The iPod of Infinite Sadness
7:45 FedEx man arrives with my new refurbished 40GB iPod! Excitement! Joy!
7:48 Rip open box.
7:50 Notice “15GB” stamp on back. Wonder if maybe the refurbished part is the back cover.
7:51 Power up iPod. Go to About. See capacity is 13.9 GB. Dismayed.
7:52 Call Apple returns line. Am told I will need to get a case number from tech support. Transferred to tech support. Friendly recording tells me I have approximately 8 minutes to hold.
7:53 Hold
7:54 Hold
7:55 Hold
7:56 BOOP BEEP! Your phone call cannot be completed. The system will hang up now.
7:57 WTF!?
7:58 Search Apple’s web site, trying to find a support phone number.
8:03 Call support after finally locating number (1-800-275-2273).
8:04 “Apple Tech Support is available between 6am and 6pm Pacific time.” (or, four minutes AGO)
8:05 ARGH!
8:06 Call Returns number AGAIN.
8:10 Speak with woman who takes huge pauses between asking me questions.
8:14 Am disconnected AGAIN. Double ARGH.
8:15 Call Returns yet again. Inform woman answering that I’ve been disconnected twice, am 25GB short, and am very sad now.
8:16 She tries tech support and confirms they are closed.
8:17 She has to have tech support verify the error and have a case number in order to authorize a return. As soon as they have a tracking number from me, they will ship a new unit. They’d best send it super-duper overnight.
8:18pm Sadness.
This saga will continue at 8am tomorrow.
Update – 9:28pm: M-D suggested taking it to an Apple store to see if they’d fix the issue. I called a random store in California (since they’re still open). I explained that I’d ordered a refurbished ipod online and it was incorrect. After a slight hesitation, he excitedly stated, “Yes! We’ll take care of you!” My feeling about Apple’s service is slightly improving.
How does one get a new, refurbished iPod? Are they cheaper than non-refurbished ones?
It’s “new” in the sense that it’s new to me.
Don’t go to the Knox Henderson store to do it. the manager is a cheeky little s***! T will explain the whole story to you.
But isn’t the Knox store the only Apple Store in the DFW area?
Apple support is beginning to sound like microsoft support. Bad to none
There’s a second location in Plano at Willow Bend Mall. But, I will be trying the Knox location of allegedly cheeky management.
I might seriously re-think that visit to the Knox Henderson store.
I bought My 40GB iPOD there (new) a few weeks ago. I casually inquired to the sales girl that I probably needed a re-charging port for it. She added one to my bill, but failed to inform me that the iPod automatically came with one in the box. (Hard for the consumer to KNOW THAT if there’s no marking on the box, and that they don’t even have the boxes out on the floor for display.) I had to return the next day to have the extra product taken off my bill. She was still there acting like a space cadet and kept me waiting for over 45 minutes.
If THIS is the level of knowledge that their staff has about the product that they sell … well … Beware, Beware!
By ‘recharging port’, do you mean the Dock?
I can acutally understand why she might not say anything – the 20gbs come with the cable, but not the Dock, so if she was new, she might not have realized the difference. Also, some people like to have Docks in multiple locations (example: one at the computer for charging, one by the stereo for an easy audio-out, one in the office, etc.).
Why it was so difficult to take the extra part off a day-old receipt, I don’t know.
Hi again. I think I phrased my original question wrong. I didn’t mean “How is it possible to have an iPod that is both new and refurbished.” I actually meant: “Could you tell me where to go to obtain one of these refurbished ones?” Thanks.
If you go to http://store.apple.com, scroll down and in the right column there is a red image that reads “SAVE”. From that link, you get to a page of refurbished Apple products.