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Let's Post Our Shopping Experience at the Retail Store

arthursiew

arthursiew

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 13, 2008
469
3
SF Bay Area
The MacBooks are selling out like crazy, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area. I live in Cupertino, so I was thinking that most of the shipments would be in this area since it's close to HQ. My friend called a store in the morning and they said they had plenty in stock. I called back around 3PM and they were out. I called all of the stores and ended up heading up near San Francisco. I bought the 2.0GHZ and it was my first time purchasing a Mac in the Apple Store and my actual first Mac. The shopping experience was great, but it was a little slow. I checked in with the concierge and my advisor went on the computer to check on the hold, he went to the warehouse and came back with nothing. Then he went back in and came out with the MacBook. I thought I would be able to go, but I reminded him about the free printer. They went to the back and 30 minutes later they told me that they were out of stock. I didn't get why they didn't tell me earlier. I told them to get the Canon one and got it out. Then it took them another 15 minutes to put them into the small little check out machine and then I was able to purchase it. I find purchasing new computers in the Apple Store a little slower than other stores.
 
so you got you're free printer on the spot? when I purchased my macbook, I was told I had to fill out a form online, and wait for a voucher to be mailed to me, before I could redeem my free printer.

can anyone else chime in?

My shopping experience was pleasant. came in about 20 minutes before closing, and was debating between pro and non pro all day, but ended up going with the 2.4

overall i am very satisfied. However, if you were able to pick you're printer on the spot, i would be pretty bummed
 
At first we were going to do it at the store, but they were having some big problems with doing the rebate on their computer, so I actually spent more time at the store than I said. They apologized for the problems, so they threw it in for free!
 
My experience basically went like this, and took about 25min, due to the line and 1 problem (read).

Me and my buddy walk into the Apple Store at Sherway, see the first Mac dude walk by us and my friend stops him and..

friend: "I want that" and he points to the new MacBook a spcialist is holding. At this point we didn't even play with it.
mac dude: "Sure."
me: "I want one as well"
mac dude: Laughed, then said "Alright, do you want Apple care, ... etc the regular speech"
me: "No, we're good. However, I'm a student, so can I get the discount" (then showed him my student ID).
mac dude: "Ya that's fine"
me: then i said.. "can he get one too, he's not a student, but we'll put it on the same bill"
mac dude: hesitates.... "k fine"

So then we purchase it, and as we're leaving, at the door we say bye to the greeter, but then my friend stops and says to another mac rep. "can i see what I bought?" lol.. cause we had like 1/2 second glance at it, but we both knew we wanted it ASAP cause we didn't want it to sell out.

:D

So.. we get both with the discount and my friend opens it in the car, while I'm driving and he finds dust under the screen, so I had to turn around. He got it replaced and before leaving the store this time, he inspected it.

All gooood :p
 
I wasn't satisfied with mine. I went in and announced I would be purchasing a new macbook ON THE SPOT and it took at least 15 minutes for a free rep to come over to me. It wasn't a crowded, frenzied, sold out store either. No one else was buying right away. I felt like they didn't want my money. I get that I'm 19, but I have the money damnit. It made me mad.
 
christiemp said:
I wasn't satisfied with mine. I went in and announced I would be purchasing a new macbook ON THE SPOT and it took at least 15 minutes for a free rep to come over to me. It wasn't a crowded, frenzied, sold out store either. No one else was buying right away. I felt like they didn't want my money. I get that I'm 19, but I have the money damnit. It made me mad.
Click to expand...

Computer stores, like the Apple Store don't care about selling you computers; they're more interested in selling you services like extended warranties (Applecare), and other stuff to setup your computer (one to one/procare). If you give the rep the impression you just want the computer and none of the services, they generally don't care to serve you.
 
f1 said:
Computer stores, like the Apple Store don't care about selling you computers; they're more interested in selling you services like extended warranties (Applecare), and other stuff to setup your computer (one to one/procare). If you give the rep the impression you just want the computer and none of the services, they generally don't care to serve you.
Click to expand...

They're dumb as rocks then. I bought applecare too.

People don't want my money.
 
fuzzielitlpanda said:
arthursiew so no apple stores in the south bay had an 2.4ghz mb in stock today?
Click to expand...

I don't remember which store, but one store carried some 2.4Ghz ones. They didn't have many. They informed me that they will be receiving a lot more later this week... probably tomorrow or the weekend.
 
One improvement Apple can make for retail experience would be faster checkouts. Apple reps also like to talk about AppleCare so bad... I told him that I would get it later and then 20 seconds later he asks me whether I want it or not.

I am also thinking about getting an Apple Remote. Can I get one in any of the Retail Stores?
 
My experience at the Palo Alto store was exactly what I expect when I go into an Apple Store. (of course, I called in ahead of time to make sure they had the macbook and they did).
I walked in, saw the 1st sales associate and told him I'd like to buy the new macbook.
he politely said that it would be just a second and by the time i got to the register the "runner" would be back, and sure enough he was right.

My experience was quick and speedy, everything I wanted and expected.

I applaud the service at the Palo Alto Apple Store.
 
Was the store busy? I went to the new Hillsdale Store up in San Mateo... took us about an hour driving home to Cupertino... traffic! There was like nobody in that store but there were plenty of MacBooks in stock. I saw 5 people buying the MacBook at the same time as me. The employees were surprised that stores in the South Bay were all out.
 
arthursiew said:
One improvement Apple can make for retail experience would be faster checkouts. Apple reps also like to talk about AppleCare so bad... I told him that I would get it later and then 20 seconds later he asks me whether I want it or not.

I am also thinking about getting an Apple Remote. Can I get one in any of the Retail Stores?
Click to expand...


just order it online? but why though? i have one from my old macbook and i never used/never use it still.
 
clamchowderz said:
just order it online? but why though? i have one from my old macbook and i never used/never use it still.
Click to expand...

I want something that can control Front Row, iTunes and Keynote. The Apple Remote on iPod Touch isn't good enough. Is there an app that could control that on an iPod/iPhone or is the Remote good for that?
 
I have a question for you in-store purchasing folks:

Will the Apple Geniuses install the 4GB ram upgrade in the store? Or is this an option only available via the interwebs? Your informed responses will help me make a decision, and I appreciate it.
 
petermcphee said:
I have a question for you in-store purchasing folks:

Will the Apple Geniuses install the 4GB ram upgrade in the store? Or is this an option only available via the interwebs? Your informed responses will help me make a decision, and I appreciate it.
Click to expand...

In the buying experience I had today, they installed it in-store. They first told me that it would take 24-48 hours, so I said I think I'll just install it myself at home (I've read it isn't that difficult).

Then the sales guy mumbled something about how, in order to get half off the full price (from $300 - $150), they had to do the swap (so they keep the original 1 GB chips, I guess) in-store. Or else I'd have to pay full-price now and return the originals later for a 50% refund. As by that point I'd already paid for the product with the half-price RAM price, he went in the back and said that it could be done by the close of business that day. (It was about 6 PM then, and they close at 9 PM.)

I came back at 8:55 PM and the sales guy brought it out from the back room, all fully rammed up and ready to go! (I just presented my receipt to get it back.)

Fwiw, several other sales reps were variously saying that they didn't think they even had the bigger RAM in stock yet, that I'd have to wait 24-48 hours, yadda yadda. I might have just gotten lucky with an uncharacteristically helpful sales rep.

I have a feeling that just because it's the first week, things might be a little bit chaotic, with some stock running out and other just arriving. I bet in a few days it will settle down, probably by early next week. But then, who knows, they may be out of everything by then. Maybe call your local store before you go.

I must say, it was ultimately less painful than I anticipated. I expected them to be out of the model I wanted (2.4 MB) but they were not. I could see they only had a few demo models on the tables, lots of blank space where they normally would have more. When I returned, the MB demo table was down to only one MB, several wires snaking around looking for their missing friends.

When I set foot in the store, I told myself I was just looking, and I didn't intend actually to buy one then. But once I'd sampled the wares, I found I could not not resist the siren call of shiny aluminum and black glass. So be forewarned, all.
 
My experience was pretty good. i went to the apple store at 1 PM (florida mall) and I was soo afraid that they were going to sell out, that I just went right up to a sales person and i'm like... "I don't know where I'm supposed to go... but I want the new macbook" and he's like "do you want to see it?" I'm like "no, I'll just buy it"

so he gets it, I get my student discount etc and we ring it up. I was in and out of there in about 7 minutes. I get home and it looks like there was a double layer of tape on it. I open the first layer and see the original tape layer was sliced open already. I open the computer and after an hour of playing with it start noticing little chips in the aluminum. I call the apple store and ask if I can exchange it. They say sure, so I head in.

I show up there after fighting rush hour traffic and they look at it.. they were extremely nice about it! the person who had dealt with me earlier was there and I told him sorry for being a pain in the butt about it, and he said "no, be a pain in the butt! its your computer, you bought it!" so they examine it and say it definitely was open before and I can get a new one without the restocking fee. So I sit there for 10 minutes chit chatting cause it was busy, and this girl saw my return. she's assaulted the salesperson and was like "OMG CAN I SEEEEEEEEE THAT??!!" so he let her see it and her and her friend kept pointing at me ( as if she was saying "omg I can't believe she returned it! ) and then as she left she tapped me on the shoulder and was practically screaming "THANK YOU FOR RETURNING THAT IT JUST MADE ME NIGHT!!" (edit: yes, she was a pirate. yar)

They were too busy to get them up on display so that must explain her excitement.

so then I get checked out for my exchange, and I leave the looney bin. I made sure I told them how much I appreciate the ease of exchanging this, they said no problem :)

That's my story!

also.. free printer??? is that only in CA? I never heard that when I bought this :confused:
 
esvienne said:
My experience was pretty good. i went to the apple store at 1 PM (florida mall) and I was soo afraid that they were going to sell out, that I just went right up to a sales person and i'm like... "I don't know where I'm supposed to go... but I want the new macbook" and he's like "do you want to see it?" I'm like "no, I'll just buy it"

so he gets it, I get my student discount etc and we ring it up. I was in and out of there in about 7 minutes. I get home and it looks like there was a double layer of tape on it. I open the first layer and see the original tape layer was sliced open already. I open the computer and after an hour of playing with it start noticing little chips in the aluminum. I call the apple store and ask if I can exchange it. They say sure, so I head in.

I show up there after fighting rush hour traffic and they look at it.. they were extremely nice about it! the person who had dealt with me earlier was there and I told him sorry for being a pain in the butt about it, and he said "no, be a pain in the butt! its your computer, you bought it!" so they examine it and say it definitely was open before and I can get a new one without the restocking fee. So I sit there for 10 minutes chit chatting cause it was busy, and this girl saw my return. she's assaulted the salesperson and was like "OMG CAN I SEEEEEEEEE THAT??!!" so he let her see it and her and her friend kept pointing at me ( as if she was saying "omg I can't believe she returned it! ) and then as she left she tapped me on the shoulder and was practically screaming "THANK YOU FOR RETURNING THAT IT JUST MADE ME NIGHT!!" (edit: yes, she was a pirate. yar)

They were too busy to get them up on display so that must explain her excitement.

so then I get checked out for my exchange, and I leave the looney bin. I made sure I told them how much I appreciate the ease of exchanging this, they said no problem :)

That's my story!

also.. free printer??? is that only in CA? I never heard that when I bought this :confused:
Click to expand...

It's really only the Save $100 off Printer Promo. It's on the Apple website, but I just got it for free in the store, because of the long, long, long, long wait for the computer and printer to come out.
 
arthursiew said:
I bought the 2.0GHZ and it was my first time purchasing a Mac in the Apple Store and my actual first Mac. The shopping experience was great, but it was a little slow. I checked in with the concierge and my advisor went on the computer to check on the hold, he went to the warehouse and came back with nothing. Then he went back in and came out with the MacBook. I thought I would be able to go, but I reminded him about the free printer. They went to the back and 30 minutes later they told me that they were out of stock. I didn't get why they didn't tell me earlier. I told them to get the Canon one and got it out. Then it took them another 15 minutes to put them into the small little check out machine and then I was able to purchase it. I find purchasing new computers in the Apple Store a little slower than other stores.
Click to expand...
Wow, it doesn't normally take nearly that long!

30 minutes to check to see if a printer is in stock is just crazy.

The only thing I could think of was that they were in the process of getting their daily delivery and the inventory control specialists hadn't unpacked/checked everything in, so maybe he was waiting to see. But he shouldn't have left you hanging for 30 minutes with no explanation. That's bad! :(

15 minutes to ring up a transaction in the EasyPay device is unusual too. I'm wondering if you got a newbie. Not that that's an excuse, but at least it'd somewhat explain it. Normally you're in and out.

Oh, and the remote should be hanging on the wall of Apple accessories at the store.
 
Buying things at the Apple store is definitely much slower than the usual store. I have bought something from there 4 times, and 3 of the times it was very slow. They try to brag about how the remote checkout thing is faster, but it is actually slower. The only time I was able to get in and out of the store with what I wanted was around christmas of 2006, when I went to buy an Ipod and they actually had a couple of computers to use as regular cash registers. I even had to stand in line with 10 people in front of me and it went faster than every other time.
 
I went to the Oakbrook, IL store on Thursday afternoon. I live about 45 minutes away and had forgotten my damn student id. I was so pissed that I almost turned around but I figured I could buy it for full price and then come back up there within the 14 days and maybe have them re-ring it or something. So I mention it to the Mac specialist as I'm checking out. He says "well we don't want you making an extra trip, tell me this, where do you go to school?" I tell him which school I go to and he asks me for the zip code and then applies the $100 discount to the 2.4mb.

I was so shocked but happy, Apple customer interactions normally really surprise me, I guess I'm used to the crappy interactions I get from everywhere else :)
 
I went to the 5th ave store in NYC last night. Got a very nice specialist who talked me through the macbook for about 30 min. The only problem was checkout, there werent enough runners to get my computer/printer. I inspected my macbook before I left to make sure there were no glaring imperfections and I went home.
 
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