[kbacon]

Am I the only one to find out after I purchased my PowerBook G4 and sent in all your promotional information for my free CD-RW drive that the online reseller I purchased from is not "authorized".

I purchased mine from Infinity-Micro in California and no where on there site or during the purchase process was I informed that they were not an "Authorized Apple Reseller". How are we as consumers supposed to know who is authorized and who is not? After the fact Customer relations pointed me to a web site which lists authorized online and catalog resellers but this is not referenced anywhere on the Rebate/Offer form!

Only in one place in the fine print at the bottom of the form does it say "must be purchased from a participating authorized reseller in the fifty united states". I naively assumed that Infinity-Micro was an authorized reseller because there was no notification to the contrary.

I think Apple is deceptive by burying this provision in the fine print and never defining for the customer what qualifies a reseller as "Authorized".

Step 1 on the rebate form should say "Purchase your PowerBook G4 from an authorized reseller (a list of these resellers is located at www.apple.com/authorized resellers) PowerBooks purchased at any other reseller than those listed will disallow this offer. "

As it is, they lured me into buying now to take advantage of these offers without giving me enough information to make an informed purchase ( I would have bought from MacZone or another "Authorized" reseller had I known who they were). Now they disallow my free CD-RW drive and other offers on a technicality and tell me I should have known what their internal definition of an "Authorized Apple Reseller" was.

Nice going Apple!

Look, Apple has its rules; you can choose to call them "technicalities" if you like, but they were clearly spelled out in advance. I recently bought 3 iMacs for my daughter's school and thought I was buying a model that was eligible for the free mp3 player. The iMacs were even advertised as eligible for the rebate. But Apple disallowed the rebate. Apparently the reseller had the wrong model listed. Big deal. I learned to live without the 3 free mp3 players. i could have moaned to J&R (the seller), but it wasn't worth it.

If the place you bought the computer advertised the cd/rw offer, then you should take the issue up with them. If they didn't advertise the offer, then you have no one to blame but yourself. It's a bummer, no doubt, but I'm sure you'll get over it. Bottom line: Apple didn't jerk you around.

[Valentine]

I totally agree with kbacon that Apple should provide the opportunity to a potential buyer to learn who their authorized dealers are. Who are you going to ask, the reseller? Of course we know what the answer will be!

[Cowdog]

Dude I feel your pain, I bought a BWG3 a couple years ago from the Apple Store and missed a zip drive promo by like 1 day, but your post just bugs me, so pardon me while I punch some holes in it.

Originally posted by kbacon:
<STRONG>I purchased mine from Infinity-Micro in California and no where on there site or during the purchase process was I informed that they were not an "Authorized Apple Reseller"</STRONG>

Is this the site you're talking about? Because I see it printed on the bottom of every page after the copyright.. "Infinity Micro Computers is not an Apple authorized reseller" or has that been added since you ordered?

Originally posted by kbacon:
<STRONG>How are we as consumers supposed to know who is authorized and who is not?</STRONG>

Catalogs like Mac Zone, Warehouse, Etc, clearly state they are, Infinity Micro clearly states they are not

Originally posted by kbacon:
<STRONG>Only in one place in the fine print at the bottom of the form does it say "must be purchased from a participating authorized reseller in the fifty united states"</STRONG>

Not true, I just loaded said promo page and after the buy and receive line there is an asterisk and then after the pretty picture of the drive there are the clearly stated terms and conditions (you did read them, right?) and it says blah blah, Apple Store, blah blah, edu, blah Canada, blah "participating authorized Apple reseller"

Looks like they just don't have to be an authorized seller but also have to be participating too.

and finally but from someone else

Originally posted by Valentine:
<STRONG>Who are you going to ask, the reseller? Of course we know what the answer will be!</STRONG>

I don't follow you here... wtf not? What will the answer be? ummm, in this case "no"

All I can say is kbacon you should have been more careful if you wanted that drive. Of course Apple is only going to honor the promotion through authorized resellers or else what you buy a powerbook at a garage sale and expect to mail in for your free cdrw?

Bummer dude, though take it up with the Infinity if they they did offer you the promo, seems they're the ones that screwed you or else it seems you screwed yourself. And if it bugs you that much return to Micro and buy another from the Apple Store.. (hey with price cuts coming you might be doing yourself a favor)

[ 08-23-2001: Message edited by: Cowdog ]

[kbacon]

Unfortunately, I went directly through a price comparison engine (I think at ZDNet.com) to what Infinity-Micro is calling their "new" web site at: http://www.apollo-commerce1.com/cgi-...t_no=M7710LL/A

From this web site I went directly through the order process. Nowhere on this web site did I see any notification that they were not an Apple Authorized Reseller (AAR). After the purchase I found the www.infinity-micro.com website which did not list the same products as the other site. It does say at the very bottom of that web page after the copyright info in small type that they are not a an AAR. But honestly, even if I had ordered from this site instead of the other, who reads the copyright info at the bottom of a web page!

I realize that I am not going to get any satisfaction and I can live with that. I just think the requirements could have been laid out a little more clearly by Apple for those of us who do not know what they define as an AAR.

. . . and no, I don't expect to buy a PowerBook at a garage sale and have this deal offered. I do expect it to be honored if I purchased a brand new, in the box unit from a legitimate online supplier. Even if they don't have some magical "Authorization" seal from Apple. After all what are they losing if I purchase from Infinity-Micro vs. MacZone? Are they getting "kick-backs" from their Authorized Resellers?

[Cowdog]

Looks like you'd have a better chance pleading your case to Infinity because they certainly should have told you that they aren't authorized to sell Apple products but do anyway.

I would like to see the page outlining them, but I'm sure there are certain requirements, qualifications, price points and licenses that the reseller must agree to in able to be named an AAR.

ie from Small Dog's FAQ:

"Are you an Authorized Apple Dealer?
Yes, Small Dog Electronics is proud to be an authorized Apple Authorized Reseller and authorized Apple Service Provider. Small Dog Electronics also has earned the distinction of being named by Apple Computer as an Apple Specialist due to our committment to the Macintosh platform, expertise and training."

I bet there are benefits from buying from one as well, like I don't know if you will be able to claim warranty on your 'book among other things (such as qualifying for promotions) because you bought from IM.

It really sucks, but I don't think Apple is at fault here, if anything it is IM for not mentioning it on their "new" website or email correspondences/whatever.. call them up and if I were you I'd really think about sending it back to them if you're still dis- satistified..

I hate it when things don't work out quite right when you're trying save to a buck

[ 08-23-2001: Message edited by: Cowdog ]