[ytinu]

Summary, because the post is rather longwinded
Problem: New 15" Powerbook, custom built, bought from the educational store contains 2 dead or stuck pixels

I can:
1. Try to fix them by massaging the back of the LCD or the pixels in the front
2. Get it declared DOA(I can do this because it was an educational purchase) and get a replacement that I would be stuck with, no matter what condition it is in
3. Try to get a refund even though it was custom built
a. Pay a 10% reshelving fee
b. Get a tech support person to list it as a defect and get a full refund(optimal)
3 cont'd. Reorder it or buy an iBook and put savings towards a future computer
4. Stick with it and try to get some money knocked off of the original price
5. Chalk it all up to karma and be happy with an excellent computer, despite two teeny tiny pixels

I recently purchased a 15" Powerbook from the Apple Educational Store. The computer was custom ordered with some extras, although without a Superdrive. Additionally, I made a significant investment in Applecare and some peripherals

The problem with the machine is that it has 2 pixels which are dead or stuck on red. I can probably live with 2 dead pixels, although I am afraid that they might indicate further flaws within the machine that will reveal themselves at a time when it is less convenient for me to return this machine. The Apple Hardware Test revealed that everything else was hunky dory.

I am a student in Scotland who lives in the Bay Area. I purchased this with my Mom's educational discount for being a retired professor because the UK educational store prices can hardly be considered savings.

I spent a lot of money on this computer and I plan on using it for two years of school and two years after that. I had to sell 20 cartons of duty-free cigarettes to other students to save up enough cash to justify this purchase, a pretty serious moral crime which I feel guilty about, and it seems ridiculous that anything could be acceptably wrong with the computer for the price I paid for it.

Apple Educational Tech Support informs me that Apple's policy is that they'll only let me return it for a replacement A. if there are more than x number of dead or stuck pixels, x being a number greater than 2 or B. if I am willing to declare it DOA, which I can do once because it was an educational purchase. They would ship me a replacement which would arrive in 3 to 4 weeks, which is too late as far as bringing it with me to start the academic year is concerned. If anything was wrong with the replacement that is not covered by the warranty or Applecare, I would be stuck with that computer.

Is a refund conceivable? Apparently I would not have to pay the reshelving fee if I can convince someone on the tech support line to list the pixels as a defect, which they are although not serious enough for Apple to help me out with. If so, would it be wise to purchase the same computer again? Or would it be more prudent to purchase something cheaper, like an iBook, and spend the money I would save on another iBook or Powerbook later on?

Does anyone who reads these forums work at Apple or know someone who does and might be willing to sympathize with me and get it listed as a defect so I can get a refund and buy a computer without these dead/stuck pixels? Should I chalk it all up to karma for how the computer has been paid for?

At the Applestore and online, I've read and been told that if you massage the pixels with the side of a stylus or from the back of the LCD, they sometimes come unstuck. I'd feel like a jackass if I damaged the LCD in any way but is this worth trying at all?

I'm sorry for being a little bit on edge about this but it means a great deal to me and I violated certain morals and the law for this computer. Please advise me!

[Londor]

From the terms and conditios of the UK Apple Store.

"7. Your Right to Return the Products




7.1 If you are not satisfied with any Product or the terms of any entitlement to Services you have purchased from us, you may return the Product to us or cancel the entitlement to Services and obtain a refund of the price of the returned Product or Service entitlement if you contact us within 10 Working Days of delivery of the Product or the purchase of Services. However, you may not return a Product and claim a refund if the Product concerned is Software which (i) we supplied to you sealed and unused and you have broken the seal or (ii) which you have successfully downloaded from the AppleStore website. You may not obtain a refund for a Service if you have commenced use of the Service. The transportation charges set out in paragraph 7.2 section D below will apply. (See clause 7.2 below for further details regarding the return).

7.2

A. If a Product was supplied in error, is incomplete or faulty and you believe that you are entitled to a replacement or repair in accordance with Section 10 below, please telephone us on 0800-039-1010 between 09:00 and 18.00 Monday to Friday. In the event that you are entitled to a replacement or repair in accordance with section 10 below, the transportation charges referred to in section 7.2 D below will not be applied.

B. If you have received the ordered Product(s) and have simply changed your mind about purchasing them you may return the Product(s) or entitlement to Service to us for a refund, subject to the payment of the transportation charges set out within paragraph 7.2 D below and provided:

i) You inform us of your decision to cancel the contract within 10 Working Days of delivery of the Product or the date you purchased the Services; and

ii) The Product(s) are returned in their original condition and the security seals on the Product(s) are intact; and

iii) The Product(s) are returned in accordance with paragraph 7.2 C below.

Please note that while the Product(s) remain in your possession you are under a duty to ensure that the Product(s) are kept safe and secure.

C. Please follow the steps below to enable us to process your refund efficiently:

(i) Please telephone us on 0800 0391010 between 09:00 and 18.00 Monday to Friday to make arrangements for return. You will then be provided with an RMA (Return Material Authorisation) number.

(ii) Apple will subsequently arrange for the Product(s) to be collected by Apple´s nominated carrier. You will be contacted up front to arrange for a suitable collection time and collection place. The transportation charges set out in section D below will apply.

(iii) Before returning any Product(s) to Apple please check that you have:




1. Received a RMA number from Apple (issued on request).

2. Enclosed all accessories, in box warranties and other material supplied unless informed otherwise.

3. Used all packaging that was originally supplied.

4. Ensure the following returns address and the RMA number are clearly displayed:

Apple Computer
c/o Flextronics,
Energieweg 6
5804 CE Venray
The Netherlands

RMA number (please insert number provided to you)

5. Sealed the packaging securely.




(iv) Following these steps will help ensure the Product(s) arrive at the correct destination and in good condition within a timely fashion. Please note that your failure to follow this procedure may result in the returned Product(s) being rejected upon receipt.

(v) Please note that we reserve the right to reject any Product(s) that are not returned in accordance with the provisions set out above and particularly within paragraphs B, C and D.

D. The following transportation charges will apply:

i) If the total purchase price of the Product(s) returned is less than £200 including VAT (but exclusive of delivery charges) the charge payable by you for the return is £20.00 (inclusive of VAT).

ii) If the total purchase price of the Product(s) is more than £200 including VAT (but exclusive of delivery charges) the charge payable by you for the return is £40.00 (inclusive of VAT).

iii) The appropriate transportation charge will be deducted from your refund payment once the Product(s) has/have been inspected and deemed complete and in good condition by Apple."



If you are not satisfied with the product pay £40 for the delivery charges, get a full refund and buy another one.

[ytinu]

I bought the computer from the US Education store, not the UK store. The terms might be the same but within the Sales and Refunds document, I found some interesting information...

DEFECTIVE ITEMS
Apple Branded Products
If you discover what you believe is a product defect for any Apple branded product please contact Apple Technical Support at 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273). Such a defect, if any, is covered under the terms of your product's warranty. Please refer to the warranty information and other support documentation that came with your product. (See Product Warranty section below for specific information about Apple's product warranties.)

and later...

RETURN & REFUND POLICY
If you are not satisfied with your Apple purchase of a pre-built product, please call 1-800-667-2775 for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) request within 14 calendar days of the receipt of the product. If the item is returned unopened in the original box, we will exchange it or offer you a refund based on your original method of payment. The product must be returned to the Apple warehouse within14 calendar days of the issuance of the RMA. All products must be packed in the original, unmarked packaging including any accessories, manuals, documentation and registration that shipped with the product. A 10% open box fee will be assessed on any opened hardware or accessory. If you purchased your order using an Apple Business Lease, you may be asked to provide a major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) for Apple to assess the 10% open box restocking fee.

Please note that Apple does not permit the return of or offer refunds for the following products:
Product that is custom configured to your specifications
Personalized iPods
Opened memory
Opened software*
Electronic software downloads
Software Up to Date Program Products (SW upgrades)

and later...

Dead On Arrival (DOA) Product: System Failure Out of the Box
An Apple-branded hardware product is considered DOA if it shows symptoms of a hardware failure preventing basic operability, upon its first use out of the box. If you discover that your product may be DOA please call Apple technical support at 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273) within 30 days of the invoice date. Apple technical support will determine if the product is DOA and offer you the following options:
Replacement: The same product that was ordered will be shipped to you at Apple's expense. Apple Care Technical Support will put you in touch with an Apple Store Sales Support Representative to set up a replacement order and provide the procedure for returning the DOA product.

Service: You may have the product repaired; however, once serviced the product is no longer eligible for replacement. Product must be deemed DOA by Apple technical support within 30 days of the invoice date in order to receive a replacement unit.


DOA Terms and Conditions
This DOA policy only applies to Apple-branded hardware products currently offered on the Apple Education Store. As new products are offered Apple reserves the right to determine whether or not this policy applies.

This DOA policy does not apply to third party products which do not bear the Apple brand name. You may call the manufacturer directly with any third party product issues:

Hewlett Packard can be reached at 208-323-2551.

Epson can be reached at 800-463-7766.


If the product is deemed DOA by Apple technical support 30 days after the invoice date Apple's standard product warranty will apply.

If the product is deemed by Apple technical support NOT to be DOA Apple's standard product warranty will apply.

Apple will arrange for shipping at its expense.

Apple reserves the right to test returned DOA product. If the condition of the product is misrepresented by the customer, Apple may pursue imposing a fee, for wrongful return, of $400 to the customer.

NOTE: If you discover what you believe to be a product defect, outside the above categories, please contact Apple Technical Support at 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273). Such a defect, if any, is covered under the terms of your product warranty. Please refer to the warranty information and other support documentation that came with your product.

Sorry for all of this potentially extraneous information but it all adds up to a basic perspective of how easy this will be to either replace or get a refund for.

1. It is a custom configured product.
2. The Refund/Replacement section basically doesn't apply to a custom configured product. This sucks because I thought I was getting a deal on a larger, less battery draining hard disk, a cheaper price without the superdrive, and more memory covered by Applecare than the 15" 1.33 stock model.
3. The Defect section may apply. The warranty is downstairs and I don't want to wake anyone up so I can't check it but I remember it as being not particularly specific about dead pixels, only defects in general.
4. The DOA section will apply. An Apple tech, whose extension number and name I have, said that because it was an educational purchase I can register it as DOA once. I am a little afraid of the 400 dollar fee that I might incur but I think I can alleviate fears of it happening with a phone call or two.
5. If declared DOA, can I change my order? The Brenthaven bag still hasn't shipped and I would feel much more comfortable with less of an investment in a computer.

Thank you very much for responding so promptly!
CWK

[Londor]

Sorry I thought you had got it in the UK. Here in Europe it does not matter whether the computer is BTO or not, if you are not satisfied with it you can return it within 10 working days of receiving it for a full refund (less shipping costs).