Apple Returns Policy

Question

Hello!
I want to know what's the Apple Returns Policy is? What does it talk about? (about the iPhone 3G)
The at&t Returns Policy says this :
Service Cancellation
You may cancel service within 30 days from the activation date to avoid the early termination fee of $175. Thereafter the fee will decrease by $5 each month for the term of the agreement. You will be responsible for all applicable usage fees, prorated access charges, taxes, surcharges or other charges through the termination date. AT&T will refund your activation fee, if any, if service is terminated within 3 days of activation.
You may have to return any handsets and accessories purchased with the service before your account will be cancelled. If you are allowed to cancel service within the 30 day return period, but do not return the equipment within the return period, AT&T may charge you an amount equal to or up to the full retail price of the equipment.
If you paid a security deposit, it will take 1 to 2 billing cycles to process the return of the security deposit. The charges for service used on the account before the service termination date will be applied against the security deposit.
I need to know precisely about the Service Cancellation that Apple put.
Thanks a lot,
Camille

Answer 1

I had this situation. I actually tried canceling my service the same day and the next day after I bought the iphone. They were adamant that they couldn't not turn off my service unless the local store where i purchased the phone had gotten it back. I did try to explain to her that I had purchased the phone on the way to the airport (it was the first day of 3G) and was now 3000 miles away from that local store and I was not returning the phone. I kept telling them I had my credit card ready to pay the 175 early termination fee. Nope, wouldn't hear of it. I spoke with 3 different people between the 2 days. If you cancel before 30 days, you MUST return it to the store. (I could imagine that the Apple Store purchase may be different as ATT doesn't have as much control over them as they do their own stores)
So I waited 31 days to cancel my contract. The first guy tried to trick me and told me it had not been 30 days yet and I would need to return the phone, or I could call back tomorrow on the 30th day to cancel it. I of course just called right back, knowing that I could properly count my days. The second lady gave me no grief at all about canceling beyond the usual, "Do you know someone who could take it over" line. What she also told me was that when you cancel your service, they cancel it at the end of your next billing cycle, which happened to be the same day so I was good to go. That made me think the first guy was just trying to get another month of service out of me. If I had waited one more day to cancel, they would have waited until the next month to cancel it and another 90 bucks on top of the ETF. [Sneaky son of a...]
So that's my story. All customer service people are different, so you might try calling back to speak to someone else if you've done your research and they dont give you the right answer.