Apple extends return period over store closures, will accept returns up to 14 days after they reopen

It has been two days since Apple announced that it is closing its retail stores outside of China until March 27 due to the coronavirus pandemic. And now the company has an FAQ about the situation.

Apple recently launched a dedicated resource for frequently asked questions regarding the temporary store closures, as noted today by MacRumors. The questions you’d expect are all present here, including when the Apple Stores will reopen, the state of Genius Bar appointments, and device repairs, plus more. You can read the full FAQ right here.

I’m just going to highlight a few of the options here. That includes the fact that Apple is temporarily altering the in-store return period for products purchased at an Apple Store. Apple confirms on the page that it is extending the return period by up to 14 days once stores reopen. So even if your return period originally ends before March 28, you’ll have an additional two weeks to return your product.

Q: I want to return a product I recently purchased but the 14-day return period will end before March 28—what should I do?

A: Don’t worry. We’ll accept your return up to 14 days after we reopen.*
*Exclusions: Contracted iPhones (US, CA, JP, AU); Carrier financing (US only); Trade-in devices (value of device can be given in form of gift card)

For the folks who have their device at an Apple Store right now due to an ongoing repair, Apple has an answer for that, too:

Q: My device is at an Apple Store for repair. When can I get it back?

A: We are working to complete all repairs. If your device is ready for pick up or is awaiting parts, a Team Member will contact you with details. If ready for pickup, you can collect your device on March 15 or 16 between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. You can check the repair status at http://www.apple.com/support

What about customers who ordered a device for in-store pickup? Take it away, Apple:

Q: I placed an order to pick up at my local Apple Store. How can I pick it up?

A: If you received confirmation that your order was ready for pick up, you can go to the Apple Store location on March 15 or 16 between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to pick up your order.

And finally, just in case you want to make some changes to your online order to stop it from arriving at an Apple Store:

Q: I placed an order online and had it shipped to the Apple Store. Can I make changes?

A: Yes, visit http://www.apple.com/orderstatus to view the status of your order and make changes. Or contact us via chat or phone.

Most of the bases are covered by the FAQ, so it’s worth checking out. Are you impacted by the Apple Store closures across the globe?