Thursday, November 17, 2011

Grrrr...But Not Really

I bought my iPhone 4S the day it came out, so I've had it for a month. I'm fairly happy with it and it has come in handy. I haven't downloaded Angry Birds yet, which makes me think I'm not using it to its full capability.

This post, though, isn't about the iPhone. It's about the case I ordered for it the same night I bought it. In short, the phone still does not have a case.

Let's go back. I paid $20 for a $40 coupon from Groupon or Living Social, I forget, towards an Incase product in anticipation of the iPhone I knew I would get. I like their design and wanted the best for my very expensive phone. As I mentioned, I ordered it the same night I got my phone. I expected it to arrive within a week.

A week later, a package arrived, it weighed practically nothing. I opened it expecting to find my case and the screen protector, but alas, it was only the screen protector and some crumpled up paper. But I'm a patient man, so I figured it would arrive soon.

The week ended and no package. I wait a couple more days the following week and still no case. I finally call Incase and spoke to a representative who was very nice. He couldn't really tell me with certainty that the case was even shipped but he told me he would ship one out again immediately. If the first one that may or may not have been sent comes to me, he said I could keep that too. Great, I thought. Two cases for practically nothing.

I wait another week. No case. I call again and speak to the same guy, Frank. Again he was nice, if a little evasive about whether he shipped the promised case or not. I asked him if he had a tracking number so I can see where it is in UPS's system but he couldn't give me one, which makes me think that he didn't. I really should have been madder, but I'm not a very angry person and Frank was very nice and apologetic so I just couldn't find it in me to be angry.

So I wait again. Sure enough a package arrived on Tuesday. Hooray! I open it and let out a laugh. Inside was another screen protector. No case. How could they mess this up again? As it turned out they didn't. I get an e-mail from UPS indicating that another package was arriving the next day.

I get home yesterday and find the package at my doorstep. This long ordeal was finally coming to an end! I open the package and find the promised case. As I'm opening it I debated whether I should call Frank again the next day and tell him that I finally got my case. We would laugh and all would be good.

That was when I noticed something was wrong. The case was supposed to come with a stand so you can sit the iPhone sideways and watch whatever video you want to watch. Should I complain about that? It's unlikely I would use that stand anyway. I was leaning towards letting it go, but then I noticed a bigger problem. The case was broken. Half of the front bottom portion was missing. I slumped in my chair and laughed again. It's comical how much trouble I had to go through just to get this case.

Well, I called Incase today hoping to speak to Frank so I can give him a piece of my mind. He must have sensed I would call because he didn't pick up. Instead it was a lady named Linda. I explained to her what happened and she couldn't have been nicer about it. She said she would ship another one right away, so hopefully everything will be fine with this one.

I still wondered whether I should have expressed greater anger at the situation. A month I've waited and I'm still caseless. Maybe if it goes into a second month I would definitely be more upset. Or will I?

No comments: