Gadget engraving is for suckers
The Consumerist reminds us of one of the most important tips for smart gadget shopping: don't get your gifts engraved. Companies offer it so you can't return your electronics. And if you're unconvinced, consider this: Sony recently claimed free engraving saves them millions of dollars in product returns.
This is a good thing to keep in mind around Christmas. Basically, if you're at all in doubt about whether a product is going to need to be returned (and you always should be at least partially in doubt) or you can't afford to lose the money, don't bother with the affectionate gesture of engraving. Let's face it: an Apple-etched iPod is kind of tacky anyway.
"Free iPod Engraving" Is Code For "You Can't Return This, Sucker" [Consumerist]
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Are engraved iPods easier to recover if stolen?
@#1: Only in the 0.1% of cases where theyre actually found again.
Such a cynical point of view. I can understand that the buyer should be aware of this, but (at least on the Apple site) it clearly tells you that engraving makes the item non-returnable. It's not like they're trying to sucker someone. My wife was very pleased with the personalization when I gave her an Ipod.
If the service is free because it is offset by cost savings on returns, well I think that's a win for both parties. If buyers are not confident in their gift, then they shouldn't get it engraved.
I had my husband's shuffle engraved with his email address... In the event that he loses it, and someone honest come's across it, they can contact him....
Words are gross, pictures are pretty....
http://flickr.com/photos/austinlaserart/2384959989/in/set-72157603967963160/
I'm an apple retail employee, and just to let you know, an engraved ipod can be replaced with an unengraved service replacement at the genius bar under warranty, and apple care will replace it with an engraved ipod for free through the mail in service.
When I got my girlfriend an engraved Nano, a colleague told me I shouldn't have had it engraved because it's harder to sell on ebay after a couple of years.
Come on, as if I gave her the gift of resellability!
But then Sony are *evil* anyway, aren't they?
balexander667 is right, you can return iPod's that are engraved. I know. My friend and I both had to return ours. We of course got ones back that were unengraved, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Not true says I! I had an iPod Classic 160GB engraved go south on me--and it was quickly and easily replaced, albeit with a non-engraved one, but they took it back without blinking an eye!
My Wife got me a 120GB Classic for Christmas, so that I can play music and audio books in her new car (ipod connection) and on the alarm clock I baught her (Ilov) for her Nano.
In Apples infinate wisdom, the IPOD Protocol is not supported on the classic, so it dosn't work with either!! AND I Can't take it back as it's personalised. GGGRRRR
Why not write a Classic firmware update with the IPOD Protocol?
Why dosn't Apples own .mov format play on an IPOD?
Why can't you just dump MP3's on an IPOD and it play them?
(AND I have a blackberry that I use for MP3's and MP4 movies anyway, so I don't even want a Ipod)
Ihate apple.