I need some help with a situation. My husband was a sweet heart, saved up and bought me a beautiful video iPod. I had an old hand-me down iPod soooo.... I used the old one for a while cause I just couldn't get myself to use such a nice iPod....yea yea I am a little paranoid and O.C.D. with my nice stuff.
But, finally I get my new iPod out of the box and start putting music on it while I drool over it and called it "My Precious", but then I look down (wipe away the drool) and notice something. I peel away the protective plastic screen and there are monstrous scratches from the spin wheel clear up into the screen! I was floored! I was so sad...my beautiful iPod...the nicest thing that I owed....the present my husband saved up for and bought me. I started crying and worked myself up and was worried about what I was going to tell my husband because I he would be sad too.
I got talking with my sister later that day and she informed me that she has heard Apple has an amazing warranty and is really good about fixing things. All I can tell you is that I was so relieved and was able to calm down stop worrying about it.
A while later I called Apple and told them what happened and ask if it was covered under warranty and explained everything to them; How my husband had bought it, hung on to it, gave it to me a while later, then I opened it and saved it for when I needed it, and then noticed it was cracked. I was worried that they wouldn't fix it because they thought we did it ourselves. Especially since there was such a gap from my husband buying it, giving it to me, and me noticing the cracks. But the man on the phone insisted SEVERAL times that yes, it would be covered....as long as we didn't do it ourselves, which apparently they can do tests to see if it was. Such as it had water damage or dropped. So... slam dunk...no problem... WHAMMY....my problems were over, it was going to get fixed because we sure didn't do it.Well, we shipped off the iPod and I couldn't wait till I got my new or fixed iPod. A few days later I get the package and was soooo excited. We open it up and pull out my brand new.....wait a minute!...... it was the SAME iPod! Curtis looks at me and we are both thinking the same thing.....what the freak!
I get on the phone, call Apple and ask why they didn't fix my iPod. The teller 'informed' me that since the damage did not affect the usage of the iPod then it did not need to be fixed. I went on to explain that having a impaired screen of a video iPod DID, in fact, affect the usage. After about 30 mins of talking, arguing, and even some crying I was apparently wrong; video iPods don't need to have correct visible screens to be considered working, I guess. The things you learn...ehh?
So what do I do? How do I go about this? My husband saved and spent good money to surprise his wife with a present that they normally couldn't afford and was cheated out of his purchase. If this had happened to you what would be your next step? How would you handle this?
I wish I had some advice to offer you, but nothing come to mind but the possibility that if you call them enough and harass them enough then they might get sick of you and fix it. That is so lame of Apple and I had expected better of them.
ReplyDeletehi, just found your blog - i really like it. that is a bum deal about your ipod. you should ride them until they see things your way. someone there has to agree with you.
ReplyDeleteI am FURIOUS on your behalf. I would keep calling them. Seriously, that is just WRONG. Ask to speak to someone higher up. If you did that already, ask for someone even higher up. And send this post to a newspaper. It is WRONG.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell I am slightly worked up?? Gah!
Heidi
Call and ask for the name of a higher up, then write a letter. You might also mention that you write a blog (you could even send this post link to a higher up - I've done it before) and say that this is REALLY bad for business.
ReplyDeleteI would call and ask to speak to a supervisor. That is so wrong! I mean, technically it still works, but if the screen is cracked it makes me wonder if it is a used iPod that someone else returned and they fixed and resold it.
ReplyDeleteThat is horrible...we would send another letter...hope this gets resolved...your husband sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed and wonderful day...
smiles, kari & kijsa
Have you tried taking it back to the store your husband bought it from? Email me, my husband works for a company that deals with electronics retail stores and might be able to give you a suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThe suggestion I would make was already written quite well by one of your comments (see lis garrett), but I will add a bit to it anyway. I would do a little online research about who at Apple might listen to you best and then contact them in several ways - email, telephone, snail mail. Give them the link to this post. I might not tell them it is bad for business to have your blog ranting about this. Rather, try a nice approach about how you would like to write a wonderful success story follow-up post to this one.
ReplyDeleteI really do wish I could help but I just feel bad for you and your husband. Maybe try calling a different customer service rep or taking it into an actual APPLE store to explain what happened. Most of the time people are nicer in person than over the phone.
ReplyDeleteThat is terrible! As much as it sucks to do - I would keep calling back until you get a rep who cares more about people than policies.
ReplyDeleteCall and call is all I can say and hopefully they will come to their senses! I am so sorry this has happened to you!
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? I would send them a fax with THIS blog entry and let them know how popular your blog is and that this poor policy is going to be widely publicized.
ReplyDelete♥ I would call again too and talk to someone different. Sometimes it just depends on who you talk too! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteCheck this out........might give you inspiration:
ReplyDeletehttp://donmillsdiva.blogspot.com/2008/02/ronald-mcdonald-is-weeping-fat-clown.html
Yes try again and speak to someone higher. Very lame of them.
ReplyDeletewow! i can't believe this. i can't believe that they didn't even explain that this could be a possibility - them returning the product to you if it was under those circumstances - the crack not affecting the playing of the music!
ReplyDeleteif i were you, i would write them a letter! i'm not sure what it could do, but i'm sure if there are a lot of other angry customers that do this, then it'll do something!?!
i have to tell you that i am a big Apple fan. Our lap top, desktop, three iPods (though i just lose one), my iTouch... and now, i'm going to think about my choices when purchasing something from them! how disappointing.
sorry that this is happening! hopefully something good will come out of this!
I wish I had some sage advice...but, that is totally the pits! I cannot believe how the people at Apple have handled that whole situation!!!!!! That is truly highway robbery. I am so sorry.
ReplyDeleteWrite a letter or send an email to a company executive...HEre's a trick for finding out an email address...sometimes it's just the first initial of the person's first name and then their last name @ whatever company. So if the VP is Don Johnson his email address might be djohnson@apple.com. No guarantee but it's worth a try.
ReplyDeleteAlso keep a log of whomever you talk to, the date you talked with them, what exactly you said/they said. That way if you need to contact them again you have all the info in front of you like "Beth in customer service said that my iPod would be replaced etc."
Sometimes during the first "round" they give you the standard line "no we don't give refunds on shoes" but when you ask to talk to the store manager and you explain how you've been spending a couple hundred dollars there each month and you are a faithful customer blah, blah, blah" they will probably do it. Those who walk away after round one don't get any satisfaction!
I would send them a letter and link to this blog. Explain you have had several hundred views and dozens or angry comments and see how they repsond...it worked for me and McDonald's...
ReplyDeleteOh this is why I can't have an ipod. I would love to have one but will buy something cheaper. It just seems like such an easily breakable thing for so much money. I don't want to have to be so upset like this over something that is just a luxury. I understand that it is sentimental becasue your hubby gave it to you.
ReplyDeleteI would just call and ask for someone higher up. If that doesn't work try to take it back if you got it from a store. And if that doesn't work call your local news station that does peices to try to keep people from getting ripped off. They would love to get Apple I am sure!
Goodluck!
Hey...thanks for visiting my blog. (Did you come over from Stacy Julian?)
ReplyDeleteThat Ipod stuff is so annoying! (We have the super cheapo MP3 player from Sansa...it was a whopping $30, so we just replace it like it's disposable)--but when you pay good money for an Ipod!!
Maybe they'll be so scared of the bad press on your blog, they'll send you a lovely new one...threaten that, see if it works! =)
MELISSA--dude, call them back and tell them that you are going to do a chargeback (if he bought it with a credit card, not a check card) and that you'll go to the BBB and to the Attorney General's office, and to rip off report. they are probably too big to care all that much about these kinds of disputes, but at least they'll think you know what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteStart by posting on your blog and giving Apple bad publicity! :-)
ReplyDeletewow i cant believe that! can you take it back to where he bought it from? i would call apple and maybe speak to a manager maybe they can help you more. I'm really sorry i hope you get it fixed!
ReplyDeleteTHAT is ridiculous!!!! I'm a little late to the party, but I would spend some serious time figuring out who the head honcho is and write to him/her. I also like the idea of INCLUDING this blog entry. mmmmhmmmmmm. YOU got the power, girlie. GOOD LUCK!
ReplyDeleteThat is rediculous! How can that not affect it? An besides it was damage out of the box! I would totally keep fighting it and get it taken care of!
ReplyDeleteSend them a copy of this post and ask them how they want this blogging story to end.
ReplyDeleteHi, this is my first time to your blog - Do you have an Apple store anywhere near you - or where you might travel to anytime soon? I'd try talking to a store manager. I think it would be tougher for them to deny you if you were there in person. Good luck, you totally deserve a new one! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog!!
ReplyDeleteHow'd ya find me?
Okay. This story has me in a FURY! Umm, if your video IPOD had a cracked screen, it totally impairs the vision of the screen. All I have to say is this "The squeaky wheel gets the grease". I would NOT STOP until you get someone to fix it for you. That is RIDICULOUS! And please keep us posted because I'm mad for you and I need closure.
Frankly, that is CRAP! What the heck? Can you call and try someone else? That doesn't see fair at all. Grrr.... I hate it when stuff like that happens.
ReplyDeleteThis is so, so irritating. Be the squeaky wheel. Keep calling . . . bug them silly. Talk to higher-ups. Send e-mails. Write letters. Keep mentioning it in your blog . . . Do whatever it takes!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pulling for you!
Thanks for checking our my blog, I have enjoyed reading yours!!
ReplyDeleteMy hubby is so good with this stuff....he always asks to talk to the manager or someone higher up and always documents who he talked to and when. Keep at it, you deserve to have it fixed. How can you watch a video with a messed up screen???