‘The workers probably thought…’: Best Buy customer orders iPad. Then they open the box

"I got scammed," claims Best Buy customer and Reddit user @davidiscul in a post uploaded to the site's r/BestBuy sub.

It all started with the purchase of an 11" iPad Air M2. Upon visiting their local Best Buy retailer, they looked for the device but saw it was out of stock. So, they instead ordered it from Best Buy's website.

However, when they received their new iPad in the mail, they saw that it was anything but new. In fact, the box contained a 2014 edition of the popular tablet. So, they went straight to the store they originally placed the online order through for a refund.

But it wasn't such a straightforward process. Upon speaking with a rep in-store, they were informed that they'd need to call customer service. Thankfully, a service ticket was created for them to get a replacement.

What happened?

The Reddit user speculated that another customer must've purchased the iPad and swapped it out with an older one. They then returned the box to Best Buy, but the iPad's year, make, and model wasn't thoroughly checked.

Furthermore, the Reddit user added that the box was "resealed" which was probably why it was initially so difficult to open.

Commenters who replied to the post shared their own insights on the return process. One user on the app stated that due to sales protocols involving iPads and presumably all Apple products, a return shouldn't be an issue. "When I bought my iPad, the serial number was recorded in the receipt, and listed on the box," they wrote. "Should be a trivial for Best Buy to trace the return and also registration on the swapped iPad."

But someone else replied that this probably won't occur, and that it'll be an insurance claim on the store's behalf, instead. They said, "That won't happen; insurance deals with it."

Another remarked that emulating an Apple factory seal isn't all that difficult or costly to do. "You can buy the seals that Apple uses on its boxes like 50 of them for $10 shipped from China," the user wrote.

Other Best Buy swaps

Another Reddit user in a separate post stated that they also experienced a bait-and-switch with an item shipped to their home. After purchasing a new Acer 516 GE Chromebook during a clearance sale, they noticed the box's seal was broken. What's more is that when they powered on the device, they saw someone else's log-in credentials were associated with it. The Chromebook "was managed by g-retail.com" which they assumed was "related to Google training."

The shopper seemed resigned to the idea that they'd have to keep the used Chromebook, despite paying for a new product. Commenters assured them that this didn't have to be the case. One user on the app recommended they visit "the nearest Best Buy and request an exchange for a new unit."

They also added: "Sounds like multiple people didn't do their job right and you got sent a former shelf display unit. Just take it back, politely ask for a replacement with a new unit because you paid for a new unit and it should take no effort to resolve. Just be polite respectful and clear in the situation that unfolded. Don't get mad or pissed off, it's not the cashier's fault."

I got scammed.
byu/davidiscul inBestbuy

(Like) new

Additionally, a user on an Ars Technica forum post said that they had a similar situation occur upon purchasing "Linksys wireless network equipment." They said that specific components were swapped out of the purchase. Instead of a PCI Card, which was what they were supposed to get, an "IDE controller [was] thrown in the box. Also, supplemental materials, such an installation CD was missing. And the controller wasn't covered in a static protection bag."

To complicate matters further, the Best Buy customer said that the box was shrink wrapped as if it was new.

In another instance, an Apple user on the manufacturer's forums bought an open box iPad from Best Buy. However, upon attempting to use the device, they discovered it was locked to the previous user's iCloud. One commenter stated that this was a failure on the retailer's part because employees should've reset the device. Another replied that since it was locked to a previous user they had no recourse but to try and return the product.

The Daily Dot has reached out to @davidscul via Reddit direct message and Best Buy via email for further comment.

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