My very lucky son got an iPad from his grandparents for Christmas, and to go with it, I bought him a top-end scratch resistant smudge-proof tempered glass screen protector to help keep it safe. My super-careful sister applied this to the iPad on Christmas Day, using the tools provided (sticky sheet and micro fibre cloth). While checking to make sure she hadn’t left any air bubbles she noticed a 4mm long scratch in the screen protector that had to have been there when it came out of the box, but was not visible until it had the reflective iPad screen beneath it. There’s no way she could have done it during the application process - the screen protector never went near anything capable of inflicting such damage. As well as being visually annoying, the scratch is rough to the touch and we are worried it might scuff the nib on my son’s Apple Pencil.

So today I took it back to JB Hi Fi with the box and receipt to ask for a replacement for the faulty product. The guy who served me went to speak to his manager and then came back saying that they wouldn’t replace it because they had no way of knowing if it was faulty or if we’d scratched it ourselves. He referred me to the manufacturer’s lifetime warranty (which covered any and all damage) and told me to claim from them instead. So I left, went home and began the claim process, only to discover that it was going to cost me $10USD in postage for the replacement plus however much it would cost to return the faulty one to them. Which I’d be happy with if we’d caused the damage, but not for a faulty product that cost $70 to start with.

I’d like to go back to the store to try to return it again. But how can I ever prove the item was faulty to start with? Should I even have to? Does the responsibility lie with me to prove I didn’t scratch it or with them to prove I did? If it were, say, a pair of headphones and there was no audio in one ear, would they refuse to replace them because I could have damaged them myself by bending or pulling the cable? I’d love to know my rights in this situation. Any advice would be most appreciated.