Genius Bars and Expanded Apple Lineup Coming to Best Buy Stores?

[sk4prez2020]

Stop Being Lazy

Stop being lazy and go to an Apple Store. Why would you want to deal with Best Buy policy? If you're investing $100's to $1000's on a product, go right to the source. Anything else is unthinkable. I don't care if you have to drive 2-3 hours, Apple products last years, so it's a small sacrifice for an outstanding gain.

 

[splashnader]

This is how my local Best Buy (Philadelphia, PA) displays the Magic Touchpad.

LOL. Classic.

 

[TIO]

Stop being lazy and go to an Apple Store. Why would you want to deal with Best Buy policy? If you're investing $100's to $1000's on a product, go right to the source. Anything else is unthinkable. I don't care if you have to drive 2-3 hours, Apple products last years, so it's a small sacrifice for an outstanding gain.

That's all fine and good, in principle. However, not everyone can drive to an Apple Store. Hell, I just visited my first Apple Store a few weeks ago while visiting my family in Boise. We don't exactly have one here in Alaska. We have a couple 3rd party Apple resellers, but they're just as bad as Best Buy most of the time. The local BB does have a dedicated Apple employee, though, and he knows his stuff and is very helpful.

 

[shervieux]

100% of the computer people that work at BB are incompetent and are lucky if they could tell you what an Operating System is. Not to mention their work ethic and customer service skills are in serious need of an overhaul.

If Apple staffs even 1 person from BB, I'm sure Apple's Customer Service ratings will instantly nosedive.

This is what I think, and it is just my opinion....

1. a move like this means that we are transitioning faster from a Windows to an equal mix or Apple dominated world.

2. Yeah I have not had best of luck with Best Buy and them answering my questions - or when looking for Apple related stuff. I even applied at Best Buy (geek squad and associate). I think I was over-qualified for them to consider me. Anyway - they should have apple employees as geniuses. This would relieve the traffic at Apple stores. As it is now, sometimes (especially on weekends) - there is a long wait for a genius appt. especially if you just walk in.

3. With best buy selling apple products, and BB having Apple employed Geniuses; maybe having apple store employees in a BB would do a virtual recreate of an Apple store (if done right) saving Apple money. they would not have to open more stores, and this would allow them into areas that are less-upscale and more accessible to more the common and/or college customers. which would then mean more units sold.

4. BB needs to do a better job at selling and recommending apple products. Because I have 2 apple stores within a 70 mile drive of each other, the BB in between the 2 do not stock much apple stuff. And when they do.... their associates tend to drive people away from Apple and toward purchasing a Windows machine and downplaying Apple. Since they do not stock Apple software, I heard one of them say - "Look, do you see much software available for it, no! you find more and better software for windows" Once the assoc. left, I educated the customer and he said he was driving to the Apple store.

HE HE - always good to have my iphone/ipad in hand....

 

[JAT]

How can you be so sure about that?

Apple has had mini Apple Stores inside Bic Camera (a leading Japanese electronic retailer) stores in Japan for at least two or three years. In fact, there's one of these mini Apple Stores just two blocks from the main Apple Store in Ginza, Tokyo.

Does it equate to Best Buy in any way? Totally different country probably does not make a good example.

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Very smart. Seems like a completely natural move: take control of the non-Apple Store brick-and-mortar experience. It's all about controlling and managing the consumer experience wherever Apple products are sold (Best Buy's a start) in order to bring it more in line with the Apple Store experience.

Don't allow inexperienced/negligent/uneducated retailers to water down the experience, failing to do justice to the product.

This should have been done long ago, but it's nice to see the continued "Apple-ification" of things. Buying tech doesn't have to be a dirty, cheapened affair as it is with generic PC flotsam and jetsam.

Your faith is strong. Mine is too. My faith is in the crappiness of Best Buy, that it will overwhelm any positivity from Apple employees. (if there is any left)

Stop being lazy and go to an Apple Store. Why would you want to deal with Best Buy policy? If you're investing $100's to $1000's on a product, go right to the source. Anything else is unthinkable. I don't care if you have to drive 2-3 hours, Apple products last years, so it's a small sacrifice for an outstanding gain.

I hope you are being facetious, otherwise that's just plain rude. Driving 3 hours for work/support on a $150 iPod? No, that is not worth it.

 

[ArcaneDevice]

Stop being lazy and go to an Apple Store. Why would you want to deal with Best Buy policy? If you're investing $100's to $1000's on a product, go right to the source. Anything else is unthinkable. I don't care if you have to drive 2-3 hours, Apple products last years, so it's a small sacrifice for an outstanding gain.

Go to the source? Why? So you can pay the exact same price for the same product that could be bought faster at Best Buy in a store that's just full of kids and adults checking their email and playing on their lunch break who know nothing about computers apart from the fact Apple makes, like, a cool phone, yeah?

There is zero reason for anyone with basic tech knowledge to specifically shop at an Apple store. Anywhere that sells the product will work just as well.

I've never had to ask a "genius" anything except "where can I pay for this?" and wouldn't even dream of paying the markup they have for anything that isn't Apple-branded.

Apple Stores are just like SonyStyle Stores. Aesthetic brick and mortar presence to add cachet to the brand. I don't need a store with a single Macbook sat in the middle of a 6 foot table to help me make a buying decision.

 

[cmwade77]

If this is true, I hope it improves Best Buy and I hope Apple doesn't let Best Buy's staff anywhere near their products, Best Buy and Fry's both have about the worst customer service that I have found anywhere.

 

[pujols617]

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Well believe it or not, Best Buys receives tons of traffic for Apple Devices. Financing options? Reward Zone? Accidental Coverage on their Service Plans? Don't get me wrong, I love shopping at Apple, but as a consumer, I'd go to where I get the best value. The Apple Solutions Consultants are mainly there to train the employees on Apple Products and help them make sh*t happen lol.

 

[charlituna]

I don't expected Best Buy to train employees to answer any but the most rudimentary questions about Apple products. It's a rather large investment.

I'm still waiting for the Buy More to add an Apple department on "Chuck".

Well they do carry ipads

If there is any truth to this rumor it could be that Apple is going to train and certify staff to work at Best Buy, particularly in areas with no Apple store

 

[japanime]

Does it equate to Best Buy in any way? Totally different country probably does not make a good example.

Different country — but same company.

The Apple Stores in Japan are just the same as those in the States. So why would a mini Apple Store in Best Buy be any different than a mini Apple Store in Bic Camera?

 

[BuyMac]

I am the Apple Expert at best buy Yorba Linda. Not all of us are idiots and push people to windows. As the Apple expert in Best Buy I think it would be great if we could offer some apple services. For example if we could have the genius bar instead of geek squad take care of apple it would be great. Also we could offer one to one to people and have all our repairs Apple certified.

 

[blackberrypilot]

I hope this happens, that would be great rather than going to the mall.

 

[MattInOz]

Different country — but same company.

The Apple Stores in Japan are just the same as those in the States. So why would a mini Apple Store in Best Buy be any different than a mini Apple Store in Bic Camera?

Apple have similar Store in a Store in the Myer Department Stores here in Australia. They generally appear 6-12months before news of a true Apple Store going nearby.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Best Buy service is crap, two-three weeks turnaround for warrenty's! The Geek Squad has no clue what an Apple product is.

 

[BuyMac]

Best Buy service is crap, two-three weeks turnaround for warrente's! The Geek Squad has no clue what an Apple product is.

wouldnt this be a good reason FOR the genius bar to be moved into best buys?

 

[dummptyhummpty]

100% of the computer people that work at BB are incompetent and are lucky if they could tell you what an Operating System is. Not to mention their work ethic and customer service skills are in serious need of an overhaul.

I used to work (about 4 years ago) in the computer section, and later geek squad, at Best Buy and that doesn't describe me at all . I think you meant to say 99.95% instead of 100% .

 

[cmfilms]

I'm surprised after Best Buy gave M$ full run of their stores during the laptop hunter campaign. Seems very unlikely. But since I'm 60 minutes from the Apple Store and five minutes from a BB, I'll remain hopeful.

 

[Durendal]

I have a friend who works for Best Buy. He's sharp and knows his stuff (and as such probably won't be there much longer), but he'll be the first to admit that BB staffs a bunch of idiots. I've seen and heard plenty of things about BB and the Reek Squad that make me want to puke. Even the Apple rep at their store was an idiot, telling people that only Apple has LED-backlit LCDs in their laptops and that Apple is using special Intel CPUs, both loads of utter crap.

Either Apple does this and staffs them with actual Mac Geniuses or it's just going to tank their customer service reputation.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Sadly, we have no Apple store where i live, so this is very good news, if true.

 

[yodaxl7]

I think Best Buy should give a section to Apple where it almost mirrors Apple store. It would be nice to see a table full of iPad demos, macbook demos, etc.

 

[rock6079]

LOL. Classic.

ceci n'est pas une...tapis de souris??

 

[InsanelyApple]

I wouldn't mind. It's a half hour to the nearest Best Buy, and an hour and a half to the nearest Apple Store. Wonder which drive I would prefer. Hmm...

 

[JAT]

Different country — but same company.

The Apple Stores in Japan are just the same as those in the States. So why would a mini Apple Store in Best Buy be any different than a mini Apple Store in Bic Camera?

LOL! No, I'm talking about Best Buy vs Bic Camera.

Because I think their crap influence will outweigh Apple's. Just like it did with Magnolia.

Personally, I come here for tech support for things I can't figure out myself. About once every 2 years.

 

[Goldinboy17]

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best buy staff is soooo stupid! I know I am sterotyping but geez, I have heard so many stories, and seen them do such stupid things. I had a friend who began working at best buy about 3 years ago, and since them he just got stupider and stupider.

Stupider ain't a word.

 

[fenderbass146]

This is never going to happen. I work for Geek Squad... Say what you want.. not every store is full of a bunch of idiots.... however knowing how best buy works they would not allow geniuses into the store because it will take business away from geek squad. Not al stores are total fails with Apple products. I agree most people don't know to much about apple products, however part of the reason I got the job was because I knew apple products. They are trying to improve at least at my store.