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I cant get served at Apple store..

Big Stevie

Big Stevie

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 20, 2012
1,385
874
UK
Are there any good ways of getting served at Apple stores?

A few days ago I went into my local Apple store and, whilst I got seen pretty quickly, I was handed over to another sales person when I asked about MacBooks. But the sales guy said that he didn't really have time to talk to me, so I ended up leaving the store!!!:mad:


Today I went back to the same store to ask a few final questions before purchasing my MacBook Pro, and I must have been stood waiting for at least 20 mins without beink acknowledged by any staff. Admittedly, its a Saturday which must be there busiest day. Anyway, I got fed up of waiting so I walked out.


Today I was ready to hand over £1,500 for a MacBook, but nobody wanted to take it off me! Do I need to book an appointment just to see a sales person?:confused:
 
Big Stevie said:
Do I need to book an appointment just to see a sales person?:confused:
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No, you don't have to book an appointment. Just be more assertive. If a sales rep can't talk because they're busy helping another customer, either wait or find a sales rep who isn't busy. If you have a problem, find the manager.
 
Just before I left the store I played around with one of their ipads and noticed a button on the screen for requesting a 'specialist' to come over and see me. I wasnt sure if I needed a specialist, I just wanted a sales person so I didnt press it. Perhaps I should have done?
 
Big Stevie said:
Just before I lef the store I played around with one of their ipads and noticed a button on the screen for requesting a 'specialist' to come over and see me. I wasnt sure if I needed a specialist, I just wanted a sales person so I didnt press it. Perhaps I should have done?
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Their sales people are called Specialists. Just like their tech support people are called Geniuses.
 
I see:)

Im going to go back tomorrow morning for my third attempt. Hopefully they wont be so busy on a Sunday morning??

I just wasnt sure if I needed to book an appointment. Guess thats just for the Geniuses?
 
Thank you:)

I'll throw in a good measure of assertiveness tomorrow and see how it goes:D
 
I went on Thursday. It was 8 PM and the store wasn't very busy. I got the attention of an employee and told her I want to buy an low-end MacBook Air. She said she'll get a specialist. I said I didn't need a specialist, I know what I'm buying, and I just want to grab it and go. She insisted.

And I waited for 20 minutes. Gave up and left.

Do they *really* need a "specialist" to take my money and get a box?

Jeez.
 
It can get annoying when all you want to do is hand over money for what you know exactly what you want. Last time i bought something at the apple store i seemed to have to stand around for about 5 minutes, waving my credit card in a desperate bid to attract one of apple's funkily dressed sales assistants.
 
I had to put up with the same thing to pay for an iPhone 4S last November that I reserved online for pickup. Waited nearly 30 minutes before paying.

This is why I have always preferred to buy at BestBuy. I order online and leave with my purchase usually in under five minutes.
 
Alameda said:
And you have to wonder why it takes a genius to answer questions about a computer that's sold as extremely easy to use.
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As I already stated, Genius is just a job title. Macs are quite easy to use and no, it doesn't take a genius to answer questions about them.
 
GGJstudios said:
As I already stated, Genius is just a job title. Macs are quite easy to use and no, it doesn't take a genius to answer questions about them.
Click to expand...

But it does take a Genius to deal with some of these self entitled people that do come in often enough. My time as one was fun though, very few bad people but you do get alot of challenges so its worthy of a glassy name then "oh tech support dude @ Apple"
 
ravenvii said:
Do they *really* need a "specialist" to take my money and get a box?
Click to expand...

The employee might not have the access to where the inventory was kept and their role is limited to either helping people with questions and processing transactions. For security purposes they limit who has access to what.

*Specialist* is just a title. Think of it as a a level 2 person who gets trusted with the stockroom keys. Don’t read much into the titles and assume they have a deep meaning or anything.
 
When you know what you want...

Big Stevie said:
I'd rather collect my MacBook in person at the store, rather than rely on waiting in for it to be delivered.
Click to expand...

When you know what you want and you think the store may be too buys to help out...SELECT IN STORE PICKUP. You can order exactly what you want, pay for it at home, wait for the email stating that your device(s) are ready to be picked up, drive to apple store, tell specialist you have an "in store pickup", specialist brings device(s) from back, you sign for product, walk out the door to drive home and play with your new toy :)

Specialist in an apple store are there to sell and also make sure customers get all the information on apples products so they can make an educated decision on what they are buying.

This is why apple implemented the in store pickup. It was inted for people who knew what they wanted and to be in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

EDIT: I would also like to add that it could take some time to be seen based on how many people were ahead of you when asking for a specialist. You are added to a queue based on when you asked/were approached for help. First come first serve mentality. so if there are 8 people ahead of you in the queue it could possibly take 20 minutes to be seen. Go to apple.com and select in store pick and this should make you a happier customer :)
 
Last edited:
Thanks Krad3130.

I cant find 'in store pick up' anywhere, could you point me in the right direction please? Is this just specific to America, as Im in the UK?
 
I have made many Apple Store purchases and cannot say I ever had a problem getting service. I have even been in there during the holidays when extremely crowded and was able to get waited on.
 
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