Problems with Apple...

I just had an absolutely unbelievable order with Apple.

I am a freelance graphic designer, and I literally live and die by my computer. If it breaks down, I can't pay rent. It is the reliability that made be switch to Apple.

The short story:
Ordered a powerbook and an ibook (both refurbished) from Apple 10/6. Both units arrived dead on arrival (DOA) and were shipped back to Apple. Two more units were sent to me, these both again were DOA. You are more likely to get stuck by lightning than to have 4 straight DOA's. It is 11/21 as I write this and am about to get the ibook, over a month and a half after I originally ordered it. I used Skype to make all my calls to Apple, so I have a detailed call log of all my calls. I love using Apples, but nobody in their right mind would support this company after this experience.

The long and disturbing story:

Saved up enough money in my first year freelancing to replace my iBook g4 that I have been using almost everyday for almost two years. Order an iBook g4 for my brother (who I convinced to switch to a mac) and a PowerBook for myself. Bought refurbished from the Apple store. On 10/6 my order was shipped. I have tried to organize the problems with each computer below (but realize that the problems and calls overlapped).

Powerbook #1

Powerbook arrives in my hands. I take a picture of the box because I am so excited for the new computer. Fire the baby up for the first time. Try to put in a cd, but the SuperDrive spits out the disk every-time. Call Apple Care, it is determined that it is DOA and they issue FedEx return labels. A $50 upgrade was provided to me. Time on phone: 1 hour. Pissed at this point, but luckily I didn't sell my old iBook, so I don't loose any work.

iBook #1

Arrives with a hard drive with a capacity of 12 GB instead of 30GB. Call tech support, they say "wow, that is really weird" quite a few times. After zeroing out the hard drive, reinstalling the operating system twice, and spending about half a day on the phone it is determined DOA, and I am issued FedEx Shipping labels. I accidentally left my AirPort Extreme card and a 1GB stick of memory in it when I sent it in. Called tech support, was transfered 3 times and was told that Apple will install these in my new iBook, no problem. Roughly an hour later I received a phone call from the tech support guy saying that they cannot do that, but they can check the iBook for when it arrives and have the two items pulled and sent to me. I am randomly send return labels for my Powerbook #2 (which is in my hands at this point). Don't think anything of it, but that turns out to be a mistake.

At this point in the process I am still happy with Apple. The problems were addressed, tech support was responsive. I have complaints, but nothing big.

PowerBook #2
Arrives with a memory slot failure. Pretty pissed at this point. Call up tech support. Because I have a long list of notes on my file (about 12 calls at this point) I am put on hold for five minutes every time I get to someone new, so they can review my notes. I have 3 sticks of memory on hand, and none of them work. Tech support tells me to go into a Apple Store to have them check it out. The closest Apple store is an hour and a half drive, and I say I don't want to do that to find out what I already know. Memory works in iBook (pc2700) should transfer right over. I go to the local Mac Shack and have them test out various memory (pc2700), as well as CompUSA. Both places find out that there is a memory slot failure. Call up Apple again, wait on hold while they review my notes, transfer, transfer, get hung up on. Call back, transfer, transfer, transfer. Finally get someone to determine it is DOA. FedEx return labels are re-issued within 24 hours (some were randomly issued during the iBook #1 calls). They have the wrong return address on them. Call, transfer, told I should really get this fixed, given a direct number to someone in 'dispatch' which I am told can take care of this. After 1.5 hours on the phone, find this not to be true, hung up on. Call back, told that I don't have to worry about this at all (so the score is Problem:2, No Problem 1). Don't believe the guy, call back, told this is a problem and I should get it fixed, transfer, transfer, transfer, get someone that agrees this is a problem, but cannot fix it herself. She put in the request to have them changed and tells me to wait 24 hours to get my new labels. Nothing happens. Call back 2 days later and find someone that is "really sorry" (and I should add that every tech support person told me at least 3 times that they were "really sorry"). Call and get someone to fix everything. I pay for an upgrade to a 15 inch powerbook ($200), and they issue a $185 credit to my credit card for my troubles. Drive to a FedEx location and drop it off, getting a tracking number on a Monday morning. Call and am told that FedEx hasn't updated their system and the tracking number (which I am telling them) is unavailable. I call back later that day, and am told the hold on the new computer is lifted (with overnight shipping, I should receive this computer on Tuesday). Tracking numbers are not issued, and by Tuesday PM I call again. Am told that the hold was not lifted, and that they are very sorry but I will get the computer on Wednesday. Computer arrives on Thursday at 2pm, after never receiving a tracking number.

iBook #2
Arrives with the exact same freak problem of a 12GB hard drive. Oh #$%@!#$% no. Call up tech support, and I am told that the tech support person has never heard of this problem before. I want to send this back right now, but tech support makes me zero out the hard drive (because that will fix the problem I am told, after I tell him I have already had this exact same issue). Spend half a day making sure that they know it is DOA. They issue a $85 credit. Check on by 1GB memory stick and airport extreme card and am told they will send an e-mail to the warehouse to check on it. Ask to talk to a supervisor. Absolutely infuriated by the guy. I tell him the problems I have had, and he stays silent until I ask him a question. He gives me a short answer and then goes to the silent treatment. I tell him I am recording the conversation (Skype + Audio Hijack Pro) and he says "You do not have permission to record this conversation, thank you for calling Apple" and hangs up. Call back, transfer, transfer, get another supervisor. She tells me that the factory e-mailed that they found my iBook #1 and it did not include the extra memory and the airport card. This check for the memory is done 15 days after it arrives with Apple. When I made the mistake of sending these items in with my DOA iBook #1, I called right away and was told, "no problem, we will send you new replacements". Now 15 days after they have the unit in their warehouse they check for the "1st" time. The supervisor tells me I am lying to them, and they cannot replace items that they did not receive. I cannot believe this, and ask why the materials were not sent back to me as promised. She tells me "we did not receive the items." I ask question after question about what happens when the warehouse receives a DOA. No answers except: "we did not receive the items." After 30 minutes talking with her, she makes an "extreme exception" and refunds my credit card the price of an airport card. The 1GB of memory is my loss, with no apologies. Ask why my iBook has not shipped, and she tells me that the configuration I had originally ordered is now out, and I need to pick a new one. I look on the website and I see a computer that is very near the configuration I had (different processor speed), with a $75 price difference. I am told the only way I can get a replacement is if I pay the $75 difference. Complementary upgrade for the troubles? A policy that if a customer receives a DOA they will not be punished? No, I already received the maximum credit of $85, and she has already made an "extreme exception" with my case. I am told the computer will be over-nighted to me, but it still hasn't arrived 3 business days later (I received a tracking number, and it should be here tomorrow).

PowerBook #3
Love it, I worked hard for it. Random quiet beep every time I type a key, which is really weird. The manual I received was a photocopy stapled together, which is very weird for Apple to do.

iBook #3
We will see...

I lost a lot of work, time and money on this whole process, and am pretty pissed at Apple for stealing the 1GB of memory, sending me 4 straight defective units and making me go through lowest level technical support every call. I don't want this to be a bitch about customer service posting (which is clearly is) but more of a report on how Apple handles problems currently. I am sure a lot of us use Apples because we like they way the company is run, with innovation and care for it customer base. I was just burned pretty bad. If this becomes a trend (not getting 4 DOA, but just bad service) will the base leave as well (have they already started to leave)?

Does anyone from Apple care that this is happening to a loyal customer?