Size: 64GBColor: GoldService Provider: UnlockedProduct grade: Renewed PremiumVerified Purchase
Purchasing a renewed cell phone involves 4 critical (and inseparable) buying decision components. Each component is as important as the hardware itself, and all 4 components make-up the Buyer’s final buying decision and subsequent purchase experience:
1) The Hardware
2) The Warranty and Related Seller Assurances
3) The Customer Service (pre & post purchase)
4)
Overall value of the purchase
Unlike a new, factory-fresh telephone; a renewed telephone has a greater risk of failure, long-term usability issues and cosmetic imperfections. The obvious reason for this is a phone’s unknown history of use, maintenance/care, and ultimate reconditioning processes.
The following will describe, in as much objective detail as is possible, my recent purchase of an iPhone XS Max from the Amazon Renewed Premium program. I will briefly describe myself, as an Amazon Buyer, to add helpful context
BUYER
To date, I have made 697 purchases with Amazon across 3 accounts in the US, Mexico and UK. My return ratio is 2.3%. Purchases mainly include high-end electronics (computers, phones, printers, networking gear, headphones, etc.) and unique household items. I am a Prime member who maintains and gifts book related subscriptions, and regularly gift Amazon Echo devices to family members. In short, our household(s) use Amazon frequently and Amazon has
become “a family friend” that we have learned to rely on.
1 - Hardware
//www.amazon.com/dp/B08BFMH5GZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details . iPhone XS Max – The Apple flagship of late 2018
The packaging was a 9”x 5” x2” white Amazon box with the phone and a charging cable. The white box was placed in 12’ x 10’ x 5” with 3 small bubbles. The white box “rattled around” in the outer packaging.
The exterior of the phone was clean and scratch-free. The screen was protected with a sheet of soft plastic.
Battery Health = 88%. Unlocked = Fully. iOS received = 14. iOS updated to 15.5.
The configuration of the phone was a “quirky” and the screen flickered from time-to-time. Because of this, I called Apple Support (I have an account) to help evaluate the phone and assist with the configuration and pairing to my existing Apple accounts. The TSR connected with the iPhone XS Max and diagnosed that there were issues with the display module and (possibly) the antenna. The inability of the phone to recognize most nearby Bluetooth devices was thought to be the caused by the antenna issue. The Apple TSR suggested I return the phone. At this point, I had the phone for approximately 6 hours.
Disappointed (I needed the phone and had already purchased another $65 of accessories), I agreed with the Apple TSR and she helped me annotate the precise reasons for her diagnosis. My next step was to contact Amazon, for the promised Premium Support, to describe the issues.
2 - Warranty and Related Seller Assurances
I contacted the main Amazon Prime number and described the issues (At this point, I was in possession of the phone for less than 20 hours). I was transferred to another department that handled Amazon Renewed Premium matters.
Rep 1 – after describing the issues to the Rep and the Apple diagnosis, the Rep agreed with the Apple TSR and suggested I return the phone. I opted to have the purchase price refunded to me (to have some time to consider my next purchase options and availability). The Amazon Renewed Premium Rep told me it could take up to 180 days for a refund! I asked to speak with a Supervisor.
Supervisor – agreed the phone should be returned and stated that the return policy allowed up to 180 days but said that 25 days after they received the unit was more normal. She also stated that I had to pay for the shipping from Mexico back to the US (which has not been not normal for amazon.com returns from Mexico since 2015). Is this a new “standard return policy”? Why was it not clearly described on the website, they knew where it was going?
I paid extra for the Amazon Renewed Premium phone and the assurances that I would be fully satisfied. When I made the purchase, that assurance gave me a “warm fuzzy feeling” and the confidence to complete the purchase of the phone.
3 - Customer Service (pre & post purchase)
Pre-Purchase: Went smoothly. I read all of the materials, decided on the higher costs Amazon Renewed Premium version and paid for it. The order was placed on 11 May and it was received at my home in Cuernavaca, Mexico on 15 May. I paid USD 525.70 ($429.00 – phone, $8.24 – shipping & handling and $88.46 for the import fees deposit). Please note the cost of shipping.
Post-Purchase: Not a good experience. Details can be provided, upon request. To make a long story short, the refund and return process was an unexpected shock. The hardware/phone is defective and I promptly reported it. There was no reason for the sub-par treatment of the return. I offered to pay for the return but asked Amazon to arrange it through their low-cost contract rates – they refused. My cost for the return (via DHL) would be USD 95.35 and a 3-hour round trip drive to the nearest DHL office. Since 2015, I have not been asked to pay for the return of a defective device. Even DHL (the contract RMA carrier for Amazon) was surprised that I had to pay, and they handle Amazon returns every day.
4 – Overall Value of the iPhone Purchase
I securely packed the iPhone XS Max to assure it would arrive safely, and sent it via DHL at a cost of USD 95.35. That now brings the cost of this phone to $621.05.
Despite the claims that Amazon will reimburse me for shipping, I have been told by an Amazon Prime Rep that I can expect to be reimbursed no more than $20 for the return. If true, I will take at least a $73.35 loss on this purchase.
I will not purchase another phone until I have received the full refund for this one. That means I will be without a phone for up to 180 days.
Buying a renewed phone has not been the experience I was hoping for. The hardware was defective and the warranty/assurances/services I believed I was getting when buying from Amazon Renewed Premium did not materialize.
Summary Rating
1 Star – Hardware (iPhone XS Max) – defective
1 Star – Warranty and Relate Seller
Assurances
1 Star – Customer Service
1 Star – Overall Value
Again, when buying a renewed product, it is impossible to detach the actual product (hardware) from the other components of the purchase. It is simply the nature of selling and buying renewed products.