Apple Support Sucks!
I am over in Thailand and am having the same issue. But let me tell you something, don't buy an apple product in the US and expect them to honor the "international warranty" in some countries. Here's the scathing note I sent apple on their website. Btw, now I was on hold over 40 minutes with no guarantee they'll even give me a refund, even though one of their people already promised it. Now after 43 minutes on the phone (in addition to the countless time I have already spent) they still aren't telling me if I'll get a refund. If they think I'm shipping this back to the US at my expense and then paying to have it shipped back, they have another thing coming! Read the note, it will be enlightening. I'll have my Roku here next week and with shipping here it will be about the same as I paid for apple tv:
I would like to tell you my experience with buying an Apple TV in the US and trying to utilize the "international warranty". I'd like to tell you that you've turned a loyal apple fan into an apple hater. I own 2 macbook pros, have bought a previous desktop computer and a macbook and own an iphone and an ipad among other apple products. I've always found your support to be good, but something bad is happening over there and if it keeps up I'm afraid you're going to lose your edge. In fact I have a good friend who owns a large amount of apple stock and I'm going to suggest he sell it all and get out. You guys are headed down.
I'm now living in Thailand and ordered my apple tv from your online store in March. I called your "support" people in Singapore today and went through troubleshooting steps, since my apple tv wasn't working. We determined it was a defective unit. This isn't the first time this has happened. I bought an airport express last year and it was defective when I got over here to Thailand. I was told at first by Singapore that I could just go to an apple shop and do an exchange. Wrong, they told me they didn't stock them and that Singapore would have to send me one. I wasn't happy, but I waited and got my airport express and now it works.
Now I have a defective apple tv. Again Singapore suggested I take it to the apple shop for an exchange. Again I wasted more time by going there, only to be told the same thing. I called back and your Singapore agent kept me on hold for about 30 minutes and said she would call me back. When she did she told me that I would have to send the unit back to the USA because it wasn't sold or supported here. Again, nice international warranty. So I called the USA tonight and they told me that I would have to send the apple tv back to the USA to a friend, who would have to send it to apple, who in turn would send a replacement and then my friend would have to send it to me. TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! What has become of your company? You are no longer customer oriented. I refuse to pay the shipping both ways. That in itself will cost as much as the apple tv. So when I return to the states on a business trip at the end of the month I will send it back to apple at your expense, get a refund and be done with it.
I have ordered a new Roku, which I hear is better then apple tv anyway.
Now I'm approaching 30 minutes on hold with your "support" trying to arrange a simple refund. The first person I talked to tried to tell me I purchased my apple tv in October of last year and not in March. She couldn't even look something up by my order number. LAME!
So this is what you have accomplished. You've taken a person who when he needed any product you sell, didn't even think to look for competition. This will change. When I need a phone, I may just get a Droid, who I understand is kicking your butts. When I need a tablet I may just go for whatever competing product is rated well and is a good value. I'm not completely thrilled with my ipad anyway to be honest. As I stated, I already bought a Roku to replace my defective apple tv.
Your company is not going to keep up it's growth pattern if you keep treating loyal customers like myself this way. It will cost you in the end.
Please forward a copy of this to Mr. Jobs. I am not surprised that your company is sliding with him out of the picture. When he left before you went down the tubes. Unfortunately I see this happening again quite soon.
Sincerely,