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My experience at Apple Store today

M

MN7119

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 7, 2011
504
607
Today I called one of the Apple Stores close to my house and asked if they had any iPhone 5S in stock (no mention of carrier/color/storage capacity) and the answer or obviously a NO without even asking any details. I decided to stop by the store anyway so I could check the 5C since I needed an unlocked iPhone to my mom that lives abroad. While looking at the 5C I was approached by 3 different Apple store guys (all wearing blue shirts) asking if they could help me with anything and I told each of them I was looking for the 5S but since they did not have any in stock I was considering the 5C. All of them reassured me they did not have any 5S in stock and had no clue when they would get more. Again, nobody asked me what carrier/color/storage I was looking for. After a while another Apple store guy approached me asking if I needed help (this time the guy was wearing a black shirt) and I told him the same story I had told the others. He was holding a small box in his hands and for the first time I was asked which model I was looking for. I said I wanted a device only in either ATT or TMobile. He then opened the small box which had couple cards and told me he had both Verizon and TMobile in slate and 64gb. He then started telling me that the TMobile ones were locked and I would not be able to use with ATT because they would not work with the ATT sim card. I stopped him right there and said I had read at many places including MacRumors that it wasn't the case. I said if he was charging me $849 for a TMobile phone that was a no contract phone and thus unlocked. He looked down, smiled and said that I had done my research and what he just had told me was what he was instructed to tell customers. I smiled back and asked him to bring the phone and I would purchase. Long story short, left the store with a 64gb 5S in slate in my hands.

Now if you guys can help me: how should I proceed with the phone? Place my ATT sim before plugging in iTunes? Should I restore it as a new phone?
 
Just plug it in. No need to connect it to iTunes. It's completely unlocked out of the box. Also, FYI you could also have purchased a Verizon iPhone. Every one of them, even the contract phones, is unlocked. I bought a Verizon iPhone device only last Saturday because they were the only ones in stock in my preferred color and capacity.
 
Why are they lying about these phones? It's not only immoral and not good to treat your customers like that, but it opens them to lawsuits.
 
Curious, Are you Asian?

The fact that 4 Employees told you they didn't have ANY (The one over the phone and the 3 in person, wearing the blue shirts), makes me think Apple is profiling customers.

After you purchased the phone, you should of asked to speak to the Store Manager, and inform him/her of your experience.

Also, If there is a survey on the receipt/eMail, I would share your experience.

I would also call Apple and ask to speak to someone in Customer Relations.

You simply asked for Device only. They shouldn't have assumed you wanted it to be unlocked. (unless you made reference...)
 
Why would you assume he is Asian? Apple employees aren't profiling, they are simply lying. If they were trained to profile Asian customers they would've heard about that in the courts.
 
Beezy253 said:
Curious, Are you Asian?

The fact that 4 Employees told you they didn't have ANY (The one over the phone and the 3 in person, wearing the blue shirts), makes me think Apple is profiling customers.

After you purchased the phone, you should of asked to speak to the Store Manager, and inform him/her of your experience.

Also, If there is a survey on the receipt/eMail, I would share your experience.

I would also call Apple and ask to speak to someone in Customer Relations.

You simply asked for Device only. They shouldn't have assumed you wanted it to be unlocked. (unless you made reference...)
Click to expand...

Phones came in while they were there. That's why a black shirt came out of the back with the box of cards.

OP you got lucky! Shipment hit just in time.
 
I am not Asian. I am not American but look like one. FYI, phone did not come while I was there. The guy in the black shirt was already on the floor carrying his box so he had iPhones for sure. My experience is that Apple store guys really vary. One of them that told me they had no iPhones kind of got mad when I told him that I found funny that Apple always does the same on new launches and do not make enough phones to attend the demand. He replied to me that 9MM 5S were sold so that is more than enough made. Whatever!!!! Some guys are very nice and interact with customers, others are just there making a number. I don't know what the difference between the blue and black shirt is but the guy on the black shirt was very nice and when he understood I had done my research regarding the unlocked situation he quietly assumed I was right.

mightygitis said:
Phones came in while they were there. That's why a black shirt came out of the back with the box of cards.

OP you got lucky! Shipment hit just in time.
Click to expand...
 
MN7119 said:
I am not Asian. I am not American but look like one. FYI, phone did not come while I was there. The guy in the black shirt was already on the floor carrying his box so he had iPhones for sure. My experience is that Apple store guys really vary. One of them that told me they had no iPhones kind of got mad when I told him that I found funny that Apple always does the same on new launches and do not make enough phones to attend the demand. He replied to me that 9MM 5S were sold so that is more than enough made. Whatever!!!! Some guys are very nice and interact with customers, others are just there making a number. I don't know what the difference between the blue and black shirt is but the guy on the black shirt was very nice and when he understood I had done my research regarding the unlocked situation he quietly assumed I was right.
Click to expand...

Congrats, you did get lucky. Hope your enjoying it, but I'm going to reiterate again... It was not 9 million if just one device. It was 9 million of two devices. The 5s and 5c
 
At least you got somewhere I stood in the line from 5 A.M till 10:30 A.M on launch day and had a what I call voucher a card that said 16gb At&t space grey which is what they were saying a guarantee to get a phone so I'm finally next in line and I was like I just wanna buy the phone full price and they said ok all we'll need is your account info!I told them I didnt have an account and I was just trying to pay full price for the phone she informed me that was policy not to sell it to me so they asked another person who said the same thing and they both looked at me and said DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE SAYING! So long story short I took my &1,000 to radio shack and they were happy to take $762 of it.Now I thought the No Activation No contract price you know the extremely high price at the bottom of the card that says 199.99 with 2yr contract lol I thought that meant it could be purchased with no account ,also they refused to sell me a T-Mobile phone it was a really bad day but at least I got one and know to stand in my local radio shack line at my hometown instead of drive an hour and a half to the apple store!
 
g4manimac said:
At least you got somewhere I stood in the line from 5 A.M till 10:30 A.M on launch day and had a what I call voucher a card that said 16gb At&t space grey which is what they were saying a guarantee to get a phone so I'm finally next in line and I was like I just wanna buy the phone full price and they said ok all we'll need is your account info!I told them I didnt have an account and I was just trying to pay full price for the phone she informed me that was policy not to sell it to me so they asked another person who said the same thing and they both looked at me and said DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE SAYING! So long story short I took my &1,000 to radio shack and they were happy to take $762 of it.Now I thought the No Activation No contract price you know the extremely high price at the bottom of the card that says 199.99 with 2yr contract lol I thought that meant it could be purchased with no account ,also they refused to sell me a T-Mobile phone it was a really bad day but at least I got one and know to stand in my local radio shack line at my hometown instead of drive an hour and a half to the apple store!
Click to expand...

lol the price your paying not to have a contract it would be cheaper just to have a contract and pay the early termination fee at any point damn that's a lot for a 16gb.
 
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