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Is It Me, Or Does Apple's Retail Stores Need Some Type of Express Checkout Lane....?

Should Apple Create An Express Checkout Lane In The Retail Stores?

  • Total voters
    27
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rs14smith

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 7, 2009
144
2
Firstly, I just want to say, I love Apple's products, and how they do some things, but if I've done all my research on a product such as the MacBook Pro for example,

I know the specs I want, I know what I'll be using it for, I know I don't want the Apple Care plan or MobileMe or any other software apple offers.....etc,

then I don't need this huge informal overall about all the related products and services I already know about.

I went to the apple store today to upgrade my old macbook to the 2.4GHz Macbook Pro, and I told the sales guy that "I knew what I wanted, and I just needed to get in and get out" as I was on a slightly tight schedule. However, this guy continued to want me to buy the Apple Care plan (even though I stated this was my 3rd macbook, I'm a computer engineer major, and I've never had an issue with my macbooks). Now I understand his point of view that one day there may be an issue that happens, but I usually upgrade my macbook every year anyway before the warranty expires.......

He also continued to want me to buy the MobileMe service, and again, I know what it is, but it's just not something I want...at this time...

I just felt like I was at a car dealership and they just keep trying to throw this sale pitch at you and even though you keep telling them No No Noooo, they still want to get you to buy it.

Again, I understand their motives, as some people that come there are completely new to Apple, but for us that know what we want prior to coming to the store and have been apple owners for years (5+), they need to create an express checkout lane or service I think. :rolleyes: :)
 
All you had to do is say, "This is what I want, and nothing else, thank you very much."

There's no waiting, no line, and no sales pitches when you order online. Point, click, done!
 
I understand your " frustration" ( lack of a better word) But I never had that problem! maybe the fact we don't got an apple store! but apple resellers!!

Every time I went to the store and I just go to checkout counter. I say what I want and they give it to me!
if you don't say what extra's you want! you don't get it! fine by me! because I only wanted that product
 
flopticalcube said:
One line for noobs, one line for nerds.
Click to expand...

Yeah I understand that, however, my apple store is right down the street. So it makes no sense to have it shipped when I can take a 15min drive and pick it up myself you know?

I just don't think implementing a express lane should be that difficult. :)
 
BurningJah said:
I understand your " frustration" ( lack of a better word) But I never had that problem! maybe the fact we don't got an apple store! but apple resellers!!

Every time I went to the store and I just go to checkout counter. I say what I want and they give it to me!
if you don't say what extra's you want! you don't get it! fine by me! because I only wanted that product
Click to expand...

Yeah, I may just go to BestBuy next time around.
 
Agreed I found that it's hard to get someone to even check you out. It's really annoying since they got rid of their kiosk.
 
v66jack said:
Are the Apple Store people on commission for selling all the extra crap?
Click to expand...

Haha, that's what I was thinking. I mean, maybe it was just the sales guy I got, but this is probably my 3rd time going to the Apple store, and I know during each visit, I had to go through a huge conversation just to buy what I came there for. However, this was the first time someone tried to continuously get me to buy something even though I said no the first two times.
 
Of course, you're taking more time to complain about it here than it does to just check out and forget about it! :rolleyes:
 
Willis said:
Nope...
Click to expand...

If there not on commission why are they so pushy for me to buy there apple care rubbish?

I asked a guy in PC world UK and he said they get up to 15% commission on what they sell!!! I was blown away by that, presumed Apple sales people would be on a similar level.
 
When I got my MBP, I just told them that's what I wanted and wasn't given the sales pitch about other products. I remember I didn't say that when I got my MB in 2007, and I got the sales pitch.
 
GGJstudios said:
Of course, you're taking more time to complain about it here than it does to just check out and forget about it! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

No actually it took me about 2 minutes to write this thread post, and it took about 30 min just to get what I wanted to order at the apple store. :)
 
old-wiz said:
No, but they are expected to sell extras a certain percentage of the time. Last time I bought an MBP, they asked and I just politely declined. It didn't even add one minute to my time.
Click to expand...

Yeah, so that's why I also say, it could have just been the "sales guy I got" and potentially not all apple employers are like that, actually I know all of them are not like that as I've purchased from the store in the past.

I just think it would cool if they had a lane that had CC slot machine and iPads that displayed all the apple products you could order there in the store, and you can select these products as well as any additional promotional offers and someone would bring it out to you once completed the order process, and out the door you go. :)

Kinda like Walmart's self checkout system, but with an iPad :D:apple:
 
GGJstudios said:
Of course, you're taking more time to complain about it here than it does to just check out and forget about it! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Ridiculous! The Apple Store's checkout procedure is lousy. When I wear a tight shirt (I workout), I get fast help; when I don't, it takes a long time. For the responders that would reply with "just wear a tight shirt", I don't dress for the Apple Store.
 
rhinosrcool said:
Ridiculous! The Apple Store's checkout procedure is lousy. When I wear a tight shirt (I workout), I get fast help; when I don't, it takes a long time. For the responders that would reply with "just wear a tight shirt", I don't dress for the Apple Store.
Click to expand...

Wow I didn't realise that the mostly-male Apple sales people pay much attention to a guy's physique :p I'm a teenage guy who doesn't workout much and I never get bothered by Apple sales when I'm just browsing around, some stores are better than others for getting attention when you need it though. :) I assume that rhinosrcool is a male rather than female due to the "I workout" comment. If I'm wrong, I do apologise.

Although with the iPad launch, it seems as if they've all been instructed to target the "noob" market, I saw some guy pitching an iPad to a slightly-confused looking grandma while a person who actually wanted one was waiting, only to be told they were out of stock.
 
v66jack said:
If there not on commission why are they so pushy for me to buy there apple care rubbish?
Click to expand...

Because if they don't sell the required minimum percentage, they get fired. If someone hasn't been making their numbers, they'll push harder because the manager says "produce or else".
 
Baron58 said:
Because if they don't sell the required minimum percentage, they get fired. If someone hasn't been making their numbers, they'll push harder because the manager says "produce or else".
Click to expand...

Pretty much. I worked for Brookstone a few years back and I got sacked for not meeting my sales goals...which was pretty difficult to do when you work weekday mornings and the only people that come to the mall then are old people who want to exercise but don't want a gym membership.:mad:
 
The funny thing is, when you get a slack employee that doesn't go over the services, then you get customers coming back pitching fits:

"Nobody told me that the only time I could sign up the One-to-One training program was at the same time I bought my Mac."

"Nobody told me that [iWork/MobileMe] was $30 off if I bought it with my Mac."

"Nobody told me that I could have gotten a free printer if I bought it at the same time I bought my Mac."

This is why you'll likely never see an "Express Lane" in Apple Stores.

Employees don't need to be pushy. The attach rates that they're supposed to hit are amazingly low. They're not going to get fired because a customer doesn't want AppleCare or MobileMe. But they are required to explain the services and discounts. If you say that you're familiar with the service, but just not interested, it really should add more than a minute or two to the experience.

Pushy employees (and managers that say "produce or else") usually don't last long. Apple takes its customers feedback seriously, and if you ever give your email address when you purchase from Apple (i.e. you want the receipt emailed to you), you'll almost always get an email asking for your feedback.

If you don't you can always give it here:
http://www.apple.com/retail/feedback/

Managers (and employees) are graded on that feedback more so than their metrics for attaching services.
 
Express lane PLEASE!

TOTALLY agree that the Apple Store needs this feature. As much as I love Apple I 100% HATE going to the stores for this reason. I always go knowing exactly what I want and I have never gotten out in less than 30 minutes. Consequently, I only buy from them if absolutely necessary. Plus, I have been told incorrect information by employees and yelled at when they made mistakes - like when I bought a MacBook Pro and the employee brought out the wrong one and then started arguing with me and telling me that it was what I asked for - uh, no, I know what I came there to buy! It's too bad cause I want to like the stores but instead they just give me a headache.
 
01jamcon said:
Wow I didn't realise that the mostly-male Apple sales people pay much attention to a guy's physique :p I'm a teenage guy who doesn't workout much and I never get bothered by Apple sales when I'm just browsing around, some stores are better than others for getting attention when you need it though. :) I assume that rhinosrcool is a male rather than female due to the "I workout" comment. If I'm wrong, I do apologise.

Although with the iPad launch, it seems as if they've all been instructed to target the "noob" market, I saw some guy pitching an iPad to a slightly-confused looking grandma while a person who actually wanted one was waiting, only to be told they were out of stock.
Click to expand...

You are correct; I am a guy. Believe it or not, the male salesmen seem intimidated (I am in good shape, but I am not really big).

I wish the stores weren't "mostly-male". Once in a while there are babes, but they don't last very long (maybe that's another thread?).
 
rhinosrcool said:
You are correct; I am a guy. Believe it or not, the male salesmen seem intimidated (I am in good shape, but I am not really big).

I wish the stores weren't "mostly-male". Once in a while there are babes, but they don't last very long (maybe that's another thread?).
Click to expand...

Ok I know this is going a bit off-topic, but I don't know if it's a particular feature of the Apple stores in London, but a lot of the good-looking female sales assistants tend to actively flirt with other employees right in front of customers. I get that people working close to each other wanna... :p and all that, but really, I'd prefer that they don't look so disinterested when I actually want to spend money in their damn store. Stupid "trendy" apple sales people and their superficialness, wow I'm starting to sound like I'm one of those 'don't-get-out-the-basement types, I swear I'm not :D.

/rant
 
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