Extremely disappointing customer service after Apple cancelled my MacBook Pro order
I have been an Apple customer for many years, and this has been one of my most disappointing experiences with Apple.
On August 4, 2026, I ordered a custom-configured 14-inch MacBook Pro from Apple Canada. The configuration was important to me because I travel frequently and specifically chose the 14-inch model for its portability and weight.
I am leaving the country on August 18, so receiving the computer before then was essential. I therefore selected Apple Store pickup for August 14.
After placing the order, I received an email saying that action was required. I immediately followed the instructions and linked the purchase to my Apple Account. Because of the importance of the deadline, I then called Apple Customer Service specifically to make sure there were no problems with my order.
I spent approximately 40 minutes on the phone with an Apple representative. He reviewed my order, put me on hold while checking the details, and I specifically explained my travel deadline and asked whether anything else was required from me. He assured me that everything was fine and that I would be able to pick up the MacBook on August 14.
I also asked why my payment had not yet been taken. I was told that Apple generally charges the payment when the product ships to the pickup location and that there was no reason for me to be concerned.
The very next day, my order was cancelled.
I immediately contacted Apple on August 12. I spent approximately one hour with one representative and another 1.5 hours with a sales representative, Fernando, trying to find a solution. Fernando was kind and genuinely tried to help. Eventually, he found a 16-inch MacBook Pro with a similar configuration at the Sainte-Catherine Apple Store in Montreal.
I did not want the 16-inch model. I had deliberately ordered the 14-inch because I travel with my laptop frequently and portability is important to me. However, because Apple had cancelled my original order and I was running out of time before my departure, I agreed to compromise and accept the 16-inch.
Fernando was also looking into whether Apple could provide an accommodation for the price difference because I was having to accept a different and more expensive computer as a consequence of the cancellation. He arranged a pickup appointment, but the call was disconnected before the solution could be finalized. I never received a call back or any confirmation.
I called Apple again the following day. After being transferred three times, I eventually reached another advisor who was knowledgeable and genuinely tried to help. He consulted a supervisor, Mercedes, at approximately 10 a.m. After another hour of discussion, I was told that Apple could offer no discount, no price accommodation, no expedited ordering of my original configuration, and no alternative solution.
What is most frustrating is that I had specifically contacted Apple before the cancellation to make sure everything was okay. I relied on Apple's representative's explicit reassurance that my order was fine. Had I been told there was a problem at that point, I would have had several days to make alternative arrangements.
Instead, I have spent several hours on multiple calls trying to resolve a problem that I specifically contacted Apple to prevent.
I understand that Apple may sometimes have to cancel an order. My complaint is about how this situation was handled and the complete lack of a reasonable resolution afterward.
I have asked Apple to review the recording and/or notes from the original approximately 40-minute call, particularly because the representative explicitly told me that everything was fine and that I would be able to pick up my computer on August 14. I have also requested access to the recording if it is available.
I am extremely disappointed by this experience. I have been a loyal Apple customer for many years and expected a much higher level of customer service.
As of August 13, Apple has still not provided a satisfactory resolution.