[smelias]

Hi All!,

As some of you know, I just received a refurb Dual 2.0 G5's which keeps on freezing. I contacted Apple and they are investigating the issue, however, one look at the Apple message boards for G5's and you can tell that this is a real issue effecting many mac owners. It appears that the procedure is to give the unit back to Apple and have them fix it. However, I keep reading posts that people receive fixed units which still freeze, thus creating this cycle where one needs to keep going back to the Apple store with a 60lb computer to get it fixed.

Anyway, I don't want this to happen to me and am considering just returning it for my money back. I bought it using the Apple credit and expect them to say that there is a 10% restocking fee. I don't plan on paying it, and wonder if anybody had success returning a broken product without having to pay the restocking fee.

Since I just sold my PB 17", I am back on the market for another Mac and wonder if Apple insist on slapping the 10% fine, if they would consider waiving it if I purchase something new.

What are peoples experience with Apple customer service? (I have been a Apple customer since 1981 and have never had any problems with any of my purchases...until now)

Thanks,

Steve

[osxisfun]

be nice. nice people get nice things done to them. if you go into the store(which is what you should do first maybe without the g5) lay on the charm. go in at a slow time. as to talk to the manager. explain your situation. offer to buy a new machine (if thats what you want to do next) and pay the difference. (or downgrade to a dual 1.8 if you can not spend more)

ask them. what would they do in your position.

be nice.

[smelias]

Originally posted by osxisfun:
be nice. nice people get nice things done to them. if you go into the store(which is what you should do first maybe without the g5) lay on the charm. go in at a slow time. as to talk to the manager. explain your situation. offer to buy a new machine (if thats what you want to do next) and pay the difference. (or downgrade to a dual 1.8 if you can not spend more)

ask them. what would they do in your position.

be nice.

I am nice. It's just that this whole thing has become very inconvenient. I have never felt so tied to a purchase as I feel with this G5. Any other vendor would just have it replaced, since most online vendors do not have a restocking fee. Instead, I am asked by Apple to be a techie and assist them in fixing the problem. The only reason they can get away with this is because of this 10% restocking fee. Otherwise I would already have returned the unit over the weeked.

[osxisfun]

I am not saying you are not nice. I'm just saying its your best approach...

good luck.

[bowwowman]

Originally posted by osxisfun:
I am not saying you are not nice. I'm just saying its your best approach...

good luck.

Be nice but FIRM..that's the key Get a supervisor/manager, Explain your situation, the steps you have taken so far, and then politely make your expectations known. Once stated, DO NOT back down or accept silly B.S. excuses !

Also check w/your state consumer affairs dept. Many states have "lemon" laws, whereby if a vendor tries 3 times to fix something and are unsuccessful, they are REQUIRED by law to either give you a new one or a 100% refund, your choice, not theirs, no questions asked......

[Eriamjh]

If they do not fix the problem, request a new or different machine. The 10% restocking fee should only apply if there is nothing wrong with the machine and you choose to return it. However, on a defective machine calmly insist that it be error free and repaired.

Do not give up!

[smelias]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
If they do not fix the problem, request a new or different machine. The 10% restocking fee should only apply if there is nothing wrong with the machine and you choose to return it. However, on a defective machine calmly insist that it be error free and repaired.

Do not give up!

Well, to update you, I have been instructed to bring the unit to the Apple store and have them work on it. It is the belief of an Apple engineer that one of my CPU's is broken, so they need to swap it out. So we'll see what happens.

I agree that if the unit is DOA, they should still give the purchaser the option of simply returning it for a full refund.

[driven]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
If they do not fix the problem, request a new or different machine. The 10% restocking fee should only apply if there is nothing wrong with the machine and you choose to return it. However, on a defective machine calmly insist that it be error free and repaired.

Do not give up!

Not always true. I had this previous experience with Best Buy.

I had an HP laptop that blue screened if the wind blew. I tried to return it and they said that a 10% restock fee applied. (In hindsight I should have paid it and RAN!!!) They said had I purchased the $375 extended warrantee then they would have waved the restock fee !?!?!!?!?

Needless to say I no longer purchase ANY big ticket item from Best Buy. I have however purchased similar items from Circuit City and returned them. (CC does NOT have a restock fee, which in my mind puts them WAY ahead of their competitors.)

[SplijinX]

Generally you should be able to return or exchange a product without any fees if it is defective. Restocking fees are usually applied when you opened up a product and just don't want it anymore even though there are no problems with it.

It gives the retailers an opportunity to perhaps markdown that product and resell it since it has been opened, but from my experience they usually resell it at regular price and make a profit from consumer's lack of foresight.

[driven]

Originally posted by SplijinX:
Generally you should be able to return or exchange a product without any fees if it is defective. Restocking fees are usually applied when you opened up a product and just don't want it anymore even though there are no problems with it.

It gives the retailers an opportunity to perhaps markdown that product and resell it since it has been opened, but from my experience they usually resell it at regular price and make a profit from consumer's lack of foresight.

Generally I would say you are right. (Which is why I have not purchased a high-ticket item from Best Buy in the past 3 years ... they didn't fit into "generally")

[unregistered]

Originally posted by driven:
(CC does NOT have a restock fee, which in my mind puts them WAY ahead of their competitors.)

Interesting, because I haven't bought any big ticket items from Circuit City for a while becuase a few years ago they charged me a restocking fee on a defective monitor (yes, it was defective and yes, I argued with them). The monitor was a little over $1000, so that cost me $150 to return a defective product.

[driven]

Originally posted by unregistered:
Interesting, because I haven't bought any big ticket items from Circuit City for a while becuase a few years ago they charged me a restocking fee on a defective monitor (yes, it was defective and yes, I argued with them). The monitor was a little over $1000, so that cost me $150 to return a defective product.

Maybe they have changed their policy. It's a big advertising thing for them now ... no restock fee.

[SplijinX]

Based on my experience working at CompUSA several years past, these decisions are usually at the manager's discretion. Either find a cool manager that you can talk to and work things out or simply take it to one of their other stores and try.

[Starry Night]

Originally posted by SplijinX:
Based on my experience working at CompUSA several years past, these decisions are usually at the manager's discretion. Either find a cool manager that you can talk to and work things out or simply take it to one of their other stores and try.

Buy from Amazon, they have a very liberal return policy, even for Macs. Last summer I bought a G3 ibook from Amazon, logic board failed w/in a couple of days. They sent a replacement, same thing happened. I asked for a refund and was given 100% back, no hassle at all...... I have an email from one of the reps that states that during the first 30 days you can return a computer (even a Mac) even if you are just unhappy with its performance, for a 100% refund less shipping fees.

Costco has a 6 month return policy on all computers.....

[smelias]

As an update, Apple agreed to a return of the G5 and fully credit my account. Additionally, my local Apple store agreed to ship my refurb model back to Apple for me. That was nice gesture given that they did not have to do it (since I bough an online refurb, I am supposed to return it to where it came from).

Anyway, another tid bit was that Apple has apparently dropped their 10% restocking fee as of this week. At least that's what I was told.

[Eriamjh]

Originally posted by smelias:
As an update, Apple agreed to a return of the G5 and fully credit my account. Additionally, my local Apple store agreed to ship my refurb model back to Apple for me. That was nice gesture given that they did not have to do it (since I bough an online refurb, I am supposed to return it to where it came from).

Anyway, another tid bit was that Apple has apparently dropped their 10% restocking fee as of this week. At least that's what I was told.

Now what are you gonna do?

[smelias]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
Now what are you gonna do?

Don't really know. I want to upgrade to the PM G5 but I am a little confused as to whether I should go for the refurb again or just go for the new ones. Then again, I could just simply keep my PowerBook 17". I don't know.

[Big Mac]

Originally posted by smelias:
Don't really know. I want to upgrade to the PM G5 but I am a little confused as to whether I should go for the refurb again or just go for the new ones. Then again, I could just simply keep my PowerBook 17". I don't know.

Sorry you've had problems with your refurb unit. My (new) DP 2GHz is a tremendous machine.

[driven]

Originally posted by Big Mac:
Sorry you've had problems with your refurb unit. My (new) DP 2GHz is a tremendous machine.

Same here. Mine is tremedous also.

Tremendously fast.
Tremendously cool.
Tremdously large ... <GRIN>