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Rupert Beehsley

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 24, 2017
11
2
Got my new Imac today. The stand has blemishes. They won't send a replacement stand which is easy enough to replace. I have to send the whole machine back, (won't bother). They say the same would apply if it was a mouse or keyboard. The whole machine would have to go back. I had to make 3 phone calls, two got cut off after 10 minutes and they didn't phone back, the third call was spent mostly on hold, over an hour in total just about a blemish on the Imac stand. Wow. I got a recording of the guy telling me this “policy” because he wouldn't e-mail their response but was OK about being recorded, weird. Is this the start of an unhappy affair?, Should I get a refund?
 
The stand has blemishes. They won't send a replacement stand which is easy enough to replace.
That kind of makes sense because its basically a whole unit and they don't have the facility to send out a single piece of the iMac - especially if its shipped from over seas.

I had to make 3 phone calls, two got cut off after 10 minutes and they didn't phone back, the third call was spent mostly on hold, over an hour in total just about a blemish on the Imac stand. Wow.
Why is this wow - that tends to happen and waiting in line for your turn is just life with phone support ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Should I get a refund?
If you don't like the blemish, then yeah, send it back for replacement. Its not really a huge deal, and apple seemed to be very happy to help resolve this by sending you a new iMac. I'm not sure what the issue is. If you get a refund, you need to send the whole unit back, so why not get send it back and get it replaced.
 
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The stand is very easy to replace yourself. Getting through to someone and then being cut off does not tend to happen but it happened twice. Sending the whole thing back, unable to work for quite a while, staying in for collection and delivery.......because the mouse needs returning.....come on. I don't know what is more scary, Apple's customer service or their fan-boys preparedness to put up with it.
 
It does seem a little silly to send back the whole computer just because one part is not working... however I have encountered this before with several other companies so I have to imagine there is a reason why they do this... I couldn't tell you what it is since I don't work in that industry...... Perhaps you can try to give customer service another shot, be polite and get a manager, maybe they would be willing to ship the replacement first and then you send back the blemished unit... Just express to them that you depend on the machine for work... They might accomodate this, but keep in mind they may ask for a credit card number to keep on file in case you don't send back the other computer.
 
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Got my new Imac today. The stand has blemishes. They won't send a replacement stand which is easy enough to replace. I have to send the whole machine back, (won't bother). They say the same would apply if it was a mouse or keyboard. The whole machine would have to go back. I had to make 3 phone calls, two got cut off after 10 minutes and they didn't phone back, the third call was spent mostly on hold, over an hour in total just about a blemish on the Imac stand. Wow. I got a recording of the guy telling me this “policy” because he wouldn't e-mail their response but was OK about being recorded, weird. Is this the start of an unhappy affair?, Should I get a refund?
A Lenovo laptop I bought in 2014 came with an external optical drive. DOA.They told me the same thing.
 
Yeah, if you are already unhappy with Apple for this, you are probably better off with a refund and moving on.
Not trying to be "fan-boy"-ish, just being realistic with the expectations you are placing on your experience.

They are more than willing to remedy your problem, just not in the way you think they should, so they don't meet your expectations.
That happens all the time and is called "life".
 
The stand is very easy to replace yourself.
Is it? How so? It is deeply integrated. You need to cut-open the screen (which is glued on) and remove all the internals, and later you have to close it with a new adhesive tape. I don't think this is what you want to do on a brand new machine.

On the iMac Pro on the hand it *would* work more easily - that is, if the screws won't break (see the many defective VESA mounts).
 
Is it? How so? It is deeply integrated. You need to cut-open the screen (which is glued on) and remove all the internals, and later you have to close it with a new adhesive tape. I don't think this is what you want to do on a brand new machine.
The videos I've seen indicate its quite easy

 
Well, those are *not* current iMacs. Those are the older thicker devices, which were indeed more easily to disassemble.

With the current iMacs, I suggest to have a look at some iFixIt tutorial - and you will be amazed what it will take you to remove the stand.
 
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Well, those are *not* current iMacs. Those are the older thicker devices, which were indeed more easily to disassemble.

With the current iMacs, I suggest to have a look at some iFixIt tutorial - and you will be amazed what it will take you to remove the stand.
Yeah, no way on earth Apple would supply just the stand as admitting you replaced it would surely cause them to void AppleCare (I'm not defending it, but it would happen)
 
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Take this scenario. You receive your new Imac. You set it up, get it networked, transfer all your working files from your old machine, sort out backup and archiving, set up mail and messaging apps, diaries and calendars. You download, install and register all your various software apps to the machine. Etcetera. The mouse dies on you. Apple insists you send the whole machine back to them for replacement. This makes sense to you?
 
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Take this scenario. You receive your new Imac. You set it up, get it networked, transfer all your working files from your old machine, sort out backup and archiving, set up mail and messaging apps, diaries and calendars. You download, install and register all your various software apps to the machine. Etcetera. The mouse dies on you. Apple insists you send the whole machine back to them for replacement. This makes sense to you?
They don’t take back the whole iMac. They take back the whole mouse.
 
Instead of sending it back, why don't you take it back? Could save a lotta your precious time.
 
Take this scenario. You receive your new Imac. You set it up, get it networked, transfer all your working files from your old machine, sort out backup and archiving, set up mail and messaging apps, diaries and calendars. You download, install and register all your various software apps to the machine. Etcetera. The mouse dies on you. Apple insists you send the whole machine back to them for replacement. This makes sense to you?
It's 100% an inconvenience, but if you want a non-blemished stand, that's the way it is. Personally, I'd try taking it into a store and see what they say or calling in and speaking to another rep. You might have gotten someone inexperienced or with the incorrect answer. Escalate it up.
 
There was a miscommunication or the person was wrong. Apple does not require you to send back the entire Mac for a defective peripheral. Source: I have done it.
I couldn't believe it either so I asked him if I could record him stating the policy which he did. He wouldn't send an email, but I have the recording. Specifically, if the keyboard or mouse is faulty the whole system has to be returned. Verbatim, literally.
 
I couldn't believe it either so I asked him if I could record him stating the policy which he did. He wouldn't send an email, but I have the recording. Specifically, if the keyboard or mouse is faulty the whole system has to be returned. Verbatim, literally.
I believe that he said it. I don't believe that he was correct.
 
The mouse dies on you. Apple insists you send the whole machine back to them for replacement. This makes sense to you?
Its not the mouse, its the stand.

Again, if you're willing to live with it, then do it, otherwise return it. Its not rocket surgery, you either keep it or you don't. It doesn't matter if it makes sense or not. Apple told you how it will handle the issue, and you can accept that or keep the iMac.
 
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The reason why they want the whole iMac is because the serial number of the iMac is on the stand. They will not give you another stand with a different serial number. That is the reason. If you can't live with the blemishes, then look on eBay for a new stand.
 
Got my new Imac today. The stand has blemishes. They won't send a replacement stand which is easy enough to replace. I have to send the whole machine back, (won't bother). They say the same would apply if it was a mouse or keyboard. The whole machine would have to go back. I had to make 3 phone calls, two got cut off after 10 minutes and they didn't phone back, the third call was spent mostly on hold, over an hour in total just about a blemish on the Imac stand. Wow. I got a recording of the guy telling me this “policy” because he wouldn't e-mail their response but was OK about being recorded, weird. Is this the start of an unhappy affair?, Should I get a refund?

I’ve had a magic keyboard replaced under AppleCare. The stand, as others have already mentioned, comes attached, is not easy to remove, and all the serial information is there.
 
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