# ** The reason why iPhone in Vietnam is increasingly difficult to warranty** ***>> **Apple clearly stated the reason why the product was refused warranty in other markets but it is not clear to Vietnamese users * **Apple used to be a brand with an open warranty policy in Vietnam. However, past precedents of profiteering make it difficult for users to find fault with products.** Apple’s warranty policy in Vietnam has changed a lot in recent years. From renewing equipment, the company switched to repairing and replacing faulty components. The problem that could have been handled easily before, now has to go through many difficult, complicated reception steps. Compared to other markets, the quality of Apple’s after-sales service in Vietnam is one level lower. This makes it difficult for consumers to lose trust in the brand. In fact, this company’s tightening of after-sales policy is the result of a series of events in the past. The bad precedent many years ago became an obstacle for the users of this company’s equipment in Vietnam. ## Apple used to be very comfortable Apple has a detailed set of warranty policies, which are generally applied around the world. Previously, it included a one-to-one replacement for iPhone products if the device had a manufacturer defect if it was still in the support period. However, the company also noted that the agreement may change depending on the market and period. There are some countries that receive better treatment such as Australia, when the law of this country requires electronic products to be warranted for 2 years. There are also disadvantaged markets, like Vietnam, when users have to go through many difficulties during the warranty process. In fact, Apple used to be very open in its warranty policy in Vietnam, applying the same global regulations to domestic users. Specifically, the company’s products are warranted in Vietnam without an invoice, including many portable versions, excluding network devices. As for the iPhone, the company accepts one for one if the device encounters an error during use. This helps users quickly have a new device to use, without waiting for warranty. Compared to other brands, Apple’s after-sales service is also highly appreciated when it is relatively “easy” with small errors caused by users during use. At the same time, compared to other mobile brands, the warranty policy from Apple is also one level better. ## Policy abuse During the period when Apple was open about warranty policy, a few people took advantage of this to make profit. Mr. MH, an iPhone repairman in Ho Chi Minh City, said there is a new job that comes from this form, called “making warranty”. The process of making money from this array is very simple, easy to make big profits. Specifically, warranty people buy used iPhone models, while in the support period, at a much cheaper price than the new model. Then, they disassemble the machine, to get the mainboard (main board) and screen intact, replacing it with damaged components. At the same time, the technician also implanted the chip to read the code on the main, so that Apple could access the information, in order to bypass the warranty unit. According to the process, the machine after performing all the steps will be sent to the service center. With the comfort of the policy from Apple, customers will quickly be able to renew an iPhone. Thus, the warranty person easily earns a profit of 3-5 million VND from taking the old machine and changing it to a new one. In addition, they also add a mainboard and screen, which are expensive components. After each deal, the profiteer can collect large amounts of money. At the same time, these people also collude with employees inside Apple’s authorized service center, to make the process go smoothly. On the other hand, they accept as a warranty for cases where the device is damaged by user error. Mr. Trieu Duong, who lives in Hanoi, said that he asked for a warranty service to replace a broken iPhone 11 Pro Max. Equipment damaged due to impact, user error, denied support. However, just pay the service provider 6 million VND, this customer can easily receive a new machine. After Apple Vietnam tightened the terms, the domestic warranty industry looked to regional markets such as Singapore and Thailand to perform similar tricks. After a while, now Apple Store Singapore has also received the device to repair instead of renewing as before. “Apple employees in Thailand are now wary of Vietnamese people bringing iPhones for warranty, because the quantity is too much,” an iPhone seller in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City shared with *Zing.* ## Users suffer losses. when Apple tightened the policy This situation lasted, causing Apple to make many policy changes. In fact, Apple is easy to recognize abnormalities because the ratio of warranty machines to total devices sold globally is usually at a certain level, not much different between markets. The sudden increase in the number of return devices in the country is an unusual sign. In mid-2021, Apple changed its policy, not allowing the machine to be renewed when it encountered an error like before, but will be replaced with damaged components. By the end of the year, the warranty through invoices is applied to all of its devices, including iPhone, iPad, MacBook, AirPods, Apple Watch and accessories. However, this policy makes it difficult for users when the device has problems. Mr. Nguyen Nam, living in Ho Chi Minh City, a long-time Apple customer, said that Apple’s warranty procedures are increasingly difficult and complicated. This user thinks that the warranty unit’s excuse of “anti-theft” is not convincing, because the origin of the product can be easily traced through the serial number. “Why do you have to force the majority of users to keep receipts for warranty while other brands in Vietnam only need the serial number,” said Mr. Nam, pressingly. Recently, many domestic users have reflected that Apple has kept the device for a long time, announcing the refusal of the warranty with the reason of hardware interference. However, the company did not specify where the interference problem was. This is different from neighboring markets, when the company gives specific reasons for refusal, with illustrations for users to understand. According to experts, this ambiguity of Apple is to prevent the domestic “warranty workers” from grasping the reference point of the company to refuse warranty. Previously, every time Apple updated its regulations, a new tool to verify the device, the profiteers quickly found a way to bypass and exploit the warranty policy. On the other hand, the company also handles it internally by eliminating many old warranty partners.
