Apple accused of selling used computers as new

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Newspaper 'The Business', issue 27/28 February 2005 reported that Apple has been accused of selling used computers as new. The class action has been filed in the California Superior Court in San Franscisco.



I bought an iMac G5 last week. How do I find out if it was a used product?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    Seeing as though no evidence seems to have been produced yet it's difficult to speculate. I suppose the only real way of knowing would be to check serial numbers (supposing they haven't been changed) and compare with a list of serial numbers on machines that had already been sold.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kopisusu

    Newspaper 'The Business', issue 27/28 February 2005 reported that Apple has been accused of selling used computers as new. The class action has been filed in the California Superior Court in San Franscisco.



    I bought an iMac G5 last week. How do I find out if it was a used product?




    Let me ask you a couple of questions, does the machine work? Does it look new? Lawsuits like this are ridiculous; they do nothing for the end user and only put money in the pockets of the lawyers. My personally feeling is if the machine operates well, looks new and has a warranty, then no one should give a flying f-ck!
  • Reply 3 of 13
    cj3209cj3209 Posts: 158member
    If you had bought a brand new BMW M5 and noticed, as you were taking it off the lot, that it had 200 miles on the odometer, wouldn't you be a bit ticked off? But it looks new, operates like new, and has a warranty.



    The bottom line is that if Apple is selling returned items (returned for ANY reason) as NEW, THAT is F R A U D.















    Quote:

    Originally posted by Relic

    Let me ask you a couple of questions, does the machine work? Does it look new? Lawsuits like this are ridiculous; they do nothing for the end user and only put money in the pockets of the lawyers. My personally feeling is if the machine operates well, looks new and has a warranty, then no one should give a flying f-ck!



  • Reply 4 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cj3209

    If you had bought a brand new BMW M5 and noticed, as you were taking it off the lot, that it had 200 miles on the odometer, wouldn't you be a bit ticked off? But it looks new, operates like new, and has a warranty.



    The bottom line is that if Apple is selling returned items (returned for ANY reason) as NEW, THAT is F R A U D.







    No if someone bought that BMW M5 and were too stupid to look at the odometer until they already signed for it then it's their own fault and they deserve what you get. I highly doubt Apple is reselling returned items. Why else would they have a sale section on their website that sells reburished items as well as returned items? Also people would be able to tell if some computers were being resold, not all but most. I would love to see the evidence for the prosecutor in this case....
  • Reply 5 of 13
    ijerryijerry Posts: 615member
    Actually my 12" PB was bought as new, but it was a used unit, used in the sense that it had obviously been turned on, all of the stuff in the box had been looked at, etc. They brought it from the back and gave it to me, and I, living in another state went on home to go and play with my new toy...



    When I got home, I noticed that it was not a brand new unit, and was very irate at this fact. However, they did give me a discount, and I could rest with that, but I was not really willing to drive another 3 hours just to return my barely used PB. However, I believe this story has some credibility, but again, I don't know how anyone would prove it.



    summary: Bought what I thought was a new unit, and it was a returned unit, though not a refurbished unit, just a re-stocked unit. Got a discount, but it was still a used unit. Also, I had to have them send me an iLife 04 CD because the previous owner had kept it apparantly, there was also a couple of other CDs missing, to include the OS disk, but that was also sent to me...Pretty crazy stuff.
  • Reply 6 of 13
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cj3209





    The bottom line is that if Apple is selling returned items (returned for ANY reason) as NEW, THAT is F R A U D.







    if you think that is fraud, you should see the returned items that my manager made me re-pack and sell as "new" when I worked at an electronic store that starts with r and ends with shack...



    Note how many house brand items can be opened, removed, tampered with and put back to appear as if the seal was never broken... think cell accesories...
  • Reply 7 of 13
    That still doesn't make it right for Apple to do it. If I pay $1,999 + tax for a 15" PowerBook that is advertised as new and never used before, I'd better get a new and never used before PowerBook. I don't care if R+Shack does it, or if Yo Yo Ma does it. I paid for a new PowerBook and I want a new PowerBook. Period.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gene Clean

    That still doesn't make it right for Apple to do it. If I pay $1,999 + tax for a 15" PowerBook that is advertised as new and never used before, I'd better get a new and never used before PowerBook. I don't care if R+Shack does it, or if Yo Yo Ma does it. I paid for a new PowerBook and I want a new PowerBook. Period.



    I know, I was trying to say that it is wrong, but my former emplyer also does it as well. My post was intended as a buyer be ware, not a justification for Apple.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    Was this at an Apple store or a reseller? I just bought a new iBook from Amazon and the box had been resealed. They had to add in iLife '05. The unit wasn't used as far as I can tell and I'm very happy.



    I don't doubt this happens but I don't believe this is something Apple pushes as a company (too much to lose). Managers at the stores probably don't want to make their store look bad. I guess the moral of the story is to always open the unit and make sure it has everything. I know I do this at CompUSA when I buy from them.



    I think this is overblown. Some lawyers are making a money grab.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    nyguynyguy Posts: 19member
    Dont want to get flamed but I recently got a powerbook 17 1.67 and im not to impressed. The keyboard doenst seem to get to bright. Im having trouble making the browser screen maximize. This is not my only computer so it takes a back seat to my good ol dell. I thought this notebook woul;d make my life easier. Nope..



    I have



    g4 17" 1.67

    100gb

    512mb

    ...



    I can take pics if need be..



    BTW dont get me wrong these things Im sure can be adjusted in menu but I dont seem to care ... just my .02
  • Reply 11 of 13
    9secondko9secondko Posts: 929member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by O4BlackWRX

    No if someone bought that BMW M5 and were too stupid to look at the odometer until they already signed for it then it's their own fault and they deserve what you get. I highly doubt Apple is reselling returned items. Why else would they have a sale section on their website that sells reburished items as well as returned items? Also people would be able to tell if some computers were being resold, not all but most. I would love to see the evidence for the prosecutor in this case....



    while you may be at fault for signing and not looking, that does not excuse the company for lying and fraud. Even after signing, you had better blieve you will be able to return it for a full refund. My wife and I did just that with a Ford Focus that a dealership pushed over on us. We found out and had a battle getting the comapny to make it right. They finally did and then installed camersas and mics in all the sales rooms.



    Bottom line: if a company sells used as new, that is fraud, it is illegal, and they should pay the consequences. This is not a relativistic subject. A lie in this regard is a lie, no matter how you cut it. "USED" is not "NEW", no matter how good it looks, the warranty, or anything else.
  • Reply 12 of 13
    o and ao and a Posts: 579member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by NYguy

    Dont want to get flamed but I recently got a powerbook 17 1.67 and im not to impressed. The keyboard doenst seem to get to bright. Im having trouble making the browser screen maximize. This is not my only computer so it takes a back seat to my good ol dell. I thought this notebook woul;d make my life easier. Nope..



    I have



    g4 17" 1.67

    100gb

    512mb

    ...



    I can take pics if need be..



    BTW dont get me wrong these things Im sure can be adjusted in menu but I dont seem to care ... just my .02




    OK TERRIFIC! thanks for adding nothing.



    Selling repacked products as new is fraud. plain and simple. Thats what the refurbished section of the store is for!
  • Reply 13 of 13
    nyguynyguy Posts: 19member
    sorry i replied in the wrong thread.... hehe.
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