Apple threatens resellers: don't talk about iPhone

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Dan Warne29 November 2007, 1:45 AM

Staff at an Apple reseller have been told they will lose their jobs if they discuss the iPhone with customers -- even outside business hours.
Apple has threatened its "Premium Resellers" with losing their accreditation if they speak to customers about the iPhone, which is not yet officially available in Australia.

"Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE is anyone to offer any form of support to customers for the iPhone, either inside or outside of business hours," one reseller told its staff in an email.

"Doing so is in breach of our Apple Premium Reseller agreement.

The reseller said staff could be subjected to disciplinary action "including termination" if they helped a customer with an iPhone, even in their private time.

Apple Australia did not deny it had threatened resellers with retaliation if they helped customers with iPhones.

Spokesperson Fiona Martin said, "As with any concerns that users have with Apple products we recommend they contact us directly on 133 622 for resolution. This holds true for iPhone issues which we are able to re-route support needs to their country of origin should they have support needs whilst travelling with their iPhone."

APC queried why it was necessary to exclude resellers from helping customers if they were able to, and Martin responded, "The iPhone does not have telecommunications certification in Australia at this time. Until certification is granted support must be handled by the country of origin."

Despite Apple Australia's official explanation, the real reason resellers are being banned from helping customers with iPhones is more likely to do with the difficulty Apple is having in stopping iPhones being sold to unlockers and used freely on any network.

The company is engaged in a cat-and-mouse battle with hackers, made harder by the fact that unlocking has become a thriving black-market business for mobile phone shops and electronics retailers.

Apple's latest move against accredited retailers is probably an attempt to ensure they don't do anything to help customers unlock their iPhones. Each unlocked iPhone deprives Apple of hundreds of dollars of extra profit, in the form of kickbacks from their official telco partners when a customer activates a mobile contract.


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tin:

Even in their own time? Sure... Whatever Apple.
Last time I checked, you can do whatever you want in your own time, so long as it's not breaking any actual laws.

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Anonymousa:

i worked in superannuation not so long ago, legally i couldn't give any finnancial advice, even in my own time.

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SE:

In order to provide financial advice one has to be accredited and this is governed at the Federal level. There are clear guidelines with regard to providing such advice.

No one needs to be accredited to provide iPhone support/advice and Apple is just being a big bad bully.

As an Apple reseller ourselves, we have sold hundreds of iPhones to our own customers as well as to their families and friends. What Apple seems to forget is that consumers have a direct relationship with their reseller first and Apple...well...a distant second.

We provide full support for the iPhones we sell as well as unlocking services for phones purchased elsewhere. At the end of the day no one cares about Apple. Customers want a particular product and it just so happens that Apple is the one that has it. However, it might as well have a Kia badge.

Every buyer knows that the iPhone is not officially released here. What matters is the knowledge that by buying from an established reseller and not off eBay for example, one will have piece of mind as well as after sales support not available elsewhere.

Apple, good luck in enforcing your threat. You DO NOT own us.

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mr vimes:

That's different, I think. There are things like insider trading to be considered when you work in the finance industry.

In the given case, what I do in my private time is of absolutely no interest to my employer. No laws are broken, no one is hurt. I'd like to see that matter in court.

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Anonymous5456:

kickbacks....we all need kickbacks

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Theo:

Termination for talking to helping a client, even outside business hours. I'd like to see that one stand up in court. America home of the free huh?

Raspberries to Apple. Outrageous.

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Anonymous8765421800764:

I don't know about other states, but I live in Texas and it is a "RIGHT to work state" which means an employer can terminate you at any time for whatever reason. Last I checked, you can only sue an employer for wrongful termination, i.e., race, religion, sex, (also known as a "protected class").

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Anonymous88883737229:

Great name for a law! Orwell would be proud.

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McBanjo:

Share the love Apple. You don't need to make those extra hundreds of millions of dollars. Share it around to the people promoting your business through the excitement of buying on the black market.

I bought an iPhone for about AU$500 and I love it so much I'm now buying a Macbook Pro. See, it pays off.

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RobertC:

And people complain about Microsoft's treatment of customers and resellers....

Apple can't get more draconian even if they tried. Where do they get off on such dictatorial control over clients. Absurd.

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Angus:

Tele