Bizarre Apple Store experience for trying to buy S8 SS AW

[AndrewR23]

So I know a lot of these threads pop up and I always read them on here and kinda shake my head. I stopped going to there store years ago and order everything online mainly to avoid those long lines and crowds.

Yesterday at Arden Fair in Sac, CA I went to the Apple Store with my best friend and his wife to buy her a S8 SS AW.

At the table, she decided on the SS 41mm sport loop. Retail is 699. The employee told her it was $750 (he was prob saying that bc he kept pushing the SS with mil loop which would be 750) but she wanted sport loop. After that I told my friends wife that it's actually 699 for the one you want so you'll save a little. The employee then spoke up to me and said "sir you are wrong, its 750"

So I turned the iPad around to show him it was 699. Bizzare. After he stumbled a bit and walked away. A new employee came up and said they do have that model in stock but we need a reservation to buy it. It was 630 PM and the store closed at 8PM.

The employee said there were no reservations left and we needed to come back tomorrow. My friend got involved and was pissed saying there were 6 employees standing in the corner just gossiping and why one couldn't just walk to the back and let us buy it.

Anyways we ended up leaving and bought it online with 2 day delivery.

Absolutely bizarre experience. Ive never experienced anything like that in my life at an Apple Store.

Ty for reading

TLDR: Apple employee argued me on the price of an AW and was wrong. New employee said we need a reservation to buy Apple Watches even though store closed in 90 mins and we were told to come back tomorrow.

 

[bruinsrme]

So I know a lot of these threads pop up and I always read them on here and kinda shake my head. I stopped going to there store years ago and order everything online mainly to avoid those long lines and crowds.

Yesterday at Arden Fair in Sac, CA I went to the Apple Store with my best friend and his wife to buy her a S8 SS AW.

At the table, she decided on the SS 41mm sport loop. Retail is 699. The employee told her it was $750 (he was prob saying that bc he kept pushing the SS with mil loop which would be 750) but she wanted sport loop. After that I told my friends wife that it's actually 699 for the one you want so you'll save a little. The employee then spoke up to me and said "sir you are wrong, its 750"

So I turned the iPad around to show him it was 699. Bizzare. After he stumbled a bit and walked away. A new employee came up and said they do have that model in stock but we need a reservation to buy it. It was 630 PM and the store closed at 8PM.

The employee said there were no reservations left and we needed to come back tomorrow. My friend got involved and was pissed saying there were 6 employees standing in the corner just gossiping and why one couldn't just walk to the back and let us buy it.

Anyways we ended up leaving and bought it online with 2 day delivery.

Absolutely bizarre experience. Ive never experienced anything like that in my life at an Apple Store.

Ty for reading

TLDR: Apple employee argued me on the price of an AW and was wrong. New employee said we need a reservation to buy Apple Watches even though store closed in 90 mins and we were told to come back tomorrow.

Yeah that is strange. But I guess they politely told you to have a nice day.

 

[Shirasaki]

Apple Store staff experience indeed vary quite dramatically between Each one, and the main reason why I give up visiting another nearby Apple Store that is technically closer to where I live in favor of a slightly further one just to get overall better experience. Never regret that decision.

Your experience is indeed quite bizarre. It’s almost as if the employee had nothing else to do most of the time or they see you as some sort of eyesore (no offence), or they have commission pressure mounting and needing to push you for more expensive model.

While I heavily favor in-store order, I start to see why American people favor online order with delivery.

 

[msackey]

That is terrible. What In the world?

It’s bizarre that they’d just lie about the price too which is easily searchable.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Apple geeks are not what they used to be. It is the pool of available help they have to choose from.

 

[PaladinGuy]

I’ve heard similar stories about iPads. I have no idea how they determine it, but it seems some items do now require an appointment.

On another note, I was also recently told that the Apple Store app and website now show exact store inventory. In past, they would tell you “unavailable” before the store actually was sold out. I’d always call and ask before going to check stock prior to now.

 

[okkibs]

Apple pays their store employees the minimum they can get away with.

This is how Apple treats their employees: https://9to5mac.com/2022/07/29/apple-union-busting-2/

Nobody who has a choice wants to work in an Apple store.

It is the pool of available help they have to choose from.

It's not our fault nobody wants to work anymore!

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think if I was told I needed an appointment to buy an Apple Watch, another retailer would be getting the sale instead. It’s a shop, not a doctors surgery.

 

[stompbox]

As weird as that sounds, I believe it! I went to get an Apple Watch last night. I knew the exact model and knew they had it in stock. I had to go through 2 times of "let me check if we have it" only to find out there is ONE, and only one person that can ring up the Apple Watch in the entire store. I know it seems bizarre, but we asked several times, there is only one person that can sell the Apple Watch in the entire store full of employees. Now, the good news was that he was good but we had to wait a while because he handles everything - the questions, the non-purchaser etc....

 

[BigMcGuire]

Yep, I've had similar experiences here in Southern California. Went to an Apple Store closer to Los Angeles, half the employees were playing with equipment and taking photos of each other while those of us with an appointment hadn't been seen for an hour past our appointments. They ended up destroying my wife's phone in the process of trying to repair it and getting frustrated at us for it as if we were inconveniencing them so we walked out with the destroyed phone.

The Apple Store near our house the next day? Apologized for the other store's behavior, thanked us for being loyal Apple Customers all these years, and sent us on our way with a new iPhone in LESS than 6 minutes from when we walked in the door (AppleCare+). LOL.

We go to the one near our house only now. Still very good after all these years (Victoria Gardens - Rancho, CA).

Just shocks me how different some of these stores are. Definitely try other stores - they're night and day in my experience.


Customer Service is becoming a lost art. Most companies/stores today expect the customer to sit for long periods of time for the privilege of giving them $.

 

[AndrewR23]

Ty all for your posts. Yeah I'll just keep avoiding the stores like I have been for years. Was trying to just help out a friend and go to the store with him. Customer service as a whole has gone so far downhill now.

 

[spiderman0616]

I think if I was told I needed an appointment to buy an Apple Watch, another retailer would be getting the sale instead. It’s a shop, not a doctors surgery.

That's typically the route I go if Apple can't ship me something direct. I don't need to go to the store and be walked through how to restore from a backup. I've been dealing with Apple's mobile devices since long before iCloud sync was a thing. I'm good on the personal instructions.

There are two situations I still love going in person for though--

1) Taking my kids in for their firsts (first iPod, first iPhone, etc.). We don't sit around and have the people walk us through anything, but they just feel like it's a bigger deal to get that white box at the actual store and I totally get it and I love watching them get excited.

2) Picking up new Macs. I don't know why. There's something in my brain that thinks it's way more fun to go pick up that big box in person. I love walking out of the Apple store with a brand new MacBook box in my hands. Maybe it's just because I don't upgrade Macs very often, but I just love it.

 

[KeepCalmPeople]

When I bought my M2 MBA a few months ago, I ordered it for pickup at a nearby Apple store rather than have it shipped to me (it was BTO). The store had parking for pickups where they would bring it out. I arrived at my appointment time, parked, went to the app, notified them I was there and waited. 20 minutes later, another car next to me was given their order, but not me. I ended up walking into the store. Somebody brought it out from the back and gave it to me in the store. They didn’t ask me if I needed any help setting it up or anything. Come to think of it the person didn’t even apologize. Not a very good experience at all.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

That's typically the route I go if Apple can't ship me something direct. I don't need to go to the store and be walked through how to restore from a backup. I've been dealing with Apple's mobile devices since long before iCloud sync was a thing. I'm good on the personal instructions.

There are two situations I still love going in person for though--

1) Taking my kids in for their firsts (first iPod, first iPhone, etc.). We don't sit around and have the people walk us through anything, but they just feel like it's a bigger deal to get that white box at the actual store and I totally get it and I love watching them get excited.

2) Picking up new Macs. I don't know why. There's something in my brain that thinks it's way more fun to go pick up that big box in person. I love walking out of the Apple store with a brand new MacBook box in my hands. Maybe it's just because I don't upgrade Macs very often, but I just love it.

My daughter saved her money this year and wanted a brand new iPad. She’s always had our old iPads previously. We were going to do what you do and take her to the Apple Store in Cardiff and make it a proper experience. She was 9 last month and with birthday money and some pocket money had £400 saved. I advised we wait for the iPad 10 to launch as I thought it was silly buying a 9 when the 10 was due so she waited a couple of weeks. Unfortunately Apple released the 10 at an eye watering £499 so we scrapped that idea and talked her into getting a 9 instead which she was more than happy. Looking at the price, the 9 at Apple was £369, yet several other major retailers were selling it for £299! Apple were not keen to price match so ended up scrapping the idea of the Apple Store experience and saving her £69. We managed to get an Apple Pencil included for the same cost as Apple are charging just for the iPad alone.

I’m still yet to actually buy anything from an Apple Store and I’ve been using Apple products since 2005. If the prices had been competitive, we would have travelled the 40 miles to have the experience, but Apple seem to be taking the mick a bit this year.

 

[Jackbequickly]

Apple pays their store employees the minimum they can get away with.

This is how Apple treats their employees: https://9to5mac.com/2022/07/29/apple-union-busting-2/

Nobody who has a choice wants to work in an Apple store.


It's not our fault nobody wants to work anymore!

‘If the employee is new and knows little, I can’t blame Apple for paying the minimum. The Geeks I have dealt with lately have zero drive, lack knowledge and you can tell they really don’t want to be there. Long ago the Geeks we informative and went out of their way to give that ”extra” effort to make the visit to an Apple Store special. Not any more!

 

[AppliedMicro]

I'm not sure these were just lazy employees. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a retail policy they have that you ran into.

Some marketing number cruncher may have looked at customer satisfaction stats. And have come up with the brilliant idea that in-store sales of Apple watches should only be handled by specifically trained employees to help with the set-up process.

The watch with its tiny display and tethering to an iPhone is after all a less intuitive product. It isn't so much a "here's your home button, there's your App Store - happy exploring on your own" product but requires more set-up and explanation to "make the most of it". And less customers have used smartwatches to be familiar with the concept. I still remember how much Apple emphasised employee training and the importance of the buying and set-up experience, especially for the watch (more than their other products).

Sales and help by specifically certified salespersons only? Great idea. Until you're faced with the day-to-day issues of operation of a retail store, its staffing issues - and exceptionally high(er) demand due to a new model generation just having been released.

 

[HDFan]

Apple pays their store employees the minimum they can get away with.

Tell me about all the companies that deliberately pay more than the going market rate. They exist but it isn't the norm.

Ignoring the union issues Apple Store employees get a rich benefits package (for store retail) in addition to the average $44k salary - sick and vacation days, emergency backup care discounts, product discounts, insurance (medical, dental, life), stock purchase discounts, 401K matching, stock purchase plan, software discounted or free, etc. These benefits are worth well more than $10K.

That's not to say that they are being paid enough, but in comparison to other retail jobs ...

An Apple Store employee may have better comments/corrections.

 

[spiderman0616]

My daughter saved her money this year and wanted a brand new iPad. She’s always had our old iPads previously. We were going to do what you do and take her to the Apple Store in Cardiff and make it a proper experience. She was 9 last month and with birthday money and some pocket money had £400 saved. I advised we wait for the iPad 10 to launch as I thought it was silly buying a 9 when the 10 was due so she waited a couple of weeks. Unfortunately Apple released the 10 at an eye watering £499 so we scrapped that idea and talked her into getting a 9 instead which she was more than happy. Looking at the price, the 9 at Apple was £369, yet several other major retailers were selling it for £299! Apple were not keen to price match so ended up scrapping the idea of the Apple Store experience and saving her £69. We managed to get an Apple Pencil included for the same cost as Apple are charging just for the iPad alone.

I’m still yet to actually buy anything from an Apple Store and I’ve been using Apple products since 2005. If the prices had been competitive, we would have travelled the 40 miles to have the experience, but Apple seem to be taking the mick a bit this year.

Yep--I find that Best Buy or Walmart typically keep higher stock on Apple devices as well. When I ordered my iPad Magic Keyboard when they first came out, Apple said I'd have to wait a month for the backorder, and Best Buy said they could get it to my house next day, free shipping. I mean...........

But yeah, my son saved up for his first iPod Touch, and he brought a big pile of singles and change in with him to pay, and the Apple employee we worked with was so cool about it and let him count it all out on the counter and show him he had the right amount. It was a good father/son experience, and next week I'm getting my other son his first iPhone--the SE--and we're going to go together and pick that up in person too. I'm excited.

 

[msackey]

Logic like:

- "Tell me about all the companies that deliberately pay more than the going market rate. They exist but it isn't the norm", and
- "[t]hat's not to say that they are being paid enough, but in comparison to other retail jobs ..."

are awkward comments of which the unspoken part essentially is, "they are being paid more than standard and therefore they ought to be happy or satisfied."

Not when the standard sucks! To pull that logic into an realm that should make this easier to see: when should enslaved people be grateful to, say, Master A just because Master A provides 2 meals a day instead of 1. Or, Master B only lashes out on enslaved people 10 times a day as opposed to 20. Therefore they should be grateful?

Industry standard ought not to be used to justify for fair and equitable pay and working conditions. Why are we necessarily beholden to "industry standard" as the benchmark for determining what is fair and equitable pay/working conditions?

Industry standard is to pay CEOs 399 times more than the average worker. So should that mean that's a fair industry standard? https://www.fastcompany.com/90793041/ceos-now-make-399-times-more-than-the-average-worker

Just because that's the trend doesn't make the trend right.

 

[okkibs]

‘If the employee is new and knows little, I can’t blame Apple for paying the minimum.

Apple already advertises the jobs with this pay (at least here they do, due to being legally required to), and even though it says that they are willing to pay more depending on the qualifications, even if they did it would at best allow a full-time genius employee to just be able to afford the bare necessities. Especially now due to the rising cost of living the minimum wage will simply not allow anyone to live a normal life.

Thus Apple will only ever see people applying that have very little qualifications. In fact their own website lists no requirements other than to enjoy being around people. It's about equivalent to being a supermarket cashier. Someone has to do it, nobody truly enjoys doing it.

 

[shadowmatt]

Just write a complaint to the store manager. An employee misquoted you a price and then refused to sell you the watch when corrected. Abysmal customer service.

I have complained over the years when the local Apple Store service drops, when for some reason they think messing you about is a part of the 'Apple' experience. They are not Rolex, they make mass market computers, phones and watches. There is nothing exclusive about Apple and their staff are poorly trained know it alls who do not seemed to be trained in actual customer service.

 

[tenordrum]

My recent Apple store experiences at the Woodbridge VA store were excellent, exceeding my expectations, even from Apple. It involved a purchase of an IP13, setting it up, and then a return of that phone for a 13 Pro, and its set up. I also had 2 different training sessions with personnel there. As I recall, one of the trainers had worked at that store for more than 11 years. One was a hands on session, with a photo walk outside in the town center.

I went there at times that were not that busy, but it still was typical Apple store crowded. Even the customers were engaging with each other as phones or computers were being updated after purchase, an overall friendly atmosphere.

I worked in retail electronics a looonnnggg time ago, during college summer/holiday breaks. It can be a drag at times, but there sure are worse jobs. Then, as now, the key is being open to customer training rather than just pushing a product for a quick sale (except in December when people just want you to be a cashier for their product on a wish list).

There are a lot of older customers who don't know how to use the technology they are purchasing. And they would not know how to use a forum like this one to ask ?s and get knowledgable answers. The Apple store gives them that opportunity. I typically don't see that at service level at Best Buy, and I will not step into a Walmart, yet my local Apple store experiences have been very positive. they are not perfect, and if the local store is not even quoting pricing correctly, I would point it out to a manager as indicated above. The supply chain/Covid pressures impact everyone, so as a retail employee it would be challenging to frequently tell a customer that they can't get the product they want when they want it.

 

[ArchEtech]

I've always had good Apple store experiences; however, they are a little odd with how they handle things sometimes. There is no logical reason you shouldn't have walked out of the store with a watch that day.

 

[Mr.C]

I've always had good Apple store experiences; however, they are a little odd with how they handle things sometimes. There is no logical reason you shouldn't have walked out of the store with a watch that day.

Same here I’ve always had good experiences at the Apple stores but I guess with anywhere there’s always going to be a some bad experiences.

 

[G5isAlive]

I'm not sure these were just lazy employees. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a retail policy they have that you ran into.

Some marketing number cruncher may have looked at customer satisfaction stats. And have come up with the brilliant idea that in-store sales of Apple watches should only be handled by specifically trained employees to help with the set-up process, if requested it.

The watch with its tiny display and tethering to an iPhone is after all a less intuitive product. It isn't so much a "here's your home button, there's your App Store - happy exploring on your own" product but requires more set-up and explanation to "make the most of it". And less customers have used smartwatches to be familiar with the concept. I still remember how much Apple emphasised employee training and the importance of the buying and set-up experience, especially for the watch (more than their other products).

Sales and help by specifically certified salespersons only? Great idea. Until you're faced with the day-to-day issues of operation of a retail store, its staffing issues - and exceptionally high(er) demand due to a new model generation just having been released.

This. I’d give you a thousand thumbs up if I could. Can’t comment on what the OP was told, but Apple watches have always been sold by appointment because they must be paired with an iPhone and Apple insists on offering to help. Period. By a trained person. Period. Oddly the loophole is to order online for parking lot pickup. Then they will just hand it to you. Even iPhones or iPads they offer to help but you can decline.