company?.why does Apple associate with this company?

Just got my laptop back after rejecting the trade-in value and it has a HUGE scratch on the front of the laptop now that’s wasn’t there when I sent it in. They didn’t even back it in the bubble wrap envelope that you send it in. Also I see absolutely no “white spots” that they claimed my screen had. I was planning on reselling my laptop since they only wanted to give me $100 for it and now the value has gone down with this large scratch! NOT HAPPY AT ALL

All Apple stores in my area are closed except for Genius Bar appts & pick up of on-line orders. I want to trade in my MacBook for new MacBook Air, but I have upgraded memory & that doesn't show when I put the serial number--so I want to show it to someone (a live person). So, what to do?? Can I schedule this as a Genius Bar appt??

TIA-

http://www.apple.com/buy may list some authorized service providers that may be open. These are resellers who make Apple services available at places where Apple does not have their own official stores.

Just got email today. My experience is almost exactly the same. What white spots??? Debating whether to have them send it back to me, but I don't trust them to take as good care of it as I did. I'll give it a day or two to decide.

i also experienced something that felt like a scam trying to purchase an iPhone through trade in. Apple Support was very adamant that they could do nothing to help me and provided absolutely zero transparency into the third-party processes that led to the revised trade-in value.

Total scam. You buy a new laptop considering the trade in price, and then lo and behold it’s something else entirely. What does “white spots” mean anyways? One dead pixel? I didn’t notice anything wrong at all with my display.

I have had good experience with trade in in the past, they have been over the counter. But, now had to send it in. Got the trade in canceled with a very generic response and no explanation. But, when I got my laptop back it was bricked. So, a perfectly working MacBook Pro is now bricked, and Apple takes no liability of the device shipped. This is not the service you expect fromApple.

I literally just had this happen to me. I just sent in my 2018 MacBook Pro as a trade and was quoted $690 as a trade-in value. I got the same notification as you all about the “three white spots” and now I’m only getting $270 for it. It literally makes me sick because I already bought my new MacBook Air with the new chip. Apple should not be affiliated with this kind of scheme.

I just got my phone back (the one with the inoperative camera). The camera works fine and the problem I had with the lightning plug seems to have resolved itself. I wish I had the option to send the new phone back to Apple with instructions as to what they could do with it.

I will check locally and see what I can get for it.

oh interesting; when I suggested we should sue Apple for selling products with white spots suddenly they DID read this thread, but only to remove my suggestion to sue them for selling us faulty devices... not to actually do something about their shortcomings.