Do I need to register Apple Care before warranty ends?

[ieani]

I bought but was not able to register Apple Care before the warranty ended on my Macbook Pro, since it was shipped to my house and I was away at college. Before I open it I wanted to make sure I could still use it. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

[devilot]

If I understand correctly, your one year warranty on your MBP ended before you registered your AppleCare? If that's the case, you're most likely SOL. You could try calling AppleCare to see if someone will take pity on you and pull some strings, but there are quite a few "horror" stories of folks being told, "Sorry, you're too late." :o

[ieani]

If I understand correctly, your one year warranty on your MBP ended before you registered your AppleCare? If that's the case, you're most likely SOL. You could try calling AppleCare to see if someone will take pity on you and pull some strings, but there are quite a few "horror" stories of folks being told, "Sorry, you're too late." :o

So why do they not ever tell you to REGISTER in a year? They just tell you to purchase. This completely pisses me off, especially now that I cannot find a simple contact form to find out exactly what my options are.

Ok so I tried to do a return and cannot online. They better let me return this. Otherwise I will sue. They cannot knowingly allow people to buy expensive useless protection plans. Its stealing. They have an obligation to ensure their customers are aware of what they are purchasing and to accurately represent what they sell. I checked the Apple Care document and could not find anything on having to register before end of warranty. It never once mentions it. It says it must be purchased but never anything about it being registered. So I am going to call monday and they better give me the coverage or my money back otherwise I will sue and will never buy another apple product again.

I just called pretending to be worried this might happen and the CS Rep had no idea what to say. Obviously, Apple is not prepared for such occurrences. But with little advertising they do about the necessity of the registration and not merely the purchase it is no surprise.

[emptyCup]

Rather than getting so upset just call them and tell them what happened. They have a record of when you bought Applecare. Apple has always been more than fair with me when I've been honest and polite. It's worth a try.

[ieani]

Rather than getting so upset just call them and tell them what happened. They have a record of when you bought Applecare. Apple has always been more than fair with me when I've been honest and polite. It's worth a try.

Not much I can do after their office closes but illustrate the complete lack of preparation they have for such occurrences.

[Turkish]

Not much I can do after their office closes but illustrate the complete lack of preparation they have for such occurrences.

Did you ever even open the box?

You'll sue?

LOL Good luck.

[JNB]

Um, for any warantee to be functional, regardless of the product, you'd have to register the product with the manufacturer, with you as the owner. Just purchasing a Macbook, for example, does not mean that the one-year warantee is in effect until you have registered it with Apple. In the case of APP, how are they supposed to know who you are and what product serial the warantee is going to be associated with?

Why do you think everything comes with registration cards or allows you to register online? So they know who the dem thing belongs to.

Also, because you waited until the last moment to purchase it (putting yourself into the position of being away when it arrived), it's Apple's fault?

Let us know how that lawsuit works out for you.

[ieani]

Um, for any warantee to be functional, regardless of the product, you'd have to register the product with the manufacturer, with you as the owner. Just purchasing a Macbook, for example, does not mean that the one-year warantee is in effect until you have registered it with Apple. In the case of APP, how are they supposed to know who you are and what product serial the warantee is going to be associated with?

Why do you think everything comes with registration cards or allows you to register online? So they know who the dem thing belongs to.

Also, because you waited until the last moment to purchase it (putting yourself into the position of being away when it arrived), it's Apple's fault?

Let us know how that lawsuit works out for you.


Their FAQ says it can be purchased anytime during the first year. That is it, nothing about registration. I have never bought an extended warranty before for anything. I do not know how it works and the FAQ was no help. I had to get it the last min. because I do not have $250. I had to wait until I got my federal tax return and my dad does taxes so he did it as soon as it was possible. I do not deal with credit cards.

Will I sue? Probably not. Im sure they will work this out. But there is no way I will accept spending $250 on a useless white box. I am a student and do not have that kind of money. I studied the Apple Care documentation and cannot find anything about registration only about purchasing before warranty is up. Never when I was purchasing the Apple Care online was I notified I needed to register it in time.

So patronize me but honestly I didnt I do anything wrong here. I didnt know it needed to be registered and I purchased it before my warranty, which is all I ever read that I was supposed to do. I had thought they had a system in place to recognize your purchase date and did not mandate a manual registration when such a registration is not always immediately possible. I think its Apples responsibility to not sell a useless product.

[Counterfit]

Their FAQ says it can be purchased anytime during the first year. That is it, nothing about registration. I have never bought an extended warranty before for anything. I do not know how it works and the FAQ was no help. I had to get it the last min. because I do not have $250. I had to wait until I got my federal tax return and my dad does taxes so he did it as soon as it was possible. I do not deal with credit cards.

Will I sue? Probably not. Im sure they will work this out. But there is no way I will accept spending $250 on a useless white box. I am a student and do not have that kind of money. I studied the Apple Care documentation and cannot find anything about registration only about purchasing before warranty is up. Never when I was purchasing the Apple Care online was I notified I needed to register it in time.

So patronize me but honestly I didnt I do anything wrong here. I didnt know it needed to be registered and I purchased it before my warranty, which is all I ever read that I was supposed to do. I had thought they had a system in place to recognize your purchase date and did not mandate a manual registration when such a registration is not always immediately possible. I think its Apples responsibility to not sell a useless product.

You didn't read the FAQ very well then. The last two questions:
Q: When I purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan, do I need to register it?
A: If you purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan at the same time as your Mac, iPod, Apple TV, or Apple display from the online Apple Store, Apple will register the AppleCare Protection Plan for you. If you purchase your AppleCare Protection Plan and your covered product separately or elsewhere, you will need to register your AppleCare Protection Plan.

Your AppleCare Protection Plan coverage starts from your hardware purchase date. Registering your AppleCare Protection Plan at a later date does not extend your coverage. In fact, there are many benefits to registering your AppleCare Protection Plan as soon as you purchase it.

For example, after you register, Apple will have your hardware, AppleCare Protection Plan, and personal contact information on file. When you contact Apple for service or support, Apple can access your information right away and start addressing your issue, rather than spending time verifying your eligibility.
Q: How do I register my AppleCare Protection Plan?
A: If you purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan at the same time as your Mac, iPod, Apple TV, or Apple display from the online Apple Store, Apple will register the AppleCare Protection Plan for you. If you purchase your AppleCare Protection Plan and your covered product separately or elsewhere, you can register your AppleCare Protection Plan at www.apple.com/support/register or contact Apple at the phone number included in your AppleCare Protection Plan package. Easy-to-follow instructions are also included with your AppleCare Protection Plan package.

Also, in the first paragraph of the Terms and Conditions (http://www.apple.com/legal/applecare/appna.pdf):
Terms and Conditions
Your AppleCare Protection Plan (“APP”), AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod (“APP for iPod”) or AppleCare Protection Plan for Apple Display (“APP for Apple Display”), (each referred to herein as the “Plan”) is governed by these Terms and Conditions and constitutes your service contract with the Apple entity described in section 7.l below (“Apple”). Subject to these Terms and Conditions, your Plan (i) covers defects for the Apple-branded product(s) listed in your Plan’s Certificate or Proof of Coverage document (“Plan Confirmation”) and the accessories that are contained in the product(s) original packaging (“Covered Equipment”), and (ii) provides you with access to telephone support and web-based support resources for the Covered Equipment. To obtain the Plan Confirmation you must register your Plan’s unique agreement or registration number (“Plan Agreement Number”) as described in the instructions included in the Plan’s packaging. Customers choosing the Auto-Registration option, where available, will automatically receive their Plan Confirmation. The duration of the Plan (“Coverage Period”) is for the period ending on the date specified in your Plan Confirmation. The price of the Plan is listed on the Plan’s original sales
receipt.

[JNB]

Look, I'm sorry you couldn't come up with the money until late in the game, but the mere fact that you don't have to buy APP until up to the first year ends is up is pretty sporting, in the first place.

Did you even register your Macbook? And, as a student, you should know that it's $183, not $249. You could've even gotten it through the bookstore, if your school was like 99% of campus operations in the country. Did you pay full retail for the 'book, as well? Considering that my business is higher ed, I also have a little problem that $183 over the course of a year was impossible to come up with, even for resident Freshmen. We're talking about squirreling away fifty cents a day. Three-fifty a week.

And again I ask, how was Apple supposed to know that you were purchasing APP for whatever Mac you have? Did you associate a hardware serial number at the time of purchase? Did the physical delivery of something pique your interest, just a little?

I'm not patronizing you, believe me. I just find it somewhat incredulous that intelligent folks can do something less than thoughtful, and blame Apple for only doing what every other manufacturer does.

This isn't even a case of caveat emptor, it's a case of knowing what you're doing before you click the "Buy Me Now" button.

Maybe I go too far in the other direction, but I look at all the "what ifs" and "how abouts" for a $25 purchase. I definitely don't spend that kind of money, especially with a time restraint, without knowing exactly what I need to do first.

Oh, and when I do something stupid to myself, I don't mind sharing that I did it to myself. I'm not gonna blame a manufacturer for my unwillingness to know how to use what I bought.

If it sounds like I'm busting your chops a little, maybe it's because I am. Cowboy up, admit you screwed up, and call Apple in the morning, and sweetly plead your case. It's amazing what you can do with a little humility. Remember, Apple is not out to screw you. It's not in their interest to do so. And don't expect a ton of sympathy from the all the folks on the forum that managed successfully to register theirs.

So, smile sheepishly, take a deeep breath, and move on. There's bigger issues in the world today to get righteously indignant about.

"Measure twice, cut once"

[ieani]

Look, I'm sorry you couldn't come up with the money until late in the game, but the mere fact that you don't have to buy APP until up to the first year ends is up is pretty sporting, in the first place.

Did you even register your Macbook? And, as a student, you should know that it's $183, not $249. You could've even gotten it through the bookstore, if your school was like 99% of campus operations in the country. Did you pay full retail for the 'book, as well? Considering that my business is higher ed, I also have a little problem that $183 over the course of a year was impossible to come up with, even for resident Freshmen. We're talking about squirreling away fifty cents a day. Three-fifty a week.

And again I ask, how was Apple supposed to know that you were purchasing APP for whatever Mac you have? Did you associate a hardware serial number at the time of purchase? Did the physical delivery of something pique your interest, just a little?

I'm not patronizing you, believe me. I just find it somewhat incredulous that intelligent folks can do something less than thoughtful, and blame Apple for only doing what every other manufacturer does.

This isn't even a case of caveat emptor, it's a case of knowing what you're doing before you click the "Buy Me Now" button.

Maybe I go too far in the other direction, but I look at all the "what ifs" and "how abouts" for a $25 purchase. I definitely don't spend that kind of money, especially with a time restraint, without knowing exactly what I need to do first.

Oh, and when I do something stupid to myself, I don't mind sharing that I did it to myself. I'm not gonna blame a manufacturer for my unwillingness to know how to use what I bought.

If it sounds like I'm busting your chops a little, maybe it's because I am. Cowboy up, admit you screwed up, and call Apple in the morning, and sweetly plead your case. It's amazing what you can do with a little humility. Remember, Apple is not out to screw you. It's not in their interest to do so. And don't expect a ton of sympathy from the all the folks on the forum that managed successfully to register theirs.

So, smile sheepishly, take a deeep breath, and move on. There's bigger issues in the world today to get righteously indignant about.

"Measure twice, cut once"

Thanks I see where you are coming from now. No the money was nonexistent. I wasnt even going to purchase it. I was going to put my return towards next years tuition. But then my optical died 7 days before warranty and it would have cost $350 to fix. I am paying for school myself and at $3000 a quarter, plus $300 for books, and $120 a month for car insurance and my cell phone I do not have $250 and it was $250 since it was on my Macbook Pro. I admit I should have read into this more. I should have researched exactly how this apple care worked. I didnt. I screwed up. But I had a lot on my mind. A lot of personal issues too personal for this impersonal forum. I am not pawning that off as an excuse but an explanation for why an intelligent person could do something like this. I was already beaten down after realizing I may be out $250 and so I come on here to verify this and am just beaten down further. I was frustrated, angry, at my self and again at the fact that something like this can happen. I do not see why they do not require registration at purchase. Something so simple like that seems to have been completely overlooked. I do not see any advantage to registering after it arrives only potential hassles like this.

No I have never registered my laptop. I didnt think I had to or was probably too excited when I first got it to bother. Like I said I wasnt ever planning on needing apple care until this optical drive problem occurred at a very inopportune time in my life.

I am going to call tom. and hopefully resolve this. Im just really frustrated that this registration is such a precise operation without any publication of the fact.

[JNB]

There ya' go. Like I said, call them up, be real honest, plead your case, act the fool if you think it will help, thank them profusely for every stupid thing they do, and you have a halfway decent chance at recovering from this.

Let us know how it turns out. Believe me, we are rooting for you to make this work.

[BilltheCat]

You made a young mans mistake. Everyone here has done that at least several times in thier life. The world is a cold hard place and even when it is warmer and kinder certain legal things need to be done to protect not only you but Apple.

Apple makes both software and hardwware and hardware breaks. It is a fact of life in our technological society. Register everything you buy that may have a warranty as soon as it is yours. If it was bought with a credit card it may also have coverage from them. I buy everything that way.

When you call Apple, explain that you are a young student and just didnt know how to do it properly. They can see the date of purchase and may just make it better for you. My iMac was purcashed in Decenber of 06 and was registered within a week. I will buy APP and may actually do it sooner rather than later. It could never hurt.

Good luck young man and let us know how it works out. A lot of us do care and can help further if moved to.

[ieani]

I over reacted originally and am really happy to see that to what a little humility has done. I appreciate the support so much and hopefully Apple will help me in my stumble. I will be calling once I get back to school tom morning so I will give an update then. Thanks again! :)

[Keebler]

wtf? so it's THEIR fault you bought applecare and didn't register it? I mean, sure...you were at school, but couldn't mom and dad send it to you or another relative? you weren't able to visit home before the warranty ended?

I know i'm probably the coldest sounding jacka$$ responding, but honestly, if your post wasn't so emotional and threatening to 'sue them'. you make it sound like it was their fault. i have to tell you, i literally lol at the 'its stealing' line. ya...they provide a product, get paid for it and it's stealing. so if i buy a car and don't drive it enough....is the car dealership stealing my money??? not their fault i don't drive enough.

be a man, except that you made a mistake and do what the others suggest...call them. kindly explain the situation...in the middle of exams etc...busy with campus life....couldn't get it shipped.

they might be able to help you out. as much as i teed off on you, i hope it works out b/c applecare is a great resource in case something happens....especially if you're a student where funds might not be that great. i've been there before so i can understand the stress you're under.

BUT....IF...they don't help you. you have no right whatsoever to attack them or get angry at them. be angry at yourself if that's the case. they can't make people register if they don't want to. i don't understand why people don't register applecare right away - it replaces the 1st year and adds 2 more so it's not like it adds onto the 1st year. ugh.

best of luck,
Keebler

[Nermal]

No I have never registered my laptop. I didnt think I had to or was probably too excited when I first got it to bother.

Actually, you probably did register it. When you boot up OS X for the first time, by default it'll ask for your details and register online.

[ieani]

wtf? so it's THEIR fault you bought applecare and didn't register it? I mean, sure...you were at school, but couldn't mom and dad send it to you or another relative? you weren't able to visit home before the warranty ended?

I know i'm probably the coldest sounding jacka$$ responding, but honestly, if your post wasn't so emotional and threatening to 'sue them'. you make it sound like it was their fault. i have to tell you, i literally lol at the 'its stealing' line. ya...they provide a product, get paid for it and it's stealing. so if i buy a car and don't drive it enough....is the car dealership stealing my money??? not their fault i don't drive enough.

be a man, except that you made a mistake and do what the others suggest...call them. kindly explain the situation...in the middle of exams etc...busy with campus life....couldn't get it shipped.

they might be able to help you out. as much as i teed off on you, i hope it works out b/c applecare is a great resource in case something happens....especially if you're a student where funds might not be that great. i've been there before so i can understand the stress you're under.

BUT....IF...they don't help you. you have no right whatsoever to attack them or get angry at them. be angry at yourself if that's the case. they can't make people register if they don't want to. i don't understand why people don't register applecare right away - it replaces the 1st year and adds 2 more so it's not like it adds onto the 1st year. ugh.

best of luck,
Keebler

I already admitted I over reacted. I am going to make all attempts to resolve this as soon as I can tom. I have faith they will help me out since I did purchase it before the warranty ended. I will provide an update tomorrow. If they cannot provide the Apple Care then I have to do something. I cannot sit idly and wave goodbye to $250, whether it was my mistake or not. I feel obligated to not let that much money just disappear.

Actually, you probably did register it. When you boot up OS X for the first time, by default it'll ask for your details and register online.

That would make sense. And they knew everything based on my serial number so I must have.

[WildCowboy]

If worse comes to worst and Apple won't bend the rules for you, you can recoup most of your money by selling it here or on eBay.

[ieani]

If worse comes to worst and Apple won't bend the rules for you, you can recoup most of your money by selling it here or on eBay.

Really? I could resell it? I had no idea.


I read this and it comes across sarcastic. I am definitely not trying to be. This is actually a huge relief. I have a Plan B now and even if i just got half the money it would be better than losing it all.

[JNB]

Really? I could resell it? I had no idea.

Absolutely. If it's NIB (New In Box), i.e., unused, you can definitely sell it. Expect taking a loss, however.

[synth3tik]

Really? I could resell it? I had no idea.


I read this and it comes across sarcastic. I am definitely not trying to be. This is actually a huge relief. I have a Plan B now and even if i just got half the money it would be better than losing it all.


yeah, as long as you did not register it.

[OscarTheGrouch]

Are we talking days out of warranty or more than a month?? Most electronics I've dealt with will give you to the end of the month that you originally registered it on. IE say you registered it on the 12th of april a year ago, they will frequently give you till the end of the month. Now if you are more than a little bit late you may well be SOL.. simply call tomorrow early, be polite and ask if there is any way they can take care of you.

[jane doe]

If the computer is 366 days from the date of purchase theres nothing they can do. If you have your receipt that shows that it is 364 days since the day you got the macbook (this has to be on the day you register the applecare) then your OK.


They cannot change the date of purchase.

[ieani]

If the computer is 366 days from the date of purchase theres nothing they can do. If you have your receipt that shows that it is 364 days since the day you got the macbook (this has to be on the day you register the applecare) then your OK.


They cannot change the date of purchase.

So there is no point in calling? And if I do call wont it cost me the $.90 a minute?

[jane doe]

If your computer is beyond the 1 year, it won't let them register the applecare. There is no way around it.

[TraceyS/FL]

WHile it sounds like you might be out of luck - you might have laws depending on where you live - your state might protect you.

Products don't have to be registered in CA to have the warranty, it's a law in the state.

It's worth calling - call a store and ask about Apple Care and you will get transfered to them.

[MacDann]

WHile it sounds like you might be out of luck - you might have laws depending on where you live - your state might protect you.

Products don't have to be registered in CA to have the warranty, it's a law in the state.

It's worth calling - call a store and ask about Apple Care and you will get transfered to them.

The Magnuson-Moss Act (which covers consumer warranties, guarantees, etc.) provides consumer protects that do not require one to register a warranty to receive the benefits. Essentially, the law states that if you purchased a product from the manufacturer or their representatives and that manufacturer offers a warranty or guarantee of some sort, you automatically receive those benefits upon purchase.

However, it is up to you to provide proof of purchase to receive protection under the M-MA.

As far as I know this only covers the original warranty offered with the product, not extended warranties.

So when you see that little card in the package that says you have to return it to the manufacturer, you can toss it - as long as you hang on to your sales receipt. If you read it closely, you'll probably find a disclaimer stating that you don't have to send it in to receive warranty benefits. Most of the time the cards are just a ploy to gather marketing information.

Some states have laws that modify the M-MA, so be an informed consumer and check them out. For example, AppleCare cannot be sold for a consumer product in Florida. Why? Because it's considered a form of insurance, and Apple is not licensed to sell insurance in Florida.

Yeah, it sounds stupid, but Florida is not the only state. Interestingly enough, Apple will still sell and ship to Florida through the Apple Store online, but if you do it over the phone or in an Apple (retail) Store in Florida, they won't. At least they didn't used to.

MD

[jng]

You're probably stuck with the apple care. Just sell it, if you didn't open it. Check out the trade/sell forum here.

And next time, remember registration is key with pretty much any product you buy these days. Most people ignore them, but with pricier items, 5 minutes saves a hell of a lot of hell later.

[TraceyS/FL]

...snip (great info - thanks!!)...

Some states have laws that modify the M-MA, so be an informed consumer and check them out. For example, AppleCare cannot be sold for a consumer product in Florida. Why? Because it's considered a form of insurance, and Apple is not licensed to sell insurance in Florida.

Yeah, it sounds stupid, but Florida is not the only state. Interestingly enough, Apple will still sell and ship to Florida through the Apple Store online, but if you do it over the phone or in an Apple (retail) Store in Florida, they won't. At least they didn't used to.



Apple Care can now be sold and bought in Florida. That is why my iBook didn't have it, but when my parents bought the kids eMac in Dec 2004 it had just that week been able to sell it.

We were told that the FL issue was that there wasn't an insurance policy to BACK the AppleCare should Apple go out of business. FL won't allow policies to be sold that will leave the customer hanging should someone go out of biz.

ANYWAY, luckily they have worked whatever the true reason was out and it can indeed be bought and registered with a FL address.

[ieani]

Well I decided to resell it. I need the money since I quit my job(they were inflexible in my needs to get days off so I can make meetings for the service organizations I am apart of).

[mklos]

I'll offer you $150 for it. You may get an offer higher than $150, but don't expect anything higher than $300.

[MacDann]

Apple Care can now be sold and bought in Florida. That is why my iBook didn't have it, but when my parents bought the kids eMac in Dec 2004 it had just that week been able to sell it.

We were told that the FL issue was that there wasn't an insurance policy to BACK the AppleCare should Apple go out of business. FL won't allow policies to be sold that will leave the customer hanging should someone go out of biz.

ANYWAY, luckily they have worked whatever the true reason was out and it can indeed be bought and registered with a FL address.

Cool. I was just circumventing Apple and buying it from an out-of-state vendor (SmallDog) which made it perfectly legal.

When it was an issue Apple wouldn't sell AC through the online or retail stores if you were a Florida resident.

MD

[yojitani]

As a few people have pointed out, it is entirely incorrect to state that apple will not honor the extended warranty bought within the warranty period. You will need a receipt to prove that it was purchased within that period - it helps if you purchased from apple - but they will honor it. I always buy my extended apple care at the end of the first year because I have no need for phone support and that allows me to space out my purchases. On at least three occasions now I have bought my ac like the day before my warranty is up and then called in up to a week after it expired. It's not a good practice, but you CAN do it.