A bad Apple experience?
I really like Macs. I love my iPod, and the iTunes store is my place to buy music. So, you can imagine that this blog post is a little shocking.
I am pretty upset with Apple right now. I got a really terrible deal when I took my MacBook in for repair at the Apple store, and I'm at a loss now for what to do.
Seriously, Apple. I love your technology. I love your product. But seriously the treatment I got this week over my laptop repair was unacceptable, and it leaves me baffled because I'm used to getting a great experience. This is a little bit of a shock.
A week ago, I had an accident where some Diet Coke was spilled on my MacBook and it caused some of the keyboard keys to stick and the kicker was that my power adapter stopped charging my computer. Obviously, without being able to juice the machine, this was a showstopper.
So, I go to the Apple Store and talk to a Genius at Perimeter Mall about my issue. The person that I talked to told me that the keyboard would need to be repaired (about $125) and perhaps if liquid got inside the casing that it would add $400 to the repair cost. That was a little bit of a sticker shock, but they thought that it may just be external things so I authorized the $125 repair and told them to call me if it required more because in that case I would likely opt to replace the laptop. They agreed to that, and I left my MacBook at the Apple Store.
So - they made the repair we agreed to work and they did not call to say that there was any internal damage. I picked up my MacBook this evening after work, took it home and plugged it in to see if it would charge (it was sitting at 11% battery at the time). It did not. The core issue... the one that I took the laptop in to repair... was not corrected.
Of course, like anyone that just dropped $125 to repair a problem and it failed, I went right back to Perimeter Mall to ask them "what happened?"
Fast forward to my return trip to the Apple Store... oh yeah, the internal casing and that $400 repair job, it was needed. Did I get a call from them before the other repair? No. Why? Because I wouldn't have authorized the repair had this additional work need to be done. It would be better for me to just replace the laptop.
So, of course I told them that I didn't ask them to replace the keyboard; I asked them to fix the laptop and get it back to working condition. They did not (and preemptively performed the repair even though they should have known that the power cord issue was the big issue). Doesn't matter - to get that I'd be out an extra $400 now, and I'm already out $125. With a 3 1/2 year old laptop needing a $400 repair, it's better to go ahead and get something new (or at least new to me).
So the Genius (like a good salesperson) tried to upsell me on a MacBook Pro. Great pitch. Wrong timing. Poor ethics on the bait & switch, dude (and you're a nice guy, and I'm sure you were doing what you were instructed, but I'm not happy). They didn't fix my laptop and I've spent good money to do it.. now they want another thousand? I'm not feeling it.
So I can get a refund on this non-repair? Out of the question.
Instead, I have a $125 credit to spend at the Apple Store toward a NEW Mac.
Upsell? Bait and Switch? I love you Apple but this isn't what I came in expecting.
But now I have a $125 credit toward an expensive notebook and damaged trust.
So - I figure I'll ask you what you think I should do. After all, I really do like the product....
Should I?
I am pretty upset with Apple right now. I got a really terrible deal when I took my MacBook in for repair at the Apple store, and I'm at a loss now for what to do.
Seriously, Apple. I love your technology. I love your product. But seriously the treatment I got this week over my laptop repair was unacceptable, and it leaves me baffled because I'm used to getting a great experience. This is a little bit of a shock.
A week ago, I had an accident where some Diet Coke was spilled on my MacBook and it caused some of the keyboard keys to stick and the kicker was that my power adapter stopped charging my computer. Obviously, without being able to juice the machine, this was a showstopper.
So, I go to the Apple Store and talk to a Genius at Perimeter Mall about my issue. The person that I talked to told me that the keyboard would need to be repaired (about $125) and perhaps if liquid got inside the casing that it would add $400 to the repair cost. That was a little bit of a sticker shock, but they thought that it may just be external things so I authorized the $125 repair and told them to call me if it required more because in that case I would likely opt to replace the laptop. They agreed to that, and I left my MacBook at the Apple Store.
So - they made the repair we agreed to work and they did not call to say that there was any internal damage. I picked up my MacBook this evening after work, took it home and plugged it in to see if it would charge (it was sitting at 11% battery at the time). It did not. The core issue... the one that I took the laptop in to repair... was not corrected.
Of course, like anyone that just dropped $125 to repair a problem and it failed, I went right back to Perimeter Mall to ask them "what happened?"
Fast forward to my return trip to the Apple Store... oh yeah, the internal casing and that $400 repair job, it was needed. Did I get a call from them before the other repair? No. Why? Because I wouldn't have authorized the repair had this additional work need to be done. It would be better for me to just replace the laptop.
So, of course I told them that I didn't ask them to replace the keyboard; I asked them to fix the laptop and get it back to working condition. They did not (and preemptively performed the repair even though they should have known that the power cord issue was the big issue). Doesn't matter - to get that I'd be out an extra $400 now, and I'm already out $125. With a 3 1/2 year old laptop needing a $400 repair, it's better to go ahead and get something new (or at least new to me).
So the Genius (like a good salesperson) tried to upsell me on a MacBook Pro. Great pitch. Wrong timing. Poor ethics on the bait & switch, dude (and you're a nice guy, and I'm sure you were doing what you were instructed, but I'm not happy). They didn't fix my laptop and I've spent good money to do it.. now they want another thousand? I'm not feeling it.
So I can get a refund on this non-repair? Out of the question.
Instead, I have a $125 credit to spend at the Apple Store toward a NEW Mac.
Upsell? Bait and Switch? I love you Apple but this isn't what I came in expecting.
But now I have a $125 credit toward an expensive notebook and damaged trust.
So - I figure I'll ask you what you think I should do. After all, I really do like the product....
Should I?
- Go ahead and shell out the cash on a new MacBook... it'll last for at least 3 years and a new one will be under warranty.
- Buy a Windows 7 PC laptop... even with my voucher I can get more processing power for less money than with a new Mac. I hear that Windows 7 is significantly better than the stuff Microsoft has come up with as of late. Of course, if I go this route I have to replace my purchased iTunes library which isn't going to be fun.
- Find a used MacBook. This may be a good option if I can find one cheap. Or cheaper than new minus $125.
- Drop notebooks altogether and buy a tablet, which I can buy for less than $500. I've thought about just going tablet with my next purchase, but can I do my Word/Excel stuff with an iPad as I could with a notebook?
Or should Apple get over their refund policy and just do what it takes to true me up without making me spend any more cash. After all, when they returned my notebook to me it was under the auspice that it would be working and functional.
And that, they did not do.
Please weigh in :-)
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