Today is the day when a little known Company named Apple decided to allow pre-orders of a new Product called an iPhone. This being the 4th in the line of Apple iPhone products has many new features to offer the users.
Many who already own an iPhone will be enticed to update and those who have never had an iPhone will also want this new iPhone.
The new iOS4 along with the totally polished UI is what every Smartphone maker is chasing. The complete Eco system is really second to nothing.
(All debatable and good for another Thread topic).
Today I'm simply writing about my experience when visiting the local AT$T Store to place one simple order.
This morning I woke up knowing full well Apple was going to release a new iPhone App via the App Store specifically for the iPhone allowing user the ability to purchase anything listed for sale on the Apple Web site Apple.com.
I decided to give this new iPhone App a try, after all Apple normally is a well oiled machine when it comes to their own Apps and honestly do make purchasing anything very simple and easy. All the way down to emailing any receipts which is a Godsend when keeping track of purchases over the long term.
I download and installed the App just fine. I'm thinking why not order two new iPhones via the new Bad Boy App? WRONG! Sorry the Store is Temporary Down Please try again later. (WHAT!) Hahahahaha
Well? lets try the Desktop Computer and the full experience then. Same result and I'm pondering to myself what this really means? A few things came to mind, first I've read different investors opinions and those tend to be slanted for many reasons but several have estimated the new iPhone sales will hit 8 million a month over 2010. If this were to be true it may explain why the Store is not working via normal methods of access.
Rather than refresh and try again numerous times I decided to simply go visit my local AT&T Store. It's just down the road anyway. I pull in the lot and notice the Store is not open and there is no one in the lot waiting for it to open. I'm thinking this is good news (right?). A short time later a sale person walks to the front of the store and in the window pulls the chain lighting up the Store Open display light.
I'm all over that like white on rice. (brown fried rice is better tho). I walk into the Store and I'm greeted by first name. Greeted by FIRST name is good and bad (seriously). I'm also greeted by a person who i've never seen. She is talking like she visited Starbuck's and has inserted a caffein IV in her arm. (WoW). She was talking so fast and giving me the History of the iPhone from 2006 forward going into detail to not just the highlights. I Thought I was going to need to remove a sock and place it in her mouth so that I would just get to the counter where the sale person was.
After respectfully declining a chance to review all Voice and Data plans along with Apple Care options and case options, charging cord options, head phone options, BlueTooth Headset options I left her standing alone still talking while I approached the counter.
I conveyed to the sale person (a guy) I would like to buy 2 new iPhone-4's. He said he could help me. He asked for my current phone number and ID. Now I'm thinking progress is being made and I'm back on track. There is a moment of silence after a few keyboard clicks/taps. The sale person looks up past me as tho he is looking for help from another person in the room. Turns out he can't log in on the PC and is wanting guidance. The fast, slick talking women who had the Starbuck's IV in her arm walked over and told him to log out and then log back in and things would work fine. He smiled and said thanks, So did I
A short time later I could hear him breath a cy of relief b/c it worked. I was asked if I wanted to upgrade my current plan to the new AT$T iPhone Plans. I replied NO, it's not an upgrade it's a downgrade b/c I have 1400 voice minutes plus unlimited txt and internet now.
The new plan reduces my voice minutes and also reduces my Data use.
The sales person smiles and said your right, ok. He then asked me which number I wanted to associate my new iphone with. I gave him my number along with another one that is also eligible. Again I was thinking this is progress and should be smooth as butter on a hot knife. WRONG!
The computer would not allow him to place the order, so he tired to log out and log back in again. Still no go but he was trying to fill the awkward time with other small talk and asked me for my CC also explaining how it would only pre-authorize the amount and not actually be charged till shipped on the 24th. Fine, no problem, standard and fine by me and millions of others. I handed him my card for the process, a short time later he gives me back the card and asks if I have another one? I reply by saying no I don't that is the one and only card I have. He explains to me that my Bank is not a preferred Bank and they have problems with the cards issued by them. I mention it's ok and actually common around my area b/c of some Bank policy or disagreement with certain protection my Bank has. I also explain to him the Card works fine and explain how to enter the information (the process). He has this look on his face like he just got caught Naked with a small farm animal. He motions for the Starbuck's IV lady again and she tells the sale person (guy) the same thing I told him. He needs to enter the numbers manually and it will go through just fine. I have a $300 a day limit for protection so in order to get approval past the $300 limit you must do it manually and use the Credit option on debit card. Now we are back on track after working through this minor issue and he does just that. I suddenly see the small farm animal look appear again and the sale person again motions for the Starbucks IV lady again.
They whisper among each other like in some top secret AT&T language and after the break they tell me they are going to need to swipe my CC using the manual method. I'm thinking to myself, well? that's ok no problem. After all it's been done for years before we all moved to the current preferred methods. (WRONG AGAIN).
The sales person (guy) walks to another location in the Store and pulls out the manual card swipe little doohicky thing-a-ma-bob. He plants it on the counter like it weights 20 lbs or something. You could hear the suction cups sticking to the counter. (Hoover vacuum style). He inserts the paper with carbon and then inserts the card and swipes away.
The paper rips and the carbon sticks out the sides and the CC is bent. (REALLY, REALLY.......) C'Mon man, does anyone know what they are doing here?
Meanwhile Starbucks IV lady is zooming around the room offering guidance to those who did not ask for it nor need it and my sale person is able to calm her down enough to get more advice about my bent CC and the manual receipt getting murdered during the manual swipe process.
Her already dilated eyes just about popped out of her head and she recommended he simply take down my information manually the old fashion way by writing on a piece of paper all my information so they can just enter it later (your KIDDING ME?).
They were not kidding, the sale person apologized over and over and over and over and over about everything.
My reply was that it's ok, things happen and don't worry about it. So I try to verify what I'm ordering and inquire about a receipt for proof of purchase or just the simple fact I was actually in the Store today and not making it up.
I was given a business card with a cell phone number, that's IT! Surely this can't be true?
So I then move to the more important stuff (right?) Like what I just ordered but really didn't order due to the above mishaps. The sale person tells me 1 32GB Black iPhone 4. I have to talk him back in time about 10 minutes and remind him I wanted to order Two (2) 32GB iPhone-4's NOT one.
If your following allow this far then you guessed it. My card needs to be swiped again and the original ripped, torn receipt was only for one new iPhone-4. Since my card was bent during the first Credit Card Assault it was not able to be done again. I'm shaking my head side to side at this point wondering "Why Me". The only option was to write down the CC numbers on a piece of paper along with other important CC info (expiration etc) and they would take care of it later.
After about 45 minutes of visiting my local AT$T Store to pre-order two new iPhone-4's I walked out with a bent CC which is no longer usable and no receipt showing I purchased anything. Who knows if I will end up getting anything on the 24th and weather or not I have to put the bank on notice that my account may be compromised by my CC numbers and other information being written down on paper and left at an AT$T Store where employees have no clue what they are doing and where hundreds of customers will be walking around all day.
My Advice going forward? Use the Apple Store if at all possible and or the official Apple Web site. Your probably better off knowing your CC wouldn't get bent or broken and you will get a receipt proving your purchase.
WoW
Many who already own an iPhone will be enticed to update and those who have never had an iPhone will also want this new iPhone.
The new iOS4 along with the totally polished UI is what every Smartphone maker is chasing. The complete Eco system is really second to nothing.
(All debatable and good for another Thread topic).
Today I'm simply writing about my experience when visiting the local AT$T Store to place one simple order.
This morning I woke up knowing full well Apple was going to release a new iPhone App via the App Store specifically for the iPhone allowing user the ability to purchase anything listed for sale on the Apple Web site Apple.com.
I decided to give this new iPhone App a try, after all Apple normally is a well oiled machine when it comes to their own Apps and honestly do make purchasing anything very simple and easy. All the way down to emailing any receipts which is a Godsend when keeping track of purchases over the long term.
I download and installed the App just fine. I'm thinking why not order two new iPhones via the new Bad Boy App? WRONG! Sorry the Store is Temporary Down Please try again later. (WHAT!) Hahahahaha
Well? lets try the Desktop Computer and the full experience then. Same result and I'm pondering to myself what this really means? A few things came to mind, first I've read different investors opinions and those tend to be slanted for many reasons but several have estimated the new iPhone sales will hit 8 million a month over 2010. If this were to be true it may explain why the Store is not working via normal methods of access.
Rather than refresh and try again numerous times I decided to simply go visit my local AT&T Store. It's just down the road anyway. I pull in the lot and notice the Store is not open and there is no one in the lot waiting for it to open. I'm thinking this is good news (right?). A short time later a sale person walks to the front of the store and in the window pulls the chain lighting up the Store Open display light.
I'm all over that like white on rice. (brown fried rice is better tho). I walk into the Store and I'm greeted by first name. Greeted by FIRST name is good and bad (seriously). I'm also greeted by a person who i've never seen. She is talking like she visited Starbuck's and has inserted a caffein IV in her arm. (WoW). She was talking so fast and giving me the History of the iPhone from 2006 forward going into detail to not just the highlights. I Thought I was going to need to remove a sock and place it in her mouth so that I would just get to the counter where the sale person was.
After respectfully declining a chance to review all Voice and Data plans along with Apple Care options and case options, charging cord options, head phone options, BlueTooth Headset options I left her standing alone still talking while I approached the counter.
I conveyed to the sale person (a guy) I would like to buy 2 new iPhone-4's. He said he could help me. He asked for my current phone number and ID. Now I'm thinking progress is being made and I'm back on track. There is a moment of silence after a few keyboard clicks/taps. The sale person looks up past me as tho he is looking for help from another person in the room. Turns out he can't log in on the PC and is wanting guidance. The fast, slick talking women who had the Starbuck's IV in her arm walked over and told him to log out and then log back in and things would work fine. He smiled and said thanks, So did I
A short time later I could hear him breath a cy of relief b/c it worked. I was asked if I wanted to upgrade my current plan to the new AT$T iPhone Plans. I replied NO, it's not an upgrade it's a downgrade b/c I have 1400 voice minutes plus unlimited txt and internet now.
The new plan reduces my voice minutes and also reduces my Data use.
The sales person smiles and said your right, ok. He then asked me which number I wanted to associate my new iphone with. I gave him my number along with another one that is also eligible. Again I was thinking this is progress and should be smooth as butter on a hot knife. WRONG!
The computer would not allow him to place the order, so he tired to log out and log back in again. Still no go but he was trying to fill the awkward time with other small talk and asked me for my CC also explaining how it would only pre-authorize the amount and not actually be charged till shipped on the 24th. Fine, no problem, standard and fine by me and millions of others. I handed him my card for the process, a short time later he gives me back the card and asks if I have another one? I reply by saying no I don't that is the one and only card I have. He explains to me that my Bank is not a preferred Bank and they have problems with the cards issued by them. I mention it's ok and actually common around my area b/c of some Bank policy or disagreement with certain protection my Bank has. I also explain to him the Card works fine and explain how to enter the information (the process). He has this look on his face like he just got caught Naked with a small farm animal. He motions for the Starbuck's IV lady again and she tells the sale person (guy) the same thing I told him. He needs to enter the numbers manually and it will go through just fine. I have a $300 a day limit for protection so in order to get approval past the $300 limit you must do it manually and use the Credit option on debit card. Now we are back on track after working through this minor issue and he does just that. I suddenly see the small farm animal look appear again and the sale person again motions for the Starbucks IV lady again.
They whisper among each other like in some top secret AT&T language and after the break they tell me they are going to need to swipe my CC using the manual method. I'm thinking to myself, well? that's ok no problem. After all it's been done for years before we all moved to the current preferred methods. (WRONG AGAIN).
The sales person (guy) walks to another location in the Store and pulls out the manual card swipe little doohicky thing-a-ma-bob. He plants it on the counter like it weights 20 lbs or something. You could hear the suction cups sticking to the counter. (Hoover vacuum style). He inserts the paper with carbon and then inserts the card and swipes away.
The paper rips and the carbon sticks out the sides and the CC is bent. (REALLY, REALLY.......) C'Mon man, does anyone know what they are doing here?
Meanwhile Starbucks IV lady is zooming around the room offering guidance to those who did not ask for it nor need it and my sale person is able to calm her down enough to get more advice about my bent CC and the manual receipt getting murdered during the manual swipe process.
Her already dilated eyes just about popped out of her head and she recommended he simply take down my information manually the old fashion way by writing on a piece of paper all my information so they can just enter it later (your KIDDING ME?).
They were not kidding, the sale person apologized over and over and over and over and over about everything.
My reply was that it's ok, things happen and don't worry about it. So I try to verify what I'm ordering and inquire about a receipt for proof of purchase or just the simple fact I was actually in the Store today and not making it up.
I was given a business card with a cell phone number, that's IT! Surely this can't be true?
So I then move to the more important stuff (right?) Like what I just ordered but really didn't order due to the above mishaps. The sale person tells me 1 32GB Black iPhone 4. I have to talk him back in time about 10 minutes and remind him I wanted to order Two (2) 32GB iPhone-4's NOT one.
If your following allow this far then you guessed it. My card needs to be swiped again and the original ripped, torn receipt was only for one new iPhone-4. Since my card was bent during the first Credit Card Assault it was not able to be done again. I'm shaking my head side to side at this point wondering "Why Me". The only option was to write down the CC numbers on a piece of paper along with other important CC info (expiration etc) and they would take care of it later.
After about 45 minutes of visiting my local AT$T Store to pre-order two new iPhone-4's I walked out with a bent CC which is no longer usable and no receipt showing I purchased anything. Who knows if I will end up getting anything on the 24th and weather or not I have to put the bank on notice that my account may be compromised by my CC numbers and other information being written down on paper and left at an AT$T Store where employees have no clue what they are doing and where hundreds of customers will be walking around all day.
My Advice going forward? Use the Apple Store if at all possible and or the official Apple Web site. Your probably better off knowing your CC wouldn't get bent or broken and you will get a receipt proving your purchase.
WoW
