One Bad Apple

[display_podcast]

News of Apple's 33% price cut on iPhones caused quite the stir at PC-Doctor yesterday. At least one person dashed to the local Apple store to pick up a discontinued 4GB for $299.

Meanwhile, poor me seethed over a $200 price cut on the 8GB. I bought mine on Aug. 19. Yesterday was Sept. 5. That's 17 days after the purchase. The Apple policy only covers 14 days. If only.

Not one to let stupid stuff stand:

1) I wrote Jobs. OK, that's total vanity, but it feels good. And based
on past experience, he sometimes responds. My rant ended with a simple
request: Be good to your customers.

2) I called my credit card company and put a hold on the purchase.
Reason stated: Overpayment. Perhaps another meaningless gesture, but maybe enough credit card execs can question Apple's wisdom.

3) I called the local Apple store and parried briefly with the store clerk who wisely turned me over to John the store manager. That's when I heard something that ranks among the dumber statements made in customer service history: "You know, sir, that technology prices drop over time. "No kidding", I responded, but in my 30 years in the tech industry, rarely have I seen a cut this big, this soon, on such an expensive product without having a program in place to protect customers - ESPECIALLY from a blue chip name like Apple.

I don't know if it was the logic or the volume, but John the store manager did the right thing in the end: He offered me a $200 store credit for use at the Apple store or at Apple.com.

Now, if only Apple does the right thing like John the Store Manager without forcing other customers to ask. Thank you, John.