Apple being forced to raise the prices of its products due to the unavoidable RAM shortage has given resellers an opportunity to squeeze unfair profits from its customers. One person who had already paid for the M5 Max MacBook Pro is now being demanded to fork over the difference, despite the order successfully being placed before the Cupertino giant’s dreaded announcement came through.
An M5 Max MacBook Pro with 128GB unified memory was paid in full on June 5, but the reseller is giving the customer two difficult choices
In the U.K., a Redditor user with the handle “sw1000” claims that KRCS, which is regarded as a premium Apple reseller in the country, has refused to ship out his expensive M5 Max MacBook Pro configuration, with the delivery date said to be July 31. With the payment made in full, the customer was likely relieved that he bit the bullet before Apple brought in the price hike shockwave, but what happened after would make anyone livid.
KRCS has allegedly sent the customer an email, stating that he would have to pay the price difference for his M5 Max MacBook Pro order or opt for a complete refund. Given that another customer saved almost $3,000 when purchasing the ‘top of the line’ configuration before Apple’s price hikes, no one in their right mind would ever think about coughing up the premium.
He also checked through KRCS’s Terms & Conditions to find that if such a practice was legal or the norm, but he didn’t find any loopholes. Given that M5 Max MacBook Pro configurations with 128GB of unified memory are usually built to order and are typically back-ordered, it makes sense that KRCS would want to profit from its customers. However, when there’s nothing mentioned in the fine print, then buyers are under no obligation to pay the difference or request a refund.
In countries where the strength of consumer courts is next to none, those who ordered any expensive M5 Max MacBook Pro models would have little choice but to either pay the difference or accept the refund. Keep in mind that even successfully receiving a refund from these resellers is an excruciating experience, but we believe that the U.K. will offer some form of protection to customers.
The thread also mentions that sw1000 reached out to Apple for clarification, and even the latter has admitted that they don’t follow KRCS’ practice. What matters now is the Redditor being steadfast in his decision and pushing through to get what he paid for. It’s likely not going to be easy, but it sure beats paying nearly $3,000 more for an M5 Max MacBook Pro.
News Source: Reddit
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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