My New Years resolution for 2021- wishing to distance myself from the dumpster fire which was 2020 - was to be generally more positive, and leave negativity for only the most rare and necessary of occasions.
This is one of those rare and necessary occasions.
My iPod classic was working fine, but required a new battery as the old one wasn't holding its charge for long. I bought a replacement battery online. When it arrived I determined it would be too difficult for me to install without the right tools. After calling a few local businesses, I found BlackApple, a local business offering "legendary service". I called ahead and asked if they could do the required work, and was told they could. A day later I brought my iPod and the battery, and the man behind the counter tole me to return in an hour. Sixty minutes later I did, indeed, return, to learn that not only was the battery not replaced but he hadn't even successfully separated the case. He did, however, break the display screen in the attempt, and bent the living hell out of the back casing.
Okay, fair enough. Accidents happen. I wasn't angry. The guy said they would replace the unit with a similar or better model, transfer all the data from unit to unit, and even return the broken iPod, "in about a week". A good solution, all things considered, even though the expectation as I would pay half the cost of the replacement iPod. Even though I didn't think it was reasonable for me to pay anything at this point I agreed, only to get the process over with.
A week passed, and no call from BlackApple.
A second week passed and no call from BlackApple. No response to my email inquiries.
I went by the store to find out what was going on. the replacement iPod was "at a different location" and would be ready in a couple of days.
A week passed and no call from BlackApple. Remember earlier when I said I wasn't angry? I'm angry at this point. I called them on Saturday and said, ready or not, I would return on Monday to take my old iPod back and have someone else fix it.
When I arrived on Monday my iPod was in exactly the same condition as the day the guy broke it. They hadn't done anything. The replacement unit was nowhere to be seen. Why? Because they hadn't actually sourced a replacement. I guess by telling me it was "in a different location", what they meant was "in their imagination". When I said I wanted my old unit back a different guy behind the counter said "you've waited this long, why not leave it for a couple more days and we'll fix it?". He also confessed that they hadn't actually found a replacement unit when they originally told me they had, but now they had.
Confused? Me too. I'm not sure how defamation law works so I don't know if I could be in trouble for saying the staff at BlackApple repeatedly lied to me, so I won't say that.
What began as a simple, $30 charge for replacing a battery has now ballooned to a two-month, $170 adventure involving shipping my iPod to/from an actual technician out of town who actually knows how to repair iPods. I made a sincere effort to support a local business in this time of austerity, but got severely rooked in the process.
Am I angry they broke the iPod while trying to service it? No. Accidents happen (although I think it's not a wise business move to accept work you suspect you cannot perform). I am angry about being given the runaround for a month for no reason, and experiencing piss-poor customer service from day two.
Don't bring your device to these guys. I wouldn't trust them to mail a letter, let alone repair an electronic device. read more