Warning: no more eBay gray market goods, Apple won’t repair them

[ubercool]

Heads up: I had a kind Genius send my 2017 MBP in for repair to deal with the repeating key problem that Apple already fixed once. Then I got this email:

Your repair is on hold. We need to remove your firmware password to complete repairs.

To continue, you'll need to reply to this email with your product's proof of purchase (POP) from an Apple Authorized Reseller and give us permission to remove your firmware password. Or we can return the unit to you unrepaired. Please let me know how you want to proceed.

The POP must include this information:

- Date of purchase
- Serial number/Product information
- Price

Clearly, Apple has decided that gray-market goods no longer qualify for repairs, free or not, so be forewarned, do not buy anything from eBay! My GF purchased my MBP from an eBay vendor as a gift and, of course, no serial number on the receipt.

The policy must be new because, in January 2019, Apple repaired the keyboard without requiring removal of a “firmware password.”

This will definitely kill off all eBay sales. 🙄

 

[fenderbass146]

Sounds like the issue was due to a firmware password not where you bought it…

 

[Okta]

Sounds like the issue was due to a firmware password not where you bought it…

Yup, that sounds like the case

 

[pmiles]

Agreed. This just means someone set a firmware password on the device. As such, if you don't know it, they can only assume it's not your computer.

 

[javanate]

eBay is a scam anyway for buyers and sellers. I got lucky a few times with normal people, but it only takes one to screw you. I had a guy openly admit he return scammed me in his message, on eBay's message system, and they wouldn't do anything about it even though my posting said no returns. Sorry about your luck 🙁

 

[Okta]

eBay is a scam anyway for buyers and sellers. I got lucky a few times with normal people, but it only takes one to screw you. I had a guy openly admit he return scammed me in his message, on eBay's message system, and they wouldn't do anything about it even though my posting said no returns. Sorry about your luck 🙁

eBay has very strong buyer protection, as does PayPal. You have quite a bit of time to make a case and get your money back

 

[javanate]

eBay has very strong buyer protection, as does PayPal. You have quite a bit of time to make a case and get your money back

My hours and hours on the phone begging them to just look at the message he sent me admitting he ripped me off and didn't care begs to differ. They couldn't care less.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Heads up: I had a kind Genius send my 2017 MBP in for repair to deal with the repeating key problem that Apple already fixed once. Then I got this email:



Clearly, Apple has decided that gray-market goods no longer qualify for repairs, free or not, so be forewarned, do not buy anything from eBay! My GF purchased my MBP from an eBay vendor as a gift and, of course, no serial number on the receipt.

The policy must be new because, in January 2019, Apple repaired the keyboard without requiring removal of a “firmware password.”

This will definitely kill off all eBay sales. 🙄

Your contention should be with the seller you bought the Mac from, not Apple.

 

[MBAir2010]

Ebay Rules!
Where else can you get a $149 bid on $19.90 asking price on a 1270 MacBook Air trackpad
just by responding to a simple PM!

 

[Okta]

My hours and hours on the phone begging them to just look at the message he sent me admitting he ripped me off and didn't care begs to differ. They couldn't care less.

Did you open a case?

Also try opening a case on PayPal or failing that call your credit card company

 

[Fishrrman]

This has nothing to do with "grey market".

It has MUCH to do with "firmware password".

Apple WILL NOT remove a firmware password unless "the owner" produces PROOF of ownership, usually in the form of the original sales receipt. Since the original sales receipt is issued to the original OWNER, a second owner probably won't be in possession of it. And even then, "the names" wouldn't be a match...

 

[javanate]

Can you report your laptop stolen to Apple and they will return it if it shows up in a store? How does that work?

 

[baypharm]

eBay has very strong buyer protection, as does PayPal. You have quite a bit of time to make a case and get your money back

more like strong buyer fraud….buyers can claim anything from Covid infected computers to item materially not like in the description to scam sellers. Fleabay was once a decent place….in 1997.

 

[macdisciple]

eBay is a scam anyway for buyers and sellers. I got lucky a few times with normal people, but it only takes one to screw you. I had a guy openly admit he return scammed me in his message, on eBay's message system, and they wouldn't do anything about it even though my posting said no returns. Sorry about your luck 🙁

Well... I have sold and purchased computer equipment on eBay since 1999 with excellent results except one time -- probably the biggest computer scam ever on eBay. I was one of the few who actually received money back from the seller.

Woman faces charges of online auction fraud

Massachusetts' attorney general has brought charges against a woman who allegedly sold $750,000 worth of computers on online auction sites that were never delivered.

www.computerworld.com

 

[nylon]

eBay is a scam anyway for buyers and sellers. I got lucky a few times with normal people, but it only takes one to screw you. I had a guy openly admit he return scammed me in his message, on eBay's message system, and they wouldn't do anything about it even though my posting said no returns. Sorry about your luck 🙁

I've been an eBay user for 20 years mostly to sell older used electronics. I've had one issue with a buyer in that time. I don't buy a lot from eBay but when I do it pays to do your due diligence. Additionally, as someone else mentioned eBay has very strong protections for buyers almost to the point of detriment to sellers.

 

[Macdctr]

As long as I can remember Apple has had issues repairing grey market computers due to lack of documentation that the computer is purchased from a legitimate source.

Purchases from Craigslist and eBay allow the user to acquire Apple branded computers at a significant discount but usually don't come with the proper documentation (Apple certified reseller) so this allows Apple to reject any support for that computer.

As for repairs, you can easily source replacement parts from eBay or from stores like iFixit and PowerBook Medic if you know what you're looking for and repair your computer yourself and save some money in the process.

 

[Fishrrman]

The problem folks in this thread seem to be missing is that the laptop in question has a firmware password, and "the owner" doesn't know the password.

That makes it VERY difficult to "repair" because the firmware password must be cleared before the computer will be "fully accessible".

Apple can do it, but they will do it ONLY if "the original owner" produces PROOF of ownership (i.e., sales receipt).

The OP is not the original owner. Thus, Apple isn't going to clear the password for him.
There are some "other ways", but they can't be discussed here.

(I have this feelin' that we're not going to be hearing from the OP again...)

 

[JPack]

Some people don't know what grey market is.

Grey market is not secondary market.

In most cases, Apple will happily repair and warranty grey market devices. You can buy an iPhone in Hong Kong and have it repaired under warranty in Canada.

This is different buying from secondary market without acceptable proof.

 

[4sallypat]

I have bought and sold tons of Apple computers on eBay and if there is a firmware password or iCloud lock, I would remove it.

Never had an issue reselling them...