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Really, REALLY pushy Clerks at Apple

Applespider said:
Salespeople are successful at selling people up though because most people don't do that much research before they go to the shop to buy something and will believe everything they hear.
There will never be an adequate substitute for proper preparation preceding one's actual purchase.

... and because most people believe that the salesperson knows more than them.
Erroneous conclusion number 1. I thought that with respect to an Apple employee who spoke with the voice of authority. Then he went on to say that the hard disk icon was incapable of being changed. I still get a laugh over that gem.
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It was the opposite for me. At the apple store birmingham (UK), the salesman actually tried talking us out of getting a Powerbook, and getting an iBook instead! :D
 
And at the opposite end of the spectrum, you can wander into a store and nobody will lift a finger to help you... and when and if they do, they can be remarkably uninformed and unenthusiastic about the product they are selling.

This is the general state of much of British retail... Regent St. Apple Store is no retail heaven unless you know exactly what it is you want.

Sometimes, I don't mind paying a little more if I get good service, am advised correctly and I can take the product away with me. You wouldn't believe the number of times I've been told something isn't in stock, will take days if not weeks to order and yet been unable to buy the display model for a discount.

So like many others, I now buy a lot online once I've done my research.
 
katie ta achoo said:
My friend is leaving for Interlochen tomorrow morning, so she needed a computer before she went. I recommended an iBook, because that's all she would really need.

So, I take her to the Apple store, and we meet her mom there, who's already talking to a clerk.

He has already gotten her to start signing up for Apple Financing (14.99%! Kill me now!).
He's talked her into .Mac, too which my friend won't use.

Then, he gets on the PowerBook thing.

She didn't NEED a PowerBook. She barely needs the power of an iBook! And with the specs being so close, it's' impossible to justify spending $500 more for it!

Also, he starts with "the PB is better.. it has a better screen for watching DVDs and Photo editing" (She'll watch the occasional DVD but she isn't a film-phile and doesn't edit photos intensely) Don't the PB and iBook have the same screen?? Argh!

THEN, he started on about MS office. I told her about OpenOffice, HELL, I told the CLERK about OpenOffice, but he starts going on about how unstable and incompatible about it, and the most recent stable build of NeoOfficeJ is pretty darn nice!

SO, Her $999 iBook (with however much AppleCare is) turned into at least $2300. Half of it being financed at 11% for the first few months, then 15% after.

WHAT IS UP WITH PUSHY SALES GUYS?
He saw a Mark and he WENT. Why didn't he back off when I told him what she NEEDED?

Have other people noticed this?

One time I was there, a little old man came in to get an eMac for his church, but he was talked into a 15" PowerBook. Fully Loaded.
I know that for every $500k they get $500 commission (I read it on the internet somewhere...) every fiscal quarter. That's .1%! I know $500 is $500, but ARGGHHH. (He told her that he doesn't work on commission.. ugh)
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The people at the Apple Store leave me alone now. I walk in ask where such and such is, or tell them what I need, pay for it and walk out. They know (and I am not trying to be an ass) that I know pretty much more than most of them do.

All said, I love the design and the feel of the Apple Stores, but the help pretty much blows.
 
Blue Velvet said:
> You wouldn't believe the number of times I've been told something isn't in stock, will take days if not weeks to order and yet been unable to buy the display model for a discount.
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Ah but if they sell the display model, they can't tell any other customers about the item or take advance orders for it, particularly when it's a line that will come back into stock. Otherwise they have to discount that model for you and lose part of their margin, then open up another new one to be the display model and lost another part of the margin. On low-margin items, that can mean that they're better off not selling it to you. If it's an item that generally short of supply because the manufacturer is shipping them from the Far East, then you'll often find everyone's out of stock so they know that you'll probably come back in a few days when it's back in stock.

That's generally the theory anyhow.
 
Applespider said:
Ah but if they sell the display model, they can't tell any other customers about the item or take advance orders for it, particularly when it's a line that will come back into stock. Otherwise they have to discount that model for you and lose part of their margin, then open up another new one to be the display model and lost another part of the margin. On low-margin items, that can mean that they're better off not selling it to you. If it's an item that generally short of supply because the manufacturer is shipping them from the Far East, then you'll often find everyone's out of stock so they know that you'll probably come back in a few days when it's back in stock.

That's generally the theory anyhow.
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Oh, why let the facts get in the way of a good moan? :D

Speaking of shopping, did you get your new toy in the end?
 
I thought so too... but we digress...

I've always had pretty good experiences with the folks at my Apple store.

But, I understand how you feel Katie
I think you should have been more assertive and kicked butt!

Woof, Woof - Dawg
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Well being in retail at this time I can understand why a shop assistant might be a bit pushy. At the moment (as least in the UK) consumer spending is at an all time low with many shops going bust (gadget shop, tammy and index). Therefore managers etc are always reminding you to make the customer buy more.

When I went and got my iMac the guy started telling me how great the Mac Mini was and I was like - I have reserved an iMac. He then told me about wireless mouse & keyboard, told him I was getting it. And when he started on about iSight I just told him that he really should listen to me as I know what I want - and listed off a load of stuff. We were both happy then :)
 
john_satc said:
At the moment (as least in the UK) consumer spending is at an all time low with many shops going bust (gadget shop, tammy and index).
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Well, my school's subscription to dismal has run out, so I can't look up the specific numbers..

But, I checked out the graph from a website, and DAAAAMMMMNNNN! Your GDP is goin' DOWN!

I say, lower interest rates, so that business investment may be spurred a little. That would help.
I also know that you have the power to do that, and not the bank of england,... whoops. :p
 
Well if you go in knowing exactly what you want, they can't do much to you... Of course, if you know someone who doesn't know much about computers or anything expensive for that matter that's going to make that kind of purchase, it's best to help them out and go with them to buy the product in question before they waste their $$$.

When I went in to buy my iBook in July, they only asked me if I wanted Applecare...
 
MUCKYFINGERS said:
Well if you go in knowing exactly what you want, they can't do much to you... Of course, if you know someone who doesn't know much about computers or anything expensive for that matter that's going to make that kind of purchase, it's best to help them out and go with them to buy the product in question before they waste their $$$.
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I was driving my friend from a symphony fundraiser bake sale to the Apple Store. There was baaadddd traffic, so her mother got there about 10 minutes before we did. She knows NOTHING about computers. (Well, emailing and that's it.)
Blargh. When I work for Apple (one day soon... I need to get through college financially somehow!), I'll sell people WHAT THEY NEED*! Yeah, I might not sell as much $ as homeboy, but I'll be happy knowing I saved someone a cool $600+.


*Well.. for as long as I can without getting reprimanded for high sales/low money. I expect about a week? Maybe two!
 
Apple doesn't give a **** about how much you are selling, or what you're selling. They like to see Applecare and .MAc and Procare go out the door with it. The Apple Specialists make no commisiion so they can care less what you buy. I'm sure there's a few car salesmen in the crowd trying to suck up to management, but ut diesn't do much for them in the end.

Seriously. If you have someone trying to sell you something you don't need, tell them to go screw themselves and then get someone else to help you. You shouldn't be pressured by soemone to spend more money than feesable. The 14" ibook is a MUCH better sale than a 12" Powerbook ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. You don't even get a Superdrive in the 12" Powrbook for 1499.00.
 
I had experiences like that when I was back in Boston this summer. I went to the Apple Store (Cambridge Side Galleria) more than once, and those people have no idea what they are talking about. Out of the 5-6 people I talked to, only 1 knew what was going on. I wanted a cable to connect my MiniDV cam to my Mac, and one nitwit said to use USB. He told me that DV and FireWire were totally unrelated!! Thankfully I went home and looked it up on the web and posted here (thanks Rod_Rod) and was able to get what I wanted.
I felt sorry for people who went in there not knowing a thing, how can the drowning help the drowning?? :confused:
While looking at camcorders I asked a guy for help and he tried pushing a $600 camera on me. When I said "I'm all set" he vanished. :rolleyes:
Circuit City and Micro Center have tried high pressure with me too, but I just get impatient and say "Look THIS is what I want" and they back off.
When I cancelled EarthLink for my dad they tried desperately to keep our business. They offered to lower his monthly fee, wanted to know if we needed a dial-up account, mail forwarding. I was like "no, NO, NO"

I hate pushy sales people :mad:

Oh yeah, if you want help at an Apple store, start surfing the web on one of the demo machines. Staff will come over in no time. When I went looking everyone was busy, when I was reading software & hardware reviews they came running over. One guy said "Can I help you?" and I said "Nah, I'm just reading some reviews." he looked offended :p
 
Onizuka said:
Apple doesn't give a **** about how much you are selling, or what you're selling. They like to see Applecare and .MAc and Procare go out the door with it. The Apple Specialists make no commisiion so they can care less what you buy. I'm sure there's a few car salesmen in the crowd trying to suck up to management, but ut diesn't do much for them in the end.
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That's not exactly true. I'm sure they have sales numbers they have to meet and times when specific products are supposed to be heavily pushed. Not to mention there are probably sales contests w/in stores and/or between stores. Failing to meet goals could mean a write up and eventual termination.


Lethal
 
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