Apple Store visit!

[CMFox]

I'm always disappointed by my visits to apple stores. There are always too many people their. It seems to me that the staff spanned their whole time talking to people who aren't going to buy anything.

Last time I visited a store I could see the separatism. Around the edges people stood alone or in twos or threes waiting to buy things. All the staff had their attention completely taken by people asking aimless, endless, random questions.

After wandering around for a while I stopped a store worker who didn't want to be stopped and said how do i get some service. He said to go downstairs and "find" Amos. What a strange form of customer service.

Of course after obtaining an iPad all of that was forgotten : )

In St.Louis I was one of those aimless-not-going-to-buy-today shoppers. The store was slammed. I went up asked a sales person to answer a few of my questions and they did....I did not stand around waiting to be noticed.

What Apple gained from their time with me....was: I did buy, I upgraded to bigger iPad, I understood some of the apps better, so I've bought more. The 10 minutes with me was not wasted time. They eventually earned $ for that time.

Retail is as much about educating a potential buyer as it is about taking $ from someone who is ready to buy. Apple is being smart, by talking to everyone. The one thing they could do is give out numbers like Verizon does. But then peop's would bitch about that.

Its a popular brand now. Crowds, lines, tire kickers are to be expected. I'm enjoying the ride. I remember when Apple stores were empty. This is way more fun.

CM

 

[Abrennan]

The right time

I guess I have to go at the right time when there are likely to be less people there. And it was in the middle of the iPad frenzy.

 

[Highlow87]

my apple store is pretty busy at all times. Sometimes I get people walking up to me asking if I need any help, other times I have to come to someone and ask for it. But I have always been helped by people who appear to want to help me. I have never felt uncomfortable or like I was a bothering and/or wasting someone's time. I tend to do my research at home and by the time I go in to the store I know what I want but I also understand that there are people who prefer to have the human element when learning about things. I don't mind waiting.

 

[Ellie]

When the apple guy told me I could use library he was referring to the fact I was concerned because I no longer have a computer to tether too. He said I could use any computer and used the library as an example. The nearest apple store is 150 miles from our home so I cannot go to apple store. I was visiting my daughter in Seattle and stopped at store there. by the way I enjoyed visit to store. A young man spent a good deal of time with me and he was very nice.

 

[Wolffmann34]

APPLES STORES SUCK!!!!!!

There I've said it, and I think many would agree. I mean come on, I have to make an appointment to get service on my phone, give me a break. I have not been in an Apple store since the 3G iPhone. Best Buy started carrying the 3GS iPhone at launch last year and has sealed the deal - sure the people there don't know any more than the morons at the Apple Store, but guess what? I don't need an appointment to buy something or to get service or help. I could be called a Fanboy by some due to my abundance of Apple products. But if there is anything that Apple is doing to destroy their own success, it is the horrible way they run their stores. And they are only crowded because there are so many people waiting to talk to someone who can actually help them. 90% of all Apple store employees couldn't even name the 2 colors an iPhone comes in and will only ask you what you want, then tell you that you need to talk to a Genius (slightly less moron).

 

[Matth3w]

APPLES STORES SUCK!!!!!!

There I've said it, and I think many would agree. I mean come on, I have to make an appointment to get service on my phone, give me a break. I have not been in an Apple store since the 3G iPhone. Best Buy started carrying the 3GS iPhone at launch last year and has sealed the deal - sure the people there don't know any more than the morons at the Apple Store, but guess what? I don't need an appointment to buy something or to get service or help. I could be called a Fanboy by some due to my abundance of Apple products. But if there is anything that Apple is doing to destroy their own success, it is the horrible way they run their stores. And they are only crowded because there are so many people waiting to talk to someone who can actually help them. 90% of all Apple store employees couldn't even name the 2 colors an iPhone comes in and will only ask you what you want, then tell you that you need to talk to a Genius (slightly less moron).

I'm not a fanboy but I agree 90%. They need people dedicated to check people out, on a real register that doesn't require them to manually enter your credit card information and email address. Somewhere I can just grab a product, walk up, and pay.

They've got like 400 iPads on display and not a damn one in stock.

The place is packed to the max and basically like a geek playground where you play with toys but not buy anything.

It took almost half as long to get checked out as it did to drive the 70+ miles to get there.

The only thing I disagree with is that it is hurting them. Honestly most Apple fans I come across have a bit of elitism anyhow, so the fact that they have made a personal shopper appointment probably makes them feel special. And these are the people that usually need to ask stupid questions....so it doesn't matter that the people they are asking don't know anything because the people asking don't either. Only people that don't need to ask questions seem to know how clueless the salespeople are, and they don't need them anyhow for anything except to check them out.

 

[Wolffmann34]

You are right about the elitist, and though I would put myself between you and one of those elitist people. And I agree those elite people probably love the feeling special part of making an appointment. But those are the people that make Apple a mediocre company.

If they are ever to become mainstream and take it to the next level they need to find a way to keep those elitist people happy and yet keep people like you and me happy.

But here is where I disagree with myself. Here I am with all these Apple products and yet I haven't been in a store in over 2 years. I have just learned other ways to buy their products, ways that don't involve making an appointment.

Lastly, you are correct also about just having a cashier line, like a real store. They have lots of accessories and you have no worries of anyone ever bothering you with, 'May I help you' while you browse them, but the checkout idea would make them easy to buy as well.

 

[Matth3w]

Please don't think I was saying you were elitist though

For some reason though, and I have no idea why, but Apple products as a general whole (not everyone of course) seem to make people feel more elite or have that attitude....why is that? Potentially because the products are more expensive than the competition?

 

[Wolffmann34]

I think the price is a big part of it. I mean realistically when I can buy a nice HP laptop for under $500.00 (I have 3 of them in my house), why in the world would I buy an Apple laptop for over $2000.00. But another part of it is that Apple products are always on the cutting edge, the latest and greatest. So when you have an Apple product such as an iPad, it's like having a CD player in 1984. For you youngins, that's the year JVC released the first consumer model -- and yes Matthew, the elitist in me had to have one even though it was over $1000.00.

 

[CMFox]

APPLES STORES SUCK!!!!!!

There I've said it, and I think many would agree. I mean come on, I have to make an appointment to get service on my phone, give me a break. I have not been in an Apple store since the 3G iPhone. Best Buy started carrying the 3GS iPhone at launch last year and has sealed the deal - sure the people there don't know any more than the morons at the Apple Store, but guess what? I don't need an appointment to buy something or to get service or help. I could be called a Fanboy by some due to my abundance of Apple products. But if there is anything that Apple is doing to destroy their own success, it is the horrible way they run their stores. And they are only crowded because there are so many people waiting to talk to someone who can actually help them. 90% of all Apple store employees couldn't even name the 2 colors an iPhone comes in and will only ask you what you want, then tell you that you need to talk to a Genius (slightly less moron).

I'm not a fanboy but I agree 90%. They need people dedicated to check people out, on a real register that doesn't require them to manually enter your credit card information and email address. Somewhere I can just grab a product, walk up, and pay.

They've got like 400 iPads on display and not a damn one in stock.

The place is packed to the max and basically like a geek playground where you play with toys but not buy anything.

It took almost half as long to get checked out as it did to drive the 70+ miles to get there.

The only thing I disagree with is that it is hurting them. Honestly most Apple fans I come across have a bit of elitism anyhow, so the fact that they have made a personal shopper appointment probably makes them feel special. And these are the people that usually need to ask stupid questions....so it doesn't matter that the people they are asking don't know anything because the people asking don't either. Only people that don't need to ask questions seem to know how clueless the salespeople are, and they don't need them anyhow for anything except to check them out.

Nah, its not elitist...its a time saver. If I need to get in and out, have a tight schedule, I'll make an appointment. Otherwise I'm happy to browse grab a salesperson when I can, and be part of the crowds.

This all reminds me of a friend of mine. He lives in the country...and has to travel to the big city every once in a while to go to the big box stores & specialty stores that aren't in his backwoods community. Once here he bitches non-stop about all the people and traffic-all the while shopping in the stores. I've tried to point out to him if there weren't any people and traffic these stores that he needs to shop at & likes shopping at, wouldn't be here either. He also likes the fancy restaurants and NBA games he can go to in the city. But DAMN! the traffic sucks.

 

[Wolffmann34]

It's not the traffic that bothers me, it's the fact that there are 15 people in Apple shirts (employees) - one of the will walk up to me within 15 seconds of entering the store and ask me for help. Then, regardless of what I ask, they refer me to the 3 people in the back of the store. My iPhone 3G had a crack by the switch and I was forced to make an appointment to get it warranted.

And then like Matthew said, it would be nice to be be able to grab an accessory and just go to a cashier to buy it.

 

[Dr.Gee]

I'm going to pop in and let them know how disappointed I am I can't get windows ME to run on this goddamn thing.not to mention flash.
what-is-the-deal?

 

[Hasty]

Wow you guys are spoilt.

No Apple store at all at all

 

[CMFox]

It's not the traffic that bothers me, it's the fact that there are 15 people in Apple shirts (employees) - one of the will walk up to me within 15 seconds of entering the store and ask me for help. Then, regardless of what I ask, they refer me to the 3 people in the back of the store. My iPhone 3G had a crack by the switch and I was forced to make an appointment to get it warranted.

And then like Matthew said, it would be nice to be be able to grab an accessory and just go to a cashier to buy it.

Ah...that'd piss me off too. Point taken. Verizon has a better plan. Sign in, (when they are busy) for sales or service, and get sent to the appropriate place.

C

 

[CaptKirk]

I've been in many Apple stores and most of them are always busy. I think the longest i ever had to wait was 10-mins, most of time i'll get an acknowledgment from an Apple rep, they'll be with me shortly. When i compare this to the countless bad experiences i've had with Windows machines, i'm a happy camper,, no complaints here