Not so Good Thing I Learned at Apple Store

[Belle & Ariel]

Our son spent almost $300 on an Ipod January 25 of this year at Best Buy.
The volume button started defaulting to mute level in the last week or so.
We made an appointment and took it to the Genius Bar where they told us it was 43 days out of warranty. I asked if the warranty was 9 months as that would be the time period for that. He said the warranty was a year.
I told him we purchased it at Best Buy at the end of January so it should still be under warranty.
Now the shocker:

Apple starts the warranty the day it ships to Best Buy, Target, wherever. Ours sat on a store shelf for the first 3 months of its 12 month warranty.
I thought the warranty started the day you bought it but even w/receipt showing we only had it 10 months it did not matter.
They did replace it for no charge but I wonder if that always happens. Our paperwork they gave us shows purchase date of late October which must be when it shipped from Apple Warehouse to Best Buy.

I think from now on we will pay a little more to buy at the actual Apple stores.

 

[mm1971]

Our son spent almost $300 on an Ipod January 25 of this year at Best Buy.
The volume button started defaulting to mute level in the last week or so.
We made an appointment and took it to the Genius Bar where they told us it was 43 days out of warranty. I asked if the warranty was 9 months as that would be the time period for that. He said the warranty was a year.
I told him we purchased it at Best Buy at the end of January so it should still be under warranty.
Now the shocker:

Apple starts the warranty the day it ships to Best Buy, Target, wherever. Ours sat on a store shelf for the first 3 months of its 12 month warranty.
I thought the warranty started the day you bought it but even w/receipt showing we only had it 10 months it did not matter.
They did replace it for no charge but I wonder if that always happens. Our paperwork they gave us shows purchase date of late October which must be when it shipped from Apple Warehouse to Best Buy.

I think from now on we will pay a little more to buy at the actual Apple stores.

I think it is because Apple does not consider Best Buy(or any other retailer without a reseller contract) to be a reseller. They are a customer that buys at a discount due to volume. For warranty issues from a product bought at Best Buy, you should have gone to Best Buy to have it serviced. Best Buy sells optional service plans on electronics. I am surprised Apple did what they did. You should consider yourself fortunate they didn't direct you to Best Buy.

I would consider this "above and beyond" by Apple to replace something purchased from what is really a competitor selling it's products. I have this discussion all the time. Pay a small premium and get what you pay for. I have always been happy with my experiences from products to service.

I am glad your son got a new iPod.

 

[MomToOne]

The warranty I just pulled up (the text is available on the Apple website) states:

"Apple Inc. of One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California, U.S.A. 95014 (Apple) warrants the Apple-branded iPhone, iPad or iPod hardware product and accessories contained in the original packaging (Apple Product) against defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Apple's published guidelines for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase by the end-user purchaser ("Warranty Period"). "

So the "genius" you were talking to wasn't actually much of a genius. Best Buy is not the end user, you are. It's VERY clear from this text that it is from the date you purchased it from Best Buy, not the date Best Buy purchased it from Apple.

I'd print out the warranty and go back to the store to train him a bit more

The warranty text is available at: http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/

 

[daughtersrus]

Another option is to buy a refurbished directly from Apple. They come with the same warranty as a new one. I've purchased several and we've never had a problem.

 

[lizbaby007]

WHAT??? OMG, SERIOUSLY??

I do not own any apple products but have never heard of a warranty working like that. I think it would have come as a major shock to me and I would have been quite miffed.

 

[wiigirl]

Another option is to buy a refurbished directly from Apple. They come with the same warranty as a new one. I've purchased several and we've never had a problem.

Thats what I have done....

I also think that warrenty policy stinks.

 

[MomToOne]

I think it is because Apple does not consider Best Buy(or any other retailer without a reseller contract) to be a reseller. They are a customer that buys at a discount due to volume. For warranty issues from a product bought at Best Buy, you should have gone to Best Buy to have it serviced. Best Buy sells optional service plans on electronics. I am surprised Apple did what they did. You should consider yourself fortunate they didn't direct you to Best Buy.

Best Buy is an authorized distributor of Apple products.

Per the warranty, if you need warranty service, "You may return your Apple Product to an Apple Retail or AASP location offering carry-in service"

The genius the OP was dealing with was in fact quite an idiot. In my experience, many of them are. And the fact that anyone is willing to accept what they say with this kind of answer, or worse yet - JUSTIFY it -without any research is just mind boggling to me. Really, you are going to take what some pimple-faced teenager is telling you about your consumer rights as the final word, when it clearly doesn't make any sense???

 

[pigletto]

Ummm...We purchased dd's Touch from Bestbuy (in Canada) and had it fixed in warranty when there was less than a month left. I think it was 12 days left on the warranty, and I am certain it was no more than 2 weeks. This simply isn't true. Call again and speak to someone else. You would hear an awful lot of grumbling about this because really it could sit on those shelves for 6 months. As quoted in the text from their warranty above.. the end user is YOU and you are still in warranty.

ETA) and no.. she shouldn't consider herself fortunate that they didn't direct her to Bestbuy because the warranty is with APPLE not Bestbuy. They are an authorized reseller but the warranty is still with Apple. Again.. escalate the situation OP because you got bad information.

 

[andysomma1]

I would consider this "above and beyond" by Apple to replace something purchased from what is really a competitor selling it's products. I have this discussion all the time. Pay a small premium and get what you pay for. I have always been happy with my experiences from products to service.

I think this is what Apple wants you to think. They are hoping that the next time you go to purchase a new electrical device you will remember what the store did for you in this instance and you will go to them first.

The "genius" you were working with was either a liar or misinformed. The ONLY people Apple will let sell their products other than themselves are Authorized Resellers. If it is genuine Apple product you are purchasing at a retailer they are authorized by Apple to sell it. These retailers pay no less for each unit than Apple does. The retailer makes $5 profit off of every Iphone sold. Where the money comes into the retailer is through accessories i.e. cases, screen protectors, and car chargers. Don't worry about Apple, they are going to make the same profit from the Ipod you buy from Best Buy as the Ipod you buy directly from them.

I was an Electronic retail store general manager for two years and dealt with Apple extensively.

 

[ktlm]

Note to self... take copy of warranty or text from the Apple website quoted above to Apple store when taking product there purchased elsewhere and receipt of purchase date. Gotta love it when they act like they are doing you a huge favor, when they are simply giving you what you were entitled to in the first place.


Makes me wonder if the Ipod you got was sold by Best Buy to a customer and then returned and re-sold to you as "new". I have seen that happen several times before (not with Best Buy). The warranty is activated when the item is purchased by any retail customer, so if it is returned and a store puts it back on the shelf as if it were new, when the new buyer purchases it, the warranty has already run whatever the time period between the two sales. The buyer never knows unless something happens and they attempt to use the warranty between the time it expired from the first purchaser to the second.

 

[a1tinkfans]

The warranty I just pulled up (the text is available on the Apple website) states:

"Apple Inc. of One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California, U.S.A. 95014 (Apple) warrants the Apple-branded iPhone, iPad or iPod hardware product and accessories contained in the original packaging (Apple Product) against defects in materials and workmanship when used normally in accordance with Apple's published guidelines for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original retail purchase by the end-user purchaser ("Warranty Period"). "

So the "genius" you were talking to wasn't actually much of a genius. Best Buy is not the end user, you are. It's VERY clear from this text that it is from the date you purchased it from Best Buy, not the date Best Buy purchased it from Apple.

I'd print out the warranty and go back to the store to train him a bit more

The warranty text is available at: http://www.apple.com/legal/warranty/

Exactly!
Not so genius at the genuis bar
Always purchase your electronics or valuables with your credit card that DOUBLES the warranty. It is a great way to extend it FREE
Meanwhile, Apple obviously deals with the issue and repairs it as they do a myriad of other issues. We actually got a FREE replacement a few days out of warranty at the store. And it matters not where you buy it (best buy etc) its their product, end of story.
Glad it worked out for you!

 

[pixiewings71]

No, that isn't right, the warranty is from the date of purchase not the date it is shipped to BB (or any other retailer). Although, when we buy items like this from BB we purchase Black Tie protection so I would have taken it back to BB and got a new one immediately.

 

[disneymom2003]

Best Buy is an authorized distributor of Apple products.

Per the warranty, if you need warranty service, "You may return your Apple Product to an Apple Retail or AASP location offering carry-in service"

The genius the OP was dealing with was in fact quite an idiot. In my experience, many of them are. And the fact that anyone is willing to accept what they say with this kind of answer, or worse yet - JUSTIFY it -without any research is just mind boggling to me. Really, you are going to take what some pimple-faced teenager is telling you about your consumer rights as the final word, when it clearly doesn't make any sense???

How rude! Not all who work at Apple are pimpled faced idiots. There are many qualified persons working at the Apple stores. If you are not happy with the answer you get why not ask for a manager instead of complaining on a message board?

 

[BBandDisney]

 

[KCmike]

I'm not sure if this happened to you but we had a question regarding an apple product and they said they couldn't help because we also bought at best buy. They finally did settle on helping but said "we can do it this one time" but also pushed hard on buy the extended protection plan from them.

Turns out their "genius" didn't know our product. I knew more about the product I bought than someone that works at the Apple Store. Hope it was just one of those days.

 

[POOHsie]

Last weekend I was at the Apple Store to get an external hard drive for backups. When I got home I registered the external drive online and put in the serial number. Info came up that my purchase date was Aug 15, 2012 and the warranty expired Aug 15, 2015. That was weird, since I bought the drive on Dec 8, 2012. I went back to the Apple store and I showed someone the warranty dates and my receipt. They didn't have any idea what happened, but one lady saw on the box that the warranty was for 2 years. I actually got 32 months. So did the manufacturer refurbish the item, or was it a return, or what? Who knows.

 

[Jimsig]

I had a similar experience. Bought my sister an Itouch for Christmas at Best Buy. We were going to New Hampshire from Mass for a Christmas party so we bought it tax free. She let it sit and the following Nov she asked me for help setting it up. It made sure it was fully charged but would not turn on. I went to the Apple Store and they told me it was out of warrantee as it was purchased on Oct 25 and there was nothing they could do. I didn't have my receipt with me, but I told them I purchased it in Dec the previous year and told them the date. They then gave me the "we can do this one time" spiel. I figure it was returned unopened or something and the warrantee kicked in then. If its an issue like that Best Buy (or any store) should be contacting Apple to reset the warrantee.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

How rude! Not all who work at Apple are pimpled faced idiots. There are many qualified persons working at the Apple stores. If you are not happy with the answer you get why not ask for a manager instead of complaining on a message board?

We discuss issues on message boards to enlighten others which this thread is doing.

As to pimply faced teens. . .maybe if that wasn't all electronic stores hired the stereotype wouldn't be there. I don't and won't shop in B&M electronic stores. The male kids they hire see 40something female and either won't wait on me or treat me like an idiot. Amazon gets my business by default.

 

[ktlm]

Last weekend I was at the Apple Store to get an external hard drive for backups. When I got home I registered the external drive online and put in the serial number. Info came up that my purchase date was Aug 15, 2012 and the warranty expired Aug 15, 2015. That was weird, since I bought the drive on Dec 8, 2012. I went back to the Apple store and I showed someone the warranty dates and my receipt. They didn't have any idea what happened, but one lady saw on the box that the warranty was for 2 years. I actually got 32 months. So did the manufacturer refurbish the item, or was it a return, or what? Who knows.

Sounds to me like someone bought it August 15, 2012, and then returned it and Apple put it back on the shelf as new.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Sounds to me like someone bought it August 15, 2012, and then returned it and Apple put it back on the shelf as new.

And maybe the prior purchaser bought an extended warranty?