The Apple Store is an AWFUL place to shop.

[comedine]

To date, I've bought all of my Apple products online, but with the new MBPs I wanted to go and have a look and a play before I committed. And I was shocked at the Apple Store in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

They had just one 15" MBP in stock and some kid was using the shop like an internet cafe and was browsing Facebook. I asked him if he could do it on another computer and he refused. So I waited.

After a few minutes an assistant came up to me and spoke to me. I told him I was waiting to see the MBP but some kid was using it to look at Facebook. The chap said "Oh, ok" and wandered off!!

I also couldn't help notice that there were several people looking very confused - there seemed to be no 'system' to getting to see staff. And the counter was just a mass of people - no queue at all.

So I went to John Lewis, had a good play and bought it there.

[LERsince1991]

I guess you got a bad store :P

I agree it could be more organised but I think because they don't have visible tills (handheld and print from under the desks) it makes customers think less about the money side of things.

Here the employees get to me soon and have a memory so they know who to serve next :P Also have like 50 macs on display ;)

[MacDawg]

My Apple Store is my favorite place to go :)

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[thegoldenmackid]

On this side of the pond, most Apple stores are usually pretty quick to kick kids (like me) off Facebook (if only I used that thing regularly) or Photo Booth if they believe that someone is actually interested in purchasing the computer. All Apple stores that I have been in definitely have a system, but sometimes the store is über-crowded.

[Kebabselector]

So I went to John Lewis, had a good play and bought it there.

And got the 2 year warranty as well!

I agree with you about the Apple retail stores, I know how they operate so it's not a surprise. However if my Mom or Dad visited one (not they ever would) they'd probably just be in a daze.

[AmpCoder]

My Apple Store is my favorite place to go :)

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

PeachMac?

It really depends on the Apple Store you go to, I guess. For example, the Mall of Georgia Apple Store and the Lenox Mall Apple Store are always like that and it is hard to get an employee's attention. However, the Perimeter Mall Apple Store is always nearly empty and the employees are just waiting around for people to come in.

[JoeG4]

This is why I prefer shopping at Frys. Well, most of the time anyway can't say I'd buy Macs there.

[thegoldenmackid]

This is why I prefer shopping at Frys. Well, most of the time anyway can't say I'd buy Macs there.

YOU SAID THE F-WORD.

No matter how low Fry's prices are, their customer service department puts anything to shame. I never spent less then two hours there and never had anything but an awful experience. Numerous lies and run-around - I'll pay 10% more just to know that Assistant Manager Paul Lorenz isn't getting my money. It's fairly sad that one would know their name...

[MorphingDragon]

That experience sounds like Magnum Mac in New Zealand owned by Renaissance. The people there dont even know how to use the bloody things or how much they cost. I wish they would burn in hell as they're the reason why we cant get a real Apple store here.!!!

[liptonlover]

I really feel sorry for everyone with bad Apple store experiences. There are a few Apple stores nearby that I have visited multiple times, and every time was very enjoyable. I love going to Apple stores just for the atmosphere. The employees are always walking around looking for people who need help, and there's at least 5 of every product on display. It's kinda ironic... the Apple store is the easiest one to go in and out of with what you need in hand... and the only one where you don't WANT to leave so quickly.

[Unprocessed1]

YOU SAID THE F-WORD.

No matter how low Fry's prices are, their customer service department puts anything to shame.

Haha, wrong use of words.

The fry's in my mall closed down for good. The employees there were unprofessional and idiotic.

[thegoldenmackid]

Haha, wrong use of words.

The fry's in my mall closed down for good. The employees there were unprofessional and idiotic.

Yes...I'm not functioning on much sleep, but:
1. I still won't go to Fry's
2. I'm still more competent then their employees

[NC MacGuy]

I go to my local Apple stores to buy or bitch. I do give the machines a bit more than average scrutiny and will pull up various Apple critical sites and leave them with all kinds of system preferences changed.

The concierge/personal shopping guy whoevers like me since the only time I interface with them is to whip out the plastic.

The geni-asses hate me.

My feelings are mutual for each.

[three]

Yakima doesn't have a official Apple store but we have an Apple retailer store. The name of the store is Efcom. I personally don't like shopping there not because of the waiting issue it's just because the staff have bad attitudes towards anyone and everyone. I am never shopping there again.

[godslabrat]

I'm on the fence about the Apple Store (Quail Springs Mall, OKC). It's always packed with customers unless I go at some oddball hour on a Tuesday, but I don't see that as a fault of the store, per se. I've been helped by 5 or 6 people over the past few months, and I've had a few know-nothings in that group. I don't care about them, though, because I keep going back for the other employees who offer OUTSTANDING help!!! :D

Yes, when I feel I've been taken care of well, I grab that person's card and keep it on file, then make a point to go back and see them. THEY make the trip worthwhile. I also have to commend Apple for the atmosphere they set in the store-- I've never felt pressured on any purchase, be it the computer itself or an accessory or extended warranty. They ask what I want, I tell them, everybody leaves happy.

[InvalidUserID]

I miss the 24-hour store in NYC. I used to hop on the train to hang out in the back offices (friend was a manager) or just browse during off-hours.

My now nearest Apple Store is Palo Alto which is really laid back and has lots of models for people to play with. MUCH BETTER than the one at Stanford Mall (only 5 minutes away or so) which is super small and seems to always be packed with cougars who don't know a mouse from a mini.

[iBookG4user]

YOU SAID THE F-WORD.

No matter how low Fry's prices are, their customer service department puts anything to shame. I never spent less then two hours there and never had anything but an awful experience. Numerous lies and run-around - I'll pay 10% more just to know that Assistant Manager Paul Lorenz isn't getting my money. It's fairly sad that one would know their name...

Really? I've had nothing but positive experiences at Fry's. Even when I'm returning something they are professional and they rarely if ever give me any trouble about it. I've even taken products back to them without a receipt and they gave me the full store credit for the product and it was opened as well. I guess it really does depend on which store you go to, I've had similar positive experiences with both of the Fry's stores near me.

[Andrew Henry]

Sorry that you've had a bad experience, at my closest store (Tukwila Mall, WA) I've been there twice, once when both of my iPhones needed to be replaced, and a second time when my 1G iPhone had a run in with Coor's Light, well anyhow the first time the warranty on one of my phones had expired 2 days earlier, but yet they still replaced it at no charge, and the second time I went there I was greeted at the door by a cute girl, and she pretty much stuck by my side throughout the entire time I was in the store, talking about the new computers and such. Both times were very enjoyable experiences!

-Andrew

[arkitect]

To date, I've bought all of my Apple products online, but with the new MBPs I wanted to go and have a look and a play before I committed. And I was shocked at the Apple Store in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

Ah, Bentall's… never a pleasure going there.

The Apple store there really is not up to scratch. As you say, over crowded and no system in place.
Most of the teens within a couple miles' radius seem to use it as some kind of internet café — minus the coffee, thank god.

[210]

I have found the staff at Apple Stores pretty useless as well. My friends just ask me all the questions and use the Apple Store to play around of the computers, etc.

[liptonlover]

I know I already posted saying how awesome mine is, but just yesterday I had to go in and replace my Touch because of various problems. It had an outdent near the volume controls, I couldn't open the music app, and one point it did a hard restart on its own over and over again, and the headphone jack was only getting sound to one earphone (tested on multiple earphones). So we made an appointment with a genius. We got there a little late so we had to wait for them to finish up with another customer who didn't make an appointment, and while we waited a regular employee asked us what the problem was. He looked it over, talked a TON in a slightly condescending (though accidental) way, but told us forget about the other problems just go up and say the headphone jack is broken. That's what we did. They tested it with their own earphones, saw that it was broken, took a few seconds to put something on the computer, and grabbed a replacement for me. I signed the receipt and was done. It was beautiful how easy it was.
Nate

[Cabbit]

Looks like the bridge of the Enterprise http://images.apple.com/uk/retail/images/store_photos/photo_bentallcentre.jpg

[Michaelgtrusa]

Apple store Orland square has bad apples working their.

[thegoldenmackid]

Really? I've had nothing but positive experiences at Fry's. Even when I'm returning something they are professional and they rarely if ever give me any trouble about it. I've even taken products back to them without a receipt and they gave me the full store credit for the product and it was opened as well. I guess it really does depend on which store you go to, I've had similar positive experiences with both of the Fry's stores near me.

There was only one smiling face at the service desk, it was me smiling at the not smiling faces. I had no problems until I had to deal with their warranty and stuff. They do some unethical things. For example, the give new computers out as "loaners" and then try to sell them back as "floor models" problems arise though because the computers get registered multiple times from multiple different people and Apple does not like that so much.

[Hrududu]

I don't particularly like Apple stores either. Too noisy, too crowded and it always seems like the employees are constantly watching over your shoulder. Most of the kids in there don't really seem to know much anyhow. Our local reseller is called Haddock Computer, and its not big but I love it. Most of the people there have been at the store for at LEAST 8 years and know their stuff. The repair guy is also very smart and they'll actually give you the time of day with older hardware.

[slick316]

I'm on the fence about the Apple Store (Quail Springs Mall, OKC). It's always packed with customers unless I go at some oddball hour on a Tuesday, but I don't see that as a fault of the store, per se. I've been helped by 5 or 6 people over the past few months, and I've had a few know-nothings in that group. I don't care about them, though, because I keep going back for the other employees who offer OUTSTANDING help!!! :D

Yes, when I feel I've been taken care of well, I grab that person's card and keep it on file, then make a point to go back and see them. THEY make the trip worthwhile. I also have to commend Apple for the atmosphere they set in the store-- I've never felt pressured on any purchase, be it the computer itself or an accessory or extended warranty. They ask what I want, I tell them, everybody leaves happy.


You mean Penn Square Mall? I wasn't aware of an Apple Store in Quail Springs.

I actually don't like the Apple Store.

I was there yesterday, hoping to find a skin for my upcoming 3G S, and there were about 5 customers there, and 250 employees. Seriously, they have too many employees, and no one acknowledged me (didn't care though, I knew what I wanted).

Previously, when I did get helped, it always bugged me how I was approached and greeted. Normally, I like to hear "Hello Sir, how may I help you today?" or something along those lines. What do I get at the Apple Store? "Hey man, what's going on?". Call me old fashioned, but I don't care for that casual attitude. That's how it starts, but for some reason, I end up feeling like this person is demeaning me. Please act professional, wear a proper uniform (untucked t-shirts and jeans don't count), and pretend that you are there to help me.

Check out is also a pain. I was there with a friend a couple months back. Store was crowded. My friend found what he wanted. He was approached by an employee "Hey man, need help?". My friend said he was ready to check out. The employee whips out some handheld thing that processes credit cards, cool idea in my opinion, if you are using credit. He wanted to pay cash, so he was pointed to the counter. There were people at the counter already, it was the genius bar, they were being helped with their computers. An employee was just standing behind the counter, looking around the store. When my friend said, "I would like to pay cash for this", he walked off, into the "back". Nice, didn't say a word, just took off. My friend almost left the charger on the counter (iphone wall charger) and left, but some lady came out from the back to help him.

Don't get me wrong, I have had some good experiences at the Apple Store. I have bought stuff locally and with the exception of the gripes I listed above, it was fine. I just don't correlate Apple products with the store, I like Apple products, but if the store was the only way to get it, I may not have so much Apple product.

[Shivetya]

Well if you consider my experience with the Perimeter Mall store here in Georgia...

if your after a phone or ipod your going to be in heaven, want a laptop/imac and Best Buy will seem like heaven compared to the Apple Store. I swear, the only thing they are interested in talking about are phones and iPods, more so about phones

[soLoredd]

I like my Apple Store but I have to make sure to go at the right times...roughly 1-3pm. Otherwise it's a pain in the ass do get anything done there. I don't mind the crowds, most of the time people are just aimlessly doing nothing and I can pretty much go right to whatever I'm there for. The problem is getting some damn help! And whenever someone does come to help, they never have a damn scanner. So, I have to wait while he uses his stupid headset to call another Appleite with a scanner to help me.

[leandromp]

I don't really the stores either, specially the 5th ave in New York City. It's so annoying, full of people, rude "genius" and the staff etc. In another hand, the one in 14th street is beautiful and so different, nice people but too far. Online store all the way :).

They do look nice, tho.

[coupdetat]

Most of the employees at my local Apple store are smug *******s. And they are always spouting misinformation at uneducated customers.

[miles01110]

I go to my local Apple stores to buy or bitch. I do give the machines a bit more than average scrutiny and will pull up various Apple critical sites and leave them with all kinds of system preferences changed.

They don't care if you change preferences, because you can't actually get to the important ones without the admin password. A critical Apple website....oooh! Way to stick it to the man. ...

I have found the staff at Apple Stores pretty useless as well. My friends just ask me all the questions and use the Apple Store to play around of the computers, etc.

I've had mixed experiences with Apple Stores, but most have been very positive. Having lived in both the US and in Switzerland, I've found the European stores to be much more laid-back and helpful, despite the language barrier even though the staff members almost always spoke or understood English. Geniuses have given me trouble about various things, but if you keep at it you can usually get what you want. Some of them are arrogant, but they're still bound by the "customer is king" rule.

[DiamondMac]

I thought the Apple store was one of the best places to shop when I lived near it in Chicago

Helpful, Friendly, and easy

[godslabrat]

You mean Penn Square Mall? I wasn't aware of an Apple Store in Quail Springs.

You're right, cerebral flatulence on my part. Everything else stands, though.

[rodman109110]

I agree with the op. Shopping at the apple store is not fun. it is a pain to try to get a cashiers attention. I just wish they would go back to having a check out counter although i guess not having it keeps the floor less congested. i do like the customer service though. The Chandler Fashion Center store in Arizona has great genius bar employees in my experience. they tried everything they could to fix my computer and when all failed (3 screen replacements, 3 logic boards, and a fan) they replaced it without a problem.

[She]

I made the mistake of going to buy a computer the same weekend the iphone 3Gs was released

There were girls in orange t-shirts guarding the door and even though I wasn't there for an iphone they still made me line up and wait to get inside :rolleyes: Meanwhile they were allowing people who said they just wanted to browse go straight through but they were only allowed to browse, if they wanted to buy something they could have to come back to the front door and line up :confused:

[Saladinos]

To date, I've bought all of my Apple products online, but with the new MBPs I wanted to go and have a look and a play before I committed. And I was shocked at the Apple Store in Kingston-Upon-Thames.

They had just one 15" MBP in stock and some kid was using the shop like an internet cafe and was browsing Facebook. I asked him if he could do it on another computer and he refused. So I waited.

After a few minutes an assistant came up to me and spoke to me. I told him I was waiting to see the MBP but some kid was using it to look at Facebook. The chap said "Oh, ok" and wandered off!!

I also couldn't help notice that there were several people looking very confused - there seemed to be no 'system' to getting to see staff. And the counter was just a mass of people - no queue at all.

So I went to John Lewis, had a good play and bought it there.

The idea is to not have locks or restrictions so you can use the machine as if it were your own, although I do believe they have now blocked facebook.

The problem isn't that they don't have enough machines, because they have a comparable number to PC stores, and they're more useful, since you can actually use them. The problem is that they're too popular.

[MTI]

We have 3 Apple Stores within a 20 mile span, all located in shopping malls and providing the good and bad experiences listed above. Product knowledge is not particularly deep for the floor employees, who generally have to summon someone geekier than they are, but I suppose that's what retail is all about these days.

[neiltc13]

The idea is to not have locks or restrictions so you can use the machine as if it were your own, although I do believe they have now blocked facebook.

The problem isn't that they don't have enough machines, because they have a comparable number to PC stores, and they're more useful, since you can actually use them. The problem is that they're too popular.

I think it would be great to see the numbers for footfall in Apple Stores compared to the number of products that actually sell. People are lured in but many probably don't realise the price until they see it in tiny print on one of those stand up card things.

[Sehnsucht]

I think it would be great to see the numbers for footfall in Apple Stores compared to the number of products that actually sell. People are lured in but many probably don't realise the price until they see it in tiny print on one of those stand up card things.

I think it's funny to hang out near an Apple employee talking to a family of potential customers where the kid or teen wants a Mac and is trying to talk his/her parents into buying one. The mom will usually be freaking out ("Oh, my God! Eighteen hundred dollars! You have got to be kidding me!") and the dad says something like, "I dunno Timmy, your mother and I will have to discuss this a little more." Mom asks the employee, "So, why are these Mac Apple things so expensive?" Employee starts to talk about how Macs are a better investment because of the more reliable OS and better support, and she'll interrupt him in the middle with, "Um, I have no idea what that means. I dunno anything about computers." Eventually the family will leave, still arguing, and Timmy is pissed because he didn't get his Mac.

:D :D

[Mac_Max]

I think the more one on one way of checking out works great for small stores like the Sherman Oaks, CA store but isn't as efficient in stores like the Glendale, CA store (which at least four times as large). In part thats because more people go to the larger stores. I helped a friend pick out a 13" MBP last Friday and the store was packed twice as tightly because of a live performance that drew in a lot of lookie-loos. We were able to get someone to help us but it took 5-10 minutes. That said, it was better than Fry's (don't get me wrong, I love the store) where the sales people either run from you like the plague or want to up-sell you for the sake of their commission. I can't blame them on the latter point though, a friend of mine was fired for not <strikethrough>consistently up selling</strikethrough> er I mean not making his "commission goals."

That said it's a logistics nightmare to train employees two or three different ways so I can see why they went for a system that may be a little slower at larger stores but frees up a good quarter of the sales floor in the case of the Sherman Oaks store.

[NeverhadaPC]

In Ann Arbor, MI, the store is a snob-fest. Only business-men with iPhones or suits are appreciated. Everyone else has to wait until you block someone's way before they will acknowledge your existence.

I found an open accessory (keyboard cover) and decided to put it onto the keyboard of a MBP 15" to test it out and see if it worth the purchase. Within 30 seconds an employee comes over and removes the keyboard cover saying: "Now, we cannot sell it." (Keep in mind, I am 25 years of age).

The Apple Stores are filled with Mac-A-holes and nerdy kids who try to convince people to buy a product they know nothing about. I like going into the store and asking really detailed technical questions and have them make up answers that are wrong and illogical. They only person I like at Apple is SJ. The rest are a bunch of snob who discovered Apple only when it became a profit machine.
:rolleyes:

[Sun Baked]

In Ann Arbor, MI, the store is a snob-fest. Only business-men with iPhones or suits are appreciated. Everyone else has to wait until you block someone's way before they will acknowledge your existence.

I found an open accessory (keyboard cover) and decided to put it onto the keyboard of a MBP 15" to test it out and see if it worth the purchase. Within 30 seconds an employee comes over and removes the keyboard cover saying: "Now, we cannot sell it." (Keep in mind, I am 25 years of age).

The Apple Stores are filled with Mac-A-holes and nerdy kids who try to convince people to buy a product they know nothing about. I like going into the store and asking really detailed technical questions and have them make up answers that are wrong and illogical. They only person I like at Apple is SJ. The rest are a bunch of snob who discovered Apple only when it became a profit machine.
:rolleyes:

He probably remembered you being the annoying 25 year old twit that comes in asking stupid questions and taking up their time while not buying anything.

[windywoo]

The Apple Store near me is pretty good. I told them I wanted to develop for the iPhone and the guy told me straight away to go for a desktop because I'd be sitting at it for long stretches of time. He didn't try to make me buy the most expensive thing straight away. He even knew the local people who develop for iPhone and told me about an iPhone developer conference happening soon.

The next time I was in they let me test that the Macbook I bought off ebay actually powered to blue screen as described before I went ahead and bought a Magsafe charger for it.

Hmmm, I should add that I went in there when it was busy and it waws full of pretentious dicks. A bunch of people stood around saying "Vista is hard to use" (yeah point and click interfaces are beyond most people) and another person slagging off Linux as being geeky. The guy had bottle end glasses on and he was still slagging off other operating systems that don't even compete because they're free.

[tsa1]

apple store is cool for people that dont already own a mac. I mean theres like a total of 7-10 actual apple products in there, so i get bored within 10 mins.

Now there always happens to be hot girls there, so thats nice as well.