Unfortunate Apple Store Experiences

Has something like this ever happened to anyone before?

So I go to an Apple Store in Orlando, Florida, to get a repair done on my MBP (I had a dead pixel in the center of my screen and was still within my one-year warranty). They told me it would take 5-7 days and it was fixed overnight. When I went to pick it up, the new screen was perfect. My visit, although, was sub-par; the employees were pretty rude. I thought I was being Punk'd by the way they were flipping and tossing my MacBook on their wooden tabletops like it was nothing. I am extremely OCD about all of my iDevices and was shocked at how they were treating my laptop. Anyways, this Apple Store was also the busiest one I have ever seen.

After getting to my car, I notice 3 small scuffs on the bottom case of my laptop. I don't go back in because I am already frustrated (I know, big mistake, but you had to have seen this place). I call Apple to complain and the man on the phone tells me I should definitely make a Genius appointment to get it looked at. I decide to try my luck at a different Apple Store, one in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

I drop it off after a Genius cuts me a deal (and after waiting an hour due to a backup in appointments, typical): since there is no proof that the scratches are from an Apple Store since I took my laptop home, obviously (understood, I expected this), I can either get A) a new, free hard shell Speck case for my MB, or B) a new bottom case half off. I have heard more negative than positive about hard shell cases and already like the way my MacBook looks. Plus, I always have it in its sleeve and never even let it sit on a hard surface without the sleeve or some type of cloth in between. So I take the second deal. The Genius tells me it should be fixed overnight, since they have bottom cases in stock. I leave it at the Apple Store, again (sighs). I asked if I could just take the part home and do it myself and this "isn't allowed."

I get a phone call the same day, five or six hours later, with a Genius starting off with "We have some bad news..." At this point, I'm thinking my hard drive was wiped clean. Turns out, they actually do not have any bottom cases in stock and they'll call me when everything's taken care of. So I get a call two days later that it is ready.

I go in to get my laptop and pay the $40 I owe and blah blah blah. I go off to the side to really inspect my MBP this time. I notice a tiny scratch in the brand new bottom case that I just paid for. What?? I took the plastic off myself, how does this happen?! After complaining politely to a Genius and talking and meeting with a manager, to my shock, nothing can be done. Are you kidding me? I wouldn't have paid $40 to have a brand new bottom case if I had known I would still have scratches. They're small scratches, but the fact that I take more pride in my Apple products than Apple actually does is ridiculous.

Just because Apple has the hottest item on the market doesn't mean that customer service should be negated. My face hurts from frowning.

/endrant

Must've just been that one store, I dunno. I've taken my MacBook in for service at the Apple Store once to get the keyboard panel replaced (started wearing away at the sides)...it was covered for free because it was a design flaw. Was promised my MacBook by the next day, but got it back the SAME day. This was the one on Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Took my iPhone 4 in because the camera wouldn't focus. Within minutes I had a replacement and was on the bus going home; same store. Just a couple of weeks ago my wife's MacBookPro's power supply croaked; she took it to the Apple Store and was in and out in minutes with a brand-new, free replacement...North Avenue store.

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences...but really...the dead pixel on the display was really the major problem here...and Apple took care of that perfectly!!! Apple said that it was going to take 5-7 days...and they got it done overnight!!!

All this complaining about scratches on the MacBook Pro's case has (IMHO) really been blown way out of proportion. I totally understand your desire to keep your MacBook Pro's Aluminum case in pristine condition...but honestly...there's really no way to do this other than using a hardshell case (which is what I do). The aluminum that the case is made of is just too soft...and is just too easily scratched by the most innocent & unexpected of actions.

Please be happy that the main issue (the dead display pixel) was taken care of quickly & painlessly....and VERY quickly (overnight)...instead of 5-7 days.

- Nick

I know what your saying, the apple store in Mall of America is filled with rude crabby and unprofessional workers that also have their facts not strait. they told me i should get a macbook air because they are more powerful than the macbook pro. I was disappointed with apple.

Harder material marks softer material. That's forensic criminology 101 regarding tool marks and it applies here as well. Keep it away from harder materials, or keep a case on it to reduce the issue. If marks are a concern to you, get a disposable cover, or a laptop made of sterner stuff. It sounds like Apple did their level best to address the functional issues which you presented them with. Being "OCD" doesn't necessarily entitle you to work through Apple's stock of bottom cases until one meets your satisfaction. Persons with OCD behavior patterns are rarely satisfied, so it's ultimately futile. The chain of custody is full of holes so there isn't much to do as far as assigning ownership of the issue anyhow.

Take heart in the fact that your Mac will likely acquire many more scratches in it's life, and that there is little you can to to prevent this save putting it in a gun safe and never using it. Perhaps if you smack it around a little and scuff it up a bit, it will become a non-issue and a personal growth opportunity?

Why are you guys being so hard on him? If you have a 2,000 dollar computer i think he has a right to keep it in good condition.

I'm actually REALLY surprised that they replaced/fized your screen for 1 dead pixel. Their return policy doesn't even allow that on a newly opened MBP, let alone one that's been used.

With that said, I wouldn't have left the store without them replacing the new undercover with a SCRATCH(!) on it! That's a load of crap!

I remember when I first got my MBP, the left speaker rattled. They first issued me a brand new MBP replacement that was still in the box when I got home. When I got home, it actually did the same thing. When I did some investigating on their production dates, they were exactly the same. So, I took it right back to the Apple store, and had them replace it with another new one(after some diligent talking). This time, I actually had them open the computer themselves, and loaded a couple mp3 songs, as well as some links to youtube to check the audio. Everything seemed fine, as I was expecting because the build date was newer than the one being replaced.

I've learned 2 really important things in my life when it comes to customer service.
1. If you ever plan on being a return customer, and want to be treated well, treat the sales people the way you would want to be treated.
2. If you have no plans at all to ever deal with a certain business again, raise a stink, and get what you deserve the harder way.

Also, my MBP is just about 3 years old, and is scratch free.

@iggibar, the Genius cut me a break for the one dead pixel because it was in the very center of the screen and it annoyed even him. So I did appreciate that.

However, I'm very careful with my electronics and scratches do annoy me. I work hard for the things I have, and I paid for my MBP on my own, so I like to take care of it. You'd think that would be a good quality for a college student to have -___- (thanks @MacAddict. except it's *her )

All I ask, @XJ-linux, is that the bottom case I paid for not be scratched like my previous one (because of Apple employees' carelessness). I'd scuff it up on my own to achieve "personal growth," but I think, instead, keeping expensive machines in mint condition shows a little more maturity than that. I've had my MBP for 8 months now and the one scratch I've had on it was not my fault. Sorry if that is a hard concept to grasp. I just don't have money to throw away.