Need Advice – Faulty MacBook Pro and No Resolution from Seller/Amazon

Smokey72

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out to ask for advice regarding an ongoing issue with a faulty MacBook Pro I purchased through Amazon in November 2023. Despite months of trying to resolve the matter with the seller and Amazon, I’m still stuck with no resolution, and I’m not sure who to turn to next.

Background:
On June 17, 2024, I reported a flickering touch bar issue on my MacBook Pro. After numerous delays and follow-ups, the retailer, AppleBite2ndBite, requested that I send the laptop for inspection, which I did on September 12, 2024.

On September 16, 2024, I was informed that the device showed signs of liquid damage around the touch bar and touch ID areas. However, the photos provided only showed the laptop's exterior, not the alleged internal damage. I subsequently requested the inspection report to verify these findings.

Inspection Report:
The inspection report was dated September 26, 2024, but I did not receive the report and my charger until the end of November, 2024. Upon reviewing the report, I noticed the following discrepancies:

1.Incorrect Serial Number: The report references a device with a different serial number, which does not match my MacBook Pro.

2.Claimed Liquid Damage: The report vaguely states that "significant liquid damage" was discovered affecting the touch bar, keyboard, and trackpad. There is no clear evidence, photos, or detailed explanation of the findings.

I took the laptop to an Apple Store for a second opinion, where the technician confirmed that:

· There was no evidence of liquid damage.

· I attempted to contact the third-party vendor responsible for the inspection, Apple-Bay Limited, to clarify these discrepancies. Their details are as follows:
Apple-Bay Limited
1 High Street
Camberley, Surrey
GU15 3QU

Their listed contact number (01252 375167) either goes unanswered or directs to a voicemail stating that they are closed from February 1 to February 16 for holidays. Additionally, their mailbox is full, preventing me from leaving a message. This raises serious concerns about the credibility and professionalism of this vendor

The following was in response to an e-mail from Amazon Complaints Department

Follow-Up on MacBook Pro Refund Request – Contradiction in Response

Thank you for your recent response regarding my refund request for the Apple MacBook Pro . While I appreciate the acknowledgment of my concerns, your statement that my order is ineligible for the A-to-z Guarantee refund contradicts both Amazon’s own policies and my communication history with the seller.

Your email claims that "a prerequisite to request an A-to-z Guarantee refund is that the seller was contacted and given the chance to resolve the enquiry within 48 hours." I want to point out the following:

1.     The Seller Was Contacted Multiple Times: I reached out to the seller on several occasions, starting on June 17, 2024, and continued to follow up, allowing ample time for the seller to resolve the issue. Despite this, they failed to provide a satisfactory resolution.

2.     Amazon’s Assurance on November 25, 2024: During my call with Amazon Customer Service on November 25, I was assured that if the seller failed to respond or provide a resolution within 48 hours, I would be eligible for a refund. It has now been several months, and the seller has not resolved my issue. Your current stance contradicts this assurance.

3.     Repeated Attempts Without Resolution: I have consistently followed up with both the seller and Amazon’s Customer Service and Complaints Department, yet the matter remains unresolved. This has caused significant inconvenience and frustration.

Given this, I respectfully request that Amazon honor its assurance and process my refund under the A-to-z Guarantee. I have provided all necessary documentation and evidence showing that:

·The seller failed to adequately address my concerns.

·Their inspection report is riddled with inaccuracies and lacks credibility.

· A second opinion from the Apple Store confirmed there is no evidence of liquid damage, supporting my claim.

My Request:

At this point, I just want a full refund for the MacBook Pro, as it’s defective and the seller’s claims of liquid damage are unsupported by valid evidence.

Who Can I Turn To?

I’ve heard about escalating to the Ombudsman or consumer protection organizations, but I’m unsure how to proceed. Has anyone dealt with something similar? Any advice on next steps would be greatly appreciated!

 Thanks in advance for your help!

RefluentBeans

Why did Amazon say it was ineligible for a refund? 

What has the retailer said to the claim that the inspection report is for a different machine?

How did you pay for the device? 

born_again

Is this the retailer?
https://applebite2ndbite.com/contact-us/
as contact details are different.

Or is it
https://apple-bay.co.uk/

If the latter then looks like you have reached the end of the road from data on companies house

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06845014/insolvency

Smokey72

Applebite2ndbite is the seller on Amazon and apple- bay is the company that provided the inspection report

Smokey72

From Amazon 

Hello, Thank you for reaching out to us. This is Aswin from Amazon Management Team. I sincerely apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you have experienced with your MacBook Pro purchase  and for the lack of resolution so far. We understand how important this matter is to you and we are here here it assist as best as we can. After reviewing the case, I would like to clarify that the order in question was sold and fulfilled by a market place seller and not directly by Amazon. The transaction and the contract are between the buyer and the seller so any refund that the customer is entitled to or has agreed will be generated by the Seller through their Seller Account. Regarding the Amazon A-z Guarantee, this protection is available for 90 days from the date of the delivery. Unfortunately ,as this time frame has elapsed, we re unable to process a direct resolution under this program. At this stage, we recommend contacting the seller directly to address the discrepancies and concerns you've raised,  including the inspection report and the alleged liquid damage. We understand the you've faced difficulties in reaching them, and we deeply regret any inconvenience this has caused. Yet when I was on chat with them they assured me that it was covered by Amazons A-Z guarantee which i i took photos off

born_again

Smokey72 said:

Applebite2ndbite is the seller on Amazon and apple- bay is the company that provided the inspection report

What is the time limit for AtoZ protection?
Given a November 23 purchase, you are looking at over a year.
Not in terms of retailer response times to queries.
It looks like 90 days from purchase is the limit.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GTUXEP9L4KCBFSLU#:~:text=If you choose to make,any claims you might have.

If you choose to make a claim through the A-to-z Claims Process, you must do so within 90 days after the incident giving rise to your claim occurs. If you choose not to make a claim or miss this deadline, neither you nor Amazon waives any rights or defenses relating to any claims you might have.


The A-to-z Guarantee protects Amazon shoppers when they buy items from third-party sellers that are defective, damaged, not as described, or not delivered on time.

Which would not seem to cover your case.

Was this a new or reconditioned mac book, what sort of guarantee or warranty was offered it it?

There is not Ombudsman in terms of consumer protection.
If retailer is not responding, then in reality you are looking at taking them to court.

There is no S75 cover as a marketplace purchase (debtor/creditor link broken), or any chargeback rights as not faulty when received.

Okell

@Smokey72 -  there is no ombudsman or consumer organisation you can refer this to.

If this fault is not covered by Amazon A - Z guarantee then all you can do is try to take it further with the seller, Apple-Bay limited.

@RefluentBeans has already asked you what response did you get from the seller when you told them that Apple themselves denied that it had suffered water damage.  So what did Apple-Bay say to that?

After 6 months from purchase the onus is on you as consumer to prove that the machine was inherently faulty in some way when you bought it.  If you go back to apple-Bay with evidence from Apple that they are rejecting the report that the seller themselves commissioned, you might embarass Apple-Bay enough to offer you some satisfactory solution.

But if they don't, you'd have to consider suing them.  You would have to establish on the balance of probability that the machine had a manufacturing fault or a faulty component or was badly designed or was otherwise not of reasonable quality (eg insufficiently durable)

Smokey72

thanks for the advice guys looks like theres not much I can do about but leave a scathing review on amazon

DullGreyGuy

Anything you do would need to be directly against the company itself AppleBite2ndBite Limited. 

According to their accounts they were solvent with a half decent amount of stock exactly 1 year ago so may have resources to deal with any claim against them. Their listed address however is just a forwarding address so you won't be able to get a court order and send bailiffs around unless you can find their operational address. 

Before, not too long ago, she had a private address registered for her company, unusually they've also left the sole shareholder and directors date of birth visible in the articles of association on companies house so a fair amount of detail if you wanted to spend time to try and trace them

Jumblebumble

DullGreyGuy said:

Anything you do would need to be directly against the company itself AppleBite2ndBite Limited. 

According to their accounts they were solvent with a half decent amount of stock exactly 1 year ago so may have resources to deal with any claim against them. Their listed address however is just a forwarding address so you won't be able to get a court order and send bailiffs around unless you can find their operational address. 

Before, not too long ago, she had a private address registered for her company, unusually they've also left the sole shareholder and directors date of birth visible in the articles of association on companies house so a fair amount of detail if you wanted to spend time to try and trace them

Putting full name and dob on a public website is a tad foolish and very useful for identity theft me thinks