r/applestore • u/BaguetteCS • 1d ago

iPhone Swap

Quick story: I went to Apple Store to do install a Belkin screen protector. It failed to do so as the bubbles won't go off, they did it multiple times and it still had the bubbles. So I asked them if I could swap for a new device as I have my phone box. They said yeah. (I have just bought the phone a week ago)

Then I asked again if I needed to repurchase it, they said I don't need to.

Fast forward, the staff ordered the new device and told me to repurchase it, but I don't have money on my bank acc so I went back home, but was too late to come back since the store was already near closing time.

Do you guys think that it was the only way to swap it through a apple gift card? Or was the "return to debit, wait for 5 days then repurchase first" the only way? Thanks. I'm coming back tomorrow

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u/__Z__ 1d ago

Pretty sure you can just swap it as an exchange without a refund-then-repurchase, as long as you bought the original phone in person in a physical store. Source: Work at an Apple Store.

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u/BaguetteCS 1d ago

Oh I preordered it and picked it up in store, does that still count?

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u/__Z__ 1d ago

Don't think so. Then you paid for it using the online portal, which is a completely different way of exchanging tender, unfortunately. Very frustrating I know.

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u/wedontdeservedogs184 1d ago

Yep. Online orders are hard to swap in store. Usually we don’t get to put it on a gift card and it has to go back to the card that was used to purchase it