Many of my regular readers probably recall my post on Apple, and the problems I was having in getting my faulty IPod replaced in a timely fashion. Though a solution was weeks in the making, though I was not happy to have my NEW IPod replaced with a REFURBISHED one, had thought the tale was finished, that a workable solution had been found.I was pleased with the apology of one RW from Apple's customer care department, and the offer made to me to compensate me for my troubles. Specifically, RW offered me both a ten percent discount, and $100 off my next Apple purchase of $300 or more...COOL I thought, and tucked these two items away to be used at Christmas time.
Enter BLACK MONDAY! Apple was running their own specials, and one of them was right up my alley, the time has come to CASH IN on my discount and gift certificate...Below is the original copy from the sale page. Do the math, and I was looking at a mega deal, picking up the IPad of my dreams for a steal at $350...not a $199 flatscreen TV, but I was going to be VERY HAPPY.
Special Limited Time Price
Originally released April 2010 $499.00
64GB flash drive capacity Save $230.00
Wi-Fi + 3G (3G data plan sold separately)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR technology
9.7-inch widescreen display
Multi-Touch screen
1.6 pounds and 0.5 inch
Now, per the directive of RW (Ransri Wije) at the time he made this offer, I picked up the phone000000 when I found this great bargain to close the deal, as he said he was the only one who could apply the extra 10 percent discount...OK. So, I called him and got his answering machine, so I also emailed him, sending him the link and information on what I wanted, just as he had instructed me too do.
First, RW takes his sweet time getting back to me (as in over a week after the sale ends), and when he calls me (late at night here on the East Coast), he informs me that the deal he offered me was only for NEW ITEMS, not REFURBISHED ITEMS. Two things here...first, when I complained about receiving a refurbished IPod when my NEW IPOD broke, RW assured me that both were of equal quality, even though the refurbished on sent me sells for over $100 LESS than a new one. Secondly, RW, nor Apple ever put a restriction on their compensation offer stating I could only get a new item.
I pointed this out to RW, but he was insistent that I could only cash in the offer on something NEW...I told him to go back and review the records and then get back to me, and hung up the phone before I lost my temper.
He did get back to me just before Christmas...again, late at night my time here on the East Coast, and said after reviewing the records, admitted that I was correct, he nor Apple had put such a restriction on my compensation package, and because of this, he was prepared to HONOR his word.
"GREAT, I want the IPad Touch I sent you the link for RW."
Sure you all know where this is going...after clicking on the link for the refurbished unit in my email (that clearly shows the unit on sale for $499.00) RW informs me that the unit is now $599.00 and he can give it too me for around $450! I point out the obvious, which is I would have had the unit in time for Christmas, would have paid around $350 for it had he and Apple honored their original offering in a timely fashion.
The way it was left, RW was going to look into things and get back to me if he could find the unit I wanted at the price it was offered when I tried to cash it in. We are now into a new year, a week into it actually, and still no IPad. Now maybe I am wrong here, but seems to me that my having to spend hours and hours of my time trying to get Apple to do the right thing is not the Apple of Steve Jobs. Would seem to me that this much aggravation is not something Apple customers should have to endure. Apple makes some GREAT PRODUCTS (iMac), but when it comes to taking care of customers after the purchase, they are even worse than Microsoft when it comes to creating customer satisfaction.
If you think Apple needs to address the troubles and problems they have created in this case, please drop RW a line at rwije@apple.com and tell him to MAKE ALL THIS RIGHT. At this point, not willing to be as accomadating as I was when all this first started back in October. Tell them I DESERVE the iMac of my dreams...I mean what is $6,483.00 compared to the hassles they have given me in the past almost 90 days.
