The Mountain Lion upgrade saga - 10 days - no answer from Apple

[sonolento]

This are the facts:

1. Got a Macbook Air 2012 at FNAC in Portugal on June, 21st
FNAC is the biggest french tech shop with stores all over Europe
Got a normal receipt from FNAC with the normal data (price, date, VAT, etc.)

2. Asked for the Mountain Lion in the Apple website on July, 31st
The receipt was included

3. Got an email saying the upgrade was refused because a serial number is missing

4. Sent 2 emails to the support email (uptodatesupport-pt@apple.com), but nobody answers anything.

Since FNAC stores never place the serial number on the receipt (they don't even have a field in the computer system for that), seems ALL FNAC buyers are going to be discriminated, being refused the Mountain Lion upgrade.

What should I do?
Is it normal that the support team doesn't answer?

This is my first new Mac (had one second hand in 1997), and would like to know if a company like Apple gives any support to their costumers?

Update:
1. FNAC issued a new receipt with the serial number
2. The new receipt was uploaded 2/8

Status:
1. Still no answer from the 2 emails sent to costumer support on July, 31st (10 days now);
2. Still no upgrade code (more than a week after the upload).

 

[D-a-a-n]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1349 Here ya go..
So basically:  > About this mac > More info > There it is!

 

[GGJstudios]

FNAC is the biggest french tech shop with stores all over Europe

Is FNAC an Apple Authorized Reseller?

OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program​

Qualifying purchases between
June 11, 2012, and July 25, 2012

Customers who purchase a qualifying new Mac computer from the Apple Online Store, an Apple Retail Store, or an Apple Authorized Reseller — or an Apple Certified Refurbished computer from the Apple Online Store — between June 11, 2012, and July 25, 2012, that does not include OS X Mountain Lion can upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion for free.

Did you read the terms & conditions?

This offer is good only in the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) and Canada, and valid only in accordance with the terms set forth in this document.

 

[sonolento]

Is FNAC an Apple Authorized Reseller?

OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program​

Yep. Fnac is an Authorized Reseller.
The store even comes listed in the form when one asks for the upgrade...

----------

Is FNAC an Apple Authorized Reseller?

OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program​

Did you read the terms & conditions?

This is not true. In the Apple website http://www.apple.com/pt all EU member states are included:

"Esta oferta só se aplica aos seguintes países: Albânia, África do Sul, Alemanha, Angola, Arábia Saudita, Argélia, Arménia, Áustria, Azerbaijão, Bélgica, Benim, Bielorrússia, Botsuana, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgária, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Catar, Cazaquistão, Chipre, Congo, Croácia, Dinamarca, Egito, Emirados Árabes Unidos, Eslováquia, Eslovénia, Espanha, Estónia, Finlândia, França, Gâmbia, Gana, Grécia, Hungria, Iémen, Índia, Irlanda, Israel, Islândia, Itália, Jordânia, Kuwait, Letónia, Líbano, Libéria, Lituânia, Luxemburgo, Macedónia, Madagáscar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Maurícias, Mauritânia, Moldávia, Namíbia, Nigéria, Noruega, Países Baixos, Paquistão, Polónia, Portugal, Quénia, Reino Unido, República Checa, Roménia, Rússia, São Tomé e Príncipe, Senegal, Serra Leoa, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Suazilândia, Suécia, Suíça, Tanzânia, Tunísia, Turquia, Ucrânia, Uganda, Uzbequistão e Zimbabué e é válida apenas de acordo com os termos estabelecidos neste documento."

 

[D-a-a-n]

Is FNAC an Apple Authorized Reseller?

OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program​

Did you read the terms & conditions?

The offer is also good in Europe, it isn't mentioned on the us site, but for example the belgian website shows it's valid for Belgium, Spain, etc..

 

[sonolento]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1349 Here ya go..
So basically:  > About this mac > More info > There it is!

The problem is not filling in the serial number in the upgrade form. The problem is that Apple refuses to give the upgrade (valid for all EU countries), because they don't like FNAC's receipts (because they don't have the serial number on the receipt).

 

[GGJstudios]

The problem is not filling in the serial number in the upgrade form. The problem is that Apple refuses to give the upgrade (valid for all EU countries), because they don't like FNAC's receipts (because they don't have the serial number on the receipt).

Have you tried contacting FNAC and explaining the situation? They should be able to re-issue receipts with the serial numbers included, even if they're not standard receipts.

 

[D-a-a-n]

The problem is not filling in the serial number in the upgrade form. The problem is that Apple refuses to give the upgrade (valid for all EU countries), because they don't like FNAC's receipts (because they don't have the serial number on the receipt).

They don't want the FNAC receipt, just look at my first reply and use that serial number

 

[sonolento]

Have you tried contacting FNAC and explaining the situation? They should be able to re-issue receipts with the serial numbers included.

Tried that. They simply put the serial number on the invoice by hand, saying the computer system doesn't have a field for that.
I uploaded the invoice with the serial number written by hand
It was again refused...

Why doesn't the Apple support answer anything (emails were sent about 48 hours ago)?

----------

They don't want the FNAC receipt, just look at my first reply and use that serial number

They do want the receipt. The serial number has been sent to them, and still they refuse the upgrade.

 

[GGJstudios]

Why doesn't the Apple support answer anything (emails were sent about 48 hours ago)?

I can only guess that with the release of ML, there are likely many other issues such as yours that they're dealing with. It's very likely that they're not ignoring you, but just overwhelmed with the number of customer service calls and emails.

 

[Romf]

Why don't you just call Apple and explain your problem? I'm sure they will do something for you

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

...

Send me a pm (private message). We will solve this problem.

 

[Reason077]

FNAC sounds very suspicious. Why would you buy your computer from FNAC rather than FMAC?

Are you absolutely sure your computer is a MacBook, and not a NacBook? NacBooks are inferior clones manufactured by the chinese company Mapple!

 

[D-a-a-n]

FNAC sounds very suspicious. Why would you buy your computer from FNAC rather than FMAC?

Are you absolutely sure your computer is a MacBook, and not a NacBook? NacBooks are inferior clones manufactured by the chinese company Mapple!

rofl

 

[sonolento]

FNAC sounds very suspicious. Why would you buy your computer from FNAC rather than FMAC?

Are you absolutely sure your computer is a MacBook, and not a NacBook? NacBooks are inferior clones manufactured by the chinese company Mapple!

FNAC is a french owned chain of stores in Europe.
http://www.fnac.com

 

[Seamaster]

FNAC's great. I wish we had them in the UK.

 

[sonolento]

Why don't you just call Apple and explain your problem? I'm sure they will do something for you

Just called them and nothing is solved.
They just refuse the upgrade, because the receipt has no serial number on it.
They advise that I go back to FNAC and ask for a manual special receipt with the serial number.

So, it's confirmed by Apple. Anyone who just normally buys a computer in a FNAC store doesn't get the upgrade.
One needs a special receipt.

 

[Ksh]

In Spain all users who bought any Mac from FNAC where sucessfully validated tho the "up to date" program these days :=)

So, if you let me an advice just contact with Apple Care from Portugal and try to find an agreement to validate your request and upgrade.

Have you tried asking FNAC for a detailed bill including S/N ?

Have a nice day!.

 

[sonolento]

I'm afraid you are the only exception about this ..., so please don't generalize to all customers.

In Spain all users who bought any Mac from FNAC where sucessfully validated tho the "up to date" program these days :=)

So, if you let me an advice just contact with Apple Care from Portugal and try to find an agreement to validate your request and upgrade.

Have a nice day!.

Just called them. They refuse to give the upgrade.

 

[pdjudd]

So, it's confirmed by Apple. Anyone who just normally buys a computer in a FNAC store doesn't get the upgrade.
One needs a special receipt.

Kind of - they need a receipt that meets Apple's requirements for their up-to date program - something that FNAC should be responsible for. They need a receipt with a serial number printed on it to make sure that the Mac was properly purchased. Sounds like they don't do this by default.

 

[sonolento]

Kind of - they need a receipt that meets Apple's requirements for their up-to date program - something that FNAC should be responsible for. They need a receipt with a serial number printed on it to make sure that the Mac was properly purchased. Sounds like they don't do this by default.

I'll go back to FNAC this afternoon.

It's really bad one must do so much to get an upgrade. After all, FNAC is an Apple partner (they always have the latest products in stock on the first days). Strange that FNAC and Apple don't have the rules properly dealt with, so that an innocent costumer doesn't need to beg for a new receipt.

 

[Seamaster]

For the sake of £14 is it worth all the hassle?

 

[sonolento]

For the sake of £14 is it worth all the hassle?

So you thing all this hassle is meant for people to give up the free upgrade and get forced into paying...

 

[GerritV]

For the sake of £14 is it worth all the hassle?

Absolutely, because Apple might refuse support, waranty etc. as well.

 

[GGJstudios]

Absolutely, because Apple might refuse support, waranty etc. as well.

Apple isn't going to refuse support or warranty on any Mac because of a receipt, or lack thereof. Warranty is tied to the serial number of the computer, no matter who owns it or where they bought it. You can verify remaining warranty/AppleCare coverage for any Mac by entering the serial number here.