Problem with Apple Order - Opinions please :)

[Pyrobon]

Hello guys!

I would like to be posting here something else, something less frustrating. I've slowly become a Mac fan and finally decided to switch this month, specially because i'll be editing with Final Cut.

I've decided to purchase a 17'' Macbook Pro but the process has been very long, cumbersome and as i said before...frustrating

Since i'm going to pay via wire transfer, i've made the orders trough 1-800-MY-APPLE. I've called more than 15 times for different reasons, but i'm going to make the long story short.

1. I've made an order.
2. A couple of days later and the same day i sent the fax to my bank to make the wire transfer, i called Apple to change to a faster shipping. Apple cannot change it from the same order so they had to make a new one.
3. Had to sent another fax to my bank with the new order number.
4. Several days later and after receiving my money, Apple cancelled my order because the shipping address was something they call "Freight Forwarder". My friend is the owner of the company and was going to receive the package itself, so i wasn't going to send it anywhere. But then, i readt in Apple website that they don't send packages to those places. OK, they didn't telll me this, but if its in their policy , i'll be quiet.
5. I ask apple if i can make a new order with my friends home address so they reallocate the money to this order. The answer is NO, the process of returning the money has already started and they'll send it back to my bank. I start to get a little pissed off.
6. After 5 days, i call my bank and the money isn't in the account.
7. I call Apple and ask why they haven't return the money...the answer? The process is going to take 6-8 weeks. NOW i'm furious.

As you probably noted from my English, i'm not from U.S.A. so maybe i don't know how those companies and their support are supposed to work. Maybe i'm being to optimistic but i expected better solutions from Apple.
I don't know what you guys think, and what is your income but 3100 dollars means a LOT of money to me, my account now will be deducted 25 dolars monthly cause of the low amount on it.
I expected to at LEAST have my laptop in a considerable amount of time to start working, that would be worth the - . But NO, i have to wait this RIDICULOUS amount of time to SEND the fax again, WAIT for the wire transfer and then WAIT for the shipping and for me to go? I think is outrageous that nobody told me about this.

Don't you think i have the right to object? To call apple and demand another solution? Is this normal? I would like to know what you think. Thanks in advice and sorry for the long thread

 

[chrisdazzo]

I'd advise using something besides a wire transfer to pay for that. Just an opinion, but I'd definitely recommend some other way of payment, if at all possible.

 

[Pyrobon]

Thank you Unfortunately that's not an option for me. And i would like to know speciffically what you would do about the expected waiting time situation

 

[chrisdazzo]

I'd call and complain. Orders shouldn't take that long to go through Apple's payment system and stuff. But... I see calling didn't work too well before.

You also could, once you get your money back, try buying from a certified Apple reseller and see how that goes.

Aside from that, I'm going to let someone else give you some advice. I can't think of anything else. Good luck.

 

[Pyrobon]

Yeah, but i must confess that i'm not so worried about how i'm going to obtain it anymore, but the 6-8 weeks i must wait. Even if its obvious that apple isn't going to steal it...still -_- it's not 100 bucks

 

[Maui]

I don't see that you have much recourse other than continuing to call and complain. Try calling, and if you don't get satisfaction, ask to speak with that person's manager. Keep doing that until you get to someone senior enough to help you.

 

[jng]

Are you in the USA?

It sounds like the problem is you're buying from the US with the intention of exporting it outside the US permanently. And if so, Apple's on to you (money's coming from outside of company and shipping is dodgy).

That's just their rules.

Your experience isn't the norm. Probably because most don't pay by wire transfer. You could have used a credit card. That probably would have been easiest.

 

[Pyrobon]

I've already (and almost inmediatly) made a new order to ship it to a friend's address in USA. If Apple thinks that i'm going to export it...maybe its just me, but i don't think thats excuse to retain my money for 8 weeks. Specially when they didn't told me anything about freight forwarders over the phone. Again, i cannot use credit card, right now the more convenient thing for me is wire transfer. Since Wire Transfer IS an option, it can't bet that difficult to purchase something trough it. Someone here must have done it.

My quesiton is guys..if this has happened to you, would you've "accepted" waiting that time?

 

[adroit]

If you're going to mail it to your friend anyway then why not just cancel your order and get him/her to pick one up for you directly from Apple store. Then you can wire the money directly to your friend instead of Apple.

I can see how Apple doesn't want you to buy as if you're in the US and export it considering the current low value of USD.

 

[Pyrobon]

I really wouldn't like to be explaining with every post why is thati need to use wire transfer since it's a personal business. I just wanted to know what you would do in my situation and if you didn't have any other option and the money was already with apple.

I see it's very difficult for some of you to understand why i don't just use an alternate payment, but it's not a possibility. Dollars administration in my country is very strict and i would have to give yo a whole constitutional class.

Anyway i'll keep Maui's advice. Thank you very much

 

[GoCubsGo]

I really wouldn't like to be explaining with every post why is thati need to use wire transfer since it's a personal business. I just wanted to know what you would do in my situation and if you didn't have any other option and the money was already with apple.

I see it's very difficult for some of you to understand why i don't just use an alternate payment, but it's not a possibility. Dollars administration in my country is very strict and i would have to give yo a whole constitutional class.

Anyway i'll keep Maui's advice. Thank you very much

I can understand getting testy with the people who were more focused on why you had to wire versus using a more standard form of payment, however, understand that as you may not understand US customer service and companies, we may not always understand why wire transfer is necessary.

That said. I work in finance and wire funds or trigger the actions to have funds wired daily. Wires can be sent one day and providing the federal reference number is available, that money can be transfered back or to another institution within the week. Apple's policy could be 1-2 weeks to ensure funds were good in the first place. 6-8 seems ridiculous and cause for great frustration on any one's part. I would certainly call and rationalize with someone who is a bit higher than tier 1 customer service. I would explain to the first tier of help your situation and ask for another level of service. If anything you will at least be better educated on the why behind the 6-8 week lag time of receiving your money. Ask thoughtful questions such as, will the funds be wired back to you or are they generating a check and intending to mail it to you? What is the purpose of the 6-8 week lag time? Is that to ensure the funds were available for the wire in the first place? Does your location play any part in the lag time?

Be mindful of the process but also stand ground that this is your money and you would like to see it within 5-10 business days. That is still a long time, but I believe you're dealing with some foreign issue that may need additional time.


On a side note, I've never noticed the policy from Apple that they do not ship to freight addresses. That is interesting in itself and very good in my opinion. I know it sucks for you, but it's kind of nice to know they're trying to ensure people aren't exporting their products for sale on the gray market.

Good luck to you and be sure to give credence to people when you post in these forums who are stuck on smaller details. It happens and if you're patient with us I am sure we'll demonstrate equal patience.