Horrible Lying Store Manager Refuses to Replace a Defective Iphone 7 a Few Days After Purchase.

>Again you don't address my customer service call. 

I addressed your signed agreement with at&t which overrides anything spoken by an agent. You choose to ignore what one employee says but listen to another. Written agreement will override spokenevery time.

>Again as a consumer I wanted to understand my options. I asked to return the device. I was refused.

I have said you should be able to return it. I have not disagreed with this at all

> Notice how to government link says the merchant must supply a replacement?

It does not say the merchant must supply a replacement. It says they must provide you with OPTIONS of replacement, repair or refund. Refund is through the point of purchase, again I have said I side with you. Repair or refund your option is to go through the Manufacteror. That is an option. It never says at the point of sale. You just must have some way accessible to you to have it repaired or replaced, both of which you have the capability to do. If you will return the phone, you will have the pay the restocking fee. Its the same fee you would have to pay for any return. The link you have posted said there are no laws related to restocking fees.

I don't understand how you misunderstand that the merchant must provide the option of replacement. Apple is not the merchant I purchased from. AT&T is the merchant I purchased from. Should I go to apple my option is fix. However, this doesn't matter because AT&T is my merchant. So if my warranty only offers me the Fix option and my merchant is only offering me (or should be offering me) the return option, where is my replace option? I honestly didn't think it would matter to include this detail, however while at the Apple store the only thing they said that would happen is they would replace the screen on the phone, fixing the issue. 

If I go to Apple and have my phone repaired I basically got a refurbished Iphone for full price at the AT&T store. I expect AT&T to sell me a fully functional new unopened product since I am paying for that and it is their duty to supply me with that legally considering they are the merchant who sold it to me. 

It doesnt say the Merchant must replace it. It says you must have the option to replace it (which you do, you just are ignore this). It says you must have the option to return, repair or replace. Repaid and replace both come from Apple in this case, but it is an OPTION you have that you are choosing to ignore. It also says OR, not all 3. Apple usually does offer the option for a replacement, but if they repair it they are abiding by the law.

Like I said, when I went to the apple store, they offered to fix the device according to my 2 year warranty. I DO NOT WANT IT FIXED. I want it REPLACED. So again, If Apple won't replace my phone, and AT&T won't replace my phone. Do I just sit here with a finger up my bum and wonder how I just bought a broken phone for full price and I can only hope the fix all the issues in it? Do I pay money for a new screen as Apple does to so many people? Do I take the chance and hope that more things aren't defective but just aren't showing? If Apple offered me a replacement I would have happily taken it. 

I will not accept a fixed phone. Law specifically says, I am entiltled to three options. So far the only one I am able to act on at this very moment is my fix option. I cannot return the phone (as the manager outright refused that to me) aswell as my replace option considering the only thing Apple is willing to do is fix the phone as per my 2 year warranty agreement (which could also cost me money) and AT&T (atleast the one I went to) is refusing that aswell. 

So my specific question relating to the law is, If Apple only gives the option of Repair wouldn't you say the merchant is now forced to give the replace option? Because the law says it is the MERCHANTS duty to supply the option? not the manufacturer. 

The law says you are entitled to return it, repair it OR replace it. It does not say you are entitled to all 3. You can return it through at&t, you can take it to apple to repair or replace it. At&t can not repair or replace it, it has to go through apple. You signed an agreement saying you would agree to go through apple for all warrenty and replacements when you started the plan with at&t. You are ignoring what you signed saying you would have to do here. Apple will more than likely replace your phone if you ask. I know of several people who have done it.

I must say, If you are correct rightofpassage. Not only am I going to feel like a MAJOR fool, but im going to be one angry dude at the customer support who was so ill informed. If the customer support was indeed wrong, not only did I basically make a fool of myself, I probably ruined a managers day at the AT&T store. If the customer service reps had told me "you are indeed wrong sir, you're only option is to go to apple" I would have never gone back and my phone would be getting repaired more than likely. 

I honestly hope I am the correct one here, that would mean I wasn't made into a fool with false info and I will have the new phone I purchased. 

I still will always be upset that this manager refused to return my phone when I asked however. 

This is a mess of a situation. I suppose I will get my answers tomorrow at the official AT&T store. Either way this is such a negative experience and quite honestly I had started to feel favorable about apple and now my opinion is right back to my origional of "I really dont like apples buisness practices"

Either way aswell im going to look negativley on AT&T aswell... I don't know who yet but someone lied to me and im so steamed im the cog spinning at the center of it...

@MRD956

The problem is you are dealing with 3 different entities, not just 2.  

Apple

ATT 

and an authorized retailer at the mall.  

Lesson:  do not deal with the authorized retailer.  

While Carriers will often do an exchange of a defective Apple device within the first 14 days, they have an agreement with Apple to refer all warranty exchanges direct to Apple.  @Anonymous Provided the correct links and the Massachusetts consumer rights document supports it, not refutes it.  As long as you have warranty support for your device, the retailer has acted appropriately.  

Should Tony have replaced the phone?  Morally it was the right thing to do ad his store is not going to suffer because Apple will refund.  But he did not have to ad referring you to Apple was correct.  

Att company stores will almost always just do the exchange for you.  

I have to say, between the conflicting word of the 3 parties here (Apple, AT&T Customer Support and The AT&T Authorized Retailer) Im astounded that there was not a definitive answer here between the 3 of them. All 3 ambasadors of their respected companies tied by a corporate agreement, you'd think they'd know it.

Clearly, this proved to be too much and in the end the one that ends up suffering is the consumer. Oh well right? Only took 4 days of aggravation just to even use the product I purchased. 

A terrible shame, as im not angry that I received a defective product, (I understand manufacturing errors happen) Im angry about how the situation was handled by both companies. Primarily AT&T considering they have a manager of a store who is so short of temper he kicks people out of his store for attempting to straighten out conflicting facts and two customer service reps (one a manager! or so i was told) for giving me bad information! 

Although I am keeping my service at AT&T for the phone, I beleive my family will be shying away from all other products AT&T has. Namely their TV service which we WERE interested in greatly (comcast charges alot, but atleast they have competant workers) but that is no longer the case. 

😕