Normal for iPhone 13 Pro to arrive from ATT in an open box?

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MRM1977 Author

Level 1

6 points

Normal for iPhone 13 Pro to arrive from ATT in an open box?

Just wondering why my wife's new 13 Pro would arrive from att in an open box. Both pull tabs on the back are intact and the box itself is undamaged; someone clearly took a razor blade along the top edge of the box, so it can be opened like a clamshell. Phone looks new. I don't believe the outer box, the shipping box, was tampered with. I called att CS and they recommend taking the phone to a retail store; which I'll do, just wanted to see if anyone else had this issue. Both her and my phone were ordered from the att website on 9/17; mine arrived 9/24 in a properly sealed box and hers arrived today 9/28 in an open box. As I said, I have contacted att; I was just curious if any other Apple users had experienced this issue. Thanks!

iPhone

Posted on Sep 28, 2021 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

MRM1977 Author

Level 1

6 points

Sep 29, 2021 9:30 AM in response to MRM1977

At this point I'm inclined to believe this was a failure of the seal. After opening the box a second time to check the phone, the previously intact bottom seal "cracked" in an almost straight line, so it seems the material Apple is using for these seals is prone to this kind of behavior. And, considering that the phone boots up normally to the "hello" screen, and looks untouched, I'll just go ahead and use it. Can't imagine a security issue here as there's nothing on the SIM card to clone..

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Answer 2

Nov 13, 2021 9:43 AM in response to vickireg

The iPhone does not have plastic shrink wrap around the box.

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

265,005 points

Sep 28, 2021 2:57 PM in response to MRM1977

For future reference, I, who have been an AT&T customer since before the first iPhone was released (and I purchased) in 2007, have always ordered my AT&T iPhones (lots of them) directly from Apple. I strongly recommend you do so in the future.

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Answer 4

harmkeb

Level 1

8 points

Oct 5, 2021 3:15 PM in response to MRM1977

I have a similar issue. I ordered my Iphone 13 from T-mobile and it arrived with the pull tabs removed, box open, phone hanging out halfway, and a sticky note with a barely legible number attached to the outside. When I called customer service, the person on the phone didn’t have an answer except the advice to take into a store or call a different number to order a replacement phone. My husbands phone arrived in the same box, properly sealed.

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Answer 5

vickireg

Level 1

8 points

Nov 13, 2021 9:38 AM in response to MRM1977

same exact thing happened to me. phone arrived yesterday - outer shipping box did not look to be tampered with but the phone inside was "out" of its box, box wasn't sealed, outer plastic bag wrap removed. I was also told to go to ATT store which I will do today. wondering if you have already been and what outcome was

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Answer 6

MRM1977 Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 13, 2021 10:19 AM in response to vickireg

I never went to the ATT store; decided the issue was likely a failed seal rather than an intentionally opened box as explained above. The phone has been great! Couldn't be happier, but if I'd been presented with some of the above situations, such as finding a sticky note with a number written on it in the box, I would've definitely returned it to the store.

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