Christmas gift new phone using trade in

This is a serious shortcoming in Apple's Customer Service program re. holiday gifts.

If you want to buy a new iPhone with trade-in or utilize your iPhone Upgrade program, and order in advance to be sure you have it for a holiday gift, you run the risk of running into a trade-in deadline SNAFU.

In the past, I have called for an extension, and was told, "don't worry; the trade-in can be sent back after Christmas."

The year, even with all the warnings about shipping delays, I am told by the customer service woman on the phone that Apple is sticking to with deadlines. I have to call on a deadline date and order a new trade in box, and I run the risk of the trade-in value not being the same as originally quoted. (Though I think this is for straight trade-ins, and not the upgrade program.)

***Around the holidays, PLEASE, APPLE: create a 30 day trade-in window for holiday gift-giving.***

Yes—the issue is not HOW to trade-in, but WHEN. The 14 day trade-in deadline does not allow for advanced ordering for the holidays—to be sure the gift-giver gets the gift under the proverbial tree on time.

As in: the deadline for my son to send in his old phone is December 20. The new iPhone upgrade is wrapped under the tree for December 25.

Hi cherilyn240,

We can certainly understand that you'd like to purchase a new iPhone now and complete the trade-in later. It's recommended that you connect with the Apple Online Store for additional assistance regarding holiday purchases. Use the link below and if necessary, select your country or region from the bottom-right corner of the page and click continue to have it reflect relevant information for your location.

Contacting Apple

Cheers and thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Yes, I did call.

and was told that I like have to call back on the deadline date and re-order another trade-in box.

Suoer wasteful—of resources and my time.

Apple should just change the return window in the Upgrade program to 30 days.

I was told that an Apple retail store can only issue Apple store credit - not the Trade-in Refund. I've made a few calls to Apple and the best option seems to be to ask for a new trade-in box.

I'm amazed that Apple doesn't provide an extension for holiday trade-ins. Talk about a corporate Scrooge!

I agree. This is a challenge every year for me--so much so that I am dropping the Upgrade plans for my kids moving forward.

All Apple has to do, I think, is have a 30-day return window instead of 14 around the holidays.

You can trade-in at an Apple retail store. 

You can trade-in at an Apple retail store at any time. 