Does anyone else HATE the Apple Retail Stores?

[Trogloxene]

I hate my local Apple Retail Store! :mad:

I've spent around $10,000 in the store since it opened. The other day I bought a game that I thought was a new version of game I already had as it had different packaging then the one I own. I took it home and installed it and realized I already owned that game - it was same thing. So I tried to take back the game and the Apple store refused to refund my money. I asked for the store manager and explained my situation and he informed me that he would not take it back. He told me that software could not be returned to the distributors. I was so mad, I just left the game and bag on the store counter and walked out.

Now I've been in the computer business for some 20+ years and I know exactly how the distribution systems work. I've been a buyer at a large computer retailer, and a software developer selling through large distributors. I know that stores can return software, I see it happen all the time. As a software developer I totally understand the problem with people buying software, pirating it, and then returning it. But in certain cases you have to take care of the customer and not just blindly follow some rule from the corporate ivory tower. This store just didn't want to deal with me. They just really don't care about the customer.

So I will never buy a thing at an Apple Store again. I will buy my Apple stuff online, or at the local compeditor.

-T

[mattscott306]

Unless there is a problem with the software itself it's common that you won't be allowed to return it...

[Eidorian]

I asked for the store manager and explained my situation and he informed me that he would not take it back. He told me that software could not be returned to the distributors. I was so mad, I just left the game and bag on the store counter and walked out.And it's like that at every other store when it comes to software...

[TheAnswer]

It's as Eidorian said...that's a standard policy to assure that you haven't just installed the software and are taking back the disk.

If the future, instead of boycotting the Apple Store, how about being a little more educated as a consumer. Examine packaging to make sure it contains a version different than the one you have (if not at the store, at least do so had home before opening the packaging).

[Eidorian]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=software+return+policy

[ravenvii]

I agree with the others. Become an informed customer. Don't blame the Apple Store, blame yourself.

[Sutekidane]

I hate my local Apple Retail Store! :mad:

I've spent around $10,000 in the store since it opened. The other day I bought a game that I thought was a new version of game I already had as it had different packaging then the one I own. I took it home and installed it and realized I already owned that game - it was same thing. So I tried to take back the game and the Apple store refused to refund my money. I asked for the store manager and explained my situation and he informed me that he would not take it back. He told me that software could not be returned to the distributors. I was so mad, I just left the game and bag on the store counter and walked out.

Now I've been in the computer business for some 20+ years and I know exactly how the distribution systems work. I've been a buyer at a large computer retailer, and a software developer selling through large distributors. I know that stores can return software, I see it happen all the time. As a software developer I totally understand the problem with people buying software, pirating it, and then returning it. But in certain cases you have to take care of the customer and not just blindly follow some rule from the corporate ivory tower. This store just didn't want to deal with me. They just really don't care about the customer.

So I will never buy a thing at an Apple Store again. I will buy my Apple stuff online, or at the local compeditor.

-T


Name one store that takes back open software and gives refunds for them even if they aren't defective.

[ghall]

Name one store that takes back open software and gives refunds for them even if they aren't defective.

Mr Happy's Magical Software Store! :)

@ OP: Seriously though, you really should keep track of that stuff. The best you can do right now is sell it on Amazon, or eBay, and hope to make some of your money back. You've learned a lesson here.

[Leareth]

I once witnessed a similar situation in an apple reseller when Warcraft III came out, there were two or three different packaging designs. One woman was buying the game for her son and asked the sales guy if the game needed all three( 2? ) boxes. The guy told her yes. SO if she had bought all of them and opened them she would not be able to return them even though it is not her fault.

In another case I was buying a game which I was not sure if it was the expansion pack only or full game and expansion pack - both the sales guy and me were looking all over the box to see. In the end he got pissed off and opened it to figure it out - turned out it was the full game+exp. I bought the opened package happy to have figured it out before leaving the store.

To the OP you made a mistake, not their fault.

[nospleen]

I can see the OP's point. Although they clearly state no refunds on software. The OP is obviously a good customer, spending 10k plus in the store. Why not just return it or give him a complimentary gift card in good faith. It is not as if he does this all the time or was returning FCP or something.

I would have given him a gift card and explain that this is a one time courtesy for being a valued customer, etc...

Maybe I am a softie though...:p

[mad jew]

Just be thankful you've got one. I have to hurl my unfounded abuse at homeless people and the blind because we don't have any Apple Stores in Australia.

[SMM]

I have only been in one store. So, I can only speak from that perspective. It is great! It is like the Macy's in New York, at Christmas time, in the toy section, and full of kids! I have never seen a disappointed person, except for some kid who hoped for the 80GB iPod, but only got the 30.

Actually, I have to come to this website to learn about issues with Apple. I know some must be legitimate, although I have miraculously escaped them myself. I must be a statistical marvel.

[MovieCutter]

I hate my local Apple Retail Store! :mad:

I've spent around $10,000 in the store since it opened.

Cry me a fracking river. I've spent $30,000 at mine and I don't expect any special treatment. Customers like you annoy the hell out of me..."I've spent X amount of dollars here and I deserve special treatment." You're no more important than the next guy...sorry buddy.

[Turkish]

I've spent around $10,000 in the store since it opened.

No one cares.

[Silencio]

Sorry, but not accepting returns on opened software is standard operating procedure across the entire retail industry. As an informed customer, it's up to you to know what you're buying and what the return policy is. Accept responsibility for your actions, sell your duplicative software on eBay or Craigslist, learn the lesson and move on.

[mkrishnan]

Cry me a fracking river. I've spent $30,000 at mine and I don't expect any special treatment. Customers like you annoy the hell out of me..."I've spent X amount of dollars here and I deserve special treatment." You're no more important than the next guy...sorry buddy.

LOL this did sort of strike me as the standard, "I've been a big executive at very important companies" nonsense that seems to accompany every complaint about customer service. If you're so powerful, call people above the store manager's head and get your refund. Get them fired if you want. Otherwise, keep it real and just say you bought a game and are upset that you cannot return it. Please.

[gaelan]

i've spent $30,001.00 so i am the most qualified person to reply so far.

you should have returned it as a defective product. that way you would have gotten a brand new box (preferably sealed) and been able to return it to another merchant as a duplicate gift OR just regift it to a friend or family member.

retailers won't take back software opened but they will exchange for identical product if original was "defective"

[Eidorian]

I think we shamed away the OP.

[rdowns]

So I will never buy a thing at an Apple Store again. I will buy my Apple stuff online, or at the local compeditor.

-T

That'll teach them. :rolleyes:

[nbs2]

i've spent $30,001.00 so i am the most qualified person to reply so far.

My wife's sister's husband (ok my brother-in-law, but it's more fun that way) has spent roughly $105,000 for the machines he uses from Apple (excluding his home purchases). Using the relation divisor for that level of relationship (2.5) means that I am qualified $42,000. Add in my $3,000, and I am qualified at $45,000 - the most qualified.:D

Anyway, the only way that you can return the software is going to be if you refuse to accept the terms of use (unless they are posted on the exterior of the packaging - in which case you are out of luck). Even then you may only be able to return to the mfr.

Oh, as for special treatment, he has gotten more stuff free than I have bought as a result of Apple's mistakes. I don't think they'd even let him return open software...

[zap2]

i've spent $30,001.00 so i am the most qualified person to reply so far.

1) No one cares
2) It doesn't
3) Someone could do more research then you, spend more time in the store, etc, and come to the realiztion that they don't need to spend 5K on a Mac, because the 1k Mac is good enough.

[Eidorian]

<----- $1,300 Mac every year. :rolleyes:

I'm trying to wait two with this one!

[TequilaBoobs]

i dont blame you for hating apple. if they did that to me, i would be livid! nowadays, all the good franchise electronic stores have a money back guarantee policy. why doesnt apple do the same?

most retail stores have figured out by offering money-back guarantees, they actually earn more money than lose because people buy things with the option of returning, but seldom do. plus, it's an added benefit in perceived confidence in the product. i think apple should step up their game and compete with the best stores.

[yg17]

i dont blame you for hating apple. if they did that to me, i would be livid! nowadays, all the good franchise electronic stores have a money back guarantee policy. why doesnt apple do the same?

most retail stores have figured out by offering money-back guarantees, they actually earn more money than lose because people buy things with the option of returning, but seldom do. plus, it's an added benefit in perceived confidence in the product. i think apple should step up their game and compete with the best stores.

A lot of stores have a money back guarantee policy on everything except software, DVDs and CDs. People would be returning DVDs because the movie sucked, or copying CDs and returning the original. No stores, not even Wal-Mart (who takes back damn near ANYTHING) will give a refund on software and such. They'll only exchange it if it's defective, and even then, most places will open the new package up before giving it to you so you don't have a new copy you can take to another store to pull the same crap with.

[TequilaBoobs]

A lot of stores have a money back guarantee policy on everything except software, DVDs and CDs. People would be returning DVDs because the movie sucked, or copying CDs and returning the original. No stores, not even Wal-Mart (who takes back damn near ANYTHING) will give a refund on software and such. They'll only exchange it if it's defective, and even then, most places will open the new package up before giving it to you so you don't have a new copy you can take to another store to pull the same crap with.

thanks, i didnt know that.

[Shadow]

You are complaining about an Apple Store?! Why you ungrateful thing-here in the UK we have about 6 Apple Stores-and the closest is about 200 miles away from me. I actually made a special trip to an Apple Store just to get my MacBook.

Be thankful you have an Apple Store.

Oh and BTW, maybe you should check that you have something already before buying it.

[cjewby]

Now I've been in the computer business for some 20+ years and I know exactly how the distribution systems work.

Don't expect special treatment... You're just another customer...


This store just didn't want to deal with me.
(I wouldn't want to either..) no affence... but cmon? It's every store's policy...

[RedTomato]

You claim to have the age, buying authority and IT experience to have spent over $10,000 at an Apple store, but you:

1. still buy games at Apple stores instead of online (Amazon etc)
2. get overexcited and buy a game on the spot without reading reviews / checking it out online,
3. then get all pissy over it when it's not what you wanted
4. don't know sod all about software licences and policies
5. brag online about the amount you've 'spent' at the Apple store.

Pull the other one.

Methinks it's Daddy who 'spent $10,000' not you.

[srobert]

[•] YES
[•] NO

[Fuzzy Orange]

I've actually never had a problem at the Apple Store... Most (if not all) of the employees who work at the one nearest to me are all educated on Macs, and all of them have personal Macs.

[XboxEvolved]

Actually yeah it is true, you can return software opened, typically when you do, you have to get something of equal value, the same thing, etc. They normally won't refund your money. I know all videogame stores and Wal-Mart is like that, but it also depends on the case.

I've worked at GameStop and Meijer, and if I understand your case, you got a game that was in the wrong package? In that case, yeah they should have let you exchange it for the thing you wanted. This kind of thing happens a lot at GameStop stores..

Also, I like the Apple Store. It's at the rich persons mall like 30 miles away though so I don't go to often, but it is a neat store to visit.

[TequilaBoobs]

Actually yeah it is true, you can return software opened, typically when you do, you have to get something of equal value, the same thing, etc. They normally won't refund your money. I know all videogame stores and Wal-Mart is like that, but it also depends on the case.

I've worked at GameStop and Meijer, and if I understand your case, you got a game that was in the wrong package? In that case, yeah they should have let you exchange it for the thing you wanted. This kind of thing happens a lot at GameStop stores..

Also, I like the Apple Store. It's at the rich persons mall like 30 miles away though so I don't go to often, but it is a neat store to visit.

the mall is called 'rich persons'? :confused:

[ReanimationLP]

I work at a Best Buy.

If someone tries to return software, we only take it back if its defective, and we open the new packaging and just swap the disc itself, not the keys.

[LethalWolfe]

I've worked at GameStop and Meijer, and if I understand your case, you got a game that was in the wrong package?
No, he bought a game he forgot he already owned because the packing was different.


Lethal

[swingerofbirch]

Do I hate the Apple stores no?

But I can't think of many things in life I do like without qualifiers! The two things that bother me have to do with my own personal sensitivities.

I don't mind the austerity of the Apple stores per se, but I do find while shopping that I need a sit-down from time to time, and the Apple stores nearest me have only stools to sit on at the genius bars, which aren't much help when you've a touch of the dizzies. I need something with a back on it so I can let my muscles go limp and practice my relaxation thoughts.

Also, as environmental as I know fluorescent lights are, they leave me wanting to flee the store for natural light.

I know most people aren't as sensitive as me, but for shoppers with anxiety conditions, the Apple store can be a tad overwhelming, especially as they're usually in the midst of an air-less mall!

[synth3tik]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/images/300/baby_crying_closeup.jpg

boo hoo.

If you hate it shut up and stop going to them

[swingerofbirch]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/images/300/baby_crying_closeup.jpg

boo hoo.

If you hate it shut up and stop going to them

I sincerely hope that comment was not directed toward me.

The black fact is the only times I visit the Apple store are for repairs. Even though I purchased AppleCare which includes on-site repairs, where I live, Apple does not offer on-site repair, and I live in a very populated area. I can't send my iMac in for repair either. So I have to take it to an Apple store. Yes, I know I could take it to an Apple authorized dealer but sadly there are none around here, not even the university I am two minutes away from has an Apple shop or repair center, they are Dell only.

So, in short, buying an Apple desktop means for me I have to go to the Apple store if I have any hardware problems.

[desenso]

Harsh responses!

In general, I enjoy the Apple retail experience, but it really depends on the geographic area.

Some stores have pretty rude employees, which I find unnerving, but in general I've found them to be fairly polite.

I really hate Apple stores in urban environments, or in urban shopping malls. They're literally packed with people who are just using them as a free internet kiosk. It drove me nuts when they first released the new Macbooks, but I couldn't take a look at one because the stores were packed with people using myspace or downloading torrents!

I really do feel that Apple should just turn off the internet on their demonstration computers. They should allow the computers to access a local intranet with information about the products, but there's really no value to making it a free internet cafe, other than perhaps access to the iTunes music store and, of course, the ability to book in appointments. These, surely, could be solved with a very restrictive firewall. I appreciate that it's a place for homeless people to get online, and just in general for people that might not have access to the internet to use it, but with all due respect to these people's situations, it can interfere with the shopping experience.

I avoid big Apple stores that are plagued by these problems as much as I can. Suburban shopping malls and smaller Apple stores tend to be much better environments to actually shop for an Apple product. Either way, I love Apple stores... there's nothing worse than having to wait extended periods of time for an anticipated purchase - the instant gratification of walking out of a store with a laptop in hand is an undervalued experience, in my opinion.

[CANEHDN]

I only hate them because there is so much stuff I want and can't have.

[Mac In School]

I love the Apple stores, but do have a few gripes:

1. I went in to buy AppleTV. I explained to the "genius" that I had an older router that only supported wireless A, B and G, and asked him if AppleTV would work with it. He said "No, it will only work with N, may I recommend an Airport Extreme Base Station?"

So I dropped $179 on the APE, knowing that I could daisy-chain it to my old router, and not have any problems. I installed the router first, then opened the AppleTV box, and started reading the manual. That's when I learned that it would, in fact, run on wireless G.

I'm only mildly disappointed because I needed to add some more wired ports, plan to buy a MacBook Pro by the end of the year, and was able to spend business money on the router anyway. But if I was just a poor consumer walking in, and ended up spending $179 I didn't need to spend, I would have been pretty pissed.

2. It shocks me that they don't have any machines running Windows via Parallels or VM Ware in the store. I think they would land more potential switchers if they could see and feel Windows on a Mac. Not being able to test this did push my decision to switch back by about 3 months.

I realize they don't want to pimp Microsuck's products, but they have "MS Office" signs all over the store, and even mention being able to run Windows and Office in their commercials.

[Sdashiki]

Why not just sell the opened software on eBay and recoup something?

Whining didnt bring you anything but more grief, just look at these replies!

[imac/cheese]

I only hate them because there is so much stuff I want and can't have.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

[Aea]

the mall is called 'rich persons'? :confused:

I think he's referring to a mall which is popular among rich people. :p

[imac/cheese]

If the OP has been in the computer business for 20+ years he should probably know what software he owns and not be fooled by new packaging.

However, if I ran a computer store I would probably have given the guy a refund or at least allowed him to exchange it for something else. A store that serves its customer's needs is one that a customer returns to. A game is not really that expensive and probably worth the money to get him to keep buying software at that store instead of cheaper on amazon. Every customer is valuable and important from an owner/manager point of view no matter if they have spent $1 or $100K. If he has a rewarding experience and a satisfying exchange process, he will be more likely to come back and sing the store's praises.

If this guy tried it again, of course, I would not allow him to rip the store off and if this type of return became common I would have to find another way to prevent it, but making an exception to store policy sometimes goes a long way.

[Maui]

The Apple store near me is great. They just need more staff to deal with the gazillion customers in there. Want to be popular? Wear a blue or black t-shirt and walk into an Apple store.

[a cat *miaow*]

Why buy anything from an apple store? beautiful products sold by the most unhelpful, arrogant staff i've ever had the misfortune to deal with.. boooooo

[Airforce]

Why buy anything from an apple store? beautiful products sold by the most unhelpful, arrogant staff i've ever had the misfortune to deal with.. boooooo

+1 except when I was back in Dallas. I avoid the store in Raleigh, NC(CrabTree Valley Mall) at all cost.

[janey]

I hate waiting for the genius bar. Surprisingly the San Francisco store was FAST as hell for a trivial exchange compared to the half dozen LA-area stores I went to. This was my complaint on the repair survey:
I went to the San Francisco store because I was in town for WWDC07, where I had barely signed up at the concierge when someone (one of the Toms working that shift) came by and asked me if I needed help.

Prior to [going to the SF store] I had several issues with my MacBook that I wanted someone to take a look at a few days before I was going to leave LA for SF (trackpad button that didn't quite work, power adapter making funny sounds, sound issues) at the majority of the dozen or so Los Angeles area apple stores within a reasonable driving distance. None of them were able to help me, all of them had appointments available only a couple days in the future, and only at the Century City (closest to where I live) store did a non-genius (wow, so hard to find one of these to talk to too) even bother to try to reply to my questions by saying that everyone was busy with repairs in the back and even though some geniuses seemed to not be doing much, that i had to sign up using the concierge anyway. (yes, for appointment dates in a Los Angeles-area store when I was going to be 500 miles away, despite having explained the situation already and saying it was probably trivial and most likely just needed an exchange...)

What I got in the end from the awesome genius at the SF store was a replaced power adapter and a couple questions answered in under 15 minutes: one minute to figure out the issue and answer my various questions, the rest mostly waiting for something in the system to finish before sending me off. Great service. Now I wish I lived near the san francisco store for near-instant service even when it was pretty crowded.

I miss the days when Glendale was the only store in this area...hell, one of the only stores in the entire world, and I didn't have to use concierge to talk to someone for a trivial exchange or pay for procare to get extra fast service.

[BenRoethig]

Why buy anything from an apple store? beautiful products sold by the most unhelpful, arrogant staff i've ever had the misfortune to deal with.. boooooo

Unfortunately, they're representative of the company and Mac community these days.