14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is getting flack for its approach regarding customer support in China, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it used to get flack for it until it made some modifications.
Not that the changes have had much of an effect. Sure, they were only made recently, so reactions didn’t have time to form, but local law consultants already believe they won't be enough.
The story is that the China Consumer Association (CCA) reached the conclusion that Apple was not providing enough customer support for Chinese buyers.
Some of the tensions arose from the “time limit” Apple had on the holding onto the repaired products.
To elaborate, if a customer turned in a device for repairs, he or she had to pay 10 yuan per day ($1.57 / €1.27) if they came to pick it up more than 30 days after the repairs. What's more, after 90 days, Apple disposes of all responsibility for the product.
The new policy disposed of the time limit, but the storage fees persist even now.
There was another problem, also related to repairs. Apple was allowed to use either old or refurbished (returned) parts to fix defective items. Now, Apple will supposedly listen to consumer preference, although the wording is still very vague.
“Customers own repaired spare parts, while Apple owns old spare parts, and customers can forward their specific requirements to Apple’s repair center in advance...” Mic Gadget reveals.
Local IT experts think the new wording is just meant as a distraction and that Apple should just altogether give up on the idea of using used parts in repairs.
As for the rest of the policies, CCA and others still believe there are sections that do not abide by Chinese consumer laws. Only time will tell if the Cupertino company surrenders to pressure like it did after the EPEAT debacle.