Bought a Mac Mini over the weekend, can I swap it for the latest?

[ViViDboarder]

Hello, sorry it's been while since I started this thread, and wow what did I start.

I'm going to start by thanking people for their constructive thoughts and some others for speaking out their backside. I'll let each individual decide what camp they believe they're in.

I believe as a consumer I have a right to be sold a product that won't be bettered and replaced by another of less value within the first 14 days of purchasing. (ie Mac Mini £650, bettered by Mac Mini £500 3 days later)

And for those of you who disagree, I did take my Mini back and the sales guy without question said 'no problem'. I did mention that I was impressed with their stance regarding this, the sales guy simply replied 'well it would be cheeky of Apple if they refused to replace units like these, when they often update without prior notice'.

I left the Apple Store with the latest brand new Mac Mini to equivalent price, and didn't have pay a penny in restocking etc.

Thank you Apple, truly EXCELLENT customer service! I hope others with similar problems had theirs updated just as easily as I did.

For those of you interested in my purposes for the Mini, I planned to replace my (relatively unused) dated noisy PC that was hooked up to the TV as a media centre.

The big positive in buying the Mini was bootcamp and the use of OSX for the ability of simple video editing. I knew when buying it that it wasn't that powerful for some of the things I wanted use it for.

It's main use is as a media centre which it's perfect for, the iMac not so much, and I didn't have the money for a Mac Pro. It now sits beautifully on the shelving below the TV.

I have a slightly older version of Final Cut which I once used on lesser powered Pro machine and although it wasn't the best, it was certainly adequate enough to run without pulling any hair out.

All in all I'm very pleased with my Mini, using external drives it stores all my music, videos and stuff as my previous machine did and now I've got the option of OSX too. Oh and the girlfriend now loves iPhoto.

I'm a predominantly a PC user, but understand the pro's and con's of the two systems. I enjoy using macs for video and media applications, yet I enjoy using Windows 7 for it's media centre and everyday use on my laptop.

I hope that doesn't offend anyone, but I enjoy the balance of the formats.

Thanks!!!

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

 

[mscriv]

So let me get this straight. You went in to the store, considered the features of the Mac Mini to fulfill your needs and to be at the right price? You paid the price willingly. They did not overcharge you. You were happy with the product. It now continues to be the same product as it was before, fulfilling the exact same needs as you had when you bought it.

The machine is no slower than when you bought it.

You agreed that the price you paid was a fair price at the time of the transaction. Otherwise you wouldn't have paid for it.

Tell me again why you are disappointed? Just because Apple release an update doesn't mean that your machine changes at all.

....

That is absolute rubbish. Lifespan refers to the time in which the product is usable, not the time in which the product is the latest and greatest.

If you are buying the Mac Mini, chances are you will not be looking for the latest and greatest. You just want something that will work. The fact that the OP bought the product last week suggests that they balanced their needs against the actual specifications of the mac and decided to spend money on it.

My point is that if the mac was worth the RRP to you then, why is it not worth it now? The computer has not changed.

Your logic is flawless Mr. Spock! However, we humans are consistently ruled by emotion and one of those emotions is disappointment. Let me explain further. This is a common feeling for consumers when a product they have purchased is updated or improved at the same price point immediately after their purchase. It is irrelevant that the product they actually purchased has not changed or still meets their needs. The emotion of disappointment is based solely on the fact that they could have had something a little "better" for the same expense.

Try to focus on the human side of your lineage and tap into any level of emotions you might have. This might feel awkward at first, but you will soon find yourself connecting with people in ways that were previously impossible. Now don't give me that blank stare of confusion you tend to have when we discuss feelings Spock. Try harder, I promise if you stop confronting people with the unethical and illogical facts and nuances of their circumstances and instead try to understand where they are coming from and what they are feeling then you'll make some friends real soon.

 

[ditzy]

Your logic is flawless Mr. Spock! However, we humans are consistently ruled by emotion and one of those emotions is disappointment. Let me explain further. This is a common feeling for consumers when a product they have purchased is updated or improved at the same price point immediately after their purchase. It is irrelevant that the product they actually purchased has not changed or still meets their needs. The emotion of disappointment is based solely on the fact that they could have had something a little "better" for the same expense.

Try to focus on the human side of your lineage and tap into any level of emotions you might have. This might feel awkward at first, but you will soon find yourself connecting with people in ways that were previously impossible. Now don't give me that blank stare of confusion you tend to have when we discuss feelings Spock. Try harder, I promise if you stop confronting people with the unethical and illogical facts and nuances of their circumstances and instead try to understand where they are coming from and what they are feeling then you'll make some friends real soon.

To be fair what he said was neither illogical or unethical. It just lacked compassion.

 

[AlexLFC]

Well I've been totally entertained by this post, I might try and think up a random story that might divide people, step back and grab some popcorn.

Bjorn is an odd one, though he makes a good point that had the newer version not come out, then the chances are I'd still be happy with my purchase. But then his views were a little bit alien in the way he had no understanding why I might be a little upset that my purchase was bettered 3 days later by a similar model little costing a little over two thirds of the value I just spent.

But then again could Bjorn be Michael Dell? I've had the worst customer service from Dell, service that is quite uncanny to Bjorn's point of view.

Glad you liked it Vivid.
And Mscriv, harsh but beautifully written.

 

[mscriv]

Well I've been totally entertained by this post.... And Mscriv, harsh but beautifully written.

So let me get this straight. You came to this forum, looked up this thread and read my post. You willingly chose to read it and in doing so considered my word choice, tone, style, use of smilies, and innuendo. I did not force you to read it and you state that it was "beautifully written". It is saved to the internet for all to see and now continues to be the same post as it was before. However, in a reply post of your own you decide to criticize the comments as "harsh".

The comments are no less entertaining now then when you first read them.

You agreed that the post was entertaining at the time you first interacted with it, otherwise you wouldn't have said so in your comments.

Tell me again why you choose now to classify it as "harsh"? Just because time has passed between reading and posting doesn't mean that your initial interpretation should change at all.

That is absolute rubbish.


Ok Ok... I'll stop now.

C'mon bjorn989, it's all in a little MR's forum fun.

 

[ViViDboarder]

So let me get this straight. You came to this forum, looked up this thread and read my post. You willingly chose to read it and in doing so considered my word choice, tone, style, use of smilies, and innuendo. I did not force you to read it and you state that it was "beautifully written". It is saved to the internet for all to see and now continues to be the same post as it was before. However, in a reply post of your own you decide to criticize the comments as "harsh".

The comments are no less entertaining now then when you first read them.

You agreed that the post was entertaining at the time you first interacted with it, otherwise you wouldn't have said so in your comments.

Tell me again why you choose now to classify it as "harsh"? Just because time has passed between reading and posting doesn't mean that your initial interpretation should change at all.

That is absolute rubbish.


Ok Ok... I'll stop now.

C'mon bjorn989, it's all in a little MR's forum fun.

Well now that's just confusing. Let me try!

What where the two times he interacted with your post? I see this as the first mention.

Also AlexLFC was the OP and did not "look up" this thread.

Eloquent yet sarcastic word choice can easily be interpreted as harsh, when one only has the text on their screen to derive your intent and tone.

 

[mscriv]

A swing and a miss.... I'm sure Alex gets it.

If you want to understand highlight below and follow the instructions.

Sorry Vivid, but I'm not sure you "get it". Go back and read the posts in this order: #1 AlexLFC, #14 bjorn989, #26 sukanas, #28 bjorn989, #31 mscriv, #33 AlexLFC, and finally #34 mscriv.

Especially pay close attention to bjorn989's two posts and my #34 post. Of course me having to explain all of this takes all the humor out of it.

 

[ViViDboarder]

A swing and a miss.... I'm sure Alex gets it.

If you want to understand highlight below and follow the instructions.

Sorry Vivid, but I'm not sure you "get it". Go back and read the posts in this order: #1 AlexLFC, #14 bjorn989, #26 sukanas, #28 bjorn989, #31 mscriv, #33 AlexLFC, and finally #34 mscriv.

Especially pay close attention to bjorn989's two posts and my #34 post. Of course me having to explain all of this takes all the humor out of it.

Hot diggity! I give up.

Oh... Yea I got that... I guess I was off by saying let me try. I was more referring to the word choice you used. Shoulda left that part out.

Funny read though, especially since I think some people weren't joking.

 

[AlexLFC]

Mscriv I actually enjoyed your post. The use of 'harsh' was just a bit of British humour or irony if you will, since you used a good dose of it in your post.

I said harsh because you basically described him as someone/thing that lives underneath a rock. Which of course I agreed. You wrote it so nicely I gave you a smilie.

Mscriv will be pleased to know that I believe I did take the said post in the way it was intended, the reason I enjoyed it.

Thanks to Vivid and Mscriv for understanding my plight.

 

[mscriv]

Please tell me you guys didn't seriously think I was upset. Post #34 is another humorous jab at bjorn989 by almost word for word recreating his #14 logical analysis against your "buyer's remorse". I reframed it from the perspective of me logically challenging your comments about my post. It's intended to further illustrate how silly his comments were by putting them in a different context. C'mon guys having to explain this totally kills the joke. Read #14 and #34 back to back. It's wordplay.

Not sure if bjorn thinks it's funny as based on his posts I'm not sure he has a sense of humor. But, it's all done in a spirit of MR community. I bear no ill will.

 

[AlexLFC]

Nah, wasn't 100% if you were unhappy, but saw it all largely as good banter, which it has been.

...although i believe Bjorn needs more abuse.

 

[bjorn989]

Your logic is flawless Mr. Spock! However, we humans are consistently ruled by emotion and one of those emotions is disappointment. Let me explain further. This is a common feeling for consumers when a product they have purchased is updated or improved at the same price point immediately after their purchase. It is irrelevant that the product they actually purchased has not changed or still meets their needs. The emotion of disappointment is based solely on the fact that they could have had something a little "better" for the same expense.

Try to focus on the human side of your lineage and tap into any level of emotions you might have. This might feel awkward at first, but you will soon find yourself connecting with people in ways that were previously impossible. Now don't give me that blank stare of confusion you tend to have when we discuss feelings Spock. Try harder, I promise if you stop confronting people with the unethical and illogical facts and nuances of their circumstances and instead try to understand where they are coming from and what they are feeling then you'll make some friends real soon.

lol.

Guys, I am not an emotionless arsehole. Just someone who studies economics. I was trying to frame the OP's decisions in a logical manner.

I am quite happy that the OP got a replacement and his desired outcome. That is very interesting because I was unaware that Apple worked in that way. It is good to see an example of a company that has morals.

Punish me if you want. Go for your life. I have little knowledge of your earthly customs. Us martians only think in the context of cost/benefit.

 

[star-fish]

For future reference OP:

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//

The buyer's gudie can be helpful for judging when new products may be released