Apple in Thailand SUCKS!

[brucegoniners]

This is going to be a bit of a rant, so I apologize ahead of time.

 

I've been trying for 5 DAYS to purchase a high end MacBook Pro from Apple. Should be easy, right?

 

2 days after my first order my Applecare is charged and I get an email that says there is a problem with my payment. I go to the page the email links to and it gives me an error. I call Apple and ask if I can change my payment method (after calling my bank and finding out there are no issues with the card and there was no decline) and they tell me I have to cancel the order and order again, so I do it.

 

2 days later, rinse and repeat, the same thing happens. I get cutoff twice by the Apple support people and call back. I try to change my payment method. She takes the CC this time and tells me that didn't go through. In frustration I tell them to cancel the order.

 

I order for a third time. This time I'm going to pay at the bank. No more credit cards. The minute I put in that order and print the payment slip I get a notice from my bank that the credit card charges have gone through.

 

I have to call the idiots again. They tell me now my order isn't cancelled and will be sent. WE SHALL SEE! 

 

I was also about to go to the store, but they told me the stores only carry the basic configuration without the extra memory and graphics card I want.

 

Oh and I went online to try to cancel the new computer. Of course another error message.

 

<snip>

 

Oh and their website is a clusterf*&k as well.

 

I feel better now...

[Mavideol]

have a good day than 555

[Sundown]

Usually this happens because some Thais cannot use the POS options correctly (even though they are paid just to do that, surprising right?). Since they told you 2 days after that your payment was not successful it's quite clear that they process the CC data manually, hence the error of some incompetent.

 

 

[yuyiinthesky]

I usually order my Macs or MacBooks at Studio 7, not online, in one of the many shops. They have many shops and good service, never had a problem with them. 

[Pilotman]

You took the words right out of my head. I actually went to the UK to get my last  iPhone, which had to be set up on a UK network before I came back, or it just gets all confused if you try to do it here. You are also right in terms of both their website and the iTunes website, which is slow, amateurish and outdated. To be honest,  like Microsoft on my PC, I wish that I could ditch them, but they are better products, when you can get hold of them, at a decent price and when you can set them up.  Much better than any android device I have come across.  

[pineapple01]

Its so hard. Walk into Apple Store. Pay. Walk Out. Parking can be the difficult bit.

[RichCor]

4 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

Its so hard. Walk into Apple Store. Pay. Walk Out. Parking can be the difficult bit.

OP already said why this wouldn't work, unless you're suggesting he should buy what he doesn't want because it's more 'convenient'.

[ubonjoe]

A off topic post and replies to it have been removed.

[sometimewoodworker]

43 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

Its so hard. Walk into Apple Store. Pay. Walk Out. Parking can be the difficult bit.

You missed the bit about driving the 550km to the store and back.

and that there is only 1 Apple store in Thailand.

 

So it’s so hard?  <Expletive, suggesting sex, deleted> Yes ???? 

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

I feel better now...

But they are nice people to talk to, I’ve just spent a while chatting to an Australian Probably getting a software glitch sorted out in the maps app. The maps has difficulty finding Thai addresses and there is a way to (Probably) add them.

 

The shipping is incredibly fast with under promise and over perform. Any problem does get sorted out if you give a little more  time.

[time2093]

Hey op, Its not Apple in Thailand that sucks, Its THAILAND costumer service at a whole that sucks.

[pineapple01]

Theres even an Apple Genuine in Phitsanulok , Chaing Mai, Hua Hin, Ubon Rat. Most all the provinces but if it spoils a rant, so be it.

[JimmyJ]

2 hours ago, yuyiinthesky said:

I usually order my Macs or MacBooks at Studio 7, not online, in one of the many shops. They have many shops and good service, never had a problem with them. 

Do they only sell Apple?

[RichCor]

12 minutes ago, pineapple01 said:

Theres even an Apple Genuine in

You do realize there is only one Apple Store, owned by Apple, in BKK? Everyone else is an licensed reseller or service center (if even that). If you go to the apple Thailand website they won't list any of those stores, just the BKK store. 

[sometimewoodworker]

23 minutes ago, RichCor said:

You do realize there is only one Apple Store, owned by Apple, in BKK? Everyone else is an licensed reseller or service center (if even that). If you go to the apple Thailand website they won't list any of those stores, just the BKK store. 

Really???

i must be hallucinating, or I have magic fingers ???? then as a moment ago I checked my local area in the Apple Thai website and found these stores listed, all licensed resellers of course.

[RichCor]

46 minutes ago, RichCor said:

If you go to the apple Thailand website they won't list any of those stores, just the BKK store. 

Took me a while to find a link on the apple site to show me the page you displayed. Exactly which finger is it you're using anyway?

[sometimewoodworker]

4 minutes ago, RichCor said:

Took me a while to find a link on the apple site to show me the page you displayed. Exactly which finger is it you're using anyway?

for the Apple website, the magic fingers, for others it varies ???? 

[samsensam]

 

i've used the apple stores in the uk, hk and singapore, all excellent service. i'd certainly recommend going in person and dealing face to face for any high end item in any country, and especially in thailand. though to be honest i probably wouldn't buy a high end item in thailand.

[tomazbodner]

4 hours ago, brucegoniners said:

I was also about to go to the store, but they told me the stores only carry the basic configuration without the extra memory and graphics card I want.

That's not true. If you have payment problems, you could go to any PowerBuy and order it from there. They'll open Apple site in front of you, you'll configure it any way you want, the price at the bottom is what you'll be paying, and then they'll order it for you, it'll be custom assembled for you and arrive at the store within 1-2 weeks when you pick it up there after testing it. If anything is wrong they'll return it for you.

 

Much safer way of doing it.

[phetphet]

Apple have a 14 day no quibble return policy, so if you have indeed double ordered direct from Apple, you should have no problem returning an order. Especially if unopened.

[Puchaiyank]

555...I feel your frustration...ordered online...not Apple!...used CC...everything went through fine...then received an email from company saying the CC had been rejected...would I please order once more?

 

Go through the ordering process...everything seemed in order...

 

A few days later, both orders went through and money paid out for two orders...called company to cancel one of the orders...sorry ship already...nothing we can do...suspect this is a regular scam!  

[recom273]

I don’t disagree .. but i think you will find it’s the banking system that is messed up. 
 

I forget what, but I had murder trying to get my card or account accepted to Apple App Store, I was trying to buy an iPad for the wife, one night. The card was rejected, Kasikorn said “we have seen this problem before .. “ and I said, so ...  and nothing was said or suggested. A main Bank, couldn’t pick up the phone and sort something out With one of the biggest retailers on the planet.

 

I called apple helpline and it was a Thai person in Singapore at about 11.00 pm, she was really helpful, aware of kasikorn bank, solved the issue, told me to wait 24 hours for the system to reset. I went back to my evening and the phone rang. It was the girl with an alternative solution, that’s great service! The girls suggestion worked and I haven’t had any other payment issues since.

 

Although they don’t carry the high spec models, I thought you could order and pay in store - I understand why you don’t want to or shouldn’t have to, but I don’t think it’s an option.

 

But, yes, I have been an Apple customer for over 25 years, and It’s not the service you should deserve when spending over 100K on a computer, however I have just had a similar dissatisfied experience from Synology. No one really cares in Asia.

[fruitman]

20 hours ago, pineapple01 said:

Its so hard. Walk into Apple Store. Pay. Walk Out. Parking can be the difficult bit.

I've been in the Apple stores, they can't even speak english in there...

 

But if i wanted to buy one i would go into an apple store, put the cash on the counter, point at the notebook i wanted to have and tell them, leo leo kab...

[fruitman]

18 hours ago, samsensam said:

 

i've used the apple stores in the uk, hk and singapore, all excellent service. i'd certainly recommend going in person and dealing face to face for any high end item in any country, and especially in thailand. though to be honest i probably wouldn't buy a high end item in thailand.

I would buy it taxfree on Changi airport....you get worldwide service anyway...And in Singapore they give you a western service...the taxfree discount you get there can pay for the airfare.

[Curt1591]

18 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Really???

i must be hallucinating, or I have magic fingers ???? then as a moment ago I checked my local area in the Apple Thai website and found these stores listed, all licensed resellers of course.

Got my custom spec'd iMac from the Apple kiosk inside Siam Paragon Department store's 'Power Mall". Takes no longer than a custom spec'd Mac through Apple; they all come from the same distributor. The best part was the Bank card's promotional discount and the Bank card's points discount. 

Although all the 'iStudios" are Apple resellers, all their staffs are trained by the retailer, not Apple. All I have encountered are totally clueless about the equipment. And, if you want custom, be prepared for whining and moaning. I never deal with the "iStores". 

Most staff at the Apple kiosks, in department stores, are far more knowledgeable. In fact, many, possibly all, are Apple trained employees. 


 

[seancbk]

When did Apple come to Thailand?  I thought Singapore and Hong Kong where the closest actual Apple stores. 

As far as I'm aware, all the Apple type stores in Thailand are just resellers and some are not even official. 

Personally I can't imagine why anyone would want to pay the ridiculous Apple Tax these days.  Their products are over priced and under powered (yes even their top end ones).

 

 

[robertson468]

20 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You missed the bit about driving the 550km to the store and back.

and that there is only 1 Apple store in Thailand.

 

So it’s so hard?  <Expletive, suggesting sex, deleted> Yes ???? 

Thank you for your rant!  However, there is more than one Apple Store in Thailand.  True, you may not have one near you, but just thought you would like to be corrected so that you can rant a bit more?  By the way, I am word processing this on my Apple MacbookPro, which I bought locally here on Koh Samu, which in fact has two outlets that cater for Apple Enthusiasts.  Good luck with your purchase and happy days on your MacBookPro when it arrives.

[Deli]

Fully agree, their service in Thailand sucks. If sometimes zo9u have to wait weeks for spare parts, as they have to order them from abroad. I hate Apple but my employer forces us to work with their products.

[srowndedbyh2o]

51 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

...that cater for Apple Enthusiasts

Yes. Plenty of places that cater to Apple enthusiasts, but only one Apple Store in Thailand.

[pineapple01]

Yeh, and there is only one HQ for Honda, Pepsi, Rolex and any other Company in Thailand.