First, let me say right off the top that you were right. All of my art director and graphic designer friends over the years who swore by Mac – you were absolutely dead-on. And for all these years I just thought your obsession with Mac was part of your penchant for the dramatic. Or, just an 'artsy' thing. I scoffed at you when you weren't looking. I was perfectly happy with my PC running on any number of OS from MS. Which is to say I never knew how inefficient PCs were until I purchased my first iMac in November. Now I'm speedily trying to migrate everything I own over to the world of Mac. Including my phone.
Last Friday I purchased my first iPhone. I also bought a case for it. But after using the device all weekend (and loving it), it was painfully clear that I needed an 'extended battery' case. So today I went back to the Apple store hoping they'd just exchange the one directly off of my phone, since I was upgrading anyway. I had the receipt. "Oh, you don't have the packaging, sir? I'm afraid that's one rule I just can't break. And I can break a lot of them, but just not that one." I didn't argue. But for $30, this was far from over.
Back home, I fished through a couple of plastic bags of garbage that had piled up since Friday. I finally found the case's carton in a bag that also contained some pork that had long gone bad and was in the process of decomposing with the help of about a million maggots from what I could tell. And if you think it's gross to hear – you should have been there. But I was determined. If the employee at the Apple store said he needed packaging, packaging is what he was going to get. Thirty bucks is $30.
I retrieved the case, placed it in a fresh bucket of warm soapy water, let it soak for a while, rinsed it off and hung the pieces up to dry. The photo above was taken with the brilliant iPhone. And yes, I actually had four clothespins – though have no idea why.
I'm taking the case and the carton back on Friday when I have to make another trip to the Apple store. In a Ziplock® freezer bag. Along with one of those pine tree car fragrance things. Because Apple doesn't know who they're messing with. I'm a PC guy from way back. I'm getting my $30. Count on it.
Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of smashcommunications.com. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv
allisonwundrlnd
Jun 22, 2009
haha! I love it! Cant wait to hear how it goes. Specifically, I’d like to see his/her expression!
Kim Brater
Jun 23, 2009
Apple makes such a huge brand promise, you’d think they wouldn’t have an issue with a piddely 30-bucks. Your post is so hilarious. Take photos of the return process, including the face of the unsuspecting employee who has to deal with your de-magged, de-porked packaging. Can’t wait for your next post. Hope the Apple is cored 😀
angel b
Jun 23, 2009
Hahahaahaha!
That’s priceless. Just priceless.
Snap a pic of that poor Apple dude’s expression when you take the case back. 😉
Tracy
Jun 23, 2009
HA! I love it!
Mr. Nuggets
Jun 23, 2009
ROFL. Now that’s showing them. Still dreaming of owning my first Mac. 🙂
Bruce Couch
Jun 23, 2009
better yet, record the transaction on iPhone video :c)
Pecan
Jun 24, 2009
Way to go! I keep all my packaging until the return period is over but admit it is annoying to feel obligated to keep it around. It is just that I’ve been through your experience before.
Maybe next time I’ll rub some old pork on it.
Evelyn
Jun 24, 2009
You have won half an internet.
Jim Mitchem
Jun 25, 2009
I’m considering videoing the transaction tomorrow at the Apple store. I’ll tell them it’s for a blog post promoting their awesomeness. 😉
I'm Darren
Jun 25, 2009
Awesome!
I agree, a video created and edited on the new 3Gs would be priceless….
Can’t wait to see how this one ends up.
Melissa
Jun 25, 2009
This is hilarious! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the extended battery pack. Have been considering one myself …
I brought some broken headphones back to them and they replaced them, no questions. It happened to be the same day that the new iPhone was released so I think they had other things on their mind.
By the way, Chris said you were standing in line at the Apple store about the same time I was. Our paths probably crossed!
Jim Mitchem
Jun 25, 2009
That is so weird Melissa. Did you not recognize me amidst all the gray hairs in line? I was considering taking an orange with me, just in case anyone else was there. 😉
Jim Mitchem
Jun 26, 2009
For the record – I went back to the Apple store today just like I said I would – with the pieces of the original carton in a zip lock,with a tree freshener, and they were going to swap it out for the upgrade, but I found out last-minute that the extended batteries are not 100% checked out with the 3GS models. So I still have my old case and a car charger. For now. But they were going to swap it out. So I feel like I won.
My novel – Minor King
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