Is there anyone can I contact, If a repair is refused by Apple?

[Stephanie Medlock]

My fully functional but out of warranty Apple Watch is getting poor battery life in recent weeks. I spoke to an Apple Advisor and was asked to send it in for battery replacement and was quoted the cost of the battery replacement. However, after several days, I was given another quote of a full replacement charge because my watch has some scratches on it (case, not screen) and that's constitute as accidental damage. I called a Senior Advisor and he told me the decision made by the Engineering team is final and there is nothing he can do. And since he is a senior advisor, no further escalation can be done.

Is this true? Is there anyone higher than Senior Advisor who I can contact?

 

[imwjl]

I'll suggest yes and that more effort is wasting everyone's time. Even with the business team help I get that's somewhat of a red carpet or first class the rules are the rules. The only exceptions I've seen is when someone makes a mistake or you have an unusual circumstance. Examples, misdiagnosis so no repair done or something not right after a 2nd or 3rd attempt to repair the same item.

I deal with in an out of warranty repair for lot of technology items. I'd guess the damage means they cannot re-use (refurbish) anything because of the scratches.

For watches my experience is much more limited - two repairs and aware of staff repairs - than for having dozens of iPads, phones and Macs in the enterprise but the concepts and terms are much the same.

 

[doogald]

I suppose that you could email tcook@apple.com, explain your side, explain perhaps that this makes you far more less likely to buy another Apple Watch (if this is true), and see what happens.

 

[Lee_Bo]

I called a Senior Advisor and he told me the decision made by the Engineering team is final and there is nothing he can do. And since he is a senior advisor, no further escalation can be done.

Yeah, not sure about that answer. Even if it's true, that's really poor customer service.

 

[Wotchered]

That is such a bad excuse for customer service,just plain laziness.Obviously scratches on an external casing make no difference to the function of the watch.

 

[Rob Phillips]

I suppose that you could email tcook@apple.com, explain your side, explain perhaps that this makes you far more less likely to buy another Apple Watch (if this is true), and see what happens.

I did exactly that a week ago regarding a nightmare situation I’ve been dealing with regarding my iPhone trade in for the iPhone 11 Pro Max I received on release day. No response whatsoever as of now.

 

[Just_Me_D]

My fully functional but out of warranty Apple Watch is getting poor battery life in recent weeks. I spoke to an Apple Advisor and was asked to send it in for battery replacement and was quoted the cost of the battery replacement. However, after several days, I was given another quote of a full replacement charge because my watch has some scratches on it (case, not screen) and that's constitute as accidental damage. I called a Senior Advisor and he told me the decision made by the Engineering team is final and there is nothing he can do. And since he is a senior advisor, no further escalation can be done.

Is this true? Is there anyone higher than Senior Advisor who I can contact?

You answered your question in the first sentence when you said it was “out of warranty”. Apple or any of company does not have to replace a product that’s out of warranty free of cost. Apple is known to go out of its way to help customers, but not to the point of being taken advantage of.


Every product has a life cycle and laws require the company to provide a “limited warranty” in which Apple did. If you opted not to get Apple Care + for it then that’s on you.

Anyway, the link below displays both in warranty and out of warranty fees in regard to the Watch.


https://support.apple.com/watch/repair/service/pricing

 

[doogald]

You answered your question in the first sentence when you said it was “out of warranty”. Apple or any of company does not have to replace a product that’s out of warranty free of cost. Apple is known to go out of its way to help customers, but not to the point of being taken advantage of.

It is true, though, that she was given a quoted cost for battery replacement - she wasn't told it would e a free replacement - and then told that it would cost more because the case was scratched. If the original quoted price was truly for a battery replacement, why does the case condition have anything to do with the pricing? (I know the answer - Apple doesn't actually repair watches; they give refurbished replacements. Still, she should have been given a realistic quote from the start.)

 

[Just_Me_D]

It is true, though, that she was given a quoted cost for battery replacement - she wasn't told it would e a free replacement - and then told that it would cost more because the case was scratched. If the original quoted price was truly for a battery replacement, why does the case condition have anything to do with the pricing? (I know the answer - Apple doesn't actually repair watches; they give refurbished replacements. Still, she should have been given a realistic quote from the start.)

When I read that part in her post, that is the same question that popped in my mind. “What the heck does a scratched case have to do with replacing the battery?”

Then I read this: “If your battery was consumed by normal use, you may be able to replace your Apple Watch for a battery service fee, as shown below. “

“May be able to...” does not suggest that the Watch will be replaced for a battery service fee.

With that being said, the OP should push the issue and focus on the fact that the aforementioned link does not state (at least I didn’t see it) that the watch had to be in pristine condition to get the price listed for an out of warranty battery replacement. It wouldn’t hurt to contact Tim Cook via the contact info above and mention it to him as well.

Because the online information isn’t clear, it may work to the OP’s advantage.