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AT&T Store or Apple Store: Which will be faster?

Which Retailer will move the line faster

  • Apple

    Votes: 42 60.0%

  • AT&T

    Votes: 28 40.0%
  • Total voters
    70
  • Poll closed .
R

reub

macrumors member
Original poster
May 8, 2007
40
7
I'm curious about the following scenario. Assuming that the Apple stores start selling the new iPhone at 8am local time in parity with AT&T and that you had the choice between the two, which line do you think would move faster?

I ask because the Cambridge, MA mall near my office has both retail outlets.
 
You'll probably have to deal with less BS at the Apple store. The AT&T retail staff may try and sell you other crap that you don't want.
 
Well, if they're both in the same mall, people will probably wait in the shortest line, which will eventually make the lines about the same size. I'd imagine that AT&T will probably be your fastest option, though.
 
I'm waiting at the Apple store, even if the line is a bit longer, the feeling of buying at the Apple store, and the cool bags...:cool:
 
It may be slower at the Apple store depending on how familiar they are with setting up the cell phone plans (Not that the reps at the ATT store are any faster). Nothing has really been said on how the sales process will work in the Apple store yet. Prob will work like the ATT videos. Be sure you're iReady.
 
Apple store.

The line may be longer, but I would bet that they'll have every mac setup for phone activations with their wireless POS devices. They should be able to get you in and out.
 
It doesn't take much to know that Apple would be faster.
Just look at the iphone walk through video vs att's "iReady" videos. Could those videos be anymore cluttered and complicated?

Apple retail employee's for one will most likely be kept more up to date and will probably be called into a conference meeting with a video walkthrough and be trained properly.

Att...well...there's a lot...A LOT of dumb sales reps that work for them.

That said, my money is on apple for more effectively filing us cows in and out of their stores.
 
reub said:
I'm curious about the following scenario. Assuming that the Apple stores start selling the new iPhone at 8am local time in parity with AT&T and that you had the choice between the two, which line do you think would move faster?

I ask because the Cambridge, MA mall near my office has both retail outlets.
Click to expand...

I HIGLY doubt that little mall kiosk that's like a few feet away from the apple store will compete with the apple store lol

Best bet just go into the apple store.
 
I am just taking a shot in the dark here, but from my perspective, it sounds as if an AT&T store may be quicker. I've been away for the past week and haven't been able to keep up with the purchasing and activating procedure changes (if any), and I am assuming that they have remained the same until I catch up on my MR front page reading in the morning. If you are required to activate it in-store, then I would assume that AT&T's personal would be more well-trained and would be quicker at processing your activation than the AppleStore employees would be (even though Apple does do an excellent job at training them). You might want to take that point into your decision.
 
reub said:
I'm curious about the following scenario. Assuming that the Apple stores start selling the new iPhone at 8am local time in parity with AT&T and that you had the choice between the two, which line do you think would move faster?

I ask because the Cambridge, MA mall near my office has both retail outlets.
Click to expand...


*edit oh wait they got rid of that radio shack and made it to an att store...
still, apple store all the way.

Att will probably be using windows machines....apple will be using...well macs.
that might be a concern if...oh i dunno your avg att store rep likes to browse the interwebs.
 
why would you even want to go to the att store. i think that an extra 2 hours of your life is worth the feeling of buying the iphone from the apple store
 
Hmmm

people who are really into apple products, and would by an iPhone one launch day would most likely be at the apple store... when I was in line for the first one, there were like 200 people in line at apple, and like 20 at AT&T... shows the dedication.
 
I'm sort of fascinated at all the different responses here. It seems that the arguments for AT&T are that they're more familiar with their own procedures and would be able to quickly turn around sales. The argument for Apple being that they are generally better trained/professional/prepared/organized.

I'm really just surprised that there's no clear consensus... I guess we'll find out. Please post your experiences in a few days. - reub
 
Im banking on AT&T...


mostly because sell phones for a living and they open two hours earlier so you must be able to get your iPhone a few hours faster than if you stood in Apple's line ;)


however im probably going to be waiting in line at the Apple store because its just stupid to buy an apple product anywhere else ;)
 
Well ok...I answered the poll before I read the post. If they are both in the same mall then I'd have to say they will be about even. Apple has been selling iPhones for the past year...so it shouldn't exactly be new to them.

For the rest of us who don't have access to both in one spot I have to say AT&T simply because there are a hell of a lot more AT&T stores than Apple stores. Apple will have longer lines solely because of people like wako who can't buy an Apple product anywhere else but an Apple store. Those of us who simply want the iPhone and don't care where we get it...will probably be going to AT&T.
 
I'm betting on Apple; better employees, better pre-launch planning, more computers. I'll go to an ATT store if and only if the Apple Store fails to open early.
 
TrunksGoku said:
It doesn't take much to know that Apple would be faster.
Just look at the iphone walk through video vs att's "iReady" videos. Could those videos be anymore cluttered and complicated?

That said, my money is on apple for more effectively filing us cows in and out of their stores.
Click to expand...

To me it looks like the iReady Videos were shot with a Home Video Camera. The editing was awful as well.
 
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