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Apple Palace, trust worthy?
- Thread starter thegeist
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I could not find any online reviews about them. However, there prices seem extraordinarily exorbitant
.
.Interestingly Google maps street-view shows a computer store at the address listed on their website. There is an Apple logo in the window. The Macbook Pro listings are saying Core Duo, not Core 2 Duo. This is why the price is low, so these machines could be refurbs. I would hesitate ordering a computer from a website that provides so little technical information.
The Macbook Pro listings are saying Core Duo, not Core 2 Duo. This is why the price is low, so these machines could be refurbs. I would hesitate ordering a computer from a website that provides so little technical information.They are real. You can actually walk in their store and look around. The warranty is 60 days. After that you're on your own. You can send your Mac product back to them and get it repaired.
By the way, if you drop your Mac product and break it, that is not in the 60 day warranty. Pretty much only inside failure is warranted.
Before I saw this posting, I talked with Apple and ApplePalace about it. One thing I will mention is that ApplePalace is not one of Apple's Resellers. I did find a review. It wasn't bad nor great. Still, I think I will buy my iMac G5 from them
Great Reseller Site
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/ApplePalace <- the review
By the way, if you drop your Mac product and break it, that is not in the 60 day warranty. Pretty much only inside failure is warranted.
Before I saw this posting, I talked with Apple and ApplePalace about it. One thing I will mention is that ApplePalace is not one of Apple's Resellers. I did find a review. It wasn't bad nor great. Still, I think I will buy my iMac G5 from them
Great Reseller Site
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/ApplePalace <- the review
I'm new to the Mac world and noticed that Low End Mac says Apple Palace has some hot prices. If Palace is a scam I guess that means Low End Mac is not to be trusted?
Has anyone ever bought from here?
http://applepalace.com
I found a really good deal on an iBook G4 here. (At least I think I did) I sent them an email asking how long their warrenty was, but they never responded, which makes me question there legitability. (Is that a word?)
They're a sponser at LEM, but I don't know if I should risk giving these people nearly $700 without at least knowing some past buyers experiences.
If anyone has ever bought from here, could you answer a few questions please?
Thanks in advance.
Cassie
http://applepalace.com
I found a really good deal on an iBook G4 here. (At least I think I did) I sent them an email asking how long their warrenty was, but they never responded, which makes me question there legitability. (Is that a word?)
They're a sponser at LEM, but I don't know if I should risk giving these people nearly $700 without at least knowing some past buyers experiences.
If anyone has ever bought from here, could you answer a few questions please?
Thanks in advance.
Cassie
Here's your basic research:
Registrant: Domain Name: APPLEPALACE.COM
COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND NETWORKING
2335 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
US
Administrative Contact :
COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND NETWORKING
farhoudb1@YAHOO.COM
2335 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
US
Phone: (310) 441-4771
Fax: 999 999 9999
Record expires on 29-Nov-2009
Record created on 29-Nov-2004
Database last updated on 13-Oct-2006
http://www.cgnusa.com
http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=26635787
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/ApplePalace
Apple authorized
http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/index.html?q=90064
Registrant: Domain Name: APPLEPALACE.COM
COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND NETWORKING
2335 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
US
Administrative Contact :
COMPUTER GRAPHICS AND NETWORKING
farhoudb1@YAHOO.COM
2335 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
US
Phone: (310) 441-4771
Fax: 999 999 9999
Record expires on 29-Nov-2009
Record created on 29-Nov-2004
Database last updated on 13-Oct-2006
http://www.cgnusa.com
http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=26635787
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/ApplePalace
Apple authorized
http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/index.html?q=90064
So I was looking at their store as well, but I'm guessing applepalace.com isn't legit from what you showed me. Would I be correct to say so?
I would not necessarily draw that conclusion from the data I have posted -- Their parent company is an Apple authorized dealer, the domain has been in existence for 3.5 years. Their ratings on local and resellerratings reviews are mixed, some good, some p!$$-d off. There's no obvious markers of a scam operation, although there are some questionable features.
The BBB thing is worrying - I don't see the BBB logo on the Applepalace site, but on the cgnusa site both the BBBand the Verisign logos link to generic pages, and Computer Graphics and Networking has no record at the BBB - thats a strike against them for improperly using those logos.
The other point of my post is that all of this information is available with 10 minutes on a Web connection.
- Check WHOIS on the domain(s) - one WHOIS interface is at www.samspade.org
- See if the addresses match and if there is another company name registered along with the domain or another domain name in the email address - this often can give a clue to ownership. Check out related companies and domains.
- Check that the domain wasn't created only a short time ago
- Do a reverse address and phone lookup on 411.com - do the addresses and phone numbers match up as expected? Note: a business that uses a mobile phone number as their main business number is a big red flag. Pay as you go cell phones are a scammer's best friend - use 'em then throw them away.
- Check resellerratings.com on the store name and related company names
- Check that the certificates and trusted site logo links actually go to the verification pages at the provider organization
- Check Apple.com "Where to Buy: Find a Reseller" to see if they are authorized
- Google for the company names and URLs to see links, reviews, ratings, and forum posts. Google the address to see if other companies have operated out of the same address, and whether there are complaints with those companies.
- Look up the company and URL on BBB.org
- Check to see if they accept Visa and Mastercard directly (not through PayPal). You have a lot more protection using a charge card than PayPal. Anyone can set up PayPal with phony info and a mail drop, but it is more difficult to set up a merchant Visa and Mastercard account. A 'business' that takes PayPal only, or Paypal plus wire transfers or Western Union only is a big danger signal. You have almost no protection with wire transfers and Western Union transfers.
Anyone can do this, and it should be standard issue procedure if you are thinking of dealing with a company online, whether buying or selling.
fantastic advice from CanadaRAM. A true credit to MR. I'll be sure to make use of this post when purchasing in the future.
Fixed, one-poster. Your address is for a completely different company.
It's Psystar all over again, but even less legit.
While I'm sure that the MacRumors community appreciates you taking the time to answer some of our questions about your company, our posts should serve as some indication as to what consumers are looking for when addressing the legitimacy of a web-based company.
That being said, I have been back to your website and have noticed very little substantive change in the way you represent your products. Stating the your machines are Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) is a promising start, however, many of the most glaring and suspicious deficiencies still remain:
1) No where is the term "refurbished" mentioned on any of the product description, even in the return policy. You appear to be comfortable stating this here, why not just say this upfront on your website?
These are clearly not Apple certified refurbished machines, However, 2) You state that a defective Apple machine cannot be returned to your company. Do you honestly expect Apple to replace this machine for your customers? You also charge a 20% restocking for opening the package and the customer is still responsible for return shipping. Your return policies are frankly horrid. In my opinion there are other companies with much more open and customer friendly policies.
3) Your Warranty FAQ is still blank.
Your business may be legitimate, however the impression that your web presence is sending is not consistent with this.
That being said, I have been back to your website and have noticed very little substantive change in the way you represent your products. Stating the your machines are Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) is a promising start, however, many of the most glaring and suspicious deficiencies still remain:
1) No where is the term "refurbished" mentioned on any of the product description, even in the return policy. You appear to be comfortable stating this here, why not just say this upfront on your website?
These are clearly not Apple certified refurbished machines, However, 2) You state that a defective Apple machine cannot be returned to your company. Do you honestly expect Apple to replace this machine for your customers? You also charge a 20% restocking for opening the package and the customer is still responsible for return shipping. Your return policies are frankly horrid. In my opinion there are other companies with much more open and customer friendly policies.
3) Your Warranty FAQ is still blank.
Your business may be legitimate, however the impression that your web presence is sending is not consistent with this.
http://www.yellowbot.com/mac-step-los-angeles-ca-1.html
I don't know... Isn't it a bad idea to have the same company go by two names?
And neither of them show up in Yellowbook.com
scam. If you have not heard of the place, do not spend your money there.
It is funny to me that every week someone asks "Anyone heard of thecomputerspecialplace.com." If it isn't named Amazon or Newegg (or other similar placeS), why put your money there? You cannot find a price difference of more than $100 from respectable dealers, so stop looking.
It is funny to me that every week someone asks "Anyone heard of thecomputerspecialplace.com." If it isn't named Amazon or Newegg (or other similar placeS), why put your money there? You cannot find a price difference of more than $100 from respectable dealers, so stop looking.
This is clearly a scam. If you read the privacy policy, they just copied and pasted another site's privacy policy and replaced the company's info with Applepalace.com, probably using a program's "Replace All" command.
Here's an example - note the "Applepalace.com.com" e-mail addresses.
And here's another one. Note the capitalization of everything but the company's name - especially the bolded section.
A legit company wouldn't be so careless.
Here's an example - note the "Applepalace.com.com" e-mail addresses.
And here's another one. Note the capitalization of everything but the company's name - especially the bolded section.
A legit company wouldn't be so careless.
Ehhh... I have to caution you there. Yes, 95% of the time it is a scam. But NowDirect.com... isn't. I could have sworn that it was because of the radically lower prices until I came here and got a response from TEG, whom I respect. I went ahead and was sent the LG Blu-ray burner/HD DVD reader that I had ordered for over $120 less than NewEgg one day after ordering, and I had not even requested expedited shipping.
I don't know. There have been enough red flags pointed out here that I would be cautious about doing business with them. In fact, I would find someplace else.