Apple courier may have stolen 2 MacBooks, ... Apple is not going to help

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Core incident and responsibility

  • Thread centers on Apple using Uber-style couriers; two MacBooks allegedly stolen in transit.
  • Many argue Apple, as seller, is contractually responsible to deliver or refund, not the customer.
  • Some recount Apple stepping up in similar cases (replacements/refunds), others say Apple stonewalls or ghosts them.

Chargebacks, account lockouts, and consumer protections

  • Key fear: issuing a credit card chargeback may lead Apple to block the card and possibly lock iCloud / Apple ID.
  • Several posters say this undermines the consumer-protection intent of chargebacks.
  • Experiences with chargebacks vary: some report easy, customer-friendly outcomes (often outside the US), others say in Canada decisions skew toward merchants.
  • Some note in UK/EU‑like jurisdictions, law clearly puts delivery risk on the seller; small-claims and trading-standards bodies are mentioned.

Delivery logistics and courier incentives

  • Multiple anecdotes of UPS and other couriers:
    • Packages left without signatures; forged signatures; “delivered” scans without actual delivery.
    • Misdelivered or stolen expensive items (Macs, GPUs, phones) sometimes only resolved after heavy escalation or police involvement.
  • Posters blame quota-driven, underpaid logistics work leading to corner-cutting and occasional theft; firms treat resulting losses as a cost of doing business, often externalized to customers.

Cloud lock‑in and digital dependence

  • Significant concern that loss of an Apple/Google/Meta account can be life-disrupting (email, photos, app stores, health data).
  • Some advocate “de-cloudifying”: personal domains for email, self‑hosted or alternative photo storage, local IoT control, and tested escape hatches from major platforms.

Legal recourse and practical steps

  • Suggested avenues: chargeback, small claims court, consumer regulators, sometimes involving police.
  • Some Canadians express pessimism about the effectiveness and speed of local courts and police.

Trust in Apple, buying patterns, and OS debates

  • Several say they will only pick up Apple gear in-store going forward; others sworn off Apple entirely.
  • Some defend Apple based on positive support experiences; others see a pattern of poor accountability.
  • Side debate: whether Apple’s ecosystem lock-in justifies its problems vs. moving to Linux/other platforms; disagreement over Linux’s suitability for average users and setup/maintenance burden.