rMBP ships in 3-4 weeks = Apple wins cashflow

[TJC PE]

Similar to fgirl post earlier.
My rMBP will hopefully get delivered July 6th - 3.5 weeks after ordering.

However -
My credit card was charged for the Apple Care, the On-to-One, and various power cords and adapters - none of which I can use until I actually receive the rMBP.

Apple charged $500 to my credit card for these items on the day of the order (June 13) but I still have no computer to use any of these cords or services.

A little bit different than fgirl, its not like I have a display I can use with other computers. Most of the money is for services that I can't begin to use until I have the computer (One-to-One and Applecare) Its not like I am going to need service or training on some cords that I can't even plug in.

I talked to several people at Apple Support and they all understood that is the way the Apple charging system works - a couple of them did acknowledge that I was getting no value yet for the $500 that Apple has already received from Visa.

They said most of the time with overnight shipping this is really no big deal because it is just a day or two difference. They said they would check into changing the timing on the charging for items related to products that have extensive delayed shipping.

Oh well, I guess Apple needs the cash flow more then me.

 

[alphaod]

Apple charges what it ships. They ship items that are in-stock. Therefore you are charged for items in-stock.

Now would you rather they waited to ship everything together, only with possible delays because 3-4 weeks later one of the adapters is out of stock, further delaying your order?

Anyways, AppleCare is activated with the ship date of the computer. One-to-One isn't activated until you register it online.

 

[TJC PE]

Apple charges what it ships. They ship items that are in-stock. Therefore you are charged for items in-stock.

I don't have as much of a problem regarding the adapters.

However, the AppleCare and One-to-One are not really "in stock" or "shipped".
They can't really be out of stock - they are services.

However I can't use these services until I have the computer.

 

[NewbieCanada]

I don't have as much of a problem regarding the adapters.

However, the AppleCare and One-to-One are not really "in stock" or "shipped".
They can't really be out of stock - they are services.

However I can't use these services until I have the computer.

In the case of AppleCare, it can't be used until months after you have the computer and can be purchased any time in the first year. So Apple can be forgiven for assuming you don't mind parting with your money early.

 

[alphaod]

I don't have as much of a problem regarding the adapters.

However, the AppleCare and One-to-One are not really "in stock" or "shipped".
They can't really be out of stock - they are services.

However I can't use these services until I have the computer.

I double Apple system can really pick the difference between an adapter and some items like AppleCare and One-To-One. AppleCare and One-To-One were in-stock, so the inventory system picked them as "shipped."

Just a heads up you can always buy AppleCare within the first year. As with One-To-One… maybe you want to sign up for classes now? You don't have to bring a computer in to take classes.

 

[aristobrat]

However I can't use these services until I have the computer.

FWIW, you can start using One-to-One as soon as you activate it. You can start using the online resources par of it on whichever computer that you're using to post here in MacRumors. You can also start scheduling yourself some in-store classes too, as it's not required that you bring your own Mac for training.

As someone else pointed out, even if you had your rMBP, there's nothing for you to utilize in terms of AppleCare.

 

[blow45]

Similar to fgirl post earlier.
My rMBP will hopefully get delivered July 6th - 3.5 weeks after ordering.

However -
My credit card was charged for the Apple Care, the On-to-One, and various power cords and adapters - none of which I can use until I actually receive the rMBP.

Apple charged $500 to my credit card for these items on the day of the order (June 13) but I still have no computer to use any of these cords or services.

A little bit different than fgirl, its not like I have a display I can use with other computers. Most of the money is for services that I can't begin to use until I have the computer (One-to-One and Applecare) Its not like I am going to need service or training on some cords that I can't even plug in.

I talked to several people at Apple Support and they all understood that is the way the Apple charging system works - a couple of them did acknowledge that I was getting no value yet for the $500 that Apple has already received from Visa.

They said most of the time with overnight shipping this is really no big deal because it is just a day or two difference. They said they would check into changing the timing on the charging for items related to products that have extensive delayed shipping.

Oh well, I guess Apple needs the cash flow more then me.

I don't know which idiots downvoted you but when a company esp. one the size of apple gives a 3-4 weeks shipment timeframe they should at the very least charge you for AppleCare and other services a week before they ship. They have your money now and they can get interest on it, 3 weeks in business with someone else's money at hand is ages... They are wrong and you should press he point that unless you are a few days close to shipping I find it unacceptable for you to charge me for services that based on owning a device that I (you) don't at the moment own.

AppleCare is insurance extra warranty for a device. This should be charged a upon reception of the device. What is apple insuring at the moment? A device they haven't shipped. What if god forbid a fire goes off in their manufacturing plant and they can't ship the mac? They ll credit you AppleCare back of course, but will they pay interest rates on it? Of course they won't. The boys here might not get this, but if I can have close to a month more with someone else's money, say $300, multiplied by say 100,000 buyers that's a month of $30,000,000 at hand for my cash flow and interest rates. That's A LOT of money to have at hand for a month extra, it's close to enough interest rates to pay for AppleCare itself.

 

[calderone]

I don't know which idiots downvoted you but when a company esp. one the size of apple gives a 3-4 weeks shipment timeframe they should at the very least charge you for AppleCare and other services a week before they ship. They have your money now and they can get interest on it, 3 weeks in business with someone else's money at hand is ages... They are wrong and you should press he point that unless you are a few days close to shipping I find it unacceptable for you to charge me for services that based on owning a device that I (you) don't at the moment own.

Please stop, you're embarrassing yourself.

 

[tomtom2234]

Similar to fgirl post earlier.
My rMBP will hopefully get delivered July 6th - 3.5 weeks after ordering.

However -
My credit card was charged for the Apple Care, the On-to-One, and various power cords and adapters - none of which I can use until I actually receive the rMBP.

Apple charged $500 to my credit card for these items on the day of the order (June 13) but I still have no computer to use any of these cords or services.

A little bit different than fgirl, its not like I have a display I can use with other computers. Most of the money is for services that I can't begin to use until I have the computer (One-to-One and Applecare) Its not like I am going to need service or training on some cords that I can't even plug in.

I talked to several people at Apple Support and they all understood that is the way the Apple charging system works - a couple of them did acknowledge that I was getting no value yet for the $500 that Apple has already received from Visa.

They said most of the time with overnight shipping this is really no big deal because it is just a day or two difference. They said they would check into changing the timing on the charging for items related to products that have extensive delayed shipping.

Oh well, I guess Apple needs the cash flow more then me.

Apple Care doesn't help you until your first year of service is up anways...
You can still use one to one without having your computer with you. You should have waited to order those things if you didn't want to pay for them until you have the computer.

 

[TJC PE]

Its always about the money

I don't know which idiots downvoted you but when a company esp. one the size of apple gives a 3-4 weeks shipment timeframe they should at the very least charge you for AppleCare and other services a week before they ship. They have your money now and they can get interest on it, 3 weeks in business with someone else's money at hand is ages... They are wrong and you should press he point that unless you are a few days close to shipping I find it unacceptable for you to charge me for services that based on owning a device that I (you) don't at the moment own.

Thanks. I obviously agree. The other respondents are factually correct regarding current Apple policies and practices.

But from a practical point of view - a big computer company like Apple can figure out a way to charge for services when Activated.

Yes - I probably should have waited and ordered AppleCare on the 360th day of my one year warranty.

Yes - I COULD go into the Apple store or start doing on-line BEFORE I get my rMBP, but really? How much value is that when you don't have the rMBP to try out the ideas?

Not a deal breaker obviously, but not a good start to the relationship.

 

[blow45]

Please stop, you're embarrassing yourself.

The only one I see embarassing themselves is yourself, the one that hasn't got a leg to stand on with what they are claiming, oh wait, you didn't claim anything, maybe your itchy finger just down rated the op..

----------

Thanks. I obviously agree. The other respondents are factually correct regarding current Apple policies and practices.

But from a practical point of view - a big computer company like Apple can figure out a way to charge for services when Activated.

Yes - I probably should have waited and ordered AppleCare on the 360th day of my one year warranty.

Yes - I COULD go into the Apple store or start doing on-line BEFORE I get my rMBP, but really? How much value is that when you don't have the rMBP to try out the ideas?

Not a deal breaker obviously, but not a good start to the relationship.

The others are claiming some facts which are accurate but irrelevant. The fact that you decided to get AppleCare in advance, a year in advance to be presice, doesn't in any way warrant that apple take your money a year + one month in advance. Warranties are for products owned p,mnot products that haven't even shipped. The most decent thing apple should have done would be to first of all be clear on the purchase page that you can buy AppleCare at any point within the first year (a fact they conveniently ommited to inform you about) and secondly given you a discount rate on AppleCare for bypuing it in advance, since they are going to have your money in a year to get interest rates and can flow with without having to provide you a service. To add insult to injury they have charged you close to a month earlier for it...


Anyway, here in Europe the courts went hard on them with fines for not providing the standard two year warranty very other manufacturer is supposed to provide...did they lower the price of AppleCare to account for the fact that they have an extra year they are obliged to cover you, or extend AppleCare to 4 years in total instead? They sure as hell didn't. That's big business of course it's not only apple, but apple is probably the only big business in the world that even when they are in the wrong they ll be some people in the web from their buyers acting as a cult army and defending them.

----------

Apple Care doesn't help you until your first year of service is up anways...
You can still use one to one without having your computer with you. You should have waited to order those things if you didn't want to pay for them until you have the computer.

He shouldn't have waited, apple shouldn't have charged him before shipping the computer. AppleCare should be charged the moment the computer ships and not a day earlier. It's an extra warranty for a computer and should be charged when the computer is charged too and shipped. There isn't any type of extended warranty in this good planet from any company that gets charged before the actual item that it covers is charged and shipped. Do we need to change the way that 99.9999999999999% of the rest of the people in this planet do business just to side with whatever apple is doing?

 

[iViking]

Similar to fgirl post earlier.
My rMBP will hopefully get delivered July 6th - 3.5 weeks after ordering.

However -
My credit card was charged for the Apple Care, the On-to-One, and various power cords and adapters - none of which I can use until I actually receive the rMBP.

Apple charged $500 to my credit card for these items on the day of the order (June 13) but I still have no computer to use any of these cords or services.

A little bit different than fgirl, its not like I have a display I can use with other computers. Most of the money is for services that I can't begin to use until I have the computer (One-to-One and Applecare) Its not like I am going to need service or training on some cords that I can't even plug in.

I talked to several people at Apple Support and they all understood that is the way the Apple charging system works - a couple of them did acknowledge that I was getting no value yet for the $500 that Apple has already received from Visa.

They said most of the time with overnight shipping this is really no big deal because it is just a day or two difference. They said they would check into changing the timing on the charging for items related to products that have extensive delayed shipping.

Oh well, I guess Apple needs the cash flow more then me.

Well, at least you reference fgirl, for she is the bright mind who brought to light this consideration...

 

[calderone]

He shouldn't have waited, apple shouldn't have charged him before shipping the computer. AppleCare should be charged the moment the computer ships and not a day earlier. It's an extra warranty for a computer and should be charged when the computer is charged too and shipped. There isn't any type of extended warranty in this good planet from any company that gets charged before the actual item that it covers is charged and shipped. Do we need to change the way that 99.9999999999999% of the rest of the people in this planet do business just to side with whatever apple is doing?

Can you prove that no other company on the planet does this?

 

[blow45]

Can you prove that no other company on the planet does this?

Yeah sure, just me give one second to get my files here of the 500,000,000 million companies in the world, I ll start with company one and get to the end in no time, just give me one moment and by 2050 I ll get back to you.

 

[calderone]

Yeah sure, just me give one second to get my files here of the 500,000,000 million companies in the world, I ll start with company one and get to the end in no time, just give me one moment and by 2050 I ll get back to you.

Thanks for proving my point.

 

[blow45]

Thanks for proving my point.

Your point was bs, what was your point? That if there is one more company on the planet that does it, apple is in the right? That unless everyone else on the planet refrains from taking advantage of their customers this way apple is at fault? Great point. Congratulations.

 

[calderone]

Your point was bs, what was your point? That if there is one more company on the planet that does it, apple is in the right? That unless everyone else on the planet refrains from taking advantage of their customers this way apple is at fault? Great point. Congratulations.

Keep digging.

 

[spillproof]

Apple charged you so that they can guarantee they get paid. I don't see the problem.

Otherwise I could charge thousands to a credit card I'll never pay and live happily ever after with free Apple stuff.

 

[pdutta2000]

If you didn't want to get charged for the extra stuff why didn't you just wait to purchase those items until the computer arrived? This isn't some new policy. Apple always charges once items ship and ships in stock items ASAP. This is just complaining for the sake of complaining. Apple now has to worry about when you would like to get charged for your purchase? Give me a break.

 

[M5RahuL]

If you didn't want to get charged for the extra stuff why didn't you just wait to purchase those items until the computer arrived? This isn't some new policy. Apple always charges once items ship and ships in stock items ASAP. This is just complaining for the sake of complaining. Apple now has to worry about when you would like to get charged for your purchase? Give me a break.

I agree with this post... If you're so upset about Apple charging you for a service that's of no use at this point, then call and cancel the One-on-One and AC. Then, when you have physical possession of the computer, re-purchase these two.

Or, you could simply wait till month 12 of you owning this computer, and then purchase AC so you wouldn't have given Apple any *free money* during the first year. The only real benefit of paying for AC during the first year is unlimited tech support [ otherwise good for only the first 90 days of ownership ].

All extended warranties are gravy for the companies, for the most part!

I usually buy with my Amex card so I automatically have the 2nd year covered!

 

[blow45]

He did not expect to be charged for the extended warranty a month before actually receiving the product. How hard is that for all of you buys to get? It's a fair pont to not want to have less of your money on your card for a warranty to a product you don't have but will receive at some point in the future. Apple should be charging for the AppleCare along with the charge and shipment of the computer, simple as that.

 

[pdutta2000]

He did not expect to be charged for the extended warranty a month before actually receiving the product. How hard is that for all of you buys to get?

So return it. Why is that so hard to understand? Apple isn't forcing him to buy any of these things now. And furthermore, they are not stopping him from returning them. So he has an issue and a very easy and clear resolution and yet chooses to complain about it as if Apple is trying to screw him over. That's my problem with this thread. He's complaining just for the sake of complaining. This is not an Apple issue.

 

[leenak]

I agree. Return extended warranty. Buy it in 300 days.

 

[Weaselboy]

It does seem like Apple could resolve this by offering an option to "Don't ship until all items in stock." Amazon does this.

 

[cruggles]

Um, you knew there would be a delay shipping your computer - why order the other stuff and then complain about it when it gets delivered and you are charged for it? FFS Caveat Emptor. I'm with Apple on this one. I ordered a TB to Ethernet adaptor which has arrived and I've paid for it happy in the knowledge that when my machine arrives I have the adaptor. I will buy Applecare in 12 months' time.