Resellers and Service/Exchange

[jmargolis]

If I buy an iMac from a reseller, and the mac arrives with problems serious enough to require service or exchange, do I have to return it to the reseller or can I go to an apple store instead?

I suppose if I want my money back (which I don't) I'll have to return it to the reseller. And I suppose if the mac has problems while under warranty I can bring it to an apple store. My question is more about if the mac arrives defective in some way and it needs to be exchanged, do I have to deal with the reseller or can I deal with apple store instead?

 

[old-wiz]

depends...some resellers demand you return it to them so they can try to repair it. there are a number of threads on it.

 

[jmargolis]

What's Apple's stance on this usually? Would they exchange (in the apple store) a defective iMac purchased via online reseller? Or would they require me to return it to the reseller?

 

[aristobrat]

What's Apple's stance on this usually? Would they exchange (in the apple store) a defective iMac purchased via online reseller? Or would they require me to return it to the reseller?

If you buy your Mac from a reseller and it arrives DOA (or with a defect), if you take it to an Apple Store, they will attempt to repair it. If it's not reparable, or if they fix it and it ends up breaking several times after that, then they can exchange it for you.

 

[Mal]

Typically neither the reseller nor an Apple Store will just exchange a machine immediately, though I have heard of it happening. It's only going to happen if you take it back to where you bought it though. If you bought it from a reseller, the Apple Store will fix it but will not replace it unless it's unrepairable.

jW