Apple features 'communication to protect consumers' in Italy after court ruling
Apple has complied with a court order in Italy and begun informing customers at its online store about a legally mandated two-year warranty.
Now featured at the top of the main page of Apple's online store is a "communication to protect consumers" that links to a PDF explaining the court's ruling. The change to Apple's online store in Italy was first noted by setteBIT and detailed by The Register.
Apple posted the notice in compliance with a court ruling from late December, after an Italian court fined Apple Sales International, Apple Italia Srl and Apple Retail Italia 900,000 euros, or $1.2 million U.S., for "not providing clear information to customers on product assistance." THe Italian Antitrust Authority undertook the investigation after it received complaints of "unfair commercial practices" related to warranties.
Apple posted the notice in its online store to inform customers that local laws require companies to protect buyers with a free two-year warranty. Despite this, the court found that Apple continued to push its own paid two-year AppleCare warranty to consumers.
While Apple has begun to inform customers of the ruling, there's no indication that the company has agreed to pay the fines levied by the Italian Antitrust Authority. Apple had previously appealed the court's decision.
Apple was fined 400,000 euros for not providing adequate information to customers about the length of product guarantees, and another 500,000 euros because the company did not give customers enough information about its AppleCare extended warranty.
The iPhone maker's retail operations expanded into Italy in late 2006 with a store in Ponte di Nona's RomaEst shopping plaza, located in a rural area about 15 kilometers from Roma. Apple now has a total of 9 retail stores in Italy, with the remaining eight stores located in Bergamo, Oriocenter; Bologna, via Rizzoli; Caserta, Campina; Catania, Centro Sicilia; Firenze, I Gigli; Milano, Carosello; Milano, Fiordaliso; and Torino, Ge Gru.
Comments
This law is about 10 years old and still Apple doesn't comply to it.
It is also almost certain that Apple has to pay the fines in Italy.
J.
European law requires a two year warranty, so it's required in all European countries.
This law is about 10 years old and still Apple doesn't comply to it.
Who says that Apple doesn't comply. No one claimed that they brought in a 12-24 month product without Apple Care and Apple refused to service it.
The claim was that Apple didn't bother to point out that the warranty is two years when they were pitching Apple Care, thus says the claim, people were buying a service they didn't need. Disregarding that Apple Care could be providing things like phone support that aren't legally required, or even just that 3rd year of coverage on computers. That there was more to Apple Care than just the parts and labor could be why the fine was rather scant (only like $5 Million which Apple makes just by opening their doors on any given day)
Who says that Apple doesn't comply. No one claimed that they brought in a 12-24 month product without Apple Care and Apple refused to service it.
The claim was that Apple didn't bother to point out that the warranty is two years when they were pitching Apple Care, thus says the claim, people were buying a service they didn't need. Disregarding that Apple Care could be providing things like phone support that aren't legally required, or even just that 3rd year of coverage on computers. That there was more to Apple Care than just the parts and labor could be why the fine was rather scant (only like $5 Million which Apple makes just by opening their doors on any given day)
I can read as well as you do.
Apple doesn't comply in that they state clearly that all products have a one year warranty.
You will see it if you go the (Dutch) Apple store (*).
I never said anything about Apples service, so don't put words in my mouth.
J.
(*)MacBook Air wordt geleverd met 90 dagen gratis telefonische ondersteuning en een jaar beperkte garantie. Wanneer je het AppleCare Protection Plan koopt, worden de service en ondersteuning uitgebreid tot drie jaar vanaf de datum waarop je de computer hebt gekocht. Alleen met het AppleCare Protection Plan kun je gebruik maken van telefonische ondersteuning door technische experts van Apple en ben je ervan verzekerd dat reparaties worden uitgevoerd door gediplomeerde Apple technici, die alleen originele Apple onderdelen gebruiken."
There have been complaints previously of the products costing more in Europe and this could be why.
This would be one reason that Apple products would cost more in Europe. From a business perspective, I would think that the additional costs for failures between the normal 1 year warranty and this 2 year European warranty would need to be factored in for European sales.
There have been complaints previously of the products costing more in Europe and this could be why.
The difference in price has to do with taxes. In the Netherlands for example btw is 19%, so all products are 19% as expensive. If you look at the products in the Apple store you will see that some poducts cost even less than the U.S counterparts.
J.
The difference in price has to do with taxes. In the Netherlands for example btw is 19%, so all products are 19% as expensive. If you look at the products in the Apple store you will see that some poducts cost even less than the U.S counterparts.
J.
So in fact, as you say, with the extra year of warranty factored in, Apple stuff is much cheaper in Europe than here (the tax aside). Must remember that next time all the moaning starts from over there about this subject
Who says that Apple doesn't comply. No one claimed that they brought in a 12-24 month product without Apple Care and Apple refused to service it.
It's in the italian document! it state clearly that apple refused servicing product in their second year of mandated warranty?
i) [omissis] prefessionisti, sia al momento dell' acquisto? ?produttore, di un anno per Apple
Now i'd like to see a nice writing stating it on the apple store Italia product description, just there, where it now reads 1 ANNO (1Year)
[follows extract from Termini e condizioni di vendita, http://store.apple.com/it/open/salespolicies]
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10. Garanzia Convenzionale Limitata di un (1) anno e Diritti Aggiuntivi per i Consumatori
10.1 Per tutti i Prodotti Hardware Nuovi di Apple, noi forniamo una garanzia convenzionale da difetti relativi ai materiali impiegati ed alla costruzione per il periodo di un anno dalla data di acquisto. I termini e le condizioni di garanzia, i quali devono intendersi richiamati come parte integrante di questo Contratto, sono disponibili per la Vostra consultazione facendo clic sull’apposito link ipertestuale di seguito indicato. Tali termini e condizioni di garanzia sono anche contenuti nella confezione dell'Hardware Apple acquistato. E’ possibile prendere visione della garanzia convenzionale limitata dei prodotti Hardware Apple, comprese eventuali limitazioni ed esclusioni, prima di procedere all’acquisto, facendo clic sull’apposito collegamento di seguito indicato. Tale garanzia convenzionale limitata copre soltanto i prodotti Hardware Apple (come di seguito definiti); non copre il Software, i Servizi o altri Prodotti. Per le informazioni in merito alle garanzie applicabili al Software e’ necessario fare riferimento alle relative licenze Software.
Garanzia limitata di un anno per i nuovi prodotti, eccetto iPod e iSight
Garanzia limitata di un anno di iPod e iSight
Garanzia limitata di un anno per iPhone
Prima di inviare il Vostro prodotto Hardware Apple in garanzia presso il servizio di assistenza, dovrete aver cura di effettuare copia di backup del software di sistema, delle applicazioni software nonché di tutti i dati contenuti nell'hardware, e di procedere alla disabilitazione di qualsiasi password. Sarete responsabili della reinstallazione di tali software, dati e password. Non saremo in alcun modo responsabili per qualsivoglia perdita di dati causata dal servizio di assistenza. Qualora intendiate contattarci in relazione alla garanzia, potrete farlo dalle 09:00 alle 19:45 di qualsiasi Giorno Lavorativo, indicando il numero di serie del Vostro Hardware Apple. Il numero di telefono del servizio di garanzia è fornito unitamente al Vostro Hardware Apple. I costi della chiamata telefonica saranno a Vostro carico, secondo le Vostre tariffe nazionali.
10.2 Prodotti con marchio diverso da Apple / Prodotti di Soggetti Terzi
Prodotti con marchio diverso da Apple / Prodotti di Soggetti Terzi Nei limiti consentiti dalla legge, per i prodotti con marchio diverso da Apple (compresi i prodotti non a marchio Apple in bundle o in promozione con i Prodotti acquistati) tutte le richieste relative alla garanzia, ove rilevanti, devono essere effettuate in conformitÃ* ai termini e condizioni della garanzia standard del fabbricante, che può essere fornita unitamente ai Prodotti acquistati. In relazione a qualsiasi garanzia rilasciata dal fabbricante, tutte le eventuali richieste di garanzia devono in primo luogo essere indirizzate direttamente al fabbricante oppure a noi tramite telefono (in tal caso compiremo ogni ragionevole sforzo per risolvere nel Vostro interesse eventuali problemi).
10.3 I vantaggi della garanzia limitata Apple si aggiungono ai diritti previsti dalla normativa a tutela del consumatore applicabile nel tuo paese. Ai sensi degli articoli 128–135 del Decreto Legislativo n. 206 del 6 settembre 2005 (“Codice del Consumo”), i consumatori italiani hanno fino a 26 mesi per denunciare al venditore un difetto del prodotto esistente al momento della consegna dello stesso. Si presume che i difetti che si manifestano nei primi 6 mesi dalla consegna del prodotto esistessero giÃ* al momento della consegna. Un consumatore che intenda fare valere la garanzia ai sensi del Codice del Consumo può rivolgersi ad un Centro di Assistenza Autorizzato Apple per accertare l’esistenza del difetto al momento della consegna.