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My computer was stolen in an authorised Apple store, but the shop refuses to adequately replace my computer. What should I do?

Good Afternoon,


I bought my macbook in London´s Regent Street store and went travelling to Colombia. My computer broke down and so I went to an authorised Apple shop, INext in Santa Marta. Here is their website: www.inextstore.com.co

On the 27th of January, after three months of waiting for a spare part (which they originally said would take a week or two to find), I was told the part couldn´t be found and they offered to buy my computer from me. I said I would think about it but smelt something dodgy, and went back to the store a few days later to get my computer and money back, when another member of staff told me it had been stolen on the 16th of January, which is before the day in which they offered to buy my computer! This means that over ten days after the theft they didn't notify me of the theft and even tried to conceal it to me. I therefore realised they had been lying to me.

Either way, they offered me a second hand computer to replace my one, but they want to keep the money I paid in advance for the repair as they claim my computer was not functioning. I cannot trust them anymore as they already lied to me, and they might give me a second hand computer that doesn't have original parts.As of today, they still have the money that I paid for the spare part that never arrived and I don´t have a computer.

Does anyone know, apart from denouncing them to the authorities, if there is anything else I can do? I have already written to Apple to let them know of the behavior of their authorised dealer, but any additional siggestions would be great.


Thanks!

MacBook

Posted on Feb 12, 2016 4:15 PM

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Posted on Feb 13, 2016 9:44 AM

This is very awkward, Zorba777. You are talking about a country that does not have the kind of consumer protection laws as you will find in the UK (or the USA). And I would imagine that the legal side would be hard to enforce,too. All the same ...


Advising Apple was a good move. Apple need to know these things.


If you were there as a tourist, talk to their tourism board.


If you have a receipt for any of this transaction, and was insured, approach your Insurers.


If this latter route is taken, you need first to report the matter as theft to the local police (and get a report number).

Your insurers will require it.


Good luck.

5 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Feb 13, 2016 9:44 AM in response to zorba777

This is very awkward, Zorba777. You are talking about a country that does not have the kind of consumer protection laws as you will find in the UK (or the USA). And I would imagine that the legal side would be hard to enforce,too. All the same ...


Advising Apple was a good move. Apple need to know these things.


If you were there as a tourist, talk to their tourism board.


If you have a receipt for any of this transaction, and was insured, approach your Insurers.


If this latter route is taken, you need first to report the matter as theft to the local police (and get a report number).

Your insurers will require it.


Good luck.

Feb 13, 2016 9:45 AM in response to zorba777

Odd... when one searches for an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) - with "Santa Marta, Columbia" + Mac as filtering terms - there seems to be only ONE AASP, across the bay in Barranquilla = Mac Center Buena Vista


User uploaded file

The store that you cite can only be found by searching for "Sales" in Santa Marta. A 'distributor' is not required to be able to 'service' Apple products. To service Apple products, an outfit must have trained & 'Certified Mac Technicians' - both at the front desk AND in the 'on site' workbench area.


My bet is that they sent your Mac 'out' and it got "lost" by whomever and they are simply 'saying' it got stolen in hopes that they could come to some 'face saving' agreement with you.


Not knowing Colombian Law, it is difficult for us to advise beyond reporting to the police - but - if these folks are interested in saving face "as a business" (not the folks to which you spoke 'saving their a** '), it seems that THEY should have insurance (or self-insure) to make it right with you = giving you the SAME MODEL "working" Mac and (only fairly) keeping the cost of the original repair you paid (you did give them a broken Mac, after all). [ I would not have paid up front for anything, including the part ]


If I were the business owner, and I was indeed honest and interested in 'staying out of trouble', I would simply go get a sealed-box comparable Mac from the shelf, hand it over and apologize profusely!


EDITadded

If I were you, I would go into the store and "politely" pitch the "replacement with new" idea to the ownership - AND - if they were steadfast in their original offer, step outside and call the police from their doorstep.

Feb 13, 2016 9:58 AM in response to zorba777

Guys, thank you both very much for your replies.


I am pretty certain that the computer was actually stolen at the shop as I managed to obtain a police report, which stated that the shop was broken into on the 16th of January.


the shop has not apologised but they are saying they will replace my computer with a second hand one. However, I never wanted a second hand computer, because I don't trust buying second hand technology. That is precisely why I waited all those months and paid a considerable amount of money to get mine repaired. my computer had always been serviced with original parts, and I used it very gently, no cracked programs or torrent Etc. As the shop already lied to me when trying to hide the theft, I cannot trust them to provide me a sound second hand macbook. It will probably be sourced from a stolen computers market and break within 6 months. Ultimately, i never wanted a second hand computer, otherwise I would have got one three months ago and avoided the having to wait for so long, without being able to use my computer for working whilst travelling. I imagine that if this happened in a real Apple Store they would replace it with a new one, not offer me a second hand one and above that ask me to pay money for a spare part that never arrived! So I am guessing they are probably a counterfeit Apple service centre and should denounce that to the authorities.


Sadly, I am leaving the country soon and will probably never see the light at the end of this, but will do my best to flag this up so that other Mac users do not have to go through the same ordeal with so called INext Santa Marta

Feb 13, 2016 10:18 AM in response to zorba777

If you are returning to the UK, I would look into a Refurbished Mac as a replacement. It is my position that a Refurb is likely to be in better shape than one right off the (sweatshop?) assembly line in China - as Apple does its own "local" Quality Control (or at least 'presents' it that way)

Apple Certified Refurbished

User uploaded file Free shipping on all refurbished products. Free returns.

We test and certify all Apple refurbished products and include a one-year warranty. Supply is limited. See Terms & Conditions.


http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

My computer was stolen in an authorised Apple store, but the shop refuses to adequately replace my computer. What should I do?

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