Educational Buyers "Second Rate"

[AHDuke99]

I had called about the stuck red pixel in the center of my screen on my 15" Powerbook today, after getting to the rep, he told me that since the PB was bought with an educational discount, the pixel won't be replacd unless I have around 10 or more. If it were for a business or bought at full price however it would have been replaced in most cases. Since when did educational customers become second rate? Did they always send the bad but passing PBs to school kids? Has this always been a policy? Very disapointing. I will take it to the local Apple Dealer and see if what they think, they can call Apple and tell them its replacable, otherwise, they might try to massage it out for me.

 

[coolbreeze]

Screw that. A customer is a customer. Apple needs to discontinue the educational discount if they are going to use it in a discriminatory manner.

Sure you paid less, therefore Apple would rather deal with those who paid full price, but what if you went with Dell because Apple didn't offer an edu discount? Then Apple'd have lost a customer, or a school, or a university as a customer.

Yes, I'm being extreme and dramatic...but the basic fundamental is there. They should treat each and every customer the same. Period.

 

[Flowbee]

I've never read a report of Apple repairing a notebook or monitor with only one bad pixel -- full price or otherwise.

There has been a ton of discussion of their policy on these boards in the past. I'd suggest you do a search here to read other people's experiences.

I've also never read a report of Education purchases being treated differently than any others with respect to repair service. So either your service rep was misinformed... or else you just misunderstood.

 

[baby duck monge]

like it or not, one pixel does not qualify for replacemetn by apple...for anyone. a quick search of the forums here should give you a comprehensive explanation of screen replacement policy. one pixel is just not going to do it.

 

[mislabeledstar]

i had a dead pixel in a flat screen monitor from samsung..... they didn't consider it a problem either and after reading up on it, most all companies don't consider a few pixels a problem

 

[revenuee]

8 was the magic number floating around in the thread

as in how many pixels you need dead before they fix/replace it

 

[cb911]

that's very bad that you were told it wouldn't be replaced because you're educational... was that an actual Apple person, or a re-seller telling you that? i'd be very surprised if anyone at Apple would say that.

but, like others have said - no one gets a new screen because of 1 dead/bright pixel.

i've got a green pixel on the right side of my PB screen... but i guess a red one in the middle would be much worse.

hope you can get it massaged.

 

[AHDuke99]

Originally posted by revenuee
8 was the magic number floating around in the thread

as in how many pixels you need dead before they fix/replace it

No, I have massaged it many times and it didn't work, yes I was told by an AppleSupport man over the phone that since it was an educational product, it wouldn't be replaced, BUT, I did call my Apple Dealer/Repair service and they said that they will replace my screen! I called and told them that I had a red pixel in the center of my screen, they told me that they are going to order the part for it , and it would take 3-5 days and they would fix it.

 

[yamabushi]

That's great! A stuck pixel in the center would be pretty annoying. In the past I heard that some computer vendors will replace the LCD if any pixels are stuck or bright anywhere in the middle of the screen.

 

[Kwyjibo]

apple treats education ppl fine they even have a seperate applecare number... i find the edu ppl nicer than the non edu ppl imo

 

[revenuee]

Originally posted by AHDuke99
No, I have massaged it many times and it didn't work, yes I was told by an AppleSupport man over the phone that since it was an educational product, it wouldn't be replaced, BUT, I did call my Apple Dealer/Repair service and they said that they will replace my screen! I called and told them that I had a red pixel in the center of my screen, they told me that they are going to order the part for it , and it would take 3-5 days and they would fix it.

looks like a happy ending... LOL

i never bother calling apple, i call my reseller, they put the thing together, they know all the third-party hardware i got with it.

BUT, i find it sad to hear that the company that makes the products that i love so much, is so dicriminatory toward educational discount buyers - as i myself will be taking advantage of this in the next year myself... sigh

 

[Flowbee]

Originally posted by revenuee
BUT, i find it sad to hear that the company that makes the products that i love so much, is so dicriminatory toward educational discount buyers - as i myself will be taking advantage of this in the next year myself... sigh

I'm not sure you should take one person's report on a web site as proof that Apple discriminates against its education discount buyers.

People may not be happy with what Apple considers a 'covered repair,' but I've never read any credible reports that Apple has different repair policies for machines bought at a discount.

 

[revenuee]

Originally posted by Flowbee
I'm not sure you should take one person's report on a web site as proof that Apple discriminates against its education discount buyers.

People may not be happy with what Apple considers a 'covered repair,' but I've never read any credible reports that Apple has different repair policies for machines bought at a discount.

I'm not taking it as proof that this is how educational buyers are treated as a majority. But one person being treated like that is still a disappointment.

I've been a dedicated MacFan and a Mac user for 4 years, i have never had the need to call Apple Tech support, because any problems ( 2 in 4 years total) were to do with third-party hardware (missing driver, secondary hard drive failure). I think i've only spoken to apple twice, once to register my Apple Care, and once to figure out how to network two computer (boy did i feel stupid asking that one)

But -- i've always liked to think that when that day comes that i need to call Apple for some real tech support, they will provide me with what i need

Although, as in all stores they're are smuck sales people, a company is going to have one smuck techy sitting by the phone... to bad AHDuke99 was the one that got him/her

 

[LimeLite]

The person that told you it was because you were an education purchase was incorrect. That had nothing to do with it, and I'm sorry they tried to convince you of that.