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Do Apple sales staff know about impending product updates?

N

nikobe

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 16, 2011
27
0
Hi,

I just had an interesting conversation with a member of Apple sales staff.

I want to buy a Macbook Pro 15 in the near future and want to make sure I don't buy a model that is going to be replaced any time soon, so I called to discuss.

I understand that they may not be able to tell what they know and that they want to make sales, but I mentioned the rumours that are circulating about a possible processor bump and he said that based on what he knows, he would recommend to buy now.

I mentioned that I'd heard about new model numbers appearing on inventory etc. and he said that he thought the reasons for a lot of the rumors were because people assume that because the iOS devices have been updated that Apple are updating everything and that because iOS devices now support iCloud, that people would think that the macs would need to be updated physically too, rather than the software update that it really is. This sounded like a bit strange to me. I'm surprised that he thought the buying public is so naive.

I'm not sure what to make of it.

Any thoughts?
 
nikobe said:
Do Apple sales staff know about impending product updates?
Click to expand...
Typically, they don't know any more than we do. Apple doesn't give their sales staff advanced information about product updates or releases. They'll tell you anything to get you to buy now.
 
Yeah, they don't know until very shortly before, if at all, and even then aren't allowed to tell you. They will always tell you to buy now even if the update was tomorrow. In my experience, the apple sales reps treat customers as ignorant or are just clueless themselves.
 
Ok, thanks for the replies guys. I won't pay any attention to sales rep info then. Here's hoping we know something solid about an update or no update soon. This is consuming more of my thoughts than I want it too! :rolleyes:
 
i wouldn't trust the sales, cuz they pbly get a cut or w/e with however much they sell, and of course, he'd rather get your monies NAO!!!
 
In my experience, even if they do know for sure (which I doubt), they are not allowed to say it. They want you to buy now.

I've even mentioned widely publicized impending product updates and they still say they haven't heard. I'm sure they have hearing and reading the same things we are, yet are still taught to play coy, I guess.
 
Sales staff can get canned pretty quickly for "leaking" information to consumers. We all read the same thing customers do, but i have seen my manager walk right over to a coworker and tell them to go home as soon as they started talking about upcoming products.
 
GGJstudios said:
No, they don't get paid commission.
Click to expand...

coming from an apple retail store (ARS) a couple years ago as a mac specialist (sales), employees made a bonus if the sold over a certain $ amount each quarter (I would rather not share numbers) but were also "encouraged" to have a certain number of computers they sold have attach rates for applecare, .Mac and procare (60%/30%/30%). Let's just say I sold the ***** out of all 3

The bonus thing I believe was dependent on management's decision to take it out of their own quarterly bonus that they got from apple corporate. they revamped the system recently and I believe it is still based on management, but bonuses are spread to all employees based on overall store metrics, and whether you are full or part time
__________________
Apple Certified Macintosh (Portable/Desktop) Technician
Located in Greenwich, CT

I don't think this guy has any incentive to lie

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/395461/
 
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