The item still has to be covered under warranty though, right? So let's say something "goes wrong", can it be returned for a full refund?

One day I want to be known as Uncle Kickass. That is all.

@Moosehawk: Warranty exchanges only. Just don't engrave the exchanged and you might be able to get a refund from that point, as long as its within the timeframe. Then again, it may be manager's discretion.

@beyondthetech: I am surprised they don't send it to a service center that switches the engraved outer case over the guts of a refurbished one.

That ungrateful bastard better not return my expensive Apple gift, even if I am just over-compensating for being a really neglectful uncle 11 months out of the year.

@Moosehawk: The warranty is not affected, correct.

I have an engraved nano that is a few years old...still use it almost everyday...

but I did order it for myself so I knew I was not going to return it.

I never understood engraving anything. What's the point? You know it's yours and if you really want to personalize something, buy a pack of Sharpies and have at it. I even wrote MICHAEL across my iMac's screen, just so everyone knows it's mine.

By the way, if you want to return an engraved item, just have some totally pissed off woman return it -- works every time. NO ONE messes with an irate female shopper and that's not sexist, because I'm sometimes an irate shopper, too. The difference is with all my whining, I rarely get my product returned, but my wife ALWAYS has success.

Well yeah, Isn't that common knowledge? You'll also have a much harder time offloading "Mah Kick A$$ iPod" on ebay or craigslist.

Now, if you engraved it: "STOLEN FROM: [name]/[e-mail]" that would be different.

Years ago I got an iPod with engraving on it as a gift. It needed to go in for warranty service (wound up getting replaced) and I opted for one without engraving, as it would arrive sooner.

@Moosehawk: My Wife (GF at the time) got me an engraved ipod nano for a gift, and it died. Apple's support was wonderful, I was on hold less then 2 minutes, spoke to a guy for 2 more minutes, and 2 days later, my new ipod nano had arrived, with the same engraving on it that my wife had put on. So warranty is cool, return to store is not.

I don't see where this is a big deal. If it's a warranty issue, they'll fix it. If you decided you just didn't want it anyway, maybe you should have thought that purchase through a bit more.

I sold an engraved iPod on eBay - it had my name and email on it. The buyer gave me her email, so if it ever got lost, and the finder was nice enough to email me, I could contact her. That was 2+ years ago, though, so I think the point is moot by now.

@sxs3200:

Before I totally lost faith in ipod (Three ipods, all dying within a month after the warranty was over - I had my Zune for two years now with no glitches)

Ayway, back when I had an ipod, I used to get them engraved "This iPod was stolen from Dooley"

I always had mine engraved also pretty much as a crime deterrent. Same reason I did my brothers and sisters.

Warranty always covers it, and if they replace it then you have your choce to engrave or not to engrave.

@JustThatGuy3:

Yeah, considering that the ipod probably broke down by now.

@sxs3200: My mom bought my little brother (who was about 8 at the time) some pencils for Christmas that said "Stolen from Patrick" on them.

Of course I stole one. I still have it.

Forget returns, what about resale value? I recently bought my wife one of the new Nanos and considered having it engraved. But I know that Apple will release a new model next year and if I decide to buy it, the current one is going on eBay. I'll be able to sell it for considerably more down the road since it's not engraved.

You can get warranty repairs for your busted and engraved item. My ipod has custom engraving on it, and Apple's repaired, and each time, it's come back with the inscription on it.

Inscriptions will insure that you get a new stock replacement for ipods, since Apple's engraving is only done at the factories in China apparently. So sayeth AppleCare when I asked why my ipod hadn't yet been returned after a week after they got it back.

@Corporate_guy: They don't do the refurbs much any more. Nowadays it is all about the one for one swaps.

@edosan: It's an issue for us poor saps who thought we were buying our loved ones a nice, personalized gift...but then it turns out they wanted the GREEN nano.

I've known this for years (and not just from working in electronics retail back in the day).

My cousin once tried to buy me an ipod mini for my birthday, and she opted to get it engraved. Now here comes the fun part: Apple screwed up the engraving, so she wanted to return it for a PROPERLY engraved one. Their answer? We all see this coming: because it was engraved, they said she wouldn't be allowed to return it. Due to a botched engraving. Which was their fault.

After a week of whining/arguing with them, they DID take it back, however, this was all occurring as Apple was phasing out the mini in favour of the nano. So when she wanted another mini as a replacement? Their answer? "Oh sorry, those are discontinued. Maybe you can find one at a store? Otherwise you can buy this same-price-for-less-storage ipod nano. How about that?"

Amazing.

This happened to me last year. I received a 4GB ipod nano as a gift from a headhunter after I got placed. Very nice gift, but I had an iPod, as did my wife, both larger capacity. Tried to return it for store credit at the apple store, not even opened, only to find they noticed the "it's engraved" model # on it. No dice on the return.

Not completely unhappy ending? We loaded the music the kids listen to on it, and shoved it in a cheap ipod dock (thanks woot!) in our playroom. Now we don't have a ton of kids music on our iPods...

So Sony admits that they don't accept returns on engraved items, and that translates to "teh iPod suxxor?" Since when did Sony make iPods?

Just asking.

Can't they just melt down the returns and re-use the material to make a fresh batch?

Oh wait, that's engraved jewelry and engraved T-1000s.

@crashedpc: and I, Aunt Awesome : )

@crashedpc: I dont need to be Uncle Kickass as long as I'm never Uncle Creepy who's got to put up posters when he moves.

@DeanOfAllTrades:
bah, it ain't your kid anyways hehe

then again, I do eat babies

@Wormfather is Wormfather: I hear those posters come with "trendy" big red lettering now.

@ryaninc:

Word. I tend to get new mp3 players every year or so and put the old one on eBay.

A few years ago, I got a free iPod shuffle for signing up with a stock-trading website. I was very disappointed when it came and was engraved. I was able to sell it, but for not as much as I would have if it wasn't...

This doesn't only apply to engraving but almost any customization. Want the company to bump up the RAM, a larger hard drive, etc and it eliminates the return policy. Not hardly only in electronics - try returning engraved jewelry, custom ordered furniture, etc.

@ryaninc: That's what 2000 grit sandpaper and buffing compound are for.

Is that anything like tatooing your girfriend's name on you?

@vastrightwing: To those considering making the ultimate demonstration of their undying love - penile tattoos featuring their significant other's name - don't.
Liquid paper on the Johnson stings.

@jrlcopy: I realize this isn't actually what you're saying, but it sounds like you also had your brothers and sisters engraved to keep them from being stolen. :)

@Wormfather is Wormfather: On the bright side, at least the posters relive Uncle Creepy from having to introduce himself to everyone while loitering on the playground...

@BeowulfRex: No, this isn't "Sony doesn't accept returns on engraved items, so teh iPod suxxor", it's "Sony doesn't accept returns on engraved items, and most likely nobody else will either, so think about it before you opt for the 'free' engraving."

Believe it or not, this site does occasionally offer good consumer tips. It's not all just bellyaching.

@chrisjames: I've always had my Terminators engraved when I ordered them, and never had a problem with returns.

@Dooley: Lessee, I'm giving a 1st Gen iPod Nano to a friend today (with instructions on how to replace a battery), my 1st Gen Touch works fine and my 3rd Gen Nano works like a charm.
...Bad karma? iPods know when you've been a naughty elf, y'know.

@jrlcopy: You had your brothers and sisters engraved?! Did you at least, donno, give 'em a stiff shot of whiskey before the carving began, or were you one of those older brothers? :P

@crashedpc: My 2 yr-old nephew recently called me "Aunt Grandpa," which I thought was pretty funny. There were lots of people around, and they were asking him to name everyone. I was sitting next to Grandpa (my dad), near the end of the line. He was close.

@HeartBurnKid, creepy morbid freak: I agree that this site does, as you say, occasionally offer good consumer tips. This is why I peruse it a few times a day.

My point is that this article's title and the advice given within it is based on the iPod, and therefore it is Apple's business practices that are in question. The premise of the article is that engraving is a scheme by manufacturers to deny returns of working items. However, the data given to back up that premise is an admission by Sony, not Apple, of employing that practice. I would have the same sort of question if we were talking about Zunes and the data given referred to Sony.

Now a cited source stating that Apple deliberately encourages engraving as a means to ensure refusal of returns would fit the title and the premise of the article. Hence my comment.

For what it is worth, I've convinced my 4-year old nephew that my name is indeed "Uncle Awesome."
However, the 6-year old nephew doesn't buy it.

@DeanOfAllTrades: What's an uncle doing giving a gift that their parents don't object to? I love the looks on my brother's face year after year when I give his kids the loudest, most obnoxious thing I can find. (I'll be sad when they're old enough not to appreciate such toys.)

That'll teach him for being well-adjusted, charming, and desirable unlike his older brother.

works well for kids who lose things easily though.

@belikemichael:
Why do people get custom painted PCs? Why do they customize their desktops? Because they can. It makes it personal.

@rockasocky: Still Not News.

What if you bought someone an engraved watch or a pen? Same deal.

@Moosehawk: "Refund" and "Warranty" do not go together. A company may offer a refund as part of their warranty coverage options, or not. Apple does not offer refunds on products as part of their warranty coverage.

Some of their products have a return period, as is required of retailers and local laws, and this is unrelated to the warranty, but the engraved products carry the specific addendum that they cannot be returned.

@ManiacDan: yes, that would be the same link that is inside the post