Do not buy anything from The Portland Pioneer Square AT&T store (Activate Cellular) across from the Apple store. They lie to customers in order to sell more stuff.
On May 24th, 2012 I went into the AT&T store (Activate Cellular) in Pioneer Square with my toddler in tow and a very loved and beat up cover for my iPhone. I told the person at the store, this is a great cover but I need something sturdier to withstand the abuses of my toddler. She told me the OtterBox was the way to go. I noted that it was basically the same material as my old case, a silicon sleeve and a hard plastic outer case. She then told me that if anything happened to the case, that I could bring it back to the store and they’d replace it up to a year. She said I didn’t need a receipt, just come on in and they’d look up my purchase by my email address. We joked about how destructive toddlers where, she was very friendly and chatty. I walked out of there with the understanding that even if my toddler destroyed this seemingly invincible case, that I could just bring in the old case and they’d replace it.
It’s now September 28th, 2012. Four months after I purchased the case. The inner silicone sleeve did not hold up at all. There are many moving parts (covers for each button and jack) and the hinges broke off both the 1/8th inch jack cover and the mute button cover.
When I went into store, the same person who sold me the case was there and I said, “Hi, my otter box took a beating.” She said “OK, do you want to try and use your warranty or do you want to buy a new case?” I said “waranty please.” She proceeded to tell me that she could not accept the case in it’s current condition. I told her that was was not what she told me when I bought it. She then said, “If I try to return this to OtterBox, they’ll think a dog chewed or or something and they’ll make me pay for it. You might be able to contact OtterBox directly for a replacement.” I told her that she had told me something completely different when I purchased the case and that she needs to be more honest with her customers. She said she was one of the more flexible managers but she still couldn’t exchange it because she’s be charged for it. I said “so I have to contact OtterBox directly to get this exchanged?” Then, in an attempt to get me to buy another case from her, she told me that Otter box takes more than 2 months for exchanges!
This person was dishonest to me just so she could justify selling a $50 iPhone case to me. A product is either covered by a warranty or it isn’t (which it is). If she thinks Otterbox is so strict on what they will accept, she should not be selling cases on the guise that they can be replaced if damaged.
I’ll keep you posted on what OtterBox says.
Store ID from Visa Bill:
05/24/12 Activate #112 Portland Or $49.99
More pics of the case
I really don’t think this is case is all that beat up, aside from the hinges breaking off. It certainly doesn’t look like a dog chewed it up. I don’t understand why she was so quick to turn down an exchange. Hinges break.