Cry with me - luxury problem

[MyOtherTherapistIsAHorse]

I don’t expect too much sympathy in the middle of a cost of living crisis but I’m kicking myself!

I treated myself to an iPad earlier in the year and yesterday ordered an Apple Pencil for a course this week.

It was just delivered and I dropped it as soon as it came out of the packet.

It doesn’t work.

Trying to figure out what on earth could be wrong I eventually figured out that I’ve bought the wrong Apple Pencil. I need the old version and I bought the new one.

I’ve opened it so can’t return it. Presumably it works despite having been dropped; it’s just not compatible with my 2022 iPad.

So here I am with an unusable brand new Apple Pencil I can’t return and my course starting tomorrow and no fucking Apple Pencil to use.

It’s not a tragedy in financial terms but I’m not made of money and frankly I’d rather have given 150 quid to the food bank! What to do?

(I suppose I could theoretically order the old version of the Apple Pencil. It’s old though and I’d have to buy an adapter to get it to fit my iPad. And the money…. It’s all just so wasteful. I’m not that well off either, I try to be careful with my money!)

Have you charged it and paired it with your iPad?

Home insurance. I didn't think I'd get my carpet replaced after I accidentally dropped a bucket of oil on it (don't ask) but they did.

Ah, so you have a 10th gen iPad and bought a 2nd gen Apple Pencil? As you say you would have needed an adapter anyway and it would have driven you mad!

If you can’t return it (and you may as well ask, they can only say no) you will be able to sell it on. Get yourself a Logitech Crayon instead for £80. You will still be a bit down on your initial outlay but it will recoup the worst of the loss.

Yes (thanks for thinking along with me), it won’t pair because it’s not compatible!

Honestly I think it’s in perfect working order (not that I can tell), it’s just not compatible. Appreciate the tip though! My home insurance has paid out for electronics I’ve dropped accidentally, though I truly don’t make a habit of it!

I'd definitely be focussing efforts on returning it - this can't be the first time it's happened so I'm sure they can re-box and re-sell? Where did you buy it from?

I’ve been Googling around and apparently returns are fine to Apple and authorised resellers, even if opened. Presumably they will check it on receipt so on the off chance that it’s broken we can sort that part out, but I genuinely think it will be fine and it was just that it’s not compatible. I’ll pack it all up again tomorrow and see.

Where did you order it from? I’m sure Amazon will refund opened items if you got from there.

Dropping it won't have done anything, I've dropped mine loads of times and it regularly spends a few days rattling round my handbag.

It not being returnable because it's open is unfortunate, not sure you have many options other than recouping what you can by selling on eBay.

There are cheaper IPad compatible stylus's you can get that will do the job for your course if getting another Apple Pencil isn't possible.

You can return if bought via apple even if open

Thinking how to save you money, Do you 100% need a proper apple one? I got a cheapie from amazon and it worked well.

Yes just buy a cheap replacement!

We did the exact same thing for my son. He'd broken the seal before we realised and argos would not take it back. Had to buy another!

Are you sure you can't return it? My partner bought a new phone from Apple, set it up and then returned it a couple of days later once he found his old phone.

Send it back and say it doesn't work. They won't check. Tell them you want a refund rather than a replacement.

I was forever losing my Apple Pencil around the house so I bought cheap spares (<£20) from Amazon and they all work great.

Apple will take returns even if you've opened and tried it
My DS bought a top of the range MacBook and returned it for a different colour as it showed up finger marks)
Yes, he's a perfectionist!