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Apple Eliminating Restocking Fees at Apple Stores, Adding Personal Setup for Macs

Apple used to charge a restocking fee on almost all if not every product sold in their stores. Some time ago they eliminated the restocking fee on everything but Macs, iPhones, iPods, & iPads. You could return any speaker, cable, accessory, mouse, Airport router, etc. without having a restocking fee. It's been that way for at least 18-24 months. The move to eliminate it from other products makes sense. I'm sure they've crunched the numbers and the positive spin and test drive aspect will bring more sales than the 10% exposure they'll have.

Costco, doesn't even send opened items that are returned back to the vendor in most cases, and in the ones they do, they get 50% back at most. It is part of the risk they assume in their large volume discounts and bundled buying. They are still doing quite well in spite of it.
 
Wow serious everyone????

PEOPLE, LISTEN UP:

Apple is eliminating the 10% fee, not taking unlimited no questions asked returns at any time - ala costco. They are simply eliminating the 10% fee on items that they agree to take back. (Be it a 14 day limitation, original packaging, etc.)

CALM DOWN/TAKE YOUR MEDS! :eek:
 
Wow, that is great. I've not had to return anything but the restocking fee was jive. Personal attention for new Mac owners is a great way to help new Mac owners transition. Just wish so many things were not tied to iTunes.
 
Thunderbird said:
How the hell are you paying for someone else to return a purchased product? :confused:
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Because if a product is sold, then returned, it can't be sold again at full price. It has to be sold as an open-box product at a discount. If stores are expecting this to happen, they can increase the cost of the product accordingly to account for the expected losses.
 
Consultant said:
I don't think it's a good idea. Some people might take advantage of it.

Probably will be short lived.
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You bet! Now I can "rent" 10 Mac Book Pros for the weekend. I mean, the measure is suicidal.

Imagine all that people who works in video production that need to set up a render farm for just a week. They can get 5 Mac Pro, load the software via Firewire in just 2 hours and vualá! you have a brand new mac up and running for that specific project.

Or lets get a Mac Book Pro for that corporate meeting, load the software and that is it.

People will do that, I have once actually a few years ago, even with the restocking fee it was a good deal.
 
Consultant said:
I don't think it's a good idea. Some people might take advantage of it.

Probably will be short lived.
Click to expand...

I agree, while I don't like restocking fees I do know people will take advantage of Apple lifting the policy once word gets around.
 
the vj said:
You bet! Now I can "rent" 10 Mac Book Pros for the weekend. I mean, the measure is suicidal.

Imagine all that people who works in video production that need to set up a render farm for just a week. They can get 5 Mac Pro, load the software via Firewire in just 2 hours and vualá! you have a brand new mac up and running for that specific project.

Or lets get a Mac Book Pro for that corporate meeting, load the software and that is it.

People will do that, I have once actually a few years ago, even with the restocking fee it was a good deal.
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Maybe the policy will be so universal, but don't think it will be that easy to "rent" 10 MBPs over a weekend and return them all. I doubt you would pull that off more than once. Added to which you still have to pay for the 10 machines in the first place. I'm sure lots of people have that much credit available. But none of that matters. Have you seen Apple's share price and market cap, the not charging of 10% on their minimal returns, because you can bet situations like what you mention will be few and far between, will really not have much effect on their bottom line say as compared to all the people who decide to buy and keep a machine they might not have otherwise because there is no 10% penalty.

But if you want to think and act in a deceitful way that takes advantage of a retail giant for your own benefit, you go right ahead. And Voilà, I'm sure you're the kind of person Apple wants to call their customer.
 
notjustjay said:
Because if a product is sold, then returned, it can't be sold again at full price. It has to be sold as an open-box product at a discount. If stores are expecting this to happen, they can increase the cost of the product accordingly to account for the expected losses.
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I'm sure that Apple carefully calculated the loss from extra (and perhaps "fraudulent") returns, comparing it to the additional sales they'll make from:
  1. people who are on the fence about a purchase, afraid to make the purchase because they don't want to pay the restocking fee if they turn out to be dissatisfied, and
  2. people who browse the Apple Store but make their purchase elsewhere due to the restocking fee.
Apple's not stupid, I'm sure they're coming out ahead.
 
notjustjay said:
Because if a product is sold, then returned, it can't be sold again at full price. It has to be sold as an open-box product at a discount. If stores are expecting this to happen, they can increase the cost of the product accordingly to account for the expected losses.
Click to expand...

Three things: First, a product gets returned for all kinds of reasons, not just because the customer changed their mind or happened to buy the wrong item (as implied by cinematographer). Returns are already factored in to the price, as are profits, retail overhead, etc. This new policy doesn't change anything, so don't expect Macs to suddenly become more expensive. Second, since it's Apple's policy, there's no point in blaming "stupid" customers who don't sit on Apple's BOD and set policy. Thirdly, one can't expect a zero return rate on electronics. If cinematographer feels he is the victim of other "stupid" customers, he has the choice to buy a refurb, or a computer from a different company altogether.
 
EricNau said:
What if you were unhappy with a product?

Problem is, these restocking fees applied to all products, even those that didn't live up to expectations. It's one thing when a customer just "changes their mind," but it's another thing entirely if a customer is returning a product that didn't work as well as expected. ...And previously Apple would have charged a restocking fee in either situation, and that's not fair.

A few years ago I purchased an external HDD from Apple that was featured on their online Store's front page. But it was loud, clunky, and slow. I was able to talk myself out of the restocking fee, but that shouldn't have been necessary in the first place. I think it's great that restocking fees are becoming a thing of the past.
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Eric, not sure why you would be faced with a restocking fee. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and live within 20 minutes of 5 Apple stores and every one of them have always said they don't charge restocking fees on non-computer hardware such as external hard drives. In fact they've said that even Apple branded products that are not Macs can be returned with no restocking fee.
 
Strictly For Business Reasons

Does Apple care about you? Nope. But no company does....

This move is driven by competition, image, and to increase sales volume.

I like the move but these posts about "Apple cares about its customers" are pretty naive.

Apple, Google, Microsoft....teams of geeks makin stuff...pick your poison.
 
I'd love to get a new MacBook Air. I think they are sweet machines, sexy like most Apple products etc.

I have an iMac, unibody MacBook, iPad and iPhone 4. I am considering getting rid of the iPad and MacBook and buying the iPad 2 when it includes FaceTime since the only thing we use the MacBook for is webcam sessions with our parents to see their grandkids.

I have no use for a laptop as the iPad and desktop do all I need and the current MB gets little use.

With this new policy, I could buy an MBA, play with it for 10 days, as opposed to 10 minutes in the store, etc.

Problem is: I might like it and decide to keep it. It would be dumb and dishonest of me to buy something, especially of that amount of money, that I intend all along to return.
 
the vj said:
You bet! Now I can "rent" 10 Mac Book Pros for the weekend. I mean, the measure is suicidal.

Imagine all that people who works in video production that need to set up a render farm for just a week. They can get 5 Mac Pro, load the software via Firewire in just 2 hours and vualá! you have a brand new mac up and running for that specific project.

Or lets get a Mac Book Pro for that corporate meeting, load the software and that is it.

People will do that, I have once actually a few years ago, even with the restocking fee it was a good deal.
Click to expand...

I'm sure your name and details will go down on a list they can recall whenever you return something. They will soon spot someone doing this a few times.
 
Expect to see a few more refurbished Macs, due to the expected abuse. I am sure Apple has modeled it by taking this into account and figured it is not a big hit.
 
HLdan said:
Eric, not sure why you would be faced with a restocking fee. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and live within 20 minutes of 5 Apple stores and every one of them have always said they don't charge restocking fees on non-computer hardware such as external hard drives. In fact they've said that even Apple branded products that are not Macs can be returned with no restocking fee.
Click to expand...
It was a few years ago. Their policy certainly may have changed, although I wasn't aware if it did.
 
This just lowers the risk for people looking to purchase an Apple product. I personally would be more likely to buy a computer now knowing that IF I don't like it I won't be dinged. But chances are I'll keep it anyways.
 
digitard said:
My guess is to eliminate the middle man, and sell the product directly. They have enough faith in the product itself now (iPhone)

They want you to come in for that fancy new Verizon iPhone, and then you see product X. You want product X. They want you to think this is the friendliest place on earth to the purchasing party, and buy from them. Then come back due to the support you got.

Smart move. Sure some will take advantage of it, but on the flip side it will bring others into their stores instead of Verizon (assuming the change rolling out the same day isn't just an odd coincidence)
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It is already quite a friendly placethkugh. Always smiling in the apple store where I live. Really nice to talk to as well I think but it probably is to show people how much faith they have in their products.
 
Merthyrboy said:
It is already quite a friendly placethkugh. Always smiling in the apple store where I live. Really nice to talk to as well I think but it probably is to show people how much faith they have in their products.
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Definitely agreed, but they're tapping into a 80+ million subscriber market. The best option is to make it even better for new adopters.

I mean how many people got an iPhone, loved it, and then decided "well I love this phone lets see what else Apple has to offer" and possibly went w/ another device (Macbook, Apple TV, whatever)? Probably quite a few.

I love my Apple store. So does my 4yr old. When we walk by it she always wants to go in and play w/ the iMac's they have setup and play kids games. The sales people are always great. LOVE the immediate checkout process. It's a great store, but the perks mentioned in the OP would put it over the top to people who may come in SOLELY for, or because, of a Verizon iPhone.

Improvement's can always be made.
 
It's a numbers game.

Yes there will be people who take advantage of the system, which will cost Apple. However, Apple is probably figuring that there will also be increased sales to those types of customers who were a bit unsure about buying due to the restocking fees, but who will end up keeping their shiny new Macs, and this will add more than enough extra profit to offset the restocking costs due to the abusers.

Plus, Apple may have mechanisms in place to spot some of the people trying to take advantage of the system.
 
Cinematographer said:
My thoughts exactly. And we, who think first before we purchase, have to pay for their stupidity. I hate that idea.
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Fail.

It has nothing to do with stupidity - there are times when no amount of research will suffice and only hands on experience will be the deciding factor. Some people may simply not be able to get used to OSX or may get poor signal with the iPhone, e.g.


Think before you post.
 
I wonder how long the period is for- in Australia, AFAIK, Apple Retail Stores let you return goods (even if opened) within 14 days if you're unhappy for a full refund.

Let's hope that this doesn't lead to a situation similar to The Simpsons where Homer buys a bunch of stuff and keeps on returning it.
 
Consultant said:
I don't think it's a good idea. Some people might take advantage of it.
Click to expand...

I have witnessed that there are people, who buy dozens of Christmas presents for their children, let them have all the fun unpacking dozens of presents under the Christmas tree, and then they return them all to the shop at the beginning of the year.

There are places where you can rent a computer for a few weeks; I guess Apple will put them out of business.
 
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