No walk in Genius Bar?

The part about pre-booking the Genius is consistent with Apple's warranty service options:

"Choosing a service option
You can request repair service from your carrier (except AT&T and Virgin Mobile), directly from Apple, or from a local Apple Authorized Service Provider. If you get service through Apple, you can mail us your iPhone or make an appointment with a Genius at an Apple Retail Store. "

https://support.apple.com/kb/index?page=servicefaq&geo=United_States&product=iphone​

But the part about paying for a repair via a local authorized Apple service provider doesn't sound right.

I suggest you query this this with another agent.

 

walk-in appointments depend on how busy they are. they might tell you you're welcome to sit and wait (which you might be waiting 10-15minutes to an hour or more) or they might say there is nothing available and to make an appointment online for the next available day/time. Also if you're going to make an appointment. its all done online, they won't schedule an appointment for you. so either you go and see if you can wait or you make it online. those are your options. calling is useless

 

Yep it's a balanced how busy they are, how well staffed they are, etc.

Your best chance at getting a walk-in appointment is to be there when the store opens.

 

There are only so many staff members per store.

Don't forget they're also dealing with Apple Watch try on and personal set up appointments.

 

Remember that people tend to hear selectively on the phone. An AppleCare adviser can't see a store's walk in availability, and thus probably won't offer it as an option. Someone from AppleCare saying that you might be able to get a walk in appointment will probably translate in store to "Well AppleCare told me I could come down and get an appointment" for a lot of people.

 

Aye, this. Last time I went in (well over a year ago now) I popped in about 10am and was told I'd need to book online. After explaining that my warranty expired that day they managed to squeeze me in at 4.30pm that day. During my appointment I did overhear a number of people upset that they could not be sorted that day as an immediate walk in when the store was due to close at 5. I guess that's why they prefer to have the booking scheme.

 

thats if you have an appointment scheduled already

 

sometimes there are a certain number of walk ins available per hour. sometimes there isn't. it depends on the day, how many people are working the genius bar, and how many people are checked in for appointments they already booked prior.

 

I was told to do so before I wanted to know what was going wrong on Magic Mouse.

I guess op should stay in front of entrance of that Apple Store, and see if there is any chance.

 

I managed completing a walk in before, and process was similar to what you say in here.

 

location depends too. I live in south florida where even though we have 3 apple stores (2 are within about 3 1/2 miles of each other) and the other one is on the beach they are always busy. so it really depends where you live.

 

^^^This.

When I needed to swap a defective iPhone 6 during the Christmas shopping season, I did all possible triage myself beforehand to keep any store visit as quick as possible, then restored the phone to factory and loaded nothing at all on it before taking it in. Appointments were running over a week out, so I timed my walk in for just after the lunch rush on a weekday.

Sure enough, the store was as empty as I've ever seen it...except around the Genius area. Told them the problem, that the phone was ready to swap, and that I was willing to wait. They said flatly that I had to stay right there--no wandering the mall, or even the store--or forfeit my spot. So I sat.

The wait was about 45 minutes. The diagnostics and actual swap took about half an hour. And the Genius commented that they do typically leave room for walk ins--but for example, during the first weeks of the iPhone 5 recall, they were so swamped that walk ins were absolutely being turned away.

If you have the time, it's worth trying. But be prepared to be stuck right at the store while you wait.

 

If you have time to waste give it a shot.
It's not guaranteed they will squeeze you in or they could just put you on hold for hours.