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macsurferx · Mar 20, 2003, 05:32 PM

THAT'S IT!!! I'm sick and tired of waiting for this laptop since January. I could have really used (and still need) a laptop to type lecture notes and I was a fool for waiting this long. My campus is running a great deal on the 15" Titanium books, and I cannot justify to myself paying almost a thousand dollars more just for a bigger screen (because the backlit keyboard, firewire 800, and Airport extreme aren't useful for my purposes). I'm buying a 15" right now and as soon as my 17" arrives, I'm going to leave it packaged and sell it.

I am a hardcore and loyal Apple fan and have been using them since my very first IIsi many years ago. I can't help but me saddened at what horrific business practices Apple has and how it treats its customers. Here's the list so far:

1) The "late February" comment was a lie
2) Customers were not informed throughout the whole wait
3) They're now shipping randomly and not sticking to the preorder list
4) People who have called Apple in the last WEEK have walked into retail stores and picking them up while I have patiently been waiting.

Apple has continued to piss me and everyone else off, despite their great software. For every great customer treatment, they also manage to piss off another one. I think if anyone ever re-made Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," the lyrics should be changed to "Where have you gone, Apple Computer? A loyal fan base has been screwed by you..."

I will remain a mac user, but Apple has really dropped the ball on this one in several ways, and this has been the last straw for me. I've realized that the Al book is a gorgeous and phenomenal machine, but I just dont *need* the "top-of-the-line" as a student and that I simply cannot wait any longer. So this decision has also been a personal one as well, and not just because of Apple's pathetic service.

If you want to buy this off me, e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll ship it out to you as soon as it arrives. At least you won't have to wait for months like I did. ~ sigh ~

Over Achiever · Mar 20, 2003, 05:35 PM

Wait...I thought an Apple store in or near Cambridge had some for sale.

morlium · Mar 20, 2003, 05:38 PM

yeah ... that'll learn 'em. just buy a slightly-less expensive product from the same company.

cgmpowers · Mar 20, 2003, 05:38 PM

Where should I begin?

If you haven't received it yet, then call and cancel your order.

If it has shipped, then refuse to accept it when delivered and you do NOT pay shipping back to where you purchased it--and then get a refund on your credit card... It may take about a week but you'll have your money back!!

It really sounds like you're a bit too impatient. I'm too upset that it was delayed longer than stated on the onset. I am also a bit peaved that Apple Store 800 number people claim it wasn't ever expected in Feb...

However, that's life. If you're this impatient or needed it sooner, then either find somewhere you can RENT a powerbook (my city has three local locations that do that...and I think at least two companies do it over the Internet)..

Christopher

p.s. Cancel your order or not...either way, you're bit^&ing is a bit over the top..

morlium · Mar 20, 2003, 05:39 PM

And another thing ... I'm so sick of these "I've been an Apple user for twenty years and don't deserve this kind of treatment" posts.

macsurferx · Mar 20, 2003, 05:43 PM

I don't think it's over the top at all. It's called freedom of speech. It's my right to say it and your right not to read it. It's also hypocritical to complain yourself about other people's complaints.

If customers are willing to pay this much money, honesty and decent service are expected. I'm not canceling my order on principle. If I've waited for this line, some other loyal mac user should benefit from it. I think its ironic that the mac community is so supportive of each other when the company itself hasn't been.

IngridCold · Mar 20, 2003, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by morlium:
And another thing ... I'm so sick of these "I've been an Apple user for twenty years and don't deserve this kind of treatment" posts.

Couldn't agree more. Get yourselfs together people! If you're so unhappy with Apple go get yourselfs a nice cheap plastic pc laptop. With that kind of mindset, I'd say you would make a lovely couple...

iC

macsurferx · Mar 20, 2003, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by IngridCold:
Couldn't agree more. Get yourselfs together people! If you're so unhappy with Apple go get yourselfs a nice cheap plastic pc laptop. With that kind of mindset, I'd say you would make a lovely couple...

iC

That's the worst kind of arguement ever. That's just like the people who say "If you're not happy with this policy, move somewhere else." Just because you're unhappy about ONE ASPECT of a company (or nation), does not mean that you're not loyal and supportive of it. If anything, you should try to bring change instead of abandoning it. Switching over to the dark side doesn't solve anything. Making the issue known to the mac community and to Apple itself is the most supportive thing one can do.

Daniel Bayer · Mar 20, 2003, 05:50 PM

I could not disagree more. The folks who put forth the money and ordered months ago deserve to be taken care of first.

That just plain poor customer relations folks........duhh!

GeekyJeff · Mar 20, 2003, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by Daniel Bayer:
I could not disagree more. The folks who put forth the money and ordered months ago deserve to be taken care of first.

That just plain poor customer relations folks........duhh!

I agree

RooneyX · Mar 20, 2003, 05:57 PM

It is poor service. It is not the usual practise of the computer industry to announce a product and then leave resellers and customers hanging for months with a product that has specs and a resale price that will have far less value very soon. Decent business practice would have had them build enough systems to ship quickly after announcement.

Still, its a bit late for people to complain when they are shipping now. And you should cancel your order before you get it if you are not happy with the price and service you got.

Buzzfish · Mar 20, 2003, 06:09 PM

Did they make it by their promised ship date?

I've been frustrated about waiting too, but, in the end, they got it shipped out by march 21st, exactly when they said they would since i bought it. I think alot of us just assumed that these dates were just a worst-case scenario for them and that we would see them earlier, only to realize that they were serious the whole time and they came exactly when they said they would.

My point is: They held up their end of the deal, when they said march 21st (for me anyway) in January, we were the ones that decided they were going to come earlier and got our hopes up.

I know its frustrating, but fromt he outside looking in, we are the ones that have been irrational.

Just my 2 cents.

urrl5201 · Mar 20, 2003, 06:44 PM

Some of us knew it would happen to begin with. Apple has to show off its goods and seed the shelves of it's stores to make more money. That's why i didn't even bother to mail order one. I am told next week I will have mine from the Apple store where I live. I just don't see the big deal, really. To throw up your hands now is a sign perhaps that for one reason or another, you have found the 17" not your cup of tea for the money, and I find no fault with that. But to buy a 15" just to make a point that Apple delivered your 17" a few days or a week late from the deadline seems illogical.
I really think you should sit down, take some sort of stress pill and think things over. Ask yourself if you will really be happy with a Ti as some undoubtedly are, or will there eventually be some latent regret as reports keep flooding in about how cool, quiet and powerful the 17" is. It's up to you. But if you are serious about selling it when it comes, as long as the seal is not broken, and I have not received mine, I might take it off your hands if the price is right.

Wet Jimmy · Mar 20, 2003, 06:45 PM

I definitely side with those who pre-ordered. To see Joe Schmuck walking in off the street to pick up the item you've pre-ordered weeks and weeks ago, is just wrong.

Apple NEEDS a loyal fanbase, I mean their marketshare is pretty laughable, so they can't afford to alienate their hardcore fans. It's just unfortunate that the hardcore fans who pre-order don't have enough of a voice to actually make Apple change their shipping policies - they know that if you cancel your pre-order it's probably because you've already bought one off the shelf.

I'm kind of used to second hand treatment though - I live in Australia, which, despite the miracle that is the airplane, still seems to be so far out of the way. This means that even though I pre-ordered my 17" in early Feb, I get to sit hear and read posts about you guys enjoying your Powerbooks while I wait until mid April for mine. But if I see one in the stores before I receive my pre-order, I'm going to go ballistic...

claughery · Mar 20, 2003, 07:26 PM

I will buy your 17 in a dime! my email is [email protected] When are you expecting it? I will pay you full! Hope this can work!

claughery · Mar 20, 2003, 07:34 PM

One more thing... I will pay you an extra 50-100 for it... I could give you the money via paypal today! :-)

BigDaddy · Mar 20, 2003, 07:37 PM

claughery · Mar 20, 2003, 07:40 PM

Hope you are not making fun of how anxious I am...

tommy · 09:27 PM

A week ago you tried to sell a 15" PB you received as a gift:

Here

Now you want to sell a 17" PB to buy a 15" PB? Help me understand your reasoning.

chrisutley · Mar 20, 2003, 08:26 PM

So guess what, if you want to play the "walk in and buy one" game, get off your ass and get your name on the wait lists at all the Apple Stores within driving distance. Maybe you can go and grab one and cancel your order.

Originally posted by macsurferx:
THAT'S IT!!! I'm sick and tired of waiting for this laptop since January. I could have really used (and still need) a laptop to type lecture notes and I was a fool for waiting this long. My campus is running a great deal on the 15" Titanium books, and I cannot justify to myself paying almost a thousand dollars more just for a bigger screen (because the backlit keyboard, firewire 800, and Airport extreme aren't useful for my purposes). I'm buying a 15" right now and as soon as my 17" arrives, I'm going to leave it packaged and sell it.

I am a hardcore and loyal Apple fan and have been using them since my very first IIsi many years ago. I can't help but me saddened at what horrific business practices Apple has and how it treats its customers. Here's the list so far:

1) The "late February" comment was a lie
2) Customers were not informed throughout the whole wait
3) They're now shipping randomly and not sticking to the preorder list
4) People who have called Apple in the last WEEK have walked into retail stores and picking them up while I have patiently been waiting.

Apple has continued to piss me and everyone else off, despite their great software. For every great customer treatment, they also manage to piss off another one. I think if anyone ever re-made Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson," the lyrics should be changed to "Where have you gone, Apple Computer? A loyal fan base has been screwed by you..."

I will remain a mac user, but Apple has really dropped the ball on this one in several ways, and this has been the last straw for me. I've realized that the Al book is a gorgeous and phenomenal machine, but I just dont *need* the "top-of-the-line" as a student and that I simply cannot wait any longer. So this decision has also been a personal one as well, and not just because of Apple's pathetic service.

If you want to buy this off me, e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll ship it out to you as soon as it arrives. At least you won't have to wait for months like I did. ~ sigh ~

claughery · Mar 20, 2003, 08:41 PM

like I said before, I will give you an extra 100 bucks for you not to cancel your order... I promise! Please don't cancel it! I would really love to get it!

andybrawer · Mar 20, 2003, 08:58 PM

Originally posted by tommy:
A week ago you tried to see a 15" PB you received as a gift:

Here

Now you want to sell a 17" PB to buy a 15" PB? Help me understand your reasoning.

Thanks Tommy - you exposed this fraud for what he is

SwarmyCurve · Mar 20, 2003, 09:51 PM

The one thing I dislike about the emergence of the Apple stores is how they now take such precedence over users online orders. I remember this pattern very well this past November with the 1ghz superdrive powerbooks. Since I would have had to wait many extra weeks I canceled the online order and just went to the Apple retail store.

I think apple needs a more structured system of releasing big ticket products - Like 1/3 of stock goes directly to web orders, 1/3 to retail, and 1/3 to 3rd party vendors.