Some iPhone users get refund, some don't
Apple's price cut on the new iPhone is causing some confusion among existing iPhone users about who is entitled to a price adjustment and who isn't.
(Credit: Apple)Apple's CEO Steve Jobs announced Wednesday the company is slashing the price of the iPhone by $200. The 8-gigabyte version of the iPhone was $599 but now sells for $399.
Apple and AT&T have said they will give $200 credits or refunds to customers who bought the iPhone in the past two weeks. So what about the thousands of people who waited in line all night for their iPhones back in June? They're likely out of luck.
But it seems like the policy isn't being followed everywhere. Several iPhone users, who bought their iPhones more than two weeks ago, say they were given $200 refunds for their iPhones after contacting Apple and AT&T stores where they purchased their iPhones.
Former CNET video personality Veronica Belmont said on her blog on Thursday that one of her friends was able to get $200 back on his 8GB iPhone from Apple on Thursday morning. And he bought his phone on July 2.
But not everyone is getting the price adjustment. One of my colleagues at CNET called AT&T to get his refund. The customer care representative he talked to said he was entitled to the credit, despite the fact that he bought his phone well before the 14-day cutoff. He was referred to the AT&T store where he bought his phone. But when he called the store, he was denied the credit.
Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T said he couldn't comment on these individual incidents, except to say that AT&T's customer service and in-store representatives are well aware of the return and refund policy.
CNET News.com Apple reporter Tom Krazit and I are trying to get to the bottom of this confusing mess. If you've gotten a refund or credit from Apple or AT&T or you've been trying to and you'd like to share your experience with us, please contact Tom and me at tom.krazit@cnet.com and maggie.reardon@cnet.com. We're working on a more in-depth article on the topic for later, so stay tuned.
Marguerite Reardon has been a CNET News reporter since 2004, covering cell phone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate, as well as the ongoing consolidation of the phone companies. E-mail Maggie.
$100 store credit. That's 2 days and 2 great moves.... Drop the
price just before the holiday buying season then take care of the
flock.
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/openiphoneletter/