U.S., Canadian & Australian Consumer Protection Law for Macs

[mattie hi]

Hi there

I am currently looking to buy the new M1 MacBook Pro 16" when it is released.

Currently, I am based in New Zealand, where consumer laws are very strong. Laptops, by law have a seven year warranty on them.
However, apple devices are substaintially more expensive in NZ. As such, I am looking at purchasing one from the Canada, Australia or the US store and having it couriered.

What are the current consumer protection laws in your countries? I'm particularly interested in how long the warranty is for a laptop (if any).

Cheers,
Matt

 

[glenthompson]

Warranties for Macs in the USA are one year. That can be extended to 3 years with AppleCare+. The higher cost in NZ may be the added cost of providing the mandatory warranty. “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” - Robert Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

 

[Juicy Box]

I am based in New Zealand, where consumer laws are very strong. Laptops, by law have a seven year warranty on them.

However, apple devices are substaintially more expensive in NZ.

The first quote pretty much explains the reasoning of the second.

As such, I am looking at purchasing one from the Canada, Australia or the US store and having it couriered.

In the US, one year standard or three years with the purchase of Apple Care+.

For Canada, I think it might depend on where in Canada it is purchased.

For Australia, I think it is three years, but depending on the Apple device.


I remember a few years back that shortly after Apple officially changed their warranty policy in Australia to reflect local consumer protection laws, people there were complaining about the price differences between the Apple Store in the US and Australia.

What are the current consumer protection laws in your countries?

Before buying, I would double check to make sure that an Apple device purchased outside of your country will still be covered in your country.

I think I saw somewhere before with people complaining that an Apple product purchased from one country had warranty claims denied in another country. Apple may require you to service a device in the country that the product was purchased.

The higher cost in NZ may be the added cost of providing the mandatory warranty. “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”

Yup, without a doubt in my mine.

I guess that many people do not know that any warranty offered by Apple, regardless if it required by law, will be reflective in the cost of the product/service.

It is how business is commonly done.