iMac i5/i7 and Apple Premium Reseller: It's a scandal
Hi all you guys.
I ordered my i7 on October 28th from the biggest APR here in Belgium. The guy at the store checked today my order, and the status is still undetermined, it means the stupid "November" statement.
I asked him how is it possible that the rest of the planet is already playing with their new toy, and me, buying the iMac from an APR, i'm still waiting without any further information.
The replay was: "We are JUST premium reseller, and Apple is not considering us at ALL, I apologize for this fact but is simply reality. If you want you can cancel you order, or wait, like I'm doing". He show me their order status (60 iMac i5/i7) and none shipped during 1 month. Unbelivable.
So, dear Apple, if you are listening, the APRs are you unique point of presence in many countires, like in Belgium for instance. They work hard to provide good service, and the logistic management should be considered in a better way, especially because the APR (and not YOU) are facing the customers, that is your ONLY value.
Greetings
I ordered my i7 on October 28th from the biggest APR here in Belgium. The guy at the store checked today my order, and the status is still undetermined, it means the stupid "November" statement.
I asked him how is it possible that the rest of the planet is already playing with their new toy, and me, buying the iMac from an APR, i'm still waiting without any further information.
The replay was: "We are JUST premium reseller, and Apple is not considering us at ALL, I apologize for this fact but is simply reality. If you want you can cancel you order, or wait, like I'm doing". He show me their order status (60 iMac i5/i7) and none shipped during 1 month. Unbelivable.
So, dear Apple, if you are listening, the APRs are you unique point of presence in many countires, like in Belgium for instance. They work hard to provide good service, and the logistic management should be considered in a better way, especially because the APR (and not YOU) are facing the customers, that is your ONLY value.
Greetings
Comments
Almost a month later, my model is still listed as "back-ordered." Obviously, Apple is filling Apple Store orders first. There no indication that the distributors even have the quad core models in stock.
I am so busy this time of year, before everyone slows down for the Christmas holiday, that I won't be able to even unbox it in 2009 unless it comes before 25 Nov. I have 20K miles (32K km) of travel to do between 30 Nov and 19 Dec, so it's not exactly ideal timing. After that, I leave for DC/NYC for ten days! if it is still backordered by Friday I will have to cancel my order.
Of COURSE they're going to ship consumer orders before they ship to wholesale clients. Those are orders by end-users ... as opposed to units that may (though probably won't) sit in a box in the stock-room for several days.
Did you really expect them to ship to second-tier retailers before they got their own branded stores fully stocked ???
Did you really expect them to ship to second-tier retailers before they got their own branded stores fully stocked ???
In the past, the synchronization has been much better. That is a fact. I buy a lot of macs. The only time I had to wait this long between order and reception was when I bought a 500 MHz TiBook in January 2001 (early in the month, like 6th, right after the announcement) only to receive it in mid February. And even then, the stores were getting them in stock around the same time as the direct orders were being fulfilled.
I don't know what the problem was with these iMacs. People say it is availability of the ATI chipset. I'm sure Steve is pissed-off about this too. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nvidia across the board in the next version.
Hardly a scandal!
Of COURSE they're going to ship consumer orders before they ship to wholesale clients. Those are orders by end-users ... as opposed to units that may (though probably won't) sit in a box in the stock-room for several days.
Did you really expect them to ship to second-tier retailers before they got their own branded stores fully stocked ???
I'll tell you why is a scandal.
Becouse Apple Premium Resellers are PARTNERS, of course this only on paper.
This means that APR are 'part 'of Apple Inc. as resellers, and I can't see why their order queue is not following the "first-come first-served" policy as the orders from the Apple Online Store.
In addiction, I specifically ordered my iMac from the reseller, I have an order number for it, and this from October 28th. So my iMac will not sin in abox in the store.
That's it.
Regards
Premium Resellers have no recent products at all.
Consider to cancel that order and go in Paris to get everything you need directly from the Apple Store. They have indeed all last-minute products in there.
P.S. If it is on-line order, you may choose to inform that fia-net of yours
I wonder why you don't buy from the Apple Store.
That's what I do since years, and they always did marvels
on delivery.
I'm in Europe too.
Plus : the Apple Store sells VAT free if you give them your VAT number.
So why loose time and money with an APR ?
...So why loose time and money with an APR ?
Probably because when/if you do have problems, it often pays to have a working relationship with the local shop! (Not everyone has an "Apple Store" within a useful distance.)
Probably because when/if you do have problems, it often pays to have a working relationship with the local shop! (Not everyone has an "Apple Store" within a useful distance.)
Not so.
1. When you buy from the Apple Store ON LINE, distance is not a factor.
2. When you buy from the Apple Store, you still rely on an APR for maintenance.
Under Apple Care, the techie comes yo you, not you to the techie.
It served me well when I had to change the screen on my new iMac after
a few months.
3. The convenience of the Apple Store ON LINE allows you to return the goods
within 14 days if any problem occurs. It paid when I ordered a PowerBook
some years ago, and the screen was not properly fixed. I've sent it back
free of charge, and had a new machine within 3 days. No hassle, no time
lost driving in town, etc.
4. I bought in the past from a big "local" shop ONCE, in Paris. They unproperly reassembled
a PowerBook, ruining a screw and scratching the case. I complained, they
said I was responsible, and I had tried to open it. As I threatened to sue
them and to warn Apple (which I did), the manager of the store followed me outside,
in front of my car, and told me, face to face : "Sir, you're right. Our guy did it.
But you won't prove it."
I called Apple, filed a complaint, Apple sided with me and changed the casing free of charge.
Local shop ? Never again.
So, I repeat, knowing Apple's pricing policy (5 % discount when you ask), why go and lose time buying
from an APR when the Apple Store is so fast and convenient ?
Honestly, not surprising. Apple makes more money on a direct sale through the online or retail store than it does through a retail partner.
And Apple Store customer has a more satisfying experience.
What else ?