A Grumpy Old Man - Who? Me!!!

john crossley wrote in post #18419136
It also is very reluctant to drag files from one location to another.

john crossley wrote in post #18419136
Having recently bought a laptop from a well-known fruit-flavoured computer store, I can only conclude that it was not the most edifying experience. Maybe my expectations are too high for this modern-day throw-away society.

“A revolutionary new way to use your Mac”

Unfortunately I don’t want to place my MacBook Pro on the top of the mantelpiece and admire it as one would a work of art. I want to use it for its intended purpose, but I can’t as there is an intermittent fault with the trackpad. Call me old fashioned but when I spend an extortionate amount of money on a laptop computer I expect it to work, more over I expect an empathic response from the shop assistants when I return it to the shop from which I bought it.

On Wednesday 5th July 2017 I purchased a 13" MacBook Pro from the Apple Store at Meadowhall. It has developed intermittent faults on the trackpad. Sometimes when you try to click the trackpad it locks up and feels like you are pressing a solid object. It also is very reluctant to drag files from one location to another. Once you have selected a file and then try to drag it to another location nothing happens, my finger moves across the trackpad but the file stays where it.

Wednesday 2nd August 2017 (28th day of possession of 13”MacBook Pro)
At approximately 14:30 on Wednesday 2nd August 2017 I walked into the Apple Store at Meadowhall. It seemed unusually quiet for the time of day and I quickly noticed a couple of "Genii" standing in the middle of the shop. I approached them and told them that I was having intermittent problems with the trackpad on my MacBook Pro. Their response was one of abject apathy and indifference, and neither one of them seemed surprised when I mentioned the trackpad (I got the impression that trackpad issues were a common problem). They told me that I had to go see "Him over there," pointing at another Genius standing a few feet away. And the “Him over there” told me I had to go see “Them over there.” Well after being passed from pillar to post and being told to see 5 different Genii in the space of 3 minutes I was by now somewhat irked. I told this Genius that I was having intermittent problems with the trackpad. He asked, "Have you made an appointment?"
"No," I responded.
"Well we can't look at it unless you have booked it in with us."
He then went to see one of his colleagues. When he came back he told me that the earliest appointment available was in three hours' time.
"Well I'm not waiting three hours," I said. "I want someone to look at it now, it will only take five minutes to confirm whether the trackpad is faulty or not."
"Well I can't look at it," he said. "I'm sales, not a technician." (Surely sales staff must be able to tell if a trackpad is faulty or not - I was under the impression that the so-called Apple Genius's knew everything there was to know about their superior products and that their knowledge was second to none)
"I'll have a full refund then," I told him.
"How long have you had the MacBook?" He asked.
"Twenty-eight days," I said. He looked rather unsure. "I am entitled to a refund, aren't I?" I asked again. Still looking uncertain he went and spoke to a colleague.
On his return he said, "You've got 30 days in which to return the MacBook, so you will have to return it to us by Thursday."
"What, I think you will find that I have until the close of business on Friday to return it to you," I said, a bit taken aback by this Genius's lack of ability to do simple arithmetic. "So, I am entitled to a full refund?" I asked again. He still looked unsure even though his colleague had told him I was only a few moments earlier, but very reluctantly he agreed that I was.
I wasn’t after an in-depth, detailed, analysis of the trackpad, I just wanted someone to confirm whether or not the trackpad had a fault. It would have taken all of 5 minutes. Is that really too much to ask?



Thursday 3rd August 2017 (29th day of possession of 13”MacBook Pro)
I arrived at the Meadowhall Apple Store at about 14:30. Again it seemed to be relatively quiet. I noticed a Genius stood near to the store entrance and so I approached him. He looked up and asked if he could help me.
"I'm after a refund for this," I replied, putting the MacBook Pro on the table that he was leaning against. I explained that the trackpad was somewhat erratic in its behaviour. He then asked how long I had had it.
"Twenty-Nine days," was my response. He said that I couldn’t have a refund because the returns period had expired. I said that it hadn’t and that I had 30 days in which I could return the goods for a full refund. I then politely reminded him of what it said on the Apple (UK) website about returning goods within 30 days for a full refund, and also what the Consumer Rights Act 2015 states about faulty goods and the right to a full refund if the goods are returned within 30 days. He then asked to be excused and disappeared into the back office.
He returned several minutes later and agreed that I could have a full refund, and then proceeded to examine the MacBook Pro. All the time he was trying to talk me out of having the refund by saying that I could exchange it for another Mac, or he could spend time with me and show me how to use it correctly. He also stated that the problems were more than likely due to the MacBook desktop not being set up correctly. So I then asked why it was that he was able to spend so much time with me testing the machine when the previous day no-one was able to spare me 5 minutes, and that if someone had had the common decency to listen to me and spent a few minutes testing the Mac I would more than likely not be asking for a refund now.
But even when he did finally issue me with a refund he still had to go and get it authorised by the manager because he was adamant that the returns window had expired, even though the Apple (UK) website quite clearly states: ...A consumer is also entitled to withdraw from the contract by returning the product in exchange for a full refund if the consumer rejects the goods within 30 days...

Strontium wrote in post #18419217
I never use trackpads on laptops. It's a quick route to frustration.

OhLook wrote in post #18419846
The trackpad on my old MacBook worked fine. It was only when Apple made the pad do so much multitasking that its performance on basic functions suffered. If you have the new, fancy options turned on, it's too easy to activate one when you only wanted to tap a link.

drmaxx wrote in post #18420438
We definitely need a grumpy old photographer thread!

Ian Mackie wrote in post #18419667
I feel your pain .........

drmaxx wrote in post #18420438
We definitely need a grumpy old photographer thread!