How to lose a customer
by Sapphire (March 24, 2006)
I’m a huge Mac fan. Not a proseletyzer who seeks to convert errant Windows users - they just work like my brain works, and I like them. But I’m very pissed at Apple right now.
I own an iBook. I bought an extended warranty for it. Waste of money, as are almost all extended warranties. But these guys screwed up so fantastically, they’ve lost a ten year patron over a $10 part.
I have a $10 part that needs replaced - the prongs in the power cord, that go into the outlet. On my PowerBook from years ago, those prongs lock securely into position and the thing works. On these newer iBooks, however, it doesn’t really lock, and after a short while, the thing wears out.
I called them, and they said the part wasn’t covered. I talked to the poor lady who answered for 10 minutes, then demanded to speak to someone higher up. She gave me a specialist. After a few minutes arguing with him, I asked the specialist where in my paperwork it says “The prongy thing is not covered because it sucks donkey balls, and if we cover it, Steve Jobs will have to give up his private jet.” He said it wasn’t that the part wasn’t covered, per se; it’s just that they don’t cover in cases where you’ve damaged it beyond normal wear and tear, and it is physically impossible for this piece of shit to be damaged other than by malicious or negligent customer abuse.
Now, they haven’t looked at it. They just magically know I broke it. Or, you know, conveniently assume.
Why didn’t I listen to the independent Mac dealer I bought the warranty from? He warned me that they always try to claim any part in need of replacement is somehow the customer’s fault, rather than just replace it. I’ll have to tell him about this, so he can add it to his arsenal of truths to share. I bought the warranty because screen repairs are $1000, even if it’s just the freaking hinges that break from wearing out (a known problem on PowerBooks a few years back, which I’ve heard Apple refused to cover, too). What’s the point of spending $200-300 on a worthless warranty? Should just be saving that money toward any repairs that need to be made. Or toward a new Mac.
I cannibalized the functional prongy thing off my old PowerBook, so I’m fine now. They offered to sell me a prongy thing for $10. But if I bought that, I would have to stuff the old one up this guy’s ass as a matter of principle, and that means a drive to Cupertino, and I’m busy. I’m going to see if I can’t get money back on my obviously useless warranty. He knew exactly how to instruct me to get that done, so they must get the question a lot.
Lawyers, this sounds like a nice class action suit to me, if anyone’s interested. If they have a part they routinely don’t cover, shouldn’t they spell that out in the warranty exclusions rather than claim after the fact, “Our crystal ball tells us YOU did it!”
Am I going to quit buying Macs? No, I like them, and the other companies are all just as bad on warranties. I’m just going to quit buying Macs new. From now on, I’ll buy only used or refurbished ones. That way Apple won’t make another dime off me - after ten years of my loyal patronization.
Posted in The BS Files
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