“Apple Computer Co. has been hit by a growing number of lawsuits filed by Mac dealers who are upset by the company’s alleged efforts to lure their customers to outlets that Apple owns. They are also fed up with what they say are long-standing problems in the company’s service and billing systems.
Tom Santos, owner of San Francisco’s Macadam, one of the largest Apple- authorized storefront dealerships in the nation, filed a multimillion-dollar complaint last month that accuses the Cupertino company of fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition, false advertising and even violation of the federal RacketeerInfluenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
Santos isn’t alone. Jack Kohler, owner of Mac Tech Systems of Bend, Ore., filed a similar case last fall. A Los Angeles dealership, Computer International, filed a suit last week.
And Elite Computers & Software of Cupertino, the owner of four Bay Area stores that operate under the ComputerWare name, plans to get on the bandwagon later this month, according to its chief executive officer, Thomas Armes.
Lynn Fox, Apple’s corporate media relations manager, declined to comment on the suits by dealers.,” reports Henry Noor for the San Francisco Chronicle. Full story here.
