Quality of third party products sold by Apple authorised resellers.

Question

Level 1

8 points

Quality of third party products sold by Apple authorised resellers.

I bought an IPad Pro and MacBook . To keep both of these I bought a Neopack Leather bag form Apple authorised reseller as was advertised in Apple's website , the bag started showing peeling up of leather in 15 days of use !

Who is responsible , Apple or the reseller who advertises as single brand authorised Apple reseller in premium Malls in India ? There is a big Apple Logo outside the shop .

A mail sent to Apple auth reseller appended below .Apple customer care said they are not responsible though they would try to help !! Then , why not a prominent disclaimer in the Shop of Apple authorised Reseller that Apple is NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY QUALITY OF ANY PRODUCT /ACCESORY EXCEPT WHAT IS MANUFACTURED BY THEM ?

One buys from Apple stores or their Auth resellers for the Quality assurance . You mean to say Apple has no control on what is being sold in their " premium authorised" resellers ?

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To Apex ,

Authorised Reseller Apple,

Shop no G-11, Growels Mall, Kandivali East Mumbai 400101.

Dear Sir ,

I and my family have been an user of Apple products for more than 5 years now.

I purchased a Neopack lapptop bag LXY Edition ( 15") from your Kandivali Branch, Mumbai on 25.02.2017, trusting the quality of the product being retailed as you are an authorised seller of Apple in Mumbai . Surprisingly, the bag has started wearing off in only 15 days of using. It cost Rs 3499/- . First time I got a sub standard product in an Apple store.

Bill No : S16/2028

Bill dated 25/02/2017

Customer Name : SANJAY PANIGRAHI

CUSTOMER PH NO : 9007708247

PRODUCT : NEOPACK WORKMATE LEATHER BAG -BROWN .MODEL No 44BR15

Understand Apple certifies all products to be sold from their authorised store.

I went back to the store yesterday ( 11/3/2017) and while the courteous and polite Sales Person ( Mr Farukh) initially tried to advise me that it was damaged product in my hands which I said was not possible and the material used was of poor quality as it was not a damage of being torn or pierced , the leather at some places on the bag has just started wearing off ! He agreed to replace after connecting to his superiors with another new bag as a replacement which showed damages already appearing exactly in the same parts where my bag has been damaged.

It was obvious to me that it was cheap material being used in the manufacture of a “ leather” bag by Neopack . The Sales man had no answer and has assured me that he would get another piece from your stocks which I wonder of would help . I have left the damaged bag at the store.

I request you to refund the money paid or allow purchase any other quality bag/accessory at the same price or by paying the difference if it cost higher.I do not want to run around again after few days.

I am disappointed and would request that my complaint be sent to Apple and also not to put consumers at such inconveniences by allowing sales of such poor quality products.

I am sure you would not like me to have such a disappoint experience , I seek your help as an Apple fan.

Thanking you and with warm regards,

SANJAY PANIGRAHI

Mumbai 400101

Posted on Mar 11, 2017 11:45 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Mar 12, 2017 8:52 AM in response to Panigrahi

Hi

When you buy any product it's always the retailer who you go to for exchange.

The retailer can get there money back from the wholesalers.

That how it is in the UK but return to seller ask for a replacement.

Cheers

Brian

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Answer 2

Mar 12, 2017 6:51 AM in response to Panigrahi

Apple only has any warranty responsible for Apple products sold at an Authorized reseller. Anything and everything else that a reseller chooses to stock or sell has nothing at all to do with Apple. Auhorized resellers have an agreement with Apple concerning Apple products, but they are still independent businesses and can do whatever retail business they choose.

So your complaint is with the reseller, and the product manufacturer. Apple has nothing to do with this.

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Answer 3

Panigrahi Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 12, 2017 8:58 AM in response to Michael Black

Thanks , Michael. I would have appreciated if Apple gave this disclaimer in the shop / website . They are not truly " independent" resllers , I would feel that Apple might have agreement which binds the resller in terms of quality of the products the reseller vend from their outlets incl non competing products to Apple range. In comparision what would Apple do if this third party product was sold from Apple stores ( none are there in IIndia as of yet) ?

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Answer 4

Mar 12, 2017 9:39 AM in response to Panigrahi

You are mistaken. Authorized resellers are wholly independent companies and they conduct their business as the see fit to do so. Their sole obligation to Apple is limited to those products they have specifically signed an agreement for in order to become an Authorized Apple reseller. Other than Apple products, Apple has no say at all in how an independent reseller conducts their business.

Apple Authorized refers solely to those Apple products a reseller carriers and nothing else they may sell. Apple owns no stake in an independent authorized reseller nor has any control over them outside of the limited aspects of the Apple Products they sell. As such, Apple has no responsibility for, nor any say in, any non-Apple products those businesses choose to sell.

Authorized resellers (e.g. BestBuy, Walmart) very frequently sell other brands, models and items that are direct competitors to Apple and their products (other smart phones, tablets, latptops, computers and peripherals). The agreements that retailers make with specific brands or companies are most often wholly independent agreements, and often there are even laws that forbid a company like Apple from imposing or attempting to impose restrictions on how a business operates outside of their own specific products (E.g. Anti-collusion laws that ensure independent companies are not forced or coerced to follow excessive or extreme limits or restrictions on how they conduct themselves in order to carry a particular product or line of products).

As far as Apple retail stores, they in turn operate under the same rules, and they may carry, or not, those third party products that Apple chooses to sell. But those product makers don't get to dictate extreme terms to Apple any more than Apple gets to do so to its independent resellers.

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