Anyone else appalled over the CC "HOLD" for warranty items sent by AppleCare...

[SFStateStudent]

directly to your residence? It's not like I have a money tree in my backyard, but that's my money being placed on hold and inaccessible until AppleCare receives their manufactured defects. Suppose I didn't have $201 in my bank account, what would they do? They wouldn't let me go to the Apple Store and swap out my battery and MagSafe adapter on my brand new MBP, but they did offer to replace it. Why would I want to replace it if I had already transferred my iPhone data, loaded my software on it, registered it and registered my AppleCare on it?...

 

[notjustjay]

They send you an item and expect you to send back the old item. They place a hold on your credit card for the amount the item is worth, just in case you "forget" to send the old item back. When they get the item back, the hold is removed.

How is that not fair?

 

[ftaok]

directly to your residence? It's not like I have a money tree in my backyard, but that's my money being placed on hold and inaccessible until AppleCare receives their manufactured defects. Suppose I didn't have $201 in my bank account, what would they do? They wouldn't let me go to the Apple Store and swap out my battery and MagSafe adapter on my brand new MBP, but they did offer to replace it. Why would I want to replace it if I had already transferred my iPhone data, loaded my software on it, registered it and registered my AppleCare on it?...

Sure it sucks, but that's how business is done. Anyways, if you use a real credit card, it doesn't matter much anyway because you don't really need to have the money in your account ... only enough credit to cover the charge.

Sounds like you're using a debit card, not a credit card (or even a charge card).

ft

 

[rdowns]

Appalled? Hardly. If they, and other companies, didn't do that, people would not return the defective parts.

 

[Amdahl]

Credit crisis

Now we see why dealer networks and retail presence were important back in 'the old days.' You don't have to be credit worthy in order to make an in-person exchange.

 

[GoCubsGo]

They used to just send out things like Shuffle docks (the old plastic USB shuffles) and earphones without holding anything. Now they hold for earphones. I got hosed that way because I ordered and then went away for a week to Chicago. I came back and between being generally busy and ditzy, I paid for the earphones. It was entirely my fault though.

I am not appalled, I can't see a better way of doing it. I know many people who would get their earphones replaced and then sell the replacements because the old ones didn't actually break.

 

[SFStateStudent]

*presently sucking buttermilk* I see how it's become a standard practice in the business world of electronics, but I've spent $5400+ in the last two weeks on Apple products and at no time did I place a hold on my payment to ensure that I was getting what I paid for; maybe I should start? *sitting next to the front door with bated breath, waiting for Fedex to drive up the driveway*

 

[miles01110]

*presently sucking buttermilk* I see how it's become a standard practice in the business world of electronics, but I've spent $5400+ in the last two weeks on Apple products and at no time did I place a hold on my payment to ensure that I was getting what I paid for; maybe I should start? *sitting next to the front door with bated breath, waiting for Fedex to drive up the driveway*

That's not really how it works. Giving a credit card number as collateral in this sort of situation is standard practice in many industries.

 

[notjustjay]

That's not really how it works. Giving a credit card number as collateral in this sort of situation is standard practice in many industries.

Yep, hotels, car rentals... heck, when you swipe your card to buy gas for your car, they'll usually pre-authorize something like $100. You'll see it on your online statement if the actual cost of the gas hasn't been processed yet.

 

[SFStateStudent]

That's true, I probably just didn't notice it, since I travel (2) months out of the year and spend way too much time in hotels and in rental cars. I usually don't check my business/travel credit card as often, since it gets paid by the company. I just turn in receipts, and don't usually see holds in the monthly bill...

UPDATE:

Received new MBP battery and MagSafe adapter (battery is charging like a champ); boxed both replacements and called FEDEX, so almost resolved.