MacBook Repair Parts Facing Delays, Apple Letting Customers Take Devices Back Home While Waiting for Parts

[MacRumors]

Triggered by ongoing supply chain issues, Apple will now let customers take their devices back home in the event their repair will take longer than expected due to a missing part that's backlogged. Once the part has arrived at the location, customers can return the device to complete the repair.

In the case a customer takes their device back home, they'll be informed when the part needed for their repair arrives. From that day, customers will have five days to return the device back to the service center before the repair is canceled.

The new policy is available in select locations, and it's up to the service center whether or not a customer is eligible to take their device back home as they await repair parts. Logically, this only applies to customers with devices that are functioning and in a usable state.

Apple has been dealing with ongoing supply chain challenges that have impacted the iPhone and the Mac in the last several months. According to sources speaking to MacRumors, repair parts for the MacBook Pro, such as the 16-inch MacBook Pro display, are currently taking up to two months to arrive in certain regions.

Other parts, such as the top case for select models of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, which includes the battery, keyboard, and internal chassis, could take several weeks.

Article Link: MacBook Repair Parts Facing Delays, Apple Letting Customers Take Devices Back Home While Waiting for Parts

 

[OS X Dude]

All good until the customer takes it home and either damages it/damages it further or has it nicked. Fringe cases but can happen, particularly if parts are backordered for a long while. This has to do be done with the caveat of "if you muller it while it's at home, additional parts may be required and warranty coverage may be affected".

 

[AdmiralTriggerH]

It’s been standard practice for for Apples Stores down under for 12+ years, if your computer is working and they don’t have the part they have always offered to let you take the device home and they call when the part arrives so you can drop it back in.

 

[Blackstick]

Mac Genius ‘07-14… we all know the status: Awaiting Parts. If a customer made the case their Mac was usable, but still needed the repair, a Lead Genius would allow them to hold it and our Admin would call them to bring it in when the parts arrived… I only remember that happening once in awhile. Added a good amount of overhead and turn around time.

Apple was really good about getting us most parts within 24 hours in those days… even esoteric Mac Pro parts like Xeon processors and heat sinks. Occasionally, they’d let you sub a part, like BTO iMacs that were ordered with 320GB drives and they only had 500s – or iPod Classics with 80/120GB and they only made 160GB. Never anything too exciting though, you couldn’t change the color of your iPod or top case, for example.

 

[foobarbaz]

All good until the customer takes it home and either damages it/damages it further or has it nicked. Fringe cases but can happen, particularly if parts are backordered for a long while. This has to do be done with the caveat of "if you muller it while it's at home, additional parts may be required and warranty coverage may be affected".

That's a weird concern. These fringe cases might also happen after a successful repair, so (other than waiting for a functioning device) the customer isn't really worse off due to taking it home.

 

[jonnysods]

It's been that way as long as I can remember - even if it will only take a day...

 

[DMG35]

All good until the customer takes it home and either damages it/damages it further or has it nicked. Fringe cases but can happen, particularly if parts are backordered for a long while. This has to do be done with the caveat of "if you muller it while it's at home, additional parts may be required and warranty coverage may be affected".

Not really sure how its a concern if Apple is just telling customers to take their devices back home with them. Would you prefer that Apple keep them and let them sit around while they wait for a part for it?

 

[EyeTack]

I brought my 16" MBP in for a screen repair last week, which needed to be sent out.

And here I was hoping to have it back by Friday.

 

[AbHa]

Apple Stores have always done that. It‘s called „service non repair“, they register the repair and order the part. once the part arrives the clients gets notified and can drop the device without having to go through the appointment.

 

[GMShadow]

. Never anything too exciting though, you couldn’t change the color of your iPod or top case, for example.

I’ve always wondered on that - I’ve got AC+ on my AirPods Max, and if I ever had to take them in I was going to ask if I could swap colors on the replacement set.


As for the article, my MBP is going to need repair work at some point, but with another year+ of AC+ left I wasn’t rushing to get it in. Hopefully the delays get resolved this year.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I’ve always wondered on that - I’ve got AC+ on my AirPods Max, and if I ever had to take them in I was going to ask if I could swap colors on the replacement set.

These sorts of substitutions are ALWAYS due to parts availability - not from customer request. If they have your color, or will have it within a reasonable lead time, that will be your only option.

 

[mr.steevo]

All good until the customer takes it home and either damages it/damages it further or has it nicked. Fringe cases but can happen, particularly if parts are backordered for a long while. This has to do be done with the caveat of "if you muller it while it's at home, additional parts may be required and warranty coverage may be affected".

I had to look up what muller meant. Thanks for the new to me word!

 

[rpmurray]

I had to look up what muller meant. Thanks for the new to me word!

I thought it was a typo, and it turns out to be an actual word. The language continues to evolve.

 

[ACHD]

Apple Stores have always done that. It‘s called „service non repair“, they register the repair and order the part. once the part arrives the clients gets notified and can drop the device without having to go through the appointment.

The difference is the delays are not being communicated to the store or customer. They are only finding out AFTER they have waited an exorbitated amount of time.

The process you are talking about are part delays that show up and is communicate at time of repair set up.

Apple has stopped notifying places of part delays

 

[ddarko]

I ran into this at the end of May when I took my 2019 16" Intel Macbook Pro to an Apple Store to get the display and keyboard replaced. Four day turnaround to ship it to the Texas service center and return it to me which I thought was super impressive until I opened the box and saw nothing had been changed. The service note inside the box said the display lid sensor had been swapped which wasn't even a problem. Back to the Apple Store and the genius tech apologized. She explained the display was in short supply and thought maybe the service center wanted to return my laptop to me rather than hang onto it until the part became available but I should have been contacted, especially because I had paid for the display replacement. It might happen again if it went back to the service center so the store is ordering the parts and will replace them in-store. I prefer to have the notebook while waiting but it would have been nice to avoid the unnecessary round trip to Texas.

 

[doeboynmek]

This has always been the case. It's called a service non repair. We did this when I worked there 9+ years ago.

 

[TMRJIJ]

About a month late, MacRumors. Been dealing with this delay at my AASP for a while now. Have over 40 devices waiting for parts just under my name.

 

[TMRJIJ]

All good until the customer takes it home and either damages it/damages it further or has it nicked. Fringe cases but can happen, particularly if parts are backordered for a long while. This has to do be done with the caveat of "if you muller it while it's at home, additional parts may be required and warranty coverage may be affected".

That's why I do VMIs before ordering the parts and have my customers sign a form stating that additional ‘accidental’ damage from here on out is their responsibility.
Also, I make sure that they know that parts will be returned if they’re not going to bring the device back. Consumable parts like batteries are non-returnable and we will have to charge the full stocking fee if they decide not to complete repair.

EDIT: Just to be clear, I meant accidental damage. Not damage occurred from originally reported issue. Out Of Warranty devices have charges for parts in general even if it wasn’t the customer’s fault.

 

[JosephAW]

Didn’t Apple Used to send repairs back to California? They need to send it where the parts are.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Apple Stores have always done that. It‘s called „service non repair“, they register the repair and order the part. once the part arrives the clients gets notified and can drop the device without having to go through the appointment.

Huh? Service non repair closes the case. Maybe Apple stores do things that way and just order the part as a stock part, but authorized shops don't.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

Didn’t Apple Used to send repairs back to California? They need to send it where the parts are.

No. Apple doesn't do mail-in repairs, contractors do them. From my area, that's typically Pegatron in Kentucky. And the parts all come from China, you don't want your computer shipped to China, do you?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Understandable move by Apple. Apple should also strongly consider setting up a rental program. It would benefit both parties.

 

[planteater]

I thought it was a typo, and it turns out to be an actual word. The language continues to evolve.

After he said “nicked”, I figured it was a regional word and ignored it. But sure enough it’s in the dictionary. I’ll have to look for opportunities to not use it.

 

[planteater]

Understandable move by Apple. Apple should also strongly consider setting up a rental program. It would benefit both parties.

I would just buy another laptop as a temporary machine and then keep it as a backup after using it.

 

[AdamNC]

I would much rather have it back than take the risk of it getting lost in some warehouse and then dealing with that type of mess.