I can assure you its not a cost cutting move, specialists are the ones who did the personal shops.
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Apple Discontinues 'Personal Shopping' Service in Retail Stores
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I can assure you its not a cost cutting move, specialists are the ones who did the personal shops.
The problem with the personal shopping reservations on-line is the high amount of no shows in Apple store. This is a good move IMO.
They are getting ready for a high volume Christmas season. I am sure you can make an appointment in the store when you have a higher chance of showing up for the appointment.
They are getting ready for a high volume Christmas season. I am sure you can make an appointment in the store when you have a higher chance of showing up for the appointment.
I use google mail and they sent a email out to every user saying they are being sued by some Buzz users (over privacy issues). They have court battles and 8.5 mill $ to hand out. So they have a lot to worry about
I used to work for Apple Retail until about 6 months ago, and trust me, we had plenty of personal shopping appointments.
When was the last time you were in an Apple store? ALL my local stores have a dedicated Point of Sale at the Genius bar and someone staffed as a cashier at all hours...so I can go there or anyone on the floor. Also people standing there with iPads checking in people for appointments can also ring you up...I never have an issue with buying things....
Apple DOES give you a checkout. The handheld devices the specialists carry are it. At my local store, they like to describe it as "everyone being a cash register." How is getting in line behind someone who's also buying iLife (or a case or a gift card) any different than getting in line at a cashwrap?
BTW, what you're describing (choosing the wrong line) happens to me at the grocery store every week. I'll gauge my choices by whomever seems to have the fewest groceries, but I'll always pick the slowest clerk or the person who has a zillion coupons. It happens. I can wait. However, at Apple I never have to wait more than five minutes, even if I do chose the "slowest" specialist. If I get in line behind someone who's taking a while, some other specialist nearly always takes care of me before I can look around for another person. My friends have the same experience, so it can't just be me.
For perspective, during the holiday season I drop by the Apple Store to pick up some iTunes gift cards, which means I hop into the express line to get checked out (their temporary cashwrap for the busy season). The one time of year Apple offers what everyone *seems* to want, lots of folks complain about it. Without fail, people being directed to stand in line for their purchase will pitch a fit that they have to "wait" when all they're buying is a "quick thing."
Apparently Apple is damned if they do, damned if they don't.
No, it isn't a checkout, and it's vastly inferior to the checkouts they removed from all the stores in the UK.
1/ In a checkout you're just buying stuff, not 'being helped'. 'Being helped' takes some random amount of time, scanning barcodes and a credit card takes a pretty fixed (and short) length of time. I very rarely see an assistant who's just selling stuff. Most are busy talking with customers.
2/ There were single line outs for multiple cashiers before. You couldn't choose the wrong line, because everyone was in the same line and that only split out right at the end. Everyone was served speedily and in turn.
So no, waiting for some random assistant to finish dealing with the last person is a much slower, less 'fair' and more irritating system than a properly arranged checkout.
No Biggie... 
It's so much fun to spend time browsing before dropping the big bucks.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
If browsing for accessories, I manage to escape for less than $100 it's a miracle anyway.
If shopping for a system.... SHEESH.... $$$$$$$
But it sure is Fun!
It's so much fun to spend time browsing before dropping the big bucks.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
If browsing for accessories, I manage to escape for less than $100 it's a miracle anyway.
If shopping for a system.... SHEESH.... $$$$$$$
But it sure is Fun!
New Mac computer buyers really need help right after buying it, not help with picking one. Most of the average users (my nontechnie friends) never update their OS X. They just ignore the prompt. They never get an external HD to set up Time Machine.
I hear the new Chicago store will have an area set up so that the new owners of Apple computers can open them up with an Apple rep nearby. I hope the reps make sure to remind the new owners to update OS and get an external HD for Time Machine.
That reminds me, Apple store should stop pushing printers as bonus products and instead push external HD to be used as Time Machine HD.
I hear the new Chicago store will have an area set up so that the new owners of Apple computers can open them up with an Apple rep nearby. I hope the reps make sure to remind the new owners to update OS and get an external HD for Time Machine.
That reminds me, Apple store should stop pushing printers as bonus products and instead push external HD to be used as Time Machine HD.
I know most Apple Stores are crowded these days, but there *are* things you can do to alleviate the wait.
1. Don't shop from 12-5pm and 7pm-close on Saturday. There's usually a lull between 5ish and 7ish when people get dinner/catch a show, so if you MUST go shopping on a weekend, that's your "window."
2. Don't shop on Sunday. Period. This isn't a religious thing--after three years in retail, I can safely say that Sunday crowds are the worst. Sundays are busier in a different way than Saturdays; Sunday shoppers want lots of individual attention but are less likely to buy. This ties up employees in longer transactions, resulting in longer wait times for you.
3. When it comes to weekdays, Apple's website is right--shop early, shop late. Stores are busiest between noon and three (when people are on their lunch break) and tend to calm down quite a bit after 5. Beware: there may be a rush after 7pm, or there may not. Depends entirely on the day.
4. Be patient.
5. If everyone is with a customer, look around and see if you can discern who will be free next OR (better yet) find a transaction that looks similar to what you're after (buying an iPad? Find an iPad transaction. Looking to purchase the case in your hand? Queue up behind someone who's doing a similar quick transaction). Most of the time the staff is capable of handling your needs, sometimes by including you in their current conversation or by letting you know that they'll help you next.
6. When in doubt, tap someone on the shoulder and ASK where you can find help. So many people get frustrated because they don't get approached, but often times it's because we're so busy and we see SO many customers that we don't always notice YOU and your lost look. Be proactive! Just a simple, "hey, I know you're busy, but when you're done I'd like to ask you about X" or "can you point me in the direction of a cash register?" will suffice.
7. (and MOST importantly) PLEASE respect the staff. They're there to help you, and I can assure you that they're generally doing the best they can (ESPECIALLY in an Apple Store). Retail wages are not very high, and the employees put up with an inordinate amount of BS from shoppers who are downright cruel. In retail and food service, we are all human beings with feelings, and a little respect can go a LONG way. I was much more willing to bend over backwards for someone who respected me than someone who was rude.
These suggestions are derived simply from my work in retail rather than work specifically at Apple. No matter where I worked, these held true.
Happy shopping.
I'll start respecting staff when they start respecting me. I had the most rude staff member last time I was at the Apple Store. I'll be sure to rake them or anyone who works with them over the coals next opportunity I get.
Not sure what happened there but hope you got the name.
However if I had to spend more than 1 hour in an enclosed area with so many people coming and going, I'd lose my mind. So I feel for the apple store reps.
Are you listening to yourself? "Give them some credit for CARING ENOUGH TO TRY?????" Are you an Apple Apologist or what? Apple is not doing their customers a favor by trying to make their shopping experience easier, their paying customers are the reason they are successful. Apple ought to be giving their customers some credit for putting up with their overly crowded stores and the lack of available knowledgeable help. I remember the days when it was great visiting the Apple store, I hate it now.
The fact is Apple is way too lenient on allowing kids to use their stores as a social hangout and hogging the computers to surf nonsense on the web while customers that are genuinely interested in buying a new Mac or any product are put off by the fact they have to excuse themselves through the crowd of time wasters in order to find their way through the store for help. You gotta be kidding me about "Giving them some credit".
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So rather than offer feedback to his or her manager you plan on punishing anyone else who happens to work in the same store? That is certainly a constructive way to solve your problem.
These people may work in retail, but they are human beings. They deserve to be treated as such. Without giving any additional details about your interaction, it's difficult to tell why they were disrespectful. Offer feedback to the manager, certainly, but don't punish other people who likely had nothing to do with your poor experience. It isn't their fault, and they don't deserve that.
But you don't know about services and target audiences? The personal shopping isn't for you or many people on these forums. Its for the person who doesn't know alot about computers and doesn't visit forums dedicated to macs and just wants help to buy some gadget/mac.
That's not surprising. Considering a majority of their business is retail. It's easier for them to just have you walk in the store and be helped rather than scheduling appointments and such.
I'd still rather buy from the Apple store rather than Best Buy. Now Apple just needs the payment options of Best Buy and we're good to go.
I used the personal shopping service a couple of times and I liked it. Apple Stores in the Bay Area are insanely busy and I liked being able to make an appointment and have someone help me straight off rather than wandering around trying to find a free associate. It was also a great help to my mom when she purchased an iPad because she was able to get some longer one-on-one service showing her the ins and out of iOS. No biggie though. Just a little more careful planning on my part as to when I visit a store and it will be just fine.
If Apple blocked the computers so all those teens wouldn't be able to just come in there and use the place as an internet cafe they would certainly have enough room for people that genuinely need personal shopping help.
I couldnt agree with you more, the Apple Store is absolute joke, I wouldnt go near it, I wanted to buy an ipad and got far better service and attention in another place, you couldnt even get near the ipads for months, apple needs to start taking its proper users seriously, or Iam never going to buy in apple store.
I think this is a foolish maneuver, but that's retail. Apple Stores are always chaotic. Kids screaming, children running, everyone putting the volume of every system on maximum and playing games, etc. and not buying a thing - while customers who come in to this sea of chaos can't pry someone free from an idiot that needs his hand held by an employee while picking out the best case for his iPhone.
I've made lots of sales for Apple by pointing friends to the Apple Store and encouraging them to make a Personal Shopping appointment. These were friends and colleagues that would have just walked in the store, been overwhelmed and left had they not had an appointment where they knew someone would give them their undivided attention for an hour with no pressure to buy.
One of Apple's strongest points is their customer service. While I've heard some outlandish nightmare stories of treatment received in some retail stores, I've always out happy with my experiences there. Regardless of how happy everyone in the store might be, however, not being able to find a free person who didn't just start working there last week is not going to increase their positive feedback scores regarding how people feel neglected sometimes.
I've made lots of sales for Apple by pointing friends to the Apple Store and encouraging them to make a Personal Shopping appointment. These were friends and colleagues that would have just walked in the store, been overwhelmed and left had they not had an appointment where they knew someone would give them their undivided attention for an hour with no pressure to buy.
One of Apple's strongest points is their customer service. While I've heard some outlandish nightmare stories of treatment received in some retail stores, I've always out happy with my experiences there. Regardless of how happy everyone in the store might be, however, not being able to find a free person who didn't just start working there last week is not going to increase their positive feedback scores regarding how people feel neglected sometimes.
Another thought....
Your comment made me realize one of the flaws with the Apple stores. I think the feeling the place is noisy and crowded has a lot to do with the physical size of the places. Apple really seemed interested in that metric of "dollars sold per square foot of retail space", but they're kind of artificially bumping that up by choosing to run stores that are almost too small for the intended purpose.
Maybe that's in transition though? I know our St. Louis Galleria store used to be a "mini store" that basically didn't even try to sell any of the "pro" Apple gear whatsoever, and now it's getting a total makeover with a big courtyard area and everything.
I don't think, for example, kids are making any more noise in an Apple store than they do in a Best Buy or anyplace else. But those larger chain stores have enough square footage so it doesn't really disrupt other shoppers.
Your comment made me realize one of the flaws with the Apple stores. I think the feeling the place is noisy and crowded has a lot to do with the physical size of the places. Apple really seemed interested in that metric of "dollars sold per square foot of retail space", but they're kind of artificially bumping that up by choosing to run stores that are almost too small for the intended purpose.
Maybe that's in transition though? I know our St. Louis Galleria store used to be a "mini store" that basically didn't even try to sell any of the "pro" Apple gear whatsoever, and now it's getting a total makeover with a big courtyard area and everything.
I don't think, for example, kids are making any more noise in an Apple store than they do in a Best Buy or anyplace else. But those larger chain stores have enough square footage so it doesn't really disrupt other shoppers.
well i can't say i'm that surprised by this. i do believe every customer should be treated equally, but i think it might be nice to schedule an appointment with someone to try it out and have them explain everything for you. but i guess they can do that without this
If my friends are any indication, some need both. Because all my friends have over bought, doing things like buying a top line 15" just to email, surf the web and listen to a little music
they push printers because HP, Epson etc are wiling to pay the costs. The hard drive companies don't want to give their goods away.