TC
tina canister
Jun 25, 2026
Apple Support had us driving all over LA for a dead phone… Del Amo was the only reason we made it to a 4AM flight with a working device.
My phone suffered water damage right before my 4:00 AM international flight the next morning, so we contacted Apple Support immediately under AppleCare expecting a straightforward replacement process.
We were first sent to Mobile Kangaroo (Culver City). That experience was rude, dismissive, and unhelpful. We were told the phone could not be repaired and would need replacement, and we were directed to go to an Apple Store.
We then contacted Apple Support again, and they confirmed Mobile Kangaroo had already completed diagnostics and that the device needed replacement. We were told the Apple Store would be aware of the situation and would simply complete the swap.
However, none of that information actually carried over anywhere.
We had to repeat the entire situation multiple times:
Nothing was attached to my Apple ID.
Nothing was visible at the next location.
We were then directed to APPLE STORE MANHATTAN VILLAGE, with instructions that we only needed to arrive before closing because Apple Stores take walk-ins and no appointment was required.
We arrived approximately 45 minutes before closing.
We explained everything again—Apple Support, Mobile Kangaroo, diagnostics already completed, and urgency due to a 4:00 AM flight the next morning.
The manager, BREE (APPLE STORE MANHATTAN VILLAGE), immediately focused only on whether we had an appointment.
We explained again that Apple Support directed us there specifically because walk-ins are accepted if you arrive before closing.
We were then told:
They stop taking walk-ins at 6 PM.
When I asked if that policy was posted anywhere, we were told NO — it is NOT POSTED ANYWHERE and is based entirely on BREE’S DISCRETION.
That creates a serious issue for customers who are being directed there by Apple Support without any way of knowing that limitation exists.
What made this experience worse was the complete lack of any attempt to help or even assess the situation, including:
* NO ATTEMPT TO EVEN LOOK AT THE DEVICE
* NO INSPECTION OF THE PHONE
* NO ATTEMPT TO VERIFY APPLE SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONS
* NO REVIEW OF PRIOR DIAGNOSTICS OR HISTORY
* NO PROBLEM-SOLVING OR ESCALATION
* NO EFFORT TO ASSIST AT ALL
At no point did BREE attempt to even look at the phone or determine whether anything could be done. The situation was never assessed.
We were simply told they were not taking walk-ins and redirected to another store—APPLE STORE DEL AMO FASHION CENTER (Torrance)—which was still about 20–25 minutes away and also near closing.
After being sent from APPLE SUPPORT → MOBILE KANGAROO → APPLE SUPPORT → APPLE STORE MANHATTAN VILLAGE, we still had no resolution.
When we arrived at APPLE STORE DEL AMO FASHION CENTER, everything changed completely.
They were empathetic, professional, and immediately took ownership of the situation.
SUNDAY, WILL, and BRANDON listened, understood the urgency, and immediately stepped in to resolve everything without hesitation.
They swapped the phone, completed the AppleCare replacement, and made sure we left with a fully working device in hand—even with very little time before closing.
The contrast between locations was extreme.
One location refused to even assess the issue.
Another resolved everything within minutes.
THIS REVIEW IS NOT JUST ABOUT DENYING SERVICE. IT IS ABOUT THE WAY SERVICE WAS HANDLED—THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, THE INCONSISTENT WALK-IN POLICY, THE FAILURE TO USE APPLE SUPPORT DIAGNOSTICS, AND THE COMPLETE LACK OF EFFORT TO ASSIST AFTER BEING DIRECTLY REFERRED BY APPLE SUPPORT.
And most importantly, I want to give credit where it is due:
The way SUNDAY, WILL, and BRANDON handled this situation at APPLE STORE DEL AMO FASHION CENTER is exactly why customers trust AppleCare. They showed empathy, urgency, and professionalism, and made sure we did not leave without a solution.
That is the standard of service customers expect and pay for.