How does buying Applecare online work?

neoelectronaut · Apr 14, 2014

My girlfriend's first-year warranty on her iMac ends on May 7th, and I'd like to make sure she's covered for any issues as long as possible.

I see you can buy Applecare on the online Apple Store. How does that work? Does Apple send you a physical kit or do you just get some sort of registration code to use online?

Truefan31 · Apr 14, 2014

I just call them. Do it over the phone. Receipt is emailed to you or mailed. Easy

Macman45 · Apr 15, 2014

They mail you a small booklet and register the iMac. To check that it's all gone through, just go to Apple's my product support page to check.

laserfan · Apr 15, 2014

Truefan31 said:
I just call them. Do it over the phone. Receipt is emailed to you or mailed. Easy

A friend of mine bought an iMac late 2013 and recently inquired at an Apple store about Applecare and was told that since months have passed since purchase, he would have to bring his iMac into the Apple Store to have it checked-out before they would sell him an Applecare package. Reason being (of course) that otherwise people would wait-and-see if their Mac fails, and then buy Applecare only if it failed and then get it fixed/replaced.

Is this not true, and that you can get AC w/o proof of a working Mac?

GGJstudios · Apr 15, 2014

laserfan said:
A friend of mine bought an iMac late 2013 and recently inquired at an Apple store about Applecare and was told that since months have passed since purchase, he would have to bring his iMac into the Apple Store to have it checked-out before they would sell him an Applecare package. Reason being (of course) that otherwise people would wait-and-see if their Mac fails, and then buy Applecare only if it failed and then get it fixed/replaced.

Is this not true, and that you can get AC w/o proof of a working Mac?

No, that is not true. You can buy AppleCare any time during the first year of ownership, while your Mac is still under the original warranty. There is no need to bring it to an Apple store for inspection.

laserfan · Apr 15, 2014

GGJstudios said:
There is no need to bring it to an Apple store for inspection.

That makes sense to me, particularly as many people live nowhere near an Apple store.

I do wonder why the guy at our local Apple store would say such a thing then...

martosprint · Apr 15, 2014

After I picked up my iMac and took it home I just called the apple care number and bought apple care over the phone.

GGJstudios · Apr 15, 2014

laserfan said:
That makes sense to me, particularly as many people live nowhere near an Apple store.

I do wonder why the guy at our local Apple store would say such a thing then...

It's important to remember that "Genius" is their job title, and not necessarily an indication of their knowledge or experience. They are frequently wrong.

smithrh · Apr 15, 2014

GGJstudios said:
It's important to remember that "Genius" is their job title, and not necessarily an indication of their knowledge or experience. They are frequently wrong.

I don't see any place in the post where someone mentioned a job title at all.

You do know that not everyone that works in an Apple store is a "Genius," right?

In fact, I'd wager that less than 20% of Apple store staff have the Genius title.

Weaselboy · Apr 15, 2014

laserfan said:
That makes sense to me, particularly as many people live nowhere near an Apple store.

I do wonder why the guy at our local Apple store would say such a thing then...

He may have confused it with AppleCare+ for iPhone that does require an inspection if you buy it in store.

Looks like they want to make sure you have not dunked your iPhone in the toilet first.

Brian Y · Apr 15, 2014

laserfan said:
A friend of mine bought an iMac late 2013 and recently inquired at an Apple store about Applecare and was told that since months have passed since purchase, he would have to bring his iMac into the Apple Store to have it checked-out before they would sell him an Applecare package. Reason being (of course) that otherwise people would wait-and-see if their Mac fails, and then buy Applecare only if it failed and then get it fixed/replaced.

Is this not true, and that you can get AC w/o proof of a working Mac?

I have a feeling your friend isn't really telling the truth. Everyone in an Apple store knows how AppleCare works. Unless he accidentally told them "iPhone", since you *do* have to have your iPhone inspected if adding AC+.

GGJstudios · Apr 15, 2014

smithrh said:
I don't see any place in the post where someone mentioned a job title at all.

You do know that not everyone that works in an Apple store is a "Genius," right?

In fact, I'd wager that less than 20% of Apple store staff have the Genius title.

Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that not everyone who works in Apple Store is a Genius. It was a lighthearted way of indicating that the person in the Apple Store did not know what they were talking about. That fact still stands.

laserfan · Apr 16, 2014

Weaselboy said:
He may have confused it with AppleCare+ for iPhone that does require an inspection if you buy it in store.

Brian Y said:
I have a feeling your friend isn't really telling the truth.

More likely confusion, and/or he mis-heard (he is hard of hearing, 15 years older than me, and I am old!).

I'll tell him, he will be glad to know that if he decides to buy it he can do so online... Thanks fellas.

campyguy · Apr 18, 2014

Call or surf to B&H Photo, buy it from them for lots less than Apple's prices. I bought my $349 Applecare for one of my rMBPs from B&H for $244, with free shipping. The box (with all of the instructions) showed up in two days, registration took 5 minutes. Buying anywhere else is a waste of your money.

noisycats · Apr 18, 2014

AppleCare is simply a serial number that will be attached to your device. You can purchase it from a variety of sources including Amazon and B&H for much cheaper than from Apple. Or if you are specially sporty you can try eBay. In the end you will get a number that you plug into the Apple care site.

neoelectronaut · Apr 21, 2014

I had no idea I could buy the kit from Amazon. $118 is a much better price than $169. I'm having a kit shipped right to her house for her to register.

iono11200 · Aug 5, 2014

I just scored Applecare for my new iMac from LA Computer for $115 plus shipping vs. $169 from Apple, Initially was going to forgoe it, but for that price it was a no brainer.

RCAFBrat · Aug 6, 2014

Brian Y said:
Everyone in an Apple store knows how AppleCare works.

Not so!

I wanted to pay cash for AppleCare on my son's iMac so I went to our local Apple Store. The first two sales reps told me the computer would have to be brought in for inspection; the third guy (maybe he was a genius

) knew that this was not the case although for some reason he could not activate it in store.

Activating it at home was a breeze.

Cheers

Weaselboy · Aug 7, 2014

RCAFBrat said:
Not so!

I wanted to pay cash for AppleCare on my son's iMac so I went to our local Apple Store. The first two sales reps told me the computer would have to be brought in for inspection; the third guy (maybe he was a genius ) knew that this was not the case although for some reason he could not activate it in store.

Activating it at home was a breeze.

Cheers

Yeah... its' AppleCare+ for iPhone and iPad that requires the inspection and proof of purchase. I have seen posts before about Apple Store employees confusing the two.

How does buying Applecare online work?

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