This is about a Pakistani with an Apple product. A guy living in a third-world country. This is a story about me, Ali Khan, the Founder of this fine establishment TechDeville.com, this is a tale about me and my iPod Classic 80GB and how Apple Authorized Resellers helped (or almost destroyed) me. It all starts two years ago when I get this sweet baby as a present from my beloved Uncle, I took care of it more than anything else. It was a magical two years, unlimited music, mood swing control, you name it, my iPod was there to help me out.
The tragedy began when just two months ago my iPod died on me and that too when the warranty had ended. Without any physical damage, it just wouldn’t turn on. So I did what any man in my position would do at an emergency situation and instantly Googled it. Tried all the reset/restore remedies but none worked. Now since I live in Karachi, we don’t have official Apple Stores, we have authorized resellers. So I started writing down the addresses of each one to go visit to see if it could be cured. This is a tale about my experience (or lack thereof) regarding the AUTHORIZED resellers.
My First Visit: Bawany Technologies
Bawany Technologies are Apple’s first authorized resellers in Pakistan. That alone was enough to arouse my trust in them. Now I was very skeptical about this visit, as I didn’t know if they’d actually give me any good answers. But I still went, as helpless as I was to see my iPod display that fine Apple again. Well upon arrival to the extraordinarily immaculate store, I had a smile on my face and without hesitation asked the sales rep about my issue. His immediate response was:
“Sorry, we do not fix iPods. No one in Karachi can fix iPods, no other reseller can fix iPods.”
Well THAT was a giant blow to my innocent smile. I was left with no questions as the guy already answered any query that might develop in my dubious little head. So, sad and with my head down, I left the store. Checking the name “Bawany” off of my list.
Website for the curious: http://www.bawanytech.com/
My advice about Bawany: Yeah, they can’t help you unless you’re under warranty or wanna buy something new. Service was below-par too. Nothing I’d go back to.
My Second Visit: iTech
After getting the extremely negative let-down from Bawany Technologies, I went on to iTech which was second on my list. Now their website clearly states that they take old iPod and exchange them for new ones, well it doesn’t work for dead old iPods. Still I went in. Again, another extremely lavish store with MacBooks on display, enough to make any geek drool. I went on to talk to the sales rep, I won’t name any names. Now upon my sad confession over my iPod, the nice man told me they can fix any Apple Product, he said:
“We have CERTIFIED APPLE ENGINEERS. We have spare parts NO ONE IN KARACHI has. We have fixed EVERY KNOWN issue. You just have to sign this paper enabling us to fix the iPod, and you’re good to go.”
As soon as I heard those magical capitalized words above, my hands went on their own and signed the paper. Happy and content that I’d get my iPod fixed, I left the store in hopes of a brighter tomorrow. A week later, I went back to iTech to take my product, the guy told me it wasn’t fixed, it can’t be fixed by ANYONE and then he went on to say this to my face:
“However, you could sell this here FOR 500 RUPEES( 5 DOLLARS) and we’ll USE IT FOR SCRAP. It has NO VALUE left.”
Now listening to the above quoted line, I was enraged, angry, wanted to make scrap out of him, but being a good human being I quietly took my dead iPod (wrapped in paper) and walked out, while some lady bought a MacBook Pro and the guy was nothing but nice to her(shows how much money talks in this world).
iTech too has a website: www.itechpk.com
What I think about iTech: I don’t think I need to elaborate on it further or this article would be blasphemous!
The Depression Phase: Dead iPod Needs Burial
So since none of the above mentioned “AUTHORIZED RESELLERS” had a sound solution for me. I finally put my dead iPod in its box and decided to get a new one. While looking online for a better iPod Reseller one day, I stumbled upon Media Center. It was a gamble but my heart still wanted my dead iPod to be of use, so I called them up and explained my story. They told me to visit their service center the very next day. And so I went.
THE Authorized Reseller: Media Center
So my third and last venture in my dead iPod story is Media Center. Another “AUTHORIZED RESELLER” I had huge doubts about. But I still took my dead iPod(Still wrapped in paper) to their outlet. Met with Mr. Zuhair Younus, their General Manager, he made me wait in the waiting area(which was amazingly lavish by the way) for twenty minutes. After which he came to me with my poor iPod and told me the magic words that lit up my heart:
“This iPod can be exchanged for another iPod Classic 80GB for 11,000 Rupees (105 Dollars) and will be with you within 2 weeks.”
BLISS!! SHEER BLISS!! Those words uttered were like music to my ears through a pair of Beats By Dre Studios! I quickly signed the letter and said my final goodbyes to the soldier lost in battle. I’ll receive my new iPod in a few days. Media Center did good and succeeded.
Media Center’s Website: www.mediacenterpk.com
My thoughts about Media Center: BLISS!! SHEER BLISS!!
Moral Of The (True) Story
Apple Resellers in Pakistan aren’t all they seem to be. We have merely four to five in the entire country which are actually authorized by Apple themselves. And out of them I found only Media Center to be the helpful and TRULY AUTHORIZED one. This customer is a happy camper. And I will without a heartbeat go back to Media Center for any or all Apple needs.
Thank you for reading.