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New Mac User Question

carfac

carfac

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Feb 18, 2006
1,241
29
Hi:

Old Win user here, decided to give the Macs a try. Got a 17 iMac, which we liked... but was not big enough. So, 4 days later, I exchanged it at the Apple Store for a 20", which better suited our needs.

To do this, though, Apple wanted a restocking fee for the first iMac. OK, I KNOW this is the policy for a return- no arguement there. But I think that possibly this should have been waived for an exchange- and an upgrade at that. (And, really, the policy only addresses returns, not exchanges specifically).

Basically, for a 400 upgrade, Apple is charging me 530.00. This does make it a little hard for me to like Apple, you know?

Anyway, am I off base here being upset about this, or not?

Thanks!

cfac
 
I think you'll find just about everyone here will agree with you. It seems very unfair that they should charge you for spending MORE money. I could completely understand if someone was downgrading. Unfortunately though, Apple is a company concerned with one thing $$$.
 
I know where you are coming from but think about it. Not every customer is one that keeps the packaging all nice. If they get a mac back with messed up packaging or even perfect packaging they still have to inspect it clean it and make it perfect to be able to resell it, and often they would have to sell it as a refurb. Thats why I think they would have to charge a restocking fee. But if it is unopened I think they should take it back for free. This also stops "Future Shop Rentals"
 
OK, I admit I have strong feelings about this... and I will play devils advocate here a bit with you, if that is OK...

>>> If they get a mac back with messed up packaging or even perfect packaging they still have to inspect it clean it and make it perfect to be able to resell it, and often they would have to sell it as a refurb. Thats why I think they would have to charge a restocking fee.

1) Again, for a return, very understandable. But for an upgrade, is this not just a "cost of doing business"- something a company should just suck up to make someone happy? Or, conversely, possibly offer me a 20" refurbished at a discounted price to make up the difference?


>>> But if it is unopened I think they should take it back for free. This also stops "Future Shop Rentals"

Again, a return makes sense- "Future Shop Rentals" do not want to spend 400 dollars more.

cfac
 
Yeah I think they need to do some re-thinking of there strategies. Maybe dropping the re-stocking fee to like $25 if you upgrade. Or maybe no fee at all if you upgrade. But they have to keep that fee if someone just returns it.
 
I agree that, at least, for upgrades which exceed the cost of a restocking fee, it should be eliminated. That would, I think, increase upgrades, which should be a positive thing for Apple, right?
 
I agree with Apple's policy here.

If you exchange a perfectly good computer (for any reason) Apple can no longer sell it as new if it was opened.

They would be loosing money if they didn't charge you a restocking fee.
 
mac_head101 said:
I understand why you're upset. I would be too... really, how much does it cost Apple to restock the darn thing?
Click to expand...

I think that its like 10% of the price.. or am i wrong?
 
yeah, it is 10%. But it's perfectly acceptable. Once it has been opened, it has to be marked as refurb and therefore much less people are going to want to buy it -- and apple has to charge less too. So they make up for it by going with the stocking fee.

Totally acceptable. Annoying, but acceptable.
 
Yeah, I have to agree with Apple on this one. But good luck with your new Mac! The 20 inch upgrade was a very good choice, IMO. Enjoy. :D
 
What a high price to pay to restock, I understand why it's their but still do you think it's worth it. If it was me I would just buy another huge screen from Dell or something and connect to the iMac through dvi. One of the new features that I love about the intel iMacs.
 
mac_head101 said:
I understand why you're upset. I would be too... really, how much does it cost Apple to restock the darn thing?
Click to expand...

The restock fee covers more than you think. These are just some of them.

To cover costs for checking the machine over to make sure everything's okay; to reformat/restore the HDD to factory conditions; to repackage the unit (and any new packaging materials); cover shipping back to Apple to get checked out...etc.

Often times, the unit will get resold on Apples refurb page too at a significant disount. The restock fee covers part of that loss.
 
Thank you for your responses- Guess it looks like you are about split on the issue.

So, here is what I did.

First, I spoke with the manager about this. I pointed out that when I bought the 17", I was told in no uncertain terms it WOULD network with my existing Windows net. It did, but not well- I could not play any music off the network without it skipping every 10 seconds. Obviously, the network was there, just not working well enough to sustain a stream of a WAV file. Not what I would really call a defect, but not what I would consider acceptable, either.

2 calls to Applecare and one visit to a genius did nothing to solve the problem. The upgrade would help mitigate (not SOLVE) the problem- with more storage, I could at least move my music to the iMac. The manager flat out told me no way would she consider crediting the restock fee.

Fine. So, I did NOT upgrade to the 20"- I returned the 17".

I went home, and went up the chain. I spoke with the regional, who told me to again ask the manager to credit the restocking fee to a 20" purchase. Which I did. Again. Absolutely no way- Apple Store would not bend at all.

Fine- their store, they have the right to make that decision. I respect that. But I do not have to like it. I have made them aware of my feelings, and they do not think I am right, either.

So, Apple ends up with an extra 129.90. Besides the cost of checking, repackaging, reimaging the drive and selling as returned, what else has this cost Apple?

1) a 1299-1699 iMac Sale
2) 69.00 .mac package
3) 169.00 AppleCare
4) 129.00 Airport
5) 499.00 Aperture
6) 29.99 Audio toslink cable
7) 399.00 Office

And future purchases of:

1) Photoshop
2) Final Cut

(Both of which I would get when they went Universal).

and an HD card/DVR if Apple ever gets that far. (I should note, WIN machines are already there). Of course, that would have meant another Apple computer purchase for the Media Center....

There would probably be more, too.

But most important, this cost Apple a switcher. Apple is right now appealing very strongly to us Win people- I was definitely drawn in. I was ready- I was there to give it all a chance, and see what it could do. I WANTED it to work! I was willing to make allowances to make it work for me.

But if Apple is going to come off as some monolithic, follow-our-rules-or-go-to-hell corporation, well, we have that now with Bill Gates- so why switch?

I have not drunk the Koolaid. I LIKED the Os X, but it is REALLY not too different that Windows, really. In some ways, it is better, and in some ways, Windows is better (Can you say Finder?) Seems more stable- being based on FreeBSD, I would expect that, but I am used to dealing with the idiosyncrasies of Windows. Bottom line, Apple is not so perfect that I am willing to accept being taken advantage of to get it.

I would say this is a customer care issue, and I would say, in this instance, Apple flunked the test. But Apple does have my 129.90!

So, maybe I over-reacted, maybe I am out of line... but I feel better about things this way.

cfac
 
Wait...

Did you say you bought the original computer from an Apple Retail Store?

I know for a FACT that some Apple Stores have waived restocking fees during an upgrade of this very sort (actually, the NEW computer was discounted, but it's the same dollarwise).

In fact, I have personally done this for customers when I worked there.
 
Yep- I bought it all at an Apple store. Luckily, I did not open some of the software, too...

I would also like to point out that I have always been civil in my interactions. I have never raised my voice or acted out of line. I have just politely- but firmly- stated my position, and what I wanted in this matter. In fairness to all my contacts at the Apple Store, they have responded in kind-polite and firm. They have NEVER treated me with any disrespect, or in any manner that was less than professional.
 
I have an interesting update for this!

I received an e-mail from a dealer at one of the independent Mac retailers- not the Apple Store. This man offered to credit me the 129.90 that Apple took AND knock 150 off the price... and free shipping. Quite a nice offer and quite above what I was asking the Apple Store for.

If Apple had customer service more like this- that is, see an opertunity, and turn it into a win-win for all concerned- I surely would be writing this on a 20" iMac.
 
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