Absolutely terrible in-store experience, OMG:
Visited Apple Store to return 15 Plus (it's too big), and exchange for regular 15. After the typical Very Long Wait, I finally get to the table with the specialist who will make the exchange. He says we can do one of two ways – (a) put the return funds on a gift card and try to use that for the new phone ("but it may be flagged for fraud, and you'll have to wait a few days"); or (b) do a straight return to the credit card, and then purchase the new phone.
Obviously, I say I'll take option b! I also mention that I have $50 on an Apple Gift Card, which I got from an Apple promotion last year; and which I transferred into my "Apple Account" last night, in preparation for this transaction. (In the past, I've been told that Gift Card funds can only be used in store – not for online purchases – so I was looking forward to this chance to use the $50 credit).
The specialist processes the return for the old phone (which I haven't wiped yet), and transfers the T-Mobile eSIM to the new phone (not yet purchased). Now it's time to ring up the new phone. First we'll use that $50, right? He tries to scan the gift card code, and finds it doesn't work, since I had "activated" the card and transferred the funds to my Apple Account (which I thought would make the processing even smoother).
We try to use the Apple Account balance – but it doesn't work. Fine, just put the entire amount on my credit card. The credit card is declined. We try a few times. We try a different card; declined as well. The guy calls over a manager. He says, "Oh, we've been seeing that when a customer tries to apply Apple Account funds... the system flags it as fraud, and locks the phone they're trying to purchase. The only way to make the purchase is online. Bad experience for the customer!"
He tells the associate to just give me back the old phone, so I can buy the new one online – but they can't do that, as the old phone has been returned (at this point, I wipe it, since there's no going back). They can't sell me the new phone, even though the system somehow let them activate my eSIM on it prior to purchase(!?) – so we have to figure this out, as my phone no. is now tied to a phone I can't buy.
After much fiddling around, they decide to get a fresh phone; call T-Mobile and manually activate the eSIM on that one; and then put the first new phone in the refurb bin (the manager leaves, never to return). So the original specialist has a new phone brought out (this takes a while), and then I purchase it with my credit card (works fine).
The specialist calls TMO and gets into a long back-and-forth w/the agent, who apparently refuses to activate the new phone: "You're not listening to what I'm saying! I can't 'read you the eSIM,' since you guys generate that! Can I speak with someone else? Sir, you're turning this into an argument..." etc. (Meanwhile, he's fidgeting with the new phone, tapping it on the table; and then drops it on the floor, denting the side of the box!)
At this point, I thought about saying, "Peace out, just process a return on that new phone, I'll get it another way." – but I didn't know what steps it would take to get TMO to re-activate the physical SIM on my old 8 Plus, sitting in a drawer at home. I had to see this through!
I finally figure out how to make work by texting my wife (with my work phone) so she could send me the confirmation PIN that TMO texted her (as the other line on my account). After much, much time (literally hours) and hassle, I was out of the store.
Tl;dr – I did nothing "wrong" here except try to use an Apple Account balance from a gift card that Apple sent me, when I bought one of their products. I don't see how this could have been flagged as potential fraud – but if that's been happening, why did the guys in the store let me try to use the balance in the first place? The whole thing was a ridiculous mess.
Visited Apple Store to return 15 Plus (it's too big), and exchange for regular 15. After the typical Very Long Wait, I finally get to the table with the specialist who will make the exchange. He says we can do one of two ways – (a) put the return funds on a gift card and try to use that for the new phone ("but it may be flagged for fraud, and you'll have to wait a few days"); or (b) do a straight return to the credit card, and then purchase the new phone.
Obviously, I say I'll take option b! I also mention that I have $50 on an Apple Gift Card, which I got from an Apple promotion last year; and which I transferred into my "Apple Account" last night, in preparation for this transaction. (In the past, I've been told that Gift Card funds can only be used in store – not for online purchases – so I was looking forward to this chance to use the $50 credit).
The specialist processes the return for the old phone (which I haven't wiped yet), and transfers the T-Mobile eSIM to the new phone (not yet purchased). Now it's time to ring up the new phone. First we'll use that $50, right? He tries to scan the gift card code, and finds it doesn't work, since I had "activated" the card and transferred the funds to my Apple Account (which I thought would make the processing even smoother).
We try to use the Apple Account balance – but it doesn't work. Fine, just put the entire amount on my credit card. The credit card is declined. We try a few times. We try a different card; declined as well. The guy calls over a manager. He says, "Oh, we've been seeing that when a customer tries to apply Apple Account funds... the system flags it as fraud, and locks the phone they're trying to purchase. The only way to make the purchase is online. Bad experience for the customer!"
He tells the associate to just give me back the old phone, so I can buy the new one online – but they can't do that, as the old phone has been returned (at this point, I wipe it, since there's no going back). They can't sell me the new phone, even though the system somehow let them activate my eSIM on it prior to purchase(!?) – so we have to figure this out, as my phone no. is now tied to a phone I can't buy.
After much fiddling around, they decide to get a fresh phone; call T-Mobile and manually activate the eSIM on that one; and then put the first new phone in the refurb bin (the manager leaves, never to return). So the original specialist has a new phone brought out (this takes a while), and then I purchase it with my credit card (works fine).
The specialist calls TMO and gets into a long back-and-forth w/the agent, who apparently refuses to activate the new phone: "You're not listening to what I'm saying! I can't 'read you the eSIM,' since you guys generate that! Can I speak with someone else? Sir, you're turning this into an argument..." etc. (Meanwhile, he's fidgeting with the new phone, tapping it on the table; and then drops it on the floor, denting the side of the box!)
At this point, I thought about saying, "Peace out, just process a return on that new phone, I'll get it another way." – but I didn't know what steps it would take to get TMO to re-activate the physical SIM on my old 8 Plus, sitting in a drawer at home. I had to see this through!
I finally figure out how to make work by texting my wife (with my work phone) so she could send me the confirmation PIN that TMO texted her (as the other line on my account). After much, much time (literally hours) and hassle, I was out of the store.
Tl;dr – I did nothing "wrong" here except try to use an Apple Account balance from a gift card that Apple sent me, when I bought one of their products. I don't see how this could have been flagged as potential fraud – but if that's been happening, why did the guys in the store let me try to use the balance in the first place? The whole thing was a ridiculous mess.
