Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am filing this complaint against Onyx Consulting **** an ***** ****************** Provider, for fraudulent service and deceptive business practices. In March, I paid around $240 to Onyx to have my MacBook's battery replaced. I chose them specifically because they are an "Apple ****************** Provider," which, according to *****'s own website, guarantees that technicians are *****-certified and will only use genuine Apple parts.Within a few months, the "new" battery began to fail, eventually becoming completely unable to hold a charge. I took my laptop to an official Apple Genius Bar, where a technician diagnosed the problem and discovered that the battery installed by **** was not a genuine *****-authorized part. They confirmed that this unauthorized component was the cause of the failure and was negatively affecting my computer.I returned to **** to seek a resolution for their deceptive service. Despite the clear evidence of their error and the fraudulent part they installed, they refused to correct the problem without additional payment. They offered two options: pay an additional $130 labor fee for another unauthorized cheap battery or pay over $600 for an official Apple battery. This is an unacceptable demand, as I had already paid a premium price for what was promised to be a genuine ***** repair. The quoted price for a genuine battery from an official Genius Bar is approximately $250.Onyx's actions directly violate the trust that consumers place in "Apple ****************** Providers." They charged a premium for a service that was not delivered as promised, installed a fraudulent part, and are now attempting to charge me an exorbitant fee to correct their mistake.I request a full refund or a proper, genuine Apple battery replacement and installation at no additional charge to **** have documentation, including the diagnostic report from the Apple Genius Bar, which I can provide upon request to substantiate this complaint.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/30/2025

  We are writing in response to the complaint filed by ***** **** regarding a MacBook battery replacement service performed in March at our repair shop. We at Onyx Consulting **** take customer satisfaction and business transparency very seriously. While we regret that the customer is dissatisfied, we believe the complaint omits critical context and contains significant factual inaccuracies regarding the service agreement.

  First and foremost, we directly refute the allegation of "fraudulent service" and "deceptive business practices." Our policies and the specific options for this repair were communicated clearly to the customer from the outset.

  1. Service Options for a "Vintage" Apple Product:
  The customer's computer is a 2017 MacBook model. Under *****'s official policy, this device is classified as "vintage." As an ***** ****************** Provider (AASP), this status is significant. It means that ***** no longer guarantees the availability of genuine service parts.
  At the time of the initial consultation, we explicitly informed the customer of his computer's vintage status. We explained that because of this, there were two distinct service paths available to him:
         Option A: Genuine Apple Battery (Depot Service): To obtain a genuine Apple battery, the entire MacBook would need to be shipped to *****'s centralized repair depot. We informed the customer that this process would be significantly more expensive (our quote to the customer accurately reflected *****'s depot service fee and cost for the top case/battery part) and would have a much longer turnaround time (typically 7-10 business days). Furthermore, the genuine ***** part would only come with *****'s standard 90-day warranty.
         Option B: Premium Third-Party Battery (In-Store Service): As a faster and more cost-effective solution for a vintage machine, we offered an in-house replacement using a premium third-party battery. We clearly communicated that this part was not a genuine ***** part. The benefits of this option, which we explained to the customer, were a lower total cost, a much faster same-day or next-day service, and a superior one-year manufacturer's warranty on the battery itself.
  After discussing the pros and cons of each optionspecifically the trade-offs between cost, time, and warranty lengththe customer made an informed decision and elected to proceed with Option B, the faster and more affordable third-party battery installation. His claim that he was promised a genuine Apple part is incorrect. He chose the alternative after being presented with all the facts.
  2. Warranty Policies and the ********************************** policies, which are stated on our work orders, include a 90-day warranty on labor. The third-party battery we installed carries its own one-year warranty on the part, which is a key benefit we offer our customers.
  When the customer returned to our store several months later, the 90-day warranty on our labor had expired. However, the battery itself was still well within its one-year part warranty.
  In accordance with our policies, we honored the part warranty. We offered to provide a brand-new replacement battery to him at absolutely no cost for the part. We informed him that because the 90-day labor warranty was expired, he would be responsible for the labor fee of $130 to install the new, free part. This is not an "additional payment to correct an error," but our standard and clearly communicated policy for a new service performed outside the labor warranty period.
  The customer's assertion that we are attempting to "charge him an exorbitant fee to correct their mistake" is a misrepresentation of the situation. We are upholding the terms of the one-year part warranty by providing a free part, while also adhering to our 90-day labor warranty, which had lapsed.
  Conclusion:
  Onyx Consulting **** is proud to be an Apple ****************** Provider. This status requires us to be transparent with customers about their service options, especially when dealing with vintage products that ***** no longer fully supports. We provided the customer with a comprehensive overview of his choices, and he selected the service that best fit his immediate needs and budget.
  We did not engage in deceptive practices. We installed the exact part that the customer approved after a detailed consultation. When that part failed, we honored its one-year warranty by offering a free replacement part. The request for payment was for new labor, which was no longer under warranty.
  We stand by our offer to replace his faulty battery with a new one at no charge for the part, per its warranty. The customer would only be responsible for the cost of labor for the installation.
  We trust that this response clarifies the facts of the transaction and demonstrates that we have acted professionally, transparently, and in accordance with our stated policies.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/02/2025

   
  Complaint: 23878196
  

  I, the complainant, strongly reject the response provided by ********************* Their narrative contains factual inaccuracies and misleading information specifically designed to distract from the core issue of their deceptive and fraudulent business practices as an ************************ Provider.
  

  Core Issue Not Addressed: Fraudulent Pricing and Deception
  The business has failed to address the central fact of my complaint: They charged a price equivalent to a genuine ************* but delivered a cheap, unauthorized part without any explanation about Option A and B.

  1. Refutation of "Cost-Effective" Claim: **** claims their Option B (third-party battery) was a "more cost-effective solution." This is demonstrably false and forms the basis of the fraud:
   - Onyx's Charge (March): Approximately $249 (the equivalent of the official ************* price) for a known unauthorized, third-party battery (which costs approximately $40 retail).
   - Official Apple Price (Confirmed at Genius Bar) : $249 for a genuine Apple battery replacement.
   - Conclusion: Onyx charged me the exact equivalent price of the official Apple fixed-price genuine service ($249) but used those funds to install a cheap, low-quality, non-genuine battery. This is not a "cost-effective alternative"; it is price manipulation and fraud.
  2. Refutation of "Vintage" Status and "Informed Decision": The claim that my 2017 MacBook is "vintage" and that I chose a non-genuine option is a self-serving fabrication:
   - I visited an Apple genius bar service center expecting a genuine service. No two-option choice (A or B) was presented, and I was never informed the part would be non-genuine.
   - An ************* center is required to use genuine parts unless a customer explicitly waives this requirement, which did not occur.
   - The fact that Onyx quoted the genuine Apple part for over $600 during my second visit is yet another example of fraudulent pricing, as the actual ************* is $249. This inflated price was an attempt to scare me into accepting their $130 fee for another defective third-party part.
  3. Refusal to Honor Warranty / Attempt to Force Labor Fee:
   - Onyx states the initial labor warranty expired. However, the labor was defective and fraudulent from the moment the non-genuine part was installed, leading directly to the battery's failure. A warranty cannot be applied to fundamentally fraudulent work.
   - When I revisited the store, the owner wouldn't communicate with me directly, speaking only to their employee behind a curtain, a clear avoidance tactic.
   - Onyx offered the battery part for "free" but refused to hand the part over to me so I could have it installed elsewhere or install it myself, proving their intention is solely to force me to pay the $130 labor fee for a service that has already been proven incompetent and deceptive.
  

  Desired ********************************************** committed fraudulent acts by knowingly installing a non-genuine part at a genuine ************* price. I demand one of the following resolutions:
  1. FULL REFUND of the original approximate $249 fee paid for the fraudulent service, allowing me to pay the fixed $249 genuine service fee at an official Apple Genius Bar.
  2. **** must coordinate the installation of a genuine Apple battery at no charge to me.
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

  Business Response

  Date: 10/15/2025

  To the Better Business Bureau and Mr. ***** ****,
  We are writing in final response to the rebuttal filed by ***** ****. We have reviewed his statements and must respectfully but firmly reject his characterization of the events and his allegations of fraud. Our initial response accurately detailed the service transaction, and we stand by those facts. This response will clarify the inaccuracies in the complainant's rebuttal.
  

  The core of this dispute stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of how ***** ****************** Providers (AASPs) are required to handle service for "vintage" products, and a misrepresentation of the service options that were presented to and approved by the customer.

  1. Refutation of "Fraudulent Pricing" and the Comparison to Apple's Genius Bar
  The complainant's central argument that we charged an "Apple price for a non-Apple part" is incorrect and conflates two entirely different service models.

  *Our In-Store Service: The customer chose our in-house service option. This price included the premium third-party part, the convenience of 24-hour turnaround service for a vintage device, and a one-year part warrantya benefit not offered with *****'s 90-day warranty. He was not charged for a genuine Apple part; he was charged for a comprehensive and immediate service package, which he was informed of and agreed to.

  *Apple's Genius Bar Price: The complainant is referencing Apple's direct-to-consumer, flat-rate repair price. As an AASP, we do not have access to this retail pricing structure for vintage depot repairs.

  *Our Genuine Part Quote: The quote we provided was not an attempt to "scare" the customer. It is the actual cost we would incur for a genuine part on this vintage model. Because ***** no longer guarantees the availability of standalone batteries for this machine, a genuine repair requires the purchase and installation of the entire top case assembly (which includes the keyboard, trackpad, and battery), and sending the machine to *****'s service depot for repair. Our quote accurately reflected the cost of this specific part plus the required labor for the extensive repair. This is a completely different, and much more complex, service than a simple battery swap, and the pricing reflects that reality. The customer is incorrectly comparing *****'s retail battery-only price to our cost for a full top case assembly repair.
  

  2. Reiteration of "Informed Decision" Regarding a Vintage Product
  We categorically dispute the claim that the service options were not presented. Our established and mandatory procedure for all vintage Apple products is to explain the two paths: the costly and time-consuming depot repair for a genuine part (Option A), or the faster, more affordable in-house service with a premium third-party part and a longer warranty (Option B).

  The customer made a clear and informed decision to select Option B. His signed work order reflects the service he chose. The claim that he expected a genuine part without discussion is a revision of the facts. As an AASP, we are bound by *****'s policies, and transparency about vintage product servicing is a key part of our process.

  3. Clarification of Warranty, Labor, and Company Policy
  The complaint mischaracterizes our warranty policy as a way to "force" a labor fee.

  *Distinct Warranties: We offer a 90-day warranty on our labor. The third-party manufacturer offers a one-year warranty on their part. These are two separate and standard warranties.

  *Honoring the Part Warranty: The battery failed within its one-year warranty. We are fully honoring that warranty by providing a brand-new replacement part at zero cost.

  *Expired ******************************** was performed well over 90 days ago. The labor to perform a new installation is not covered by the expired warranty. This is a standard policy in the repair industry and is not unique to our business. The original labor was not fraudulent; it was the service he agreed to.

  *Part Return Policy: We could not simply hand the customer the new battery. Our agreement with our parts distributor requires us to return the defective part to receive the warranty replacement. This is a standard logistical requirement for processing a warranty claim and is not a tactic to force payment.
  

  Conclusion and Final Offer
  Onyx Consulting has not engaged in fraudulent or deceptive practices. We provided the customer with clear, factual choices regarding his vintage MacBook, and he selected the option that he deemed best for his needs and budget. We have operated with transparency and in full accordance with **** policies.

  The accusations of fraud are unfounded and rejected. We will not be providing a full refund, as the service chosen by the customer was rendered as agreed. We will not be providing a free genuine Apple top case replacement, as that was the option the customer expressly declined.

  Our fair and professional offer, which honors the terms of the warranty the customer received, remains:

  We will provide a brand-new, premium third-party replacement battery at no charge for the part. The customer will be responsible for the standard $130 labor fee for the new installation, as the original 90-day labor warranty has expired.

  Finally, we must state for the record that we consider the public accusations of "fraud" and "deceptive practices" to be defamatory. These claims are factually incorrect and unsupported by the evidence. We have the signed work order and witnesses from the original consultation that confirm the customer was fully informed of his options and knowingly selected the third-party component. While we hope to resolve this matter here, we take the integrity of our business and our reputation as an ***** ****************** Provider very seriously. Should these baseless and defamatory accusations continue, the owners of the company have advised that we will pursue all available legal remedies to protect our business from this harm.

  This is our final position on the matter. We have acted in good faith and according to our clearly stated policies.