Think twice when not buying directly from Apple

[netnothing]

So I thought I'd share my recent experience with a new 23" ACD.

I purchased this display at my local Best Buy earlier this month. The reason, because I had Best Buy gift cards...free money!

Best Buy has a great return policy for monitors....14 days, no questions asked. Trust me, I've tested it with about 4 monitors (non apple) all returned before settling on the ACD.

So of course, on day 15, I start to notice really bad Image Persistence on my nice new ACD. Knowing that I'm beyond my 14 day return policy at Best Buy, I call Applecare and take the display to my local Apple Store.

They see the same problem and after keeping it a few days, they tell me they need to ship it out for repair. I politely said to them, I don't want to get it repaired, because it's brand new. I certainly won't be getting a brand new display back. I asked them to swap it for a new one.

Well, they basically told me that they can't do this because I didn't buy it at the Apple Store.

Personally, with something like displays, I'm not sure I agree with Apple's policy. I can understand sending it out for repair if it's over a certain days old, but this display was only 15 days old.

Thankfully, Best Buy has ordered me another display, and I'm going to swap it out.

I think Apple needs to stand behind their products, even when they are bought at "Authorized Retailers". Afterall, whether I buy it at Apple, or Best Buy....it's still an Apple product.

Moral of the story is, be careful when purchasing Apple products outside of Apple. By aware of the local store's return policies, and know that if you have to deal directly with Apple, you're probably looking at a repair.

-Kevin

 

[robPOD]

does the united states have a law that protects consumers against fualty goods in new zealand we do (good must work for a reasonable amount of time, if they do not they must be replaced or repaired as the consumers discretion) surely there must be something like this that applys?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Apple's DOA policy (Defective on arrival) is 30 days for products purchased from the Apple Store. But Apple determines whether or not it is defective, not the customer.

Apple's return policy is 14 days, but there is a 10% penalty for returning an opened box item. Apple will not take a return for refund on goods sold by an authorized reseller.

Basically the position is this: When you buy from a third party seller, you get Apple's warranty, but the seller's return policies.

 

[SMM]

Apple does stand by their products. I know it is difficult, but put yourself in their position for a minute, or any similar manufacturer for that matter.

Best Buy is a reseller of god knows how many different manufacturers products. It is not the same as being an Apple franchise retailer. They have no way of knowing whether this monitor has been a display model, been quietly used in an executive's home, been previously mistreated, etc. The fact is, they lost visibility of this item when it was shipped to Best Buy.

I learned this lesson in ~1994 when I lost a Seagate SCSI drive in my Sun 690MP. The Sun VAR sent me to Sun, who sent me to Seagate. They refused to honor their 5-year warrantee because it was an OEM product. Of course, I welled-up in righteous indignation. It had a 5-year warrantee, the manufacturing date was on it, 'who cares what chain of events led it to me', etc.

The Seagate rep went on to explain the reality of this process. He told me that there are dishonest people at every step in the computer hardware food chain. Seagate found that the number of warrantee claims for OEM drives were many times greater than direct sales. A large, focused investigation revealed an incredible amount of fraud at all levels. He was sympathetic, and although I was not mollified, my sense told me he was being upfront and honest.

I truly hope all works out well for you.

 

[netnothing]

Apple does stand by their products. I know it is difficult, but put yourself in their position for a minute, or any similar manufacturer for that matter.

Best Buy is a reseller of god knows how many different manufacturers products. It is not the same as being an Apple franchise retailer. They have no way of knowing whether this monitor has been a display model, been quietly used in an executive's home, been previously mistreated, etc. The fact is, they lost visibility of this item when it was shipped to Best Buy.

I truly hope all works out well for you.

Well I guess the "Apple Authorized Retailer" really means nothing other than, yes, we allow you to sell our products. I realize Apple has no way of knowing what Best Buy did to this product. However, in the long run, not one person at Apple took the time to realize the fact that...in the end...Apple will be getting back this display, whether directly by me, or through Best Buy.

At this point I'm letting the 800-lb gorilla (that is Best Buy), deal with returning the display to Apple.

I just wanted to let people know my story, so they can think twice about buying outside of the Apple store, if, they should have problems.

Thanks for the good wishes.

-Kevin

 

[CanadaRAM]

Well I guess the "Apple Authorized Retailer" really means nothing other than, yes, we allow you to sell our products.

Exactly

this display was only 15 days old.

Aaannd... therefore eligible for repair under warranty, as the return period had expired.

I don't get charged any less for a parking ticket if I was only 5 minutes after the meter expired vs. 50 minutes after it expired.

Glad your reseller is taking care of it.