Applecare backdating

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Hey



Just bought a brand new iMac, loaded it up a bit and all excited. Then I get the AppleCare sheet starting my three year warranty when the computer was made in China - not when I actually received it. It is only four days but when I called to change it (which costs Apple $5-10 in telecenter costs) they give me the run around and finally a different rep starts a case, tels me to fax information and then call back.



This sort of scares me. Am I going to have to deal with things like this everytime I call them - or have a warranty issue? Are they going to be looking for out clauses and trying to cheat things a day here, a week there?



Thoughts?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by keenspoon View Post


    This sort of scares me. Am I going to have to deal with things like this everytime I call them - or have a warranty issue? Are they going to be looking for out clauses and trying to cheat things a day here, a week there?



    On the contrary, Apple and Applecare are generally pretty liberal when it comes to coverage dates for warranty service. That's why they say to keep your proof of purchase, i.e. receipt, so that should a question comes up you have something besides their manufacture date by which to go on. They are not going to stiff you for a couple of days. That said, most warranties begin on the date of purchase or shipment and not the date of delivery.



    I don't understand why you are getting your knickers in a twist before anything has happened.



    cheers!
  • Reply 2 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aarchitect View Post


    On the contrary, Apple and Applecare are generally pretty liberal when it comes to coverage dates for warranty service. That's why they say to keep your proof of purchase, i.e. receipt, so that should a question comes up you have something besides their manufacture date by which to go on. They are not going to stiff you for a couple of days. That said, most warranties begin on the date of purchase or shipment and not the date of delivery.



    I don't understand why you are getting your knickers in a twist before anything has happened.



    cheers!





    Because it is fraudulent and across 10-15 million computers a year those dollars add up to big money .50 - $1 of coverage "lost" times 10 million - and you have Steve Jobs jet operating costs.



    Not sure where you live but when I bought a washer and dryer the warranty and the extended started when Lowe's delivered it - not when it left the factory or when I ordered it from Lowes the week before. Same for my tv's, my vcr, dvd and my dell computer. A purchase transaction is not completed when they bill me - it is when I get the goods. And if I had been unable to take delivery Friday it would have kicked to next Tuesday - and that is big money on a Financial Statement and it smacks of the same rationalization that allows people to backdate options. Which if you recall Apple did.



    As for the idea that they will not stiff me for a couple of days that was part of my questions - and while interesting to hear your perspective my experience with customer service staff is if I don't fix it now the attempt to explain why it is off by a few days becomes ever harder to prove and overcome in three years time.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by keenspoon View Post


    Because it is fraudulent and across 10-15 million computers a year those dollars add up to big money .50 - $1 of coverage "lost" times 10 million - and you have Steve Jobs jet operating costs.



    Not sure where you live but when I bought a washer and dryer the warranty and the extended started when Lowe's delivered it - not when it left the factory or when I ordered it from Lowes the week before. Same for my tv's, my vcr, dvd and my dell computer. A purchase transaction is not completed when they bill me - it is when I get the goods. And if I had been unable to take delivery Friday it would have kicked to next Tuesday - and that is big money on a Financial Statement and it smacks of the same rationalization that allows people to backdate options. Which if you recall Apple did.



    As for the idea that they will not stiff me for a couple of days that was part of my questions - and while interesting to hear your perspective my experience with customer service staff is if I don't fix it now the attempt to explain why it is off by a few days becomes ever harder to prove and overcome in three years time.





    I don't know how it works now, but let me reassure you with this. I bought a Pismo Powerbook in February of 2000, with AppleCare. However, I never sent in the AppleCare activation. A year or 18 months later I needed repair. It took them a while to find my AppleCare number since I had never activated it. They covered the repair after activating the AppleCare. So then I got a additional years, or 4 years of coverage total!



    As for four days, I think that is not something to worry about. Apple saving 50 cents on each AppleCare (if that is even what is happening) is not your problem nor concern.

    4 days? I mean...really? You're upset about that?
  • Reply 4 of 17
    I don't get it, four days? If AppleCare on a new iMac is 169 American dollars for three years, that means that your accusation of fraud works out to 15 cents per day. What is the issue?
  • Reply 5 of 17
    pevepeve Posts: 518member
    i worked as a tech in an apple store (now apple premium reseller).



    we never had a problem when the warranty (or applecare) expired a couple of days.

    a phone call to apple - explain your situation - they'll give you a cs-code (customer satifaction-code) - all is good.



    apple is veeeery cool when it comes to stuff like that.

    that's why i sometimes don't understand the ranting here about apple(care).
  • Reply 6 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Sherman Homan View Post


    I don't get it, four days? If AppleCare on a new iMac is 169 American dollars for three years, that means that your accusation of fraud works out to 15 cents per day. What is the issue?





    It is the principle of it - not sure why everyone is so confused about that. It is not much money for me, it may be nothing - but I figured they would switch it over no problem - just in case. But they didn't. And as long as my computer doesnt have an issue the last week of August at that time this will be water under the bridge.



    But not sure you guys understand corporate financial statements. Whether you realize it is the same reason airlines started making there miles expire - little things like this add up on financial statements and like it or not Apple's CFO (at the least - maybe Jobs as well) broke the law on options. They did the same thing that sent people at other companies to jail and got CEO's fired. So I am questioning the integrity of how they act as a corporation. Great products don't speak to ethical behavior - I look to Toyota's car dealers (who are separate but still connected to the company) and see the same thing. By and large I think they are really scummy - but Toyota's cars are great.



    On this if they do the same on warranty's for non AppleCare folks and every one year warranty is off by 3-5 days it cuts warranty costs by about 1% .... and at Apple it is probably a few million dollars a year across computers, iPods and the like. Car manufacturers would save more than that.



    Thankfully rather than babble on with your opinion on why I am too concerned about it, a couple of you reassured me with examples that indeed Apple is pretty good about these things. For some reason I expect companies to be honest with customers - and I think that companies that play these games and shave days here and there are ethically wrong. And whether it seems like big money the fact is that is does save them money. Like selling 10 pounds of rice and only putting in 9.985 pounds - which by and large most US companies don't.



    So are they cheating people purposely - not sure? Certainly not the worst corporate behavior in the industry by a long shot. It could be a computer systems issue and they figure as a couple of the posters mentioned that they will not be sticklers for the date. But in the end they are shorting warranties and that saves them money on their financial statements, and that is a fact.
  • Reply 7 of 17
    pevepeve Posts: 518member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by keenspoon View Post


    ...when I called to change it (which costs Apple $5-10 in telecenter costs) they give me the run around and finally a different rep starts a case, tels me to fax information and then call back.



    and? did you fax your bill to apple?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by peve View Post


    apple is veeeery cool when it comes to stuff like that.

    that's why i sometimes don't understand the ranting here about apple(care).



  • Reply 8 of 17
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by keenspoon View Post


    It is the principle of it - not sure why everyone is so confused about that. It is not much money for me, it may be nothing - but I figured they would switch it over no problem - just in case. But they didn't. And as long as my computer doesnt have an issue the last week of August at that time this will be water under the bridge.



    Ridiculous. There is no principle to fight here. It's four days, and you've been told that they don't hold you to those few days anyway.



    Quote:



    But not sure you guys understand corporate financial statements. Whether you realize it is the same reason airlines started making there miles expire - little things like this add up on financial statements and like it or not Apple's CFO (at the least - maybe Jobs as well) broke the law on options. They did the same thing that sent people at other companies to jail and got CEO's fired. So I am questioning the integrity of how they act as a corporation. Great products don't speak to ethical behavior - I look to Toyota's car dealers (who are separate but still connected to the company) and see the same thing. By and large I think they are really scummy - but Toyota's cars are great.



    Oh come on. COME ON. You're questioning their corporate accounting practices over four days? Things like this don't add up. Not at all. You also can't prove it happens all the time.



    Quote:



    On this if they do the same on warranty's for non AppleCare folks and every one year warranty is off by 3-5 days it cuts warranty costs by about 1% .... and at Apple it is probably a few million dollars a year across computers, iPods and the like. Car manufacturers would save more than that.



    Speculation. And fabricated numbers.



    Quote:



    Thankfully rather than babble on with your opinion on why I am too concerned about it, a couple of you reassured me with examples that indeed Apple is pretty good about these things.



    Then stop. They didn't "backdate" anything.



    Quote:



    For some reason I expect companies to be honest with customers - and I think that companies that play these games and shave days here and there are ethically wrong.





    They were honest. It's four fucking days. Drop it already.



    Quote:

    And whether it seems like big money the fact is that is does save them money.



    Prove it. To do so, you'll have to show that 1) They won't honor the warranty after four days, 2) Survey the number of computers that break during those four days 3) Calculate the average cost of repair. Good luck.



    Quote:

    Like selling 10 pounds of rice and only putting in 9.985 pounds - which by and large most US companies don't.



    I bet they do! And you know what...I say close enough. I've got bigger fish to fry.



    Quote:



    So are they cheating people purposely - not sure?



    No evidence that they are. Now, battery replacements on 18 month old PB's, that's another thing.



    Quote:

    Certainly not the worst corporate behavior in the industry by a long shot. It could be a computer systems issue and they figure as a couple of the posters mentioned that they will not be sticklers for the date. But in the end they are shorting warranties and that saves them money on their financial statements, and that is a fact.



    There ya go again. Unsupported assertion.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    I think this is the case for when it ships directly out of China, though do pursue to adjust the date if you wish to. Here in Asia and Australia anyway, the AppleCare starts on the *invoice* date when full payment is made and the Mac collected at the counter, for Apple Resellers anyway in the store, not online -- not sure what Singapore and Australia online system is like.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    Ridiculous. There is no principle to fight here. It's four days, and you've been told that they don't hold you to those few days anyway.







    Oh come on. COME ON. You're questioning their corporate accounting practices over four days? Things like this don't add up. Not at all. You also can't prove it happens all the time.







    Speculation. And fabricated numbers.







    Then stop. They didn't "backdate" anything.









    They were honest. It's four fucking days. Drop it already.







    Prove it. To do so, you'll have to show that 1) They won't honor the warranty after four days, 2) Survey the number of computers that break during those four days 3) Calculate the average cost of repair. Good luck.







    I bet they do! And you know what...I say close enough. I've got bigger fish to fry.



    No evidence that they are. Now, battery replacements on 18 month old PB's, that's another thing.







    There ya go again. Unsupported assertion.



    Look as a pissy little Apple fanboy I realize you take all questions on Apple as some sort of personal affront - so rest assured I won't post on it anymore. But your complete ignorance of financial accounting and your sad little personal attacks are really pathetic. It was a question I threw out and financial statements do operate that way.



    Some people had constructive and helpful commentary - kind of the idea from a discussion board. You would rather make personal attacks to demonstrate your ignorance and maturity level .. fine. Whine away so you can get your post count to some magic number ... hopefully the rest of them actually had insight or value.



    For those of you who shared personal experiences about good service, thanks for the info. I faxed it in today and so hopefully all will be well. So far liking the machine a lot - though getting used to apple vs. windows differences.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    pevepeve Posts: 518member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    Look as a pissy little Apple fanboy I realize you take all questions on Apple as some sort of personal affront...



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    ...your complete ignorance of financial accounting and your sad little personal attacks are really pathetic...



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SDW2001 View Post


    You would rather make personal attacks to demonstrate your ignorance and maturity level...



    i think what got SDW2001 carried away was, that insted of doing what the apple tech-guy said (fax your info, that they can fix what is wrong) - you started filling the thread with rants about "apple backdating warranty and making a profit out of this" and-so-on, and-so-on.



    let them help you!



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by keenspoon View Post


    I faxed it in today and so hopefully all will be well. So far liking the machine a lot - though getting used to apple vs. windows differences.



    good boy!



    enjoy your mac!
  • Reply 12 of 17
    I move that any post with the word "Apple fanboy" in it be deleted straight away. Not because who and who is or is not an "Apple fanboy", it is just that this term is just used so much it is so meaningless and does not contribute in any way whatsoever to any sort of discussion, whichever "side" one takes.
  • Reply 13 of 17
    Generally, I'm definitely seeing it more often, more and more I notice that the "anti-AppleFanboys" are users who have just bought or are using for a while a Mac and/or iPod... Not hardcore PC users. Self-loathing Apple users, almost...
  • Reply 14 of 17
    Honestly.



    Yes in my opinion. Just had a recent ding dong with apple about my macbook. Been to repair a couple of time because of "cosmetic" issues. Apple tried to tell me the issues were just cosmetic but finally after a number of calls and painful because they couldn't even get the blinking repairs right I get a replacement. If I had been more persistent I would not have even got the repairs done in the first place. I might add this was a brand new macbook to.



    I have been without a macbook for the past 4 weeks. In total I have been without it for nearly 2 months. They will be swapping my apple care to the replacement macbook and boy they had better start it from the day I recieve this machine otherwise I will be going mad. I even feel like asking for them to give me some more time on my .mac account. Perhaps I should just be grateful for the replacement I am not sure but it was like pulling teeth.



    Hope no one else has the same problems!
  • Reply 15 of 17
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Poppet View Post


    Honestly.



    Yes in my opinion. Just had a recent ding dong with apple about my macbook. Been to repair a couple of time because of "cosmetic" issues. Apple tried to tell me the issues were just cosmetic but finally after a number of calls and painful because they couldn't even get the blinking repairs right I get a replacement. If I had been more persistent I would not have even got the repairs done in the first place. I might add this was a brand new macbook to.



    I have been without a macbook for the past 4 weeks. In total I have been without it for nearly 2 months. They will be swapping my apple care to the replacement macbook and boy they had better start it from the day I recieve this machine otherwise I will be going mad. I even feel like asking for them to give me some more time on my .mac account. Perhaps I should just be grateful for the replacement I am not sure but it was like pulling teeth.



    Hope no one else has the same problems!



    This I would say is a very bad service experience. I am sorry to hear about that. But what are the "cosmetic" issues you needed repairing in the first place? Were you entitled to a replacement from like the first few days after you opened the MacBook?
  • Reply 16 of 17
    Is this an Apple Store or Apple Reseller? Or online?
  • Reply 17 of 17
    pevepeve Posts: 518member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nvidia2008 View Post


    Is this an Apple Store or Apple Reseller? Or online?



    it pretty much dosn't matter.



    cosmetic damage isn't covered by the warranty.



    but... (because...

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by peve View Post


    apple is veeeery cool when it comes to stuff like that.



    ) if you moan long anough, they will sometimes even repair that under warranty.



    @poppet: good luck trying to get more .mac-time out of this!
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