Apple is experiencing a few problems in China of late. We recently heard about 22+ fake Apple Stores being located in the city of Kunming. They were such good copies even the staff thought they were working for Apple. That problem seems to have been sorted out though, with many of the fakesrenaming themselves to Smart Store.
Now there’s another problem, but this time in the official Apple Stores and at authorized dealers. Multiple complaints have appeared about customers being sold refurbished iPhones as brand new devices. In six separate incidents so far the customer is discovering this when they get home and go to register their product only to find the warranty lasts for 6-9 months rather than the full year.
Returning the phone to the store has also seen a mixed reaction. Some receive an apology and a new handset, while others are just told they will have their warranty extended rather than being given the brand new handset they paid for.
Clearly Apple wouldn’t endorse such practices as it would have an impact on its reputation and get the company in trouble with Chinese authorities. Instead, it looks like this is individual members of staff deciding to sell display phones or refurbished units as new. Something a store employee would never admit to when asked.
While Apple has yet to officially respond to the claims, Wang Hai, well-known for his fight against counterfeit goods in China, has decided to take action. Two lawsuits have been filed on behalf of customers against Apple. They demand compensation and an apology from Apple for each customer. The compensation claim is for twice the price of the iPhone.
We suspect Apple will launch its own investigation as well as ensuring those customers affected by this walk away happy in the end.
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