[Ti] [OT]: Apple Store Service blows

Tue Apr 8 15:08:14 PDT 2003

On Tue, 2003-04-08 at 13:28, Steve Wozniak wrote:

> Basically, they were presented contracts with lengthy methods for dispute resolution, and had to sign away rights to even a jury trial after tons of other resolution methods. They were given the choice to sign it or be turned off. He who writes the contact stacks the deck. I'm sure that these contracts made everything work in Apple's favor.

This sounds familiar...  Paypal.

> In recent times the TiBooks and other new products have been distributed to such dealers months after the Apple Stores got them. There is now a class action lawsuit about this (anti-trust). I suspect that Apple is having the dealers to sign an agreement whereby Apple has no legal worry, whereby it's virtually impossible to win any case against Apple. That also makes it easier for Apple to cut any of them off.
> 
> It's too bad, because many of these dealers have done a great job and cared so much about Apple and about the customers.

Now they are closing the loop.  Of course companies are going to walk
from the table, with terms like that, who wouldn't?  Apple is, IMHO,
still a niche market and MicroCenter probably figured the costs far
exceed the potential market value.  Hey, there are a million OEMs for
x86 hardware, just shop for the company that will do business on
reasonable terms.

Anybody know the status of this? 
http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,58310,00.html  My hunch is that
Apple crushes his operation/business plan under the claim that the
"replacement" parts cannot be legally resold as functional units.  I am
certain they will directly oppose the "i" brand name.

Just my 2 cents.

-A
-- 
Aaron D. Kulick
Senior System Administrator
Memetic Systems
"Translating Customer Data Into Marketing Action."
206.985.7171 ext. 111