How does Apple Support usually handle defective products bought from resellers?

[Libertine Lush]

I ask this out of curiosity as a recent, first time Apple buyer who switched from 20+ years on Windows to an iMac.

I've been through several iMac replacements so far due to defects on them. There was some initial hold ups with AppleCare in processing my replacements, because I had purchased from an online reseller, they explained. Ultimately I did get my replacements. This being my first Apple purchase, naturally I didn't know my support experience could have been less accommodating by buying from a reseller.

So I'm curious to know, when you buy an Apple product, especially a pricier item like an iMac, from a reseller, how does Apple's protocol differ from a purchase that was made directly in an Apple Store or Apple.com? I'd like to know mostly for context, to understand how my experience compares to the norm.

Barring some lapses from lower level AppleCare on the phone, support has been great so far, to be clear, especially now that I'm working on the issue with Executive Relations.

(This has been my experience as a US customer.)

 

[miles01110]

There's no difference.

 

[Libertine Lush]

There's no difference.

Are you speaking out of experience with support in Switzerland or the US?

I created this thread mostly because in closely following the threads for the defective 27" iMacs in this forum and the official Apple forums, there are a lot of people who've experienced less accommodating service from support when they bought from a reseller.

 

[ergdegdeg]

I bought my MBP from a reseller in Austria more than 2 years ago. About two weeks ago, I had to take it in in Nebraska, because the graphics card had failed. Since it was one of the cards which were known to have a defect, they replaced it without charge and without troubles despite the fact that I had bought the MBP from a reseller on a different continent and that I didn't have official Apple Care.

 

[miles01110]

Are you speaking out of experience with support in Switzerland or the US?

Both.

I created this thread mostly because in closely following the threads for the defective 27" iMacs in this forum and the official Apple forums, there are a lot of people who've experienced less accommodating service from support when they bought from a reseller.

Less accommodating support from Apple, or less accommodating support from the reseller? Apple computers are Apple computers... no matter where you buy it from, you're entitled to at least a year of support directly from Apple.

 

[Libertine Lush]

Less accommodating support from Apple, or less accommodating support from the reseller?

Less accommodating from Apple.

In my experience, when I was working with just a lower level AppleCare guy, he transferred me to a local Apple store, telling me that they should be able to get me a replacement even though I purchased via a reseller. After a few days of phone calls with a Genius in that store, he was not able to assure me I could get a replacement from their store, but told me to come in nonetheless and they could decide then. After about an hour of inspection, a replacement was offered. He was courteous all along, but there were those few days of uncertainty/indecision from the Apple Store.

 

[richard.mac]

where there are no Apple Stores the resellers will always repair rather than replace the first few times, which is a pity as my MBP was a lemon with 2 bad batteries, overheating and mainboard replacement and the GPU and a RAM slot started failing after the warranty. it shouldve been replaced.

 

[Consultant]

Less accommodating from Apple.

In my experience, when I was working with just a lower level AppleCare guy, he transferred me to a local Apple store, telling me that they should be able to get me a replacement even though I purchased via a reseller. After a few days of phone calls with a Genius in that store, he was not able to assure me I could get a replacement from their store, but told me to come in nonetheless and they could decide then. After about an hour of inspection, a replacement was offered. He was courteous all along, but there were those few days of uncertainty/indecision from the Apple Store.

They are REQUIRED to inspect the product. They cannot offer you anything over the phone.

It's not because you bought it from a retailer.

 

[Libertine Lush]

They are REQUIRED to inspect the product. They cannot offer you anything over the phone.

It's not because you bought it from a retailer.

If that is in fact the case, why would they call me several times over several days to finally decide to tell me to come in. If it's that clear-cut for them, they would have simply told me to go into the the store on the first call, no need for several calls telling me they don't know what to do yet. All the while, their explanation for this delay was because I bought it from a reseller. I'm not saying you're wrong, but my experience suggests there was a difference in reseller vs. direct from Apple.

Additionally, when you do an advanced replacement, no in-person/in-store inspection is necessary, as it's not possible; they send you a new replacement, and only after you receive it do you send out your defective product.