Ok, so here's my story for today.
Left the house at 8:30, got to the Apple store at 9:15 and went directly to someone.
Explained how my phone arrived marked and he said "oh, because it's cosmetic we'll need to get a technician to look at it.. They start at 10".
I was already fuming but I thought kicking off now is going to get me nowhere, so I bummed around the nearby shops until 9:55 and headed back.
When I got back I spied the manager and explained my situation. He sent me to the genius bar and told me that someone would sort me out.
Anyway.. After explaining again, the genius looks at me and says "oh, because you bought it online, they'll have to exchange it". This is where I lost it. Apparently apple retail and apple are two separate businesses, so they couldn't do a straight swap
After some shouting and explaining that 1) why didn't they tell me this an hour ago 2) I've driven 50 miles based on the conversation I had with an employee (from the same store) last night, so that turns out to be ******** 3) what's the point of buying online if I can't get help locally.
The best they could offer me was a service repair aka those replacement handsets they keep behind the genius bar. I told them this is unacceptable for a £699 device that ARRIVED damaged.
They then offer to let me open the replacement handset for damage... 1st one had white dust along the top of the screen which wouldnt move, so he goes off and gets another... 2nd one scratched out of the box
Upon telling me that they wouldn't offer me a third, he disappeared again and was gone for 5 mins. When he returned he said "I've spoken to the manager and they've agreed to give you a new phone... but we're out of stock".
He didn't buy my story that this was a problem, and has a big discussion ongoing.. Basically saying "we've sold hundreds.. All fine".
FFFFFFFUUUUUUuuuu
