What's in the papers of a new iMac?

[Eugen Mezei]

Hello!

As I never bought an Apple product new, I've never seen the bill you get.

Does the bill state what years model iMac you've bought?

I bought an iMac described as "iMac 27" 2017". Second hand. Delivered was the late 2015 model.
When asked the seller, he replied that he bought the iMac in 2017, that is what he referred to and that I got what was described.
Thinking it is a honest mistake, I explained him the differences and how Apple names models in his different series of products.
He still states his description was accurate, decisive being when he bought it.
Now he tells me (and PP) that he can show the bill when he bought the computer.

As he only threatens with that (but not present the evidence), I am curious, does the bill not mention the model with the year it first appeared?
Also are the bills standardised for every country where Apple makes sales? Originally this was a German purchase.

 

[Nermal]

My invoice just says "IMAC 27"/CTO". However, they can apparently vary from country to country.

 

[MajorFubar]

Definitely case of caveat emptor because both you and the seller are correct from your own different perspectives.

 

[Juicy Box]

I don't think it specifies the year of the model in the receipt.

That said, in my experience PP tends to favor the buyer.

I would explain to PP that the year of purchase is not how models are identified, and describing the model as a 2017 iMac is misleading. I see local sellers do stuff like this, not sure if they are dishonest or just do not know better.

In the future, it is a good idea to get clarification on what model is being sold. It is good to ask for a screenshot of the "About this Mac" window.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

It should show the model number. At least, all my Apple orders do.

I guess it comes down to wether the seller wrote a "2017 model" or "bought 2017". If it is the latter, it seems to be your mistake.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

The seller cheated you.
Plain and simple.
Can you get your money back?

 

[DeltaMac]

hmm...
The 2015 iMac 27-inch was sold as new until the 2017 model was introduced, and both have the same model number.
Screen shot of the About This Mac would have helped the OP, but it was also understandable that if the seller bought the iMac new in 2017, the seller could make the leap that it was, in fact, a 2017 model - that's when it was purchased, new.

Same could happen with a Mid 2012, 13-inch MBpro. That model was sold as new by Apple for more than 4 years until discontinued in late 2016. I bought a used one last year, seller had original invoice from Apple from December 2015. The serial number shows that it was manufactured in June 2015. Still a 2012 model - but the case could be made for calling it a 2015 model, as that was the year when it was both built and sold.

bottom line - the OP did not get what was expected, but not necessarily intentional by the seller. Could be just a lack of knowledge, and a leap to an assumption "I bought it new in 2017, so it must be a 2017 model", when, in fact, it WAS sold by Apple as new in 2017. Knowing that, I think it would be hard to prove intent by the seller.

 

[curnalpanic]

he bought the iMac in 2017, that is what he referred to

Maybe you can sell your 2022 iMac back to him then.

 

[wilberforce]

btw, the 2015 models have issues that the 2017 ones do not have. Like pink edges developing on the screen.

 

[orionquest]

You've been ripped off. Plain and simple.
If you can get your money back I would do it and move on. If not suck it up and take it as a learning experience.

 

[Arctic Moose]

Neither of my invoices (2015 and 2017) state the model year of the iMac 5K. In fact, I cannot tell them apart without looking at the tech specs or the date on the invoice.

Regrettably the seller has a point, even if I think it is ridiculous. (Apple should really put the "About This Mac" identifier on the invoice.)

 

[Eso]

Here's Apple's support page that indicates all the iMac models, which are clearly identified by a model-year:

Identify your iMac model - Apple Support

Use this information to find out which iMac you have, and where it fits in the history of iMac.

support.apple.com

You can compare part numbers and use your serial number to identify the model. It's not a 2017 model, it's a 2015 model, end of story. Just file a dispute and let the seller try to pull the "well that's when I bought it" line on PayPal. No use dealing with a seller like that any longer.

 

[maternidad]

You've been ripped off. Plain and simple.
If you can get your money back I would do it and move on. If not suck it up and take it as a learning experience.

This is so unfair to the OP! Direct your rudeness to the seller, who deceived them.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

You've been ripped off. Plain and simple.
If you can get your money back I would do it and move on. If not suck it up and take it as a learning experience.

You can't be very sure about "being ripped off".
OP didn't state how much he had paid for the 2nd iMac.

 

[Eugen Mezei]

You can't be very sure about "being ripped off".
OP didn't state how much he had paid for the 2nd iMac.

Being an auction, I paid too much. Stating it is 2017 did climb the price, more than a 2015 would.

What would you compare to? Price is every time what seller and buyer agree upon, right? And if this agreement is based on false information, than it is a ripoff, no matter if I got it under what is usual. (Which I didnt, maybe somewhat under what a 2017 would usually go.)

 

[Eugen Mezei]

It should show the model number. At least, all my Apple orders do.

I guess it comes down to wether the seller wrote a "2017 model" or "bought 2017". If it is the latter, it seems to be your mistake.

Here is the auction:

Defekter iMac 27“ 2017 QC i7 1TB Flash 16GB zum Ausschlachten | eBay

Entdecken Sie Defekter iMac 27“ 2017 QC i7 1TB Flash 16GB zum Ausschlachten in der großen Auswahl bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!

www.ebay.de

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Here is the auction:

Defekter iMac 27“ 2017 QC i7 1TB Flash 16GB zum Ausschlachten | eBay

Entdecken Sie Defekter iMac 27“ 2017 QC i7 1TB Flash 16GB zum Ausschlachten in der großen Auswahl bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!

www.ebay.de

You bought an item described as "defected", "logicboard not working" for only 101EUR (nearly the price of the 1TB SSD in it).
What difference does it make from iMac 2015 to iMac 2017?
If I lived near you, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase it back from you for double the price you paid, and still be happy with it.
Stop complaining about the seller not describing his item correctly.

 

[theluggage]

I bought an iMac described as "iMac 27" 2017". Second hand. Delivered was the late 2015 model.
When asked the seller, he replied that he bought the iMac in 2017, that is what he referred to and that I got what was described.

I've got an invoice for a 2017 iMac, and it doesn't mention "2017".

However, the AppleCare "Proof of Coverage" documentation describes it as "IMAC (RETINA 5K, 27-INCH, 2017)" and the About This Mac box in MacOS describes it the same way, so the meaning of "iMac 2017" is officially used by Apple and is pretty well established.

The question seems to invite a car analogy - I think most reasonable people would take "2020 Ford Focus" to mean the 2020 model, not any old Ford Focus bought in the year 2020.

So I'd say the listing was definitely - intentionally or not - mis-described. However, IANAL and since this was a second-hand sale, whether or not you have a claim probably depends on the T&Cs of the site you bought it from, though.

 

[orionquest]

This is so unfair to the OP! Direct your rudeness to the seller, who deceived them.

Speaking the truth is neither rude or unfair, it's the truth and being honest. Your senstivity does nothing for the conversation please move it along elsewhere.

 

[MajorFubar]

Err guys the OP paid just €101 for a 2015 iMac (bought by the seller in 2017) that was sold for spares or repair on account of it being defective...suddenly that adds a completely different context and now there's basically nothing to see here...

 

[Eugen Mezei]

Seems some of you dont get it why somebody buys a defective item.
It is either for:
- repairing it
- using the parts
- selling the parts.
Repairing a 2015 is the same effort, but the result is another. I bid accordingly to my willingness to get a 2017 iMac repaired, that does not mean I am willing to waste my time and money for a 2015 model. It also means you can decide differently, on your own money.
Using the parts also helps me nothing, as nothing of it could upgrade my other machines.
As about reselling the parts it is obvious that ones for a newer computer will bring more profit.
Also it is not the same to pay +30% shipping cost for a 2015 or 2017.

 

[MajorFubar]

I don't know how much €101 means to you personally but I'd just chalk it up to experience and sell it whole for parts, just like your seller did. You'll get most if not all of your money back. Maybe more. Depends on the throw of a dice, with eBay.

Or if you want to break it yourself, there are people who would give you 100 just for the 1TB SSD, geez...

 

[Eugen Mezei]

Even that is not possible. I bought the Mac from across the continet for the reason that almost nobody uses Macs or iMacs here in my region. I paid the shipping costs, that would be ok for getting what was sold.
This means 1. I have to geht out the shipping cost too. (So it is not 101 but 130€.). 2. I can resell again only to the same market, meaning shipping costs for every part across the continent.
Hardly I will make a profit. Considering the invested time, for sure not.

All this was known to me when I bid.
My risk calculation was: Worst case I use the DDR4 RAM in my iMac 2020.

 

[MajorFubar]

I'm sorry but to use what is probably a UK-only idiom you're making a mountain out of a molehill.

Having metaphorically mopped your wounds you just need to be a bit more positive.
I can see straight away some easy opportunities to get probably all your money back and more besides:

1 - RAM
2 - SSD
3 - Motherboard
4 - Various ancillary boards (Wifi? Bluetooth? Not sure if these are both on separate boards on 2015 models).

All these are easy to remove and together will get you all your money back if you offer international shipping to broaden your market.

Screen and case, not so much because they're heavy, and I do understand when you say there is probably no local market to make those worthwhile because there really isn't here in the UK either. Myself and my two sons are literally the only Mac users I know. Windows is 99%+ of all computer use in the UK from my experience.

 

[ucfgrad93]

In the future, it is a good idea to get clarification on what model is being sold. It is good to ask for a screenshot of the "About this Mac" window.

This is an excellent suggestion.