The customer service in any Apple store is excellent though, I haven't seen similar anywhere else. Not everyone has the luxury of one nearby but the store staff

The customer service in any Apple store is excellent though, I haven't seen similar anywhere else. Not everyone has the luxury of one nearby but the store staff seem to have a lot of personal discretion in replacing things that are out of warranty. Of course, the huge sales margins help to make this possible. Take advantage of this if you can. I've stood in their flagship store on Oxford Street and told a passing employee that my power supply had caught fire (slight exaggeration - minor scorching around the frayed part when it shorted) and been whisked away quickly and given a replacement.