Two weeks ago, I finally went down to the Apple store to get a replacement battery for my iPod Touch.  My iPod is two years old, and the battery life had been going downhill for a long time.  I’ve been meaning to take it in for a new battery for a while now, I just didn’t have time until recently.  While I was at the Apple Store, I also brought in my MacBook, since I’d been having problems with the charger.  Sometimes, when I just barely moved the part of the cord that plugs into the laptop, the power cut out.  Sometimes only the little green light on the charger would go out, but other times the computer would lose power as well.  Again, since I was going to the Apple Store anyway, I went ahead and brought it in.

I had called Apple previously to get a price for the iPod battery replacement.  I was told that it would be $79.  This would be the final price – parts and labor included.  After making a Genius Bar appointment on Apple’s website (a process that could stand some simplification), I headed into the store.  I sat down at the Genius Bar and waited a few minutes for someone to come help me.  When he came, I showed him my iPod and explained that I wanted a new battery.  He had me make sure I had backed everything up (I had, to the computer that morning), and had me turn off Find My iPod Touch.  Scrolling through the hardware replacement options on his iPad, he seemed confused.  He said that they didn’t offer iPod Touch battery replacement.  I explained him that I had been told over the phone that they would.  He went and asked another employee, who said that instead they just replaced the entire iPod for the price of the battery.  I was wary.  I’d taken excellent care of that iPod, and I didn’t want some refurb that had been through who-knows-what.  With this apprehension, I asked him in what condition the new iPod would be, and he informed me that it would be brand new.  Well alrighty then, I thought.  Long story short, I got a brand new iPod (which would sell new today for $249) for $79.  Happy customer.

Then I brought out my Mac.  I showed the guy what happened with the charger, and asked if that was normal.  He said no, and went and got another charger.  This one didn’t have the same issue.  In order to be honest, I told him that I had bought the laptop used, and that there was a tiny dent near the charging port.  I explained that I thought maybe it had been dropped at some point.  I thought for sure I would have to pay for a new charger.  For goodness’ sake, the thing was two years old.  I had no warranty, no nothing, and I’d just told the guy I thought someone had dropped the computer.  Despite this, he went and got me a new charger, no payment, no questions asked.  That charger would have cost me $60.

So long story short, I was extremely thrilled with the way they took care of me at the Apple Store, and I would recommend them to anyone.  I essentially paid $80 for over $300 worth of replacements.  Apple has their customer service down here.  I feel great knowing that if something goes wrong with my device, Apple has a good replacement policy.  Goodness knows I paid enough for these things in the first place.  ••