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Nice Gesture by the local Apple store

G

gnortenjones

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 16, 2008
122
2
Last week I drove to the local Apple store (30 miles one way in Victor NY), to buy an Apple TV. I discovered when I got home that the HDMI cable wasn't included, a fact the employee who checked me out failed to mention, so I had to make a trip to the local Best Buy to get one.

Needless to say, I was peeved, and decided to fill out one of the customer satisfaction surveys giving low marks more for not telling me the cables weren't included than not including them at all.

Last night I got a call from the manager at the Apple store apologizing for my inconvenience, and offered to reimburse me 25% of the cables value.

I doubt I'll make the trip out to the Apple store to collect since it's only about $15, plus I threw away my receipt, but I thought it was a nice gesture anyhow. I think this is the first time a retail store actually followed up with me regarding a negative customer satisfaction survey.
 
I'm glad that you were satisfied by Apple going out of their way to make you happy. They're known for doing that.

But reading the box or the page online would have shown you that there was no cable. You need to research products before you buy them.
 
Tallest Skil said:
...

But reading the box or the page online would have shown you that there was no cable. You need to research products before you buy them.
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying, but the blame cannot be pushed on the customer for not researching the product before he bought it.

If that was the case, Apple stores would just be one big check-out counter with only cashiers and no products on display, just one giant line-up of people already knowing what they wanted.

Every store I go to usually busts my chops about cables, Futureshop is probably the worst for it, but they do get paid on commission, so can we really blame them?

Either way, nice to see Apple was nice about it.

One time I bought a MacBook, and a week later, they did the back to school promo (get a new iPod with the purchase of a new Mac), went back to the store, manager had no problem giving me the promo for the MacBook I bought the week earlier.
 
one time, I bought a computer (actually a few times) and they didn't tell me it didn't come with a wireless router, printer, iPhone, desk, power strip, or DVD player. :mad:

Lucky for me the local Apple store is only 15 minutes away. I called them up and they said that if I want, I can go into any store I choose and purchase the missing items for 100% of the selling price! The choice was all mine. Good thing for GREAT customer service!
 
aprofetto said:
the blame cannot be pushed on the customer for not researching the product before he bought it.
Click to expand...

If only Apple provided some packaging for the product that listed what was in the box or if only the customer could use some interconnected network of computers to research his purchase.
 
gnortenjones said:
Needless to say, I was peeved, and decided to fill out one of the customer satisfaction surveys giving low marks more for not telling me the cables weren't included than not including them at all.

Last night I got a call from the manager at the Apple store apologizing for my inconvenience, and offered to reimburse me 25% of the cables value.
Click to expand...

I think this was the method somebody said to get the store to listen to you with your problem.

Go in buy some cheap crap, crater them on the survey, when they call -- explain the problem, or go in and talk to them when you get the refund for the cable you bought.
 
Reasonable

I think the OP's complaint is valid

It's more a problem with the HDMI cables which cost pennies to make but they have licensing cost. And the scam the big box stores do to convince people to spend $80 on a 6 foot HDMI cable because it is new technology.

Let's see here, when was the last time anyone here bought a DVD player or other media device which didn't come with ANY cables to connect to a TV.

The only one I can think of is an AppleTV.

Even a $29 DVD player comes with composite cables. The last 3 DVD players I bought (and others I setup for parents and technophobe friends) came with composite cables. Some even came with S-Video cables.

My Western Digital TV came with composite cables.

Even the cable company gives me free coaxial, composite, and component cables.

Does a PS3, Xbox360, Popcorn Hour, or other media devices come without a single video connection cable?

I have no idea but now I am curious if Apple is the only one doing this, if so the OP has a very valid complaint.

Post if you know please
 
When I bought my iMac at Meadowhall last year, the total was £20 more than the items online. I get the HE discount and the staff couldn't work out where the £20 difference was coming from unless the HE discount was slightly better online. I genuinely didn't mind because it's often the case that online offers are better and I wanted the iMac that day, so didn't mind paying a little more (after all, with the amount it cost, £20 was worth it to take it home that day).

A week later I received an Apple Gift Card with a credit for £20 and a note from the manager saying "Enjoy your iMac". the card actually came to the Uni where I work and I can only imagine they got the address when they scanned the barcode on my staffcard for the HE discount.

Either way, what a fantastic store!
 
A friend of mine bought a Cinema Display, when she got home no power cable+adapter was included. That was certainly not the fault of the customer. We had to go back to the store next day to pick it up.
 
HerbyGunther said:
A friend of mine bought a Cinema Display, when she got home no power cable+adapter was included. That was certainly not the fault of the customer. We had to go back to the store next day to pick it up.
Click to expand...

Exactly. There is supposed to be a special cable for the Cinema Display in the box. You did not receive one, thus you were very much entitled to go get one.


There is not supposed to be an HDMI cable in the box for the Apple TV. He did not receive one, thus he was not entitled to get one from Apple. He did, anyway. Good for him.

Huh, that's interesting that there wasn't one...
 
spacepower7 said:
Does a PS3, Xbox360, Popcorn Hour, or other media devices come without a single video connection cable?
Click to expand...

The Wii only comes with a composite cable, not even components. Most everyone with an newer TV has to buy a component cable for the Wii. But when the demand for your product is as great as you see with the Wii, you can get away with that kind of stuff...
 
Wow. The snarkiness of this thread is unbelievable. Guys, I didn't insult your grandmother. Calm down.

First off, I did research the Apple TV, though obviously dropped the ball in checking whether it came with all the necessary cables. It just never occured to me that it wouldn't come with everything necessary for BASIC functionality. The whole purpose of an ATV is to connect it to a TV, it's in the NAME for crying out loud. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the necessary cables to perform it's stated task to be included.

It's like buying a car only to find out the keys aren't included.

And the point of my post wasn't complaining about the lack of cables, but to point out a nice experience with the Apple Store.
 
gnortenjones said:
Wow. The snarkiness of this thread is unbelievable. Guys, I didn't insult your grandmother. Calm down.

First off, I did research the Apple TV, though obviously dropped the ball in checking whether it came with all the necessary cables. It just never occured to me that it wouldn't come with everything necessary for BASIC functionality. The whole purpose of an ATV is to connect it to a TV, it's in the NAME for crying out loud. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the necessary cables to perform it's stated task to be included.

It's like buying a car only to find out the keys aren't included.

And the point of my post wasn't complaining about the lack of cables, but to point out a nice experience with the Apple Store.
Click to expand...

More like finding a hire car doesn't have a full tank of gas. No, wait....

It's not unreasonable to expect the necessary cables. Neither is it unreasonable to expect to check the contents list to see what you're getting...
 
gnortenjones said:
Wow. The snarkiness of this thread is unbelievable. Guys, I didn't insult your grandmother. Calm down.

First off, I did research the Apple TV, though obviously dropped the ball in checking whether it came with all the necessary cables. It just never occured to me that it wouldn't come with everything necessary for BASIC functionality. The whole purpose of an ATV is to connect it to a TV, it's in the NAME for crying out loud. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the necessary cables to perform it's stated task to be included.

It's like buying a car only to find out the keys aren't included.

And the point of my post wasn't complaining about the lack of cables, but to point out a nice experience with the Apple Store.
Click to expand...

By this logic you should blame the people you brought your TV from too. Didn't it come with everything necessary for BASIC functionality?

Some see no need to pay $100 for a cable, some think you're a fool if you don't. It could be said that letting the consumer decide is a good thing. However, Apple is against letting the consumer decide 90% of the time so I'm thinking maybe that's not their rational.

t0mat0 said:
It's not unreasonable to expect the necessary cables. Neither is it unreasonable to expect to check the contents list to see what you're getting...
Click to expand...
True that.
 
Capt Crunch said:
The OP spent $60 on an HDMI cable. :(

monoprice.com <-
Click to expand...

I've decided to block the $60 out of my memory. Normally I would have purchased it online, but when you have a new toy sitting in front of you, and the only thing missing can be resolved with a 25 minute trip to Best Buy...

I'm racking most of that $60 up as an "impatience tax."
 
The ATV is like any other device when a common cable is needed, it is generally not included. Like a printer or a scanner, you don't get the USB cable, why would you get the HDMI cable?
 
saltyzoo said:
By this logic you should blame the people you brought your TV from too. Didn't it come with everything necessary for BASIC functionality?
Click to expand...

Actually, the TV I just bought was the first I've ever bought that DIDN'T come with various cables. Of course, the last tv I bought was 10 years ago.

My DVD player also came with component cables. My DVR came with coax. My iphone came with a charging cable. My external hard drives came with USB and Firewire cables. My router came with ethernet cable. My Apple TV came with... oh, wait.

One last thing, yes, I should have read the box/website closer to know it didn't come with the cables. So, everyone, please stop beating that horse. It's quite dead.
 
jessica. said:
The ATV is like any other device when a common cable is needed, it is generally not included. Like a printer or a scanner, you don't get the USB cable, why would you get the HDMI cable?
Click to expand...

Yeah, but that's the thing, when I bought my printer, it did come with a USB cable. This "lets not include the cables" seems like a relatively new thing to me. Maybe I'm experiencing culture shock. :confused:

I understand gaming consoles do this also, though I haven't owned a gaming console since my Atari 2600 in the 80's, so I am admittedly a little behind the times on this.
 
My DVD player also came with component cables. My DVR came with coax. My iphone came with a charging cable. My external hard drives came with USB and Firewire cables. My router came with ethernet cable. My Apple TV came with... oh, wait.
Click to expand...

I think it should come with the cables as well... But if Apple did include them I bet they would be about an inch long so your better off getting them on your own:cool:
 
It is this sort of imbecile Comments that drive me away from these forums. The OP was just bringing to light the generosity of the store not picking a fight. The moron who started the argument (hint: not the OP) should be cautioned for not promoting encouraging discussion about a valid topic.
 
GSMiller said:
No HDMI capable device I have ever purchase included a HDMI cable. While absurd, it is the norm.
Click to expand...

I'd disagree. When a cable hits $20 minimum price it starts making sense to let people buy the length / quality they want.

It's no different than saying that your $4000 flat screen should include a DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD cable box. Without those it's useless right?
 
charlesbronsen said:
I think it should come with the cables as well...
Click to expand...

From an environmental perspective, I think I prefer that devices with multiple connection options don't come with all possible cables. It might not matter much with the Apple TV given it's limited exposure, but I think it is generally a good idea to not include them all.

A.
(who has 10,000 crappy stereo, composite, USB, and Firewire cables in a box somewhere)
 
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