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Apple Buying Out iMac Customers

I

IndustrialSpace

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 31, 2009
696
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somewhere
http://gizmodo.com/5463415/the-faulty-imac-saga-chapter-4-apple-buying-out-customers

Return your faulty iMac and get $300

In this week's iMac update, we talk to an Apple Authorized Service Provider/Reseller from the UK. And what does he tell us? Apple is so short on 27-inch displays that they're paying customers 15% to simply return faulty iMacs.

Can You Safely Buy a New iMac Yet?
Nope.

Why?
The yellow screens have yet to be fixed. The flickering screens have just been addressed with a second firmware update, but we can't tell whether or not this update fixed the problem. (Write submissions@gizmodo.com to let us know your experience).

What's Being Done?
27-inch iMacs are still being delayed in what is allegedly a complete halting of their assembly line, though Apple has denied it. The three-week delay of last week has been shifted to a two-week delay (but such is to be expected, as we're a week later in whatever fix Apple appears to be working on). Of course, if Apple's screen issues are in any way related to believed supplier LG's production methods, these delays might not help. LG-sourced Dell displays are having color issues, too.
What's With the Apple Payouts??
A UK-based Apple Authorized Service Provider/Reseller shared some interesting information with me. First, the UK appears to be totally out of 27-inch panels to repair iMacs (which makes sense if Apple's assembly lines are halted). Here's what he said, after sharing inventory lists with me:
(click for pop-out)

The short of it is that apple doesn't have any 27" LCDs in Europe and there is a backlog of 230 machines that are waiting on this part, with no eta on shipping. So to keep customers happy(ish) they're paying them. That's right apple is now (quietly) offering people a full refund and 15% of the price extra, and they are arranging a free pick up of your machine. I'm not 100% if this is the case in the US, but it's happening over here in the UK.

As far as i know it's both Apple stores and 3rd party retailers, but the refund itself comes from Apple not the 3rd party retailer. We've had two customer that have both gotten there machines' refunded plus the 15%.

In real numbers, that's an apology of $300 or more on Apple's part.

Quote of the Week
"The 27-inch iMac has been a huge hit with customers and we are working to increase supply to meet up with strong demand."
- Apple spokesperson

How Can you Test Your Machine?
A flickering screen will be immediately obvious. As for issues where the bottom half of the screen looks a bit yellow, you can confirm those suspicions here.



Send an email to Mark Wilson, the author of this post, at mark@gizmodo.com.
Click to expand...
 
I can vouch for this. I'm on my 4th replacement and Apple gave me an offer - wait a month to get yet another, or take the retail value + 15%. I'm taking the money, and will order one once this gets under control. I'm in the US btw.
 
msw123307 said:
I can vouch for this. I'm on my 4th replacement and Apple gave me an offer - wait a month to get yet another, or take the retail value + 15%. I'm taking the money, and will order one once this gets under control. I'm in the US btw.
Click to expand...

How did you get it , just call them ?
 
tigereat said:
How did you get it , just call them ?
Click to expand...

I didn't have to negotiate - they just offered it to me. They said they were offering it to customers because the wait times to get another machine had been extended. I got offered this last Tuesday, took a few days to think about it, and decided I'd rather take the money.
 
I just called them and they didn't offer me this but asked me to wait til Apple provides the solid fix, which is replacing its panel, in few weeks.

What should I do?
 
Take the money lo0ol.

I will try this tonight, I will also call Apple Relation and try to negociate because I bought from a third party store.

I would love 300$ for my troubles, I am know on my 5th Imac in about 2 weeks time.

To wait till they fix everything would be a wise choice, then buy one!

That's what I am hopping for anyways.
 
I knew i should have just bought one from the get go!! id be all over this deal... buy a broken imac... return it several times since they cant fix it, then finally take their offer for you to return it... then wait till the fixed imacs come out and BAM you just saved 300 on a brand new imac!
 
I'm confused....

Apple have no panels..

they pay people the extra 15% to return their faulty macs so they can repair other macs awaiting repair..

but...

if the panel on the returned mac is yellow (likely, why else would it be returned) then they take a faulty yellow panel from one machine and put it in another...

????

someone explain this for me please...
 
archipellago said:
I'm confused....

Apple have no panels..

they pay people the extra 15% to return their faulty macs so they can repair other macs awaiting repair..

but...

if the panel on the returned mac is yellow (likely, why else would it be returned) then they take a faulty yellow panel from one machine and put it in another...

????

someone explain this for me please...
Click to expand...

Do the math. They're not fixing it. They're just selling it again.
 
knewsom said:
Do the math. They're not fixing it. They're just selling it again.
Click to expand...

so to qualify for the refund + 15% your machine needs to be defect free?

sorry I'm still confused, I don't see where this makes sense.

edit.

ahh...I think I get it. To avoid adding to the backlog of machines awaiting repair, Apple are offering the extra 15%..?

strange how anyone in the UK (with our laws) would accept a repair on a machine <6mths old anyway.

Replace or refund please...
 
One thing I just found out from the Apple rep. The 15% is apparently for - "tax and shipping." Obviously there was no shipping when I bought it, and return shipping is prepaid via Fedex. So it's still a "good" deal, especially when compared to getting another one of these machines. But for those with 10-11% sales tax, it's not as much of a bonus.

So don't take the retail price + tax + 15%. It's just retail + 15%.
 
unamused said:
I knew i should have just bought one from the get go!! id be all over this deal... buy a broken imac... return it several times since they cant fix it, then finally take their offer for you to return it... then wait till the fixed imacs come out and BAM you just saved 300 on a brand new imac!
Click to expand...

Isn't your time worth anything? I mean I get what everyone is going through and this is an okay fix on Apple part but I cannot get over the frustration most have gone through on multiple occasions for a couple of bucks.
 
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