Airport Express: Thumbs up. NextByte Apple Resellers: Thumbs down.
On the way home from Uni I dropped into the Apple store in the city – NextByte – for a bit of a browse. My resolve is weakening, but I managed to resist the lure of the iMacs – but only by distracting myself with an Airport Express that was just begging for someone to take it home and love it.
I was that soldier.
I wasn’t, however, any colour of impressed with NextByte. First, they gave me an Airport Express brochure with an academic price, but refused to offer the academic price when I was actually making the purchase. Given that the brochures were only colour laser prints, you would think it wouldn’t be that hard to correct your advertising bumf.
Then I open the packaging to find that this Airport Express looked distinctly… used. Oh, the unit isn’t scuffed or damaged in any way, but the box was a little tatty around the edges, and there was none of the characteristic Apple overpackaging – no wrappings, no shrinkwrap, no nothing, in fact.
And then I got the unit home, plugged it in, and not only was it used, it hadn’t even been reset. It still had a network identity and was still password-protected.
Now, admittedly it takes about 15 seconds to wipe the passwords, but still. If it’s that easy, why didn’t they do it? That’s just tacky, in my opinion. So, three strikes and they’re out – I won’t be giving Next Byte any of my money in future. Apple resellers wail about customers shopping via Apple directly, undercutting them? This is no incentive to behave any differently. If I’d shopped with Apple I’d have saved $25 and got a new unit for my money.
Still – it’s plugged in, it’s set up, it’s working*. At least Apple got their end of the deal right.
- – Mostly. I can’t actually get the damn thing to join my existing wireless network, which is, shall we say, frustrating. I shall keep prodding, though.
June 29th, 2005 at 7:12 pm
Um…
So what? Ask for a discount and you’ll get one… it’s not like Apple lets ANY reseller make loads of money on their accessories… And I’m sure you’d have gotten a replacement straight away.. and probably a voucher too… perhaps you can pick up a new mac next time you’re at Domayne?
June 29th, 2005 at 7:15 pm
The education discount is lower than cost on pretty much all accessories… get over it..
August 9th, 2005 at 3:18 am
Ah yes, the ol’ “we won’t edu discount on anything below $200”. Many a time I’ve been driven (or walken) to apple direct for the discount. It’s as if Next Byte don’t want any business.