Apple problems
June 16, 2012 8:53 AM Subscribe
Applefilter: I ordered an iPod touch from the official german apple website with an engraved message.
Two problems: They messed up the engraving and they left the package with a neighbour even though it explicitely says on the package that this is not allowed. I'm in Germany.
What can I do now?
Concerning the engraved message, they printed a "u" when it should have been a "ü".
Concerning the engraved message, they printed a "u" when it should have been a "ü".
In the US, the delivery error would be the fault of the carrier, not Apple. If I were you, I would contact whoever incorrectly delivered the package to your neighbor and complain about that. If your neighbor had gotten your iPod to you, that would have been the carrier's fault.
With regards to the iPod, you should contact Apple. I have no idea if they would fix it, but their (US) customer service is generally pretty good.
posted by hydropsyche at 9:08 AM on June 16, 2012
With regards to the iPod, you should contact Apple. I have no idea if they would fix it, but their (US) customer service is generally pretty good.
posted by hydropsyche at 9:08 AM on June 16, 2012
On the US store, it warns you that you can't use accented characters.
posted by zamboni at 9:08 AM on June 16, 2012
posted by zamboni at 9:08 AM on June 16, 2012
Response by poster: Apples hotline is only available on weekdays here.
In Germany accented characters are allowed and that warning is nowhere to be found.
One example picture on the website even uses a ü: http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/2379/store.apple.com/Catalog/de/Images/engraving_gifting/engraving-infoblock.jpg
It explicitely says that engraved products cannot be returned, but what can I do if it was their fault?
posted by freddymetz at 9:19 AM on June 16, 2012
In Germany accented characters are allowed and that warning is nowhere to be found.
One example picture on the website even uses a ü: http://store.storeimages.cdn-apple.com/2379/store.apple.com/Catalog/de/Images/engraving_gifting/engraving-infoblock.jpg
It explicitely says that engraved products cannot be returned, but what can I do if it was their fault?
posted by freddymetz at 9:19 AM on June 16, 2012
You wait til Monday, call customer service and ask them how to correct it. And check your confirmation email from when you ordered it to make sure you didn't make a typo on your end before you call.
posted by chiababe at 9:24 AM on June 16, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by chiababe at 9:24 AM on June 16, 2012 [6 favorites]
I think you're stuck waiting until the next weekday, then. Nobody else can do anything to help you.
Even the delivery problem is Apple's problem. You didn't hire the delivery company to bring you the package; Apple did.
posted by jon1270 at 9:25 AM on June 16, 2012
Even the delivery problem is Apple's problem. You didn't hire the delivery company to bring you the package; Apple did.
posted by jon1270 at 9:25 AM on June 16, 2012
This looks like the German store has the same warning- call them on Monday, and see what they say.
posted by zamboni at 9:25 AM on June 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by zamboni at 9:25 AM on June 16, 2012 [2 favorites]
Wait, you received the iPod, right? How did the delivery to a neighbor harm you?
posted by spitbull at 9:26 AM on June 16, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by spitbull at 9:26 AM on June 16, 2012 [5 favorites]
Send an email to the delivery company pointing out that their driver disregarded the instructions on the package. Maybe mention it at the end of your other conversation with Apple, just in case they have a master log of all delivery-related complaints that they look at around contract renewal time.
But both ways, just say, "This is what happened," and don't expect any reply or compensation. You did, after all, get it.
posted by Etrigan at 9:31 AM on June 16, 2012
But both ways, just say, "This is what happened," and don't expect any reply or compensation. You did, after all, get it.
posted by Etrigan at 9:31 AM on June 16, 2012
Response by poster: The warning doesn't apply to Umlauts - you see they used an Umlaut in their example too.
The confirmation email already said "wunscht" instead of "wünscht" but in the address it also said "Munchen instead of "München" so I called straight away and they said it was probably a character set error and I shouldn't worry about it, but now its here and its wrong.
I am 100% positive that I wrote a ü on the apple website.
posted by freddymetz at 9:38 AM on June 16, 2012
The confirmation email already said "wunscht" instead of "wünscht" but in the address it also said "Munchen instead of "München" so I called straight away and they said it was probably a character set error and I shouldn't worry about it, but now its here and its wrong.
I am 100% positive that I wrote a ü on the apple website.
posted by freddymetz at 9:38 AM on June 16, 2012
It's not us you need to convince. Don't worry about it now. Go out, enjoy the weekend, and set them straight on Monday.
posted by zamboni at 9:47 AM on June 16, 2012
posted by zamboni at 9:47 AM on June 16, 2012
Response by poster: I was just hoping that somebody else here came out of a similar situation successfully :P but thank you for your replies.
posted by freddymetz at 10:02 AM on June 16, 2012
posted by freddymetz at 10:02 AM on June 16, 2012
Best answer: 1. Separate the 2 issues
2. Forget the delivery issue. You've sustained a loss, and the delivery error -- from which it appears you suffered no loss -- can only serve as a distraction (for both sides).
3. Require the vendor that sent you faulty merchandise to make you whole, either with the item you ordered, or a refund.
Meanwhile, if you paid by credit card, dispute the charge. Send your CC company a photo of the phone they sent, documentation of what you ordered (if you have it), and a screen print of their Website example.
Your position is unassailable, and it has nothing to do with the 'no returns' policy -- you're not asking to 'return' anything. They simply haven't sent you the item you ordered and paid for.
(As a courtesy to them, you could return the crap they sent you. I probably would -- after they send a postage-paid shipping package.)
posted by LonnieK at 10:19 AM on June 16, 2012
2. Forget the delivery issue. You've sustained a loss, and the delivery error -- from which it appears you suffered no loss -- can only serve as a distraction (for both sides).
3. Require the vendor that sent you faulty merchandise to make you whole, either with the item you ordered, or a refund.
Meanwhile, if you paid by credit card, dispute the charge. Send your CC company a photo of the phone they sent, documentation of what you ordered (if you have it), and a screen print of their Website example.
Your position is unassailable, and it has nothing to do with the 'no returns' policy -- you're not asking to 'return' anything. They simply haven't sent you the item you ordered and paid for.
(As a courtesy to them, you could return the crap they sent you. I probably would -- after they send a postage-paid shipping package.)
posted by LonnieK at 10:19 AM on June 16, 2012
Best answer: Every time I've had an issue with Apple Germany they've fixed it. Sometimes this required a lot of calls and hilarious amounts of patience. The approach:
• Be polite. They didn't do it on purpose and the person on the other end had nothing to do with it and wants to get a good outcome.
• Explain the situation without a lot of emotion. Just tell them that you can't use the item because it's a gift and the engraving is misspelled. Everyone there speaks German and English fluently so they won't debate whether a missing umlaut is a misspelling or not. I would also tell them about your call about "Munchen" because there could be some documentation of it.
• Something dumb that they do is that they don't enter all the info for your case and then they don't automatically give you the case number, so if you call back you might have to start from scratch. Say "is the misspelling and the fact that I called to warn about the missing umlauts entered in my case?" and then ask for your case number. Try to get them to send you some kind of info via email so that you have the email of the person who entered the case. Once that happens, that person will follow through better. Always ask when you can expect the next follow-up.
• Expect that it's probably going to work out, although you might not be able to control the timeframe.
It's not us you need to convince.
He doesn't need to convince anyone, if you read German you can see many discussions online in which the fact that they support ä ü and ö is verified, and they allow it to be entered in their preview tool. It would be kind of a tragic feature to offer engraving that doesn't support a lot of people's last names.
posted by Your Time Machine Sucks at 12:53 PM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
• Be polite. They didn't do it on purpose and the person on the other end had nothing to do with it and wants to get a good outcome.
• Explain the situation without a lot of emotion. Just tell them that you can't use the item because it's a gift and the engraving is misspelled. Everyone there speaks German and English fluently so they won't debate whether a missing umlaut is a misspelling or not. I would also tell them about your call about "Munchen" because there could be some documentation of it.
• Something dumb that they do is that they don't enter all the info for your case and then they don't automatically give you the case number, so if you call back you might have to start from scratch. Say "is the misspelling and the fact that I called to warn about the missing umlauts entered in my case?" and then ask for your case number. Try to get them to send you some kind of info via email so that you have the email of the person who entered the case. Once that happens, that person will follow through better. Always ask when you can expect the next follow-up.
• Expect that it's probably going to work out, although you might not be able to control the timeframe.
It's not us you need to convince.
He doesn't need to convince anyone, if you read German you can see many discussions online in which the fact that they support ä ü and ö is verified, and they allow it to be entered in their preview tool. It would be kind of a tragic feature to offer engraving that doesn't support a lot of people's last names.
posted by Your Time Machine Sucks at 12:53 PM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm in the US, but there was an error when my Dad got his iPod engraved a few years back. They told him to return it and sent him one with the proper engraving.
Good luck!
posted by luckynerd at 1:38 PM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
Good luck!
posted by luckynerd at 1:38 PM on June 16, 2012 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Proginoskes at 8:59 AM on June 16, 2012 [2 favorites]