I've got a bit of a mess on my hands and I'm really frustrated. A year and a half ago, I purchased an iPad as a gift for my daughter from a tech retailer, along with AppleCare. I still have the receipt and the original email confirmation. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when the iPad started having major issues. When I checked the coverage, it turned out there was none! After digging up the receipt, I discovered the serial number on it is completely different from the one for the iPad I actually bought. It looks like I paid for AppleCare on a different iPad!
When I went back to the store, they treated me like I was trying to pull a fast one and refused to help me resolve it. They suggested I contact someone in their central office, but that didn't go well either. Their only offer was to refund me, which I don't want, and they mentioned that I could ask Apple if they would transfer the AppleCare over as a courtesy. Has anyone faced something similar? What steps should I take to sort this out?
4 Answers
If they refund you for the AppleCare instead of the iPad, can't you just buy a new AppleCare for the correct iPad? That way you at least have coverage moving forward.
Have you tried to see if you can track down who actually owns iPad B or if it was even sold? If it’s not linked to any accounts, that might help your argument. It sounds like the retailer isn't budging, but if you can prove there’s no second iPad out there, that might help your case.
That makes sense, but I’m not sure how to check that. Do you have any tips?
Based on your description, it seems like they might have mixed up the iPads during the sale. If the serial numbers are drastically different, that’s a huge issue on their part. Retailers typically can’t just transfer AppleCare once it’s tied to a serial number unless there’s clear evidence of a mistake. Keep pressing them about this; it might take some time, but don’t let it drop!
Thanks for the insight! I feel a bit stuck but I’ll keep pushing.
Honestly, it sounds like a frustrating situation. Your best bet may be to keep pushing the chain at the retailer. Apple likely won’t shift the AppleCare to your device if it’s registered under another serial number, so your argument needs to be with the retailer who sold you the wrong iPad. They might have messed up the transaction on their end too.
That’s the road they suggested, but I really wanted the AppleCare I originally purchased for the iPad that I had. Not ideal, but at least I’d have something!