Carniphage
macrumors 68000
So when buying in an Apple store is is dishonest to say the product is only covered for one year.
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Apple Still Facing Criticism Over Warranty Issues in Europe as Lawsuits Spread to More Countries
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So when buying in an Apple store is is dishonest to say the product is only covered for one year.
No they love to sue Apple because Apple constantly tries to pass off the the poor customer protection services in the US in the EU.
Your buried chart may offer more detail but Apple UK are still trying to gloss over the warranty details.
http://www.apple.com/support/products/mac.html
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/APPLECAREMBP-102583/applecare-protection-plan-for-macbook-pro
Notice how they use the exact same simplified graphic for both and how in the UK version it does not reflect the warranty situation at all?
And in the case of iPhone Apple UK are basically trying to sell you the warranty coverage you get for free.
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC265ZM/A/app-for-iphone?fnode=4e
Nowhere on that page does it say that the second year is covered by the store.
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rocknblogger
macrumors 68020
I don't understand all the negative sentiment against this here. They're trying to protect consumers more. How is that a bad thing?
In the 80's I used to work for Tops Appliance City. They were the originators of the big box stores like BestBuy. I worked in the audio/video department and selling extended warranties was part of the job. We were trained to tell customers what kind of warrantee came with the product they were buying. It was either 90 days parts and labor and 1 year parts or 1 year parts and labor. We then had to pitch the extended warrantee. The point is, the customer knew exactly what he/she was getting with and without an extended warrantee. Apple should do the same whether here in the States or anywhere else in the world where they sell products. You garner a lot more good will with honesty and integrity than with any other tactics.
In the 80's I used to work for Tops Appliance City. They were the originators of the big box stores like BestBuy. I worked in the audio/video department and selling extended warranties was part of the job. We were trained to tell customers what kind of warrantee came with the product they were buying. It was either 90 days parts and labor and 1 year parts or 1 year parts and labor. We then had to pitch the extended warrantee. The point is, the customer knew exactly what he/she was getting with and without an extended warrantee. Apple should do the same whether here in the States or anywhere else in the world where they sell products. You garner a lot more good will with honesty and integrity than with any other tactics.
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
I agree. And that is WHY they are being sued in Italy (which if you read news is not very famous for judicial efficiency, they have a former prime minister, convicted of crimes, still at large and running again for office).
What is important to understand is that they ARE NOT being sued for having only 1 year manufacturer warranty but for forgetting to tell people that the store also offers second year.
bbeagle
macrumors 68040
I have no experience with this, as I am from the States. But, I've read many message boards from people with these exact problems from other manufacturers.
In some situations, the manufacturer repairs the device, in others, they respond with 'abnormal user wear and tear' and offer nothing, and in other cases they give a refund of only a portion of the device. It doesn't seem as simple as you portray. It seems to have a lot to do with the individual manufacturer and how they treat their customers.
But, again, this is all me hearing 3rd party arguments on message boards, which is of course, the gospel. 🙂
Apple is fighting the 2-year warranty in the EU because they would then have to offer it everywhere. Which they should. The 1-year is really tacky, always seemed beneath Apple really.
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
WHAT are you talking about ?
Check Samsung UK warranty page.... and check how many products have 12 months warranty!
http://www.samsung.com/uk/support/warranty/warrantyInformation.do?page=POLICY.WARRANTY
Then the store that sells them needs to cover for the other year for the EU minimum of 2 years.
Stop telling people nonsense...
I think everyone here lives in dreamland... jesus...
Wrong. First, there is no such thing as EU law; each member state incorporates EU directives into its own legislation however it sees fit. Second, the EU has issued a directive over a minimum consumer guarantee. Guarantees and warranties are two completely different things. Guarantees typically give a lesser service than a warranty. There is no automatic right to any warranty - any you get is a bonus, most are paid for (Applecare, Squaretrade, extended warranties etc).
The other important part is that it is a guarantee. Guarantees are only available from the retailer. You have no automatic right to a warranty, which is usually available from the manufacturer, with whom you have no contract.
BillyBobBongo
macrumors 68030
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
Carniphage
macrumors 68000
You may not have noticed. But Apple is a retailer.
And where it is a retailer, it misrepresents the statutory protection, in order to convince the buyer to take out Apple Care.
We already pay for it. Haven't you heard, Apple has the biggest profit margins in history.
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
********
Edit: bullcrap ? (will it allow me to say it ?) 😀
http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-biggest-price-markups.php
applesith
macrumors 68030
So if I ran my business in the EU, I'd have to offer an additional warranty past one year of the manufacturer just because I am selling it? How can small businesses survive this requirement? I would never open a business in the EU for any products subject to this law.
Only large businesses can afford to offer such warranty and this screws over small businesses.
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No, they don't and who is to say what their margins should be?
Only large businesses can afford to offer such warranty and this screws over small businesses.
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No, they don't and who is to say what their margins should be?
Please, why can't other countries follow the process we follow in USA.
Here you get unlimited warranty with damage protection if
1) You have a Genius buddy
2) You are hot looking & young
3) You have a phone accessory stall in same mall
... there are few more classes.
Rest of us can pay for repairs or mail it in to Apple and hope your CC doesn't get charged.
If you are a middle aged Chinese woman trying to buy more than 2 iPhone 5s, all hell breaks loose, you may even get tasered.
Here you get unlimited warranty with damage protection if
1) You have a Genius buddy
2) You are hot looking & young
3) You have a phone accessory stall in same mall
... there are few more classes.
Rest of us can pay for repairs or mail it in to Apple and hope your CC doesn't get charged.
If you are a middle aged Chinese woman trying to buy more than 2 iPhone 5s, all hell breaks loose, you may even get tasered.
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
It sucks.
And to be honest most small companies don't know how the law actually works.
Small companies need to have high margins in order to compensate in the case 1/10 of the products fail on the second year.
Also most products have 2 years (or more) manufacturers warranty.
Problem is they don't and then they close for lack of funds 🙂
Galatian
macrumors 6502
I wouldn't purchase any product of your company anyway if you are not confident enough in your product to at least give out a 2 year warranty...
And that's the whole point why consumers are upset about Apple (besides Apple purposefully screwing them over, with not correctly stating what warranty they have): Apple wants us to believe they sell premium products and ask a lot of money for it. I would at least expect them to proudly announce their products are so superior that they'll have a 2 year warranty everywhere, yet Apple just maximizes margins by screwing customers over...it's becoming harder and harder to support Apple
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
Wanna sell me your 13 retina Macbook cheap since it has crappy warranty ? 🙂 I'll even go pick it up to Berlin.
Gasu E.
macrumors 603
You'd survive by raising your prices to cover the additional costs.
If Europeans really love this law, so be it. But please stop complaining that you pay higher prices than in the US.
silvetti
macrumors 6502a
AppliedMicro
macrumors 68040
Just to be clear here: The manufacturer is under no obligation to provide any warranty to end users / consumers (unless, of course, they acted as seller of their goods themselves). That means Apple is not required to provide any (manufacturer's) warranty by law if they didn't sell the device to the consumer.
Quite simple: By charging your customers more for your products. That fact that any seller, including your competitors, has to abide by the law, in effect levels the playing field.
And yes, that contributes to us Europeans often paying more for merchandise than in the US or Asia
You might have a claim against your supplier that allows you to fulfill warranty obligations.
charlituna
macrumors G3
What customers have they screwed over. There is no proof that Apple hasn't upheld their end of the bargain as a seller with someone that had a legit claim against them 'as the seller' in any of these countries. What they offer under their warranty and Apple Care are totally different protections as said laws and there is no proof they are doing anything illegal by offering them.
Nor is there any proof that Apple has a legal obligation to spell out for each and every customer in detail what their local legal rights are with every sales transaction.
So what exactly has Apple done wrong, proven not just assumed. Versus these countries wanting to get a little money and look like they are protecting their peeps by sticking it to the big bad corporation.
Frankly I'm starting to think that Apple made the right call in simply giving up in Italy and yanking Apple Care from the stores. If you really want it you have to hunt it down on the website etc. And then they can flash up something to the effect that by completing the transaction you understand exactly what your statutory rights are in regards to the product you bought and you still want to get AC. And you don't hold Apple liable if in fact you didn't bother to go find out what the local laws are
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In Italy, apparently yes.
Gasu E.
macrumors 603
I think your comment is misleading. On the UK pages, there is a comment right next to the bar charts:
"Important Note
* Apple One-Year Limited Warranty and AppleCare Protection Plan benefits are in addition to rights provided under consumer law. For details, click here."
Clicking takes you to a page which clearly articulates the differences between the three service policies.
I guess we can get into arguments about page design and layout. But as far as the web site is concerned, the information is there. And it really is not that obscure-- the position of the note is very central and prominent.