AT&T store experience vs Apple experience
I arrived at my local AT&T store at 5:30. I wanted to avoid the 30 minute drive and long lines at the Apple store. I was #21 in line.
When the doors opened they let in 4 people at a time. It took 20 minutes for each set of 4 to go through. I thought, "Activation is on line; all they have to do is sell the phone." A little while later they revealed that all the 8 gb were sold out and when I finally got to the door, the last 4gb sold to the girl in front of me. The AT&T staff encouraged me to go ahead and do a pre-order, so I did. It took 15 minutes to go through AT&T's system because they had to do a credit check just like I was activating the phone right there. I finally got home with no phone but a promise that one would be shipped as soon as possible.
That night I went on line and saw that the inventory light was green next to my Apple store on the Apple site...it was green at EVERY single store. No store sold out that night. I went into the Apple store the next morning. I walked in, walked up to the counter, paid for my phone and walked out. I took more time bantering with the staff the actual transaction. They said the lines the night before went just as smoothly. In fact, it took more time to cancel the previous nights order at the AT&T store. (Which could not be done on line or on the phone.) Activation was smooth at 10 am.
I wish that Apple would start selling cars.
I arrived at my local AT&T store at 5:30. I wanted to avoid the 30 minute drive and long lines at the Apple store. I was #21 in line.
When the doors opened they let in 4 people at a time. It took 20 minutes for each set of 4 to go through. I thought, "Activation is on line; all they have to do is sell the phone." A little while later they revealed that all the 8 gb were sold out and when I finally got to the door, the last 4gb sold to the girl in front of me. The AT&T staff encouraged me to go ahead and do a pre-order, so I did. It took 15 minutes to go through AT&T's system because they had to do a credit check just like I was activating the phone right there. I finally got home with no phone but a promise that one would be shipped as soon as possible.
That night I went on line and saw that the inventory light was green next to my Apple store on the Apple site...it was green at EVERY single store. No store sold out that night. I went into the Apple store the next morning. I walked in, walked up to the counter, paid for my phone and walked out. I took more time bantering with the staff the actual transaction. They said the lines the night before went just as smoothly. In fact, it took more time to cancel the previous nights order at the AT&T store. (Which could not be done on line or on the phone.) Activation was smooth at 10 am.
I wish that Apple would start selling cars.
