Apple Prepping to Launch New iPhone Incentive Programs, Has an 'Army' of Products in the Works

[69650]

They simply don't have the same range of price plans in the Apple retail stores and my local store doesn't sell iPhones on business contracts which is why I went elsewhere.

I also buy my Macs elsewhere as you can get better deals, better prices and longer warranties for free. Other retailers are offering free 2 or 3 year warranties on new Macs.

I also think it was a big mistake to reduce the range of peripherals like speakers. Unless there is a new Apple product out (which doesn't happen very often) I can't see any reason to go into my local Apple Store any more.

 

[ChrisTX]

I was a Mac user long before the iPhone or iOS, but I know several people that have been turned onto the Mac because of the iPhone. Pretty cool really.

 

[JoshAlfie]

I've seen blog posts from former employees chronicling the horrors that they or their coworkers did. I can't add to those. What I can attest to is the very false fronts that many employees wear. The reason you find the stores to be welcoming is because they intentionally put the people with the biggest smiles or fewest brain cells at the front, ready to answer basic questions. But were you to talk to a Manager or Lead Genius for five minutes, that veneer would rub off pretty quick. Most people, and I mean 90% of those I worked with were either very pretentious or tactless. The kind of people who will argue the smallest detail about an operating system or GUI not to show you the correct answer, but to be right.

The other take away I have is how frightening the internal language used was; this has been documented elsewhere. But in short: there are no problems, only opportunities. We can always "have that conversation". "Fearless feedback" isn't optional. And remember that no matter what you're talking about to either an employee or a customer, it's always better to beat around the bush with lomingers and metaphors than to say what you think. Your job depends on it.

I've got the feeling that you're not the type of person that sales and retail agrees with. Everything you have said is common in sales. Even though, from my knowledge, Apple staff get paid no commission they still care about growing the business. They're still trying to sell.

You must also remember that customer service can quickly become very negative because of the lack of empathy and concern many customers show. You have to fight back with intense positivity to keep the staff morale high.

Finally, "Saying what you think" is the last thing you should do when in retail (or in politics).

 

[twoodcc]

looking forward to seeing what apple has in store

 

[GenesisST]

"army of new products"

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that those items mentioned in the article are simply updated/refreshed products (except the 'lower-cost' iPhone) as opposed to actual new products?

A platoon might be more accurate...

 

[seanjs]

Instead of getting more people in the Apple stores, why not just get more Apple products in all those other stores where they ARE buying the iPhone?

 

[oddnendz]

Whenever I am at Southpoint Mall (Durham) or Crabtree Mall (Raleigh), I always stop by the Apple Store. Almost never buy anything, more to look (ok, gawk at) at the Macbook Airs or the Macbook Pros lately. Even when I visit a Best Buy, I always stop the Apple section of the store.


IPod was my gateway drug to Apple ... then Macbook Pro...then an iPad and eventually iPhone and iPad mini..

 

[Woodcrest64]

Bring on Aperture 4 and a new iWorks non cloud version.

 

[maxosx]

I'd say that the first thing that Apple could do with its Zillion Dollar stockpile of cash is build more stores... Quickly.

Second they need to do better when it comes to educating their employees. They come across as courteous and slightly above average in listening but then they hit the wall. That's not being critical just sharing my experience from numerous visits to the Apple store, less than 10 minutes from my home.

Third if they provided them with a pay package that included an incentive to sell, they would. Controlling them so as to prevent high pressure sales tactics is easy. Yet it does require the store to be staffed appropriately. The store near me has so many employess they're swarming like bees. Most looking a bit smug, self important and very busy as they move about. Only about one third of them are with customers. The rest are setting an example of how to look important.

There's no question that if Apple did these things and more, their sales would increase quite nicely.

 

[mbh]

While Cook's vision is of making Apple Retail a destination for consumers, the numbers they show here indicates that it serves only as a destination for service and support.

Only? Apple Has Twice the Sales Per Square Foot of Any Other U.S. Retailer

Apple Retail stores sell a ton of stuff.

 

[anonnymouse]

Do the words "doubling down on secrecy" trigger any neurons for you?

Right. And this a meeting for Store Leaders only, with information leaked from SL's (according to the article). So much for secrecy.

 

[lolkthxbai]

True, and especially since at new product launch Apple lets the carriers offer it on their sites for preorder for launch day delivery.

As much as I'd rather order and buy from Apple, I did buy 2 iP4's from AT&T on their website in order to sign up for my company's plan discount. I also bought my iP5 from T-mobile in store to get the discounted "full" price at launch. The fact that I wanted to make sure I got the right plan setup from the carrier drove me to their stores rather than to Apple.

I'm not so sure a new product launch is the right timeframe to try to hook customers on new products. The stores are usually so overrun that it's not a good time to browse and ask questions about other devices.

Very true. I did the same as well. I went to AT&T to get my iP5 on launch day because my employer has an employee discount with them. If they could offer even the employee discount benefits at Apple Stores I'm sure that 20% would increase significantly.

 

[maxosx]

An Army of products is a pretty bold claim, yet Apple loves to brag. If true, this ought to be interesting. Even if they fall short in the total number of products, it's of no consequence anyway. Apple is the master of marketing.

 

[summitRun]

um hey AAPL here's a thought…how about lowering the price of Macs and iPads across the board so that the gateway works in reverse.

Its absurd that Macs arent 20% cheaper than they are. You would still have obscene profits and the exposure would increase marketshare in all of their other product lines.

 

[bobringer]

As a former Apple employee, I'll say this:

While Cook's vision is of making Apple Retail a destination for consumers, the numbers they show here indicates that it serves only as a destination for service and support. Until Apple can find a way to raise the standard of Retail and make it a uniformly pleasant experience for customers (by increasing hiring standards for the employees and raising compensation to draw desirable candidates), the stores will continue to be only visited out of necessity. Apple Retail has come a long way since it started, but has in the past five years since iOS was released, they have shown that they still have plenty to learn.

Apple is *BY FAR* the most profitable retail store in history. BY FAR. I'm not quite sure where the above thought comes from because the facts point to the exact opposite.

 

[Someyoungguy]

Forget Innovation. Stagnation Is The Future!

"Tomorrow, We Gotta Get Organised!" - T. Cook 2013

2014 Jobs Went Then ... Jobs Went - Due To The Above


Moral: Nostalgia For Apple's Glory Days' Products Isnt What It Used To Be

Indeed, Android Waits For No Man.

I have absolutely no idea what your point is.

 

[emptysoul]

As a former Apple employee, I'll say this:

While Cook's vision is of making Apple Retail a destination for consumers, the numbers they show here indicates that it serves only as a destination for service and support. Until Apple can find a way to raise the standard of Retail and make it a uniformly pleasant experience for customers (by increasing hiring standards for the employees and raising compensation to draw desirable candidates), the stores will continue to be only visited out of necessity. Apple Retail has come a long way since it started, but has in the past five years since iOS was released, they have shown that they still have plenty to learn.

They can stop making the staff behave like absolute morons at launches and openings for a start. Every time I walk into an Apple Store I take one look at the staff and think "did you run around whooping and hollering like a moron when this place opened or do you have some self respect?".

They really need to tone down the whole cult-of-apple image.

 

[scapegoat81]

Hi. I'm Christopher, & i'm an Apple addict. It started off w/ a little 4S, & i just couldn't get enough. It led to a 4S for my wife, & an Apple TV.

I just don't have the willpower..... I need more. By the end of the year, I'll have an iPad mini 2, iPad 5, & hopefully an iMac. Oh, & if that 5S comes out, i might have to shoot over to my dealer (At&t) late at night to get my fix.

Damn you Damn you.

 

[danielhowells]

Apple Store Quality

I love visiting the Apple Retail Store and prefer to buy directly from there. Always have done. But! I have had some terrible, TERRIBLE service from there on several occasions. Constantly asking for products (that I know they sell) and the staff have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. After the iPhone 5's release I wanted to buy a set of the NEW headphones separately, they told me I couldn't do that... I HAVE to buy the iPhone 5 to get them. They really need to up their game in terms product knowledge!

 

[bbeagle]

They can stop making the staff behave like absolute morons at launches and openings for a start. Every time I walk into an Apple Store I take one look at the staff and think "did you run around whooping and hollering like a moron when this place opened or do you have some self respect?".

They really need to tone down the whole cult-of-apple image.

Disagree.

To me this enthusiasm the employees show at the launch is wonderful. It's what makes Apple what it is. Same with brands like Disney or Coca Cola. They are not acting like morons, YOU don't understand the fun of being part of it, and I feel sad for you. I love dressing up for my football team. I have energy and life, and it works for me. I enjoy my experiences. I see you as someone who just picks on people and doesn't enjoy life.

 

[SusanK]

Many people don't know that you can buy an iPhone at an Apple store. They think you have to go to your carrier to get a new phone. I am consistently surprised by this from random people at work.

I have purchased all of my Apple products from the Apple store and always recommend the same to others, especially those who are not tech savvy. Carriers are just blowhard salesmen; they don't know jack about the devices they sell.

My experience too. My friends DO NOT BELIEVE they can get the same deal at Apple as they do from the carrier. People at Apple know the products and want to help.

Sales people at the carrier push phones that cost the carrier less. Most discourage iPhone and promote Android anything.

I get excellent service at Apple. I purchase all my Apple devices from the store. When I get a survey request I complete it promptly designating names of staffers who made the transaction very satisfactory.

I recently needed to change out an iPad mini with Wi-Fi issues. A new employee asked another one if the swap could be done. His response was "our Susan? I got this. Don't worry"

Service is excellent.

 

[bushman4]

Bring on all those new products. we're all waiting anxiously and the anticipation is killing us.

 

[korgri]

bad snooping

Probably the guy with the parabolic microphone misheard,
Cook really said they have an 'array' of products in the works.

----------

Disagree.

To me this enthusiasm the employees show at the launch is wonderful. It's what makes Apple what it is. Same with brands like Disney or Coca Cola. They are not acting like morons, YOU don't understand the fun of being part of it, and I feel sad for you. I love dressing up for my football team. I have energy and life, and it works for me. I enjoy my experiences. I see you as someone who just picks on people and doesn't enjoy life.

That's the same thing they say right before the cups of Kool Aid come around.

 

[Zaqfalcon]

I'm surprised to see so many here experienced the gateway effect of the iPhone, not because I doubt it exists, but because I would have thought more people on this 'Macrumors' site would have the opposite experience like mine.

I started with a Mac after years of suffering a Windows laptop which eventually died and was very excited by Aperture, then progressively got more Applefied.

However; I've rarely bought my products from an Apple store despite there being one readily available (Sydney, Aus). I only go in there to ask questions then usually get a better deal or payment terms down the street:

1. Macbook Pro and Timecapsule - from a big box store with 2 years no interest.
2. ATV 2 - from the Apple store.
3. Macbook Air (the ex's) and iPad 2 - from a big box store with 2 years no interest.
4. iPhone 5 - on contract from network with monthly repayment.

I'm not surprised that more Apple stuff is sold in other stores as if you don't have the ready cash the Apple in store interest rate is extortionate and why wouldn't you just get an iPhone as part of your network contract?

 

[fertilized-egg]

Instead of getting more people in the Apple stores, why not just get more Apple products in all those other stores where they ARE buying the iPhone?

Because the interests do not match. For carriers, an iPhone is a bait to lure the customer into signing a two year contract. For Apple, carriers as a group are an inconvenient market reality they'd rather do without but can't.

Carriers have little incentive to sell more Macs or wifi iPads and the average clerks at carrier stores will not be as knowledgeable about Apple products either.

As much as Cook may try, I don't think they can improve the ratio of phones bought at Apple store by all that much. The buying habits of North American mobile consumers are probably still dictated by the contract terms first. Which means the carrier stores would be the first place they'd go to get new phones.