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The local Best Buy has an 'Apple Store' inside and...

PinkyMacGodess

PinkyMacGodess

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Original poster
Mar 7, 2007
10,271
6,228
Midwest America.
And I witnessed a Best Buy sales person talk a customer OUT OF BUYING an Apple product (Macbook Air)!

With friends like Best Buy, who needs enemies...

I was shocked. I was amazed... I guess I wasn't surprised. Should Apple staff these kiosk type stores with their own people? Make them work on commission? If this is being repeated in their other mini stores I see them as a major waste of money and likely to backfire...

Anyone else seen this? Are these mini stores a good idea?
 
And I witnessed a Best Buy sales person talk a customer OUT OF BUYING an Apple product (Macbook Air)!
Click to expand...
Maybe cause it was one of those people who were buying the MBA for the wrong reasons.
 
True, the MBA isn't for everyone, so I guess it is possible that the employee was doing the customer a favor. Maybe the customer didn't realize some of the limitations of the MBA before going in the store, etc. There is no way of truly knowing either way though without having heard the entire exchange between them.
 
I have witnessed similar practices at Future Shops. I'll be looking at the Apple computers and I'll over hear a sales rep talking to a customer looking at laptops. (All computer makes are in the same isle.) The customer will say, "What's that over there" pointing to the Macbooks and the sales rep will respond by quickly suggesting another computer, usually an hp, for more money with less features and power. I just shake my head these days this sale reps.

These days I don't go to any store for computer advice, except maybe Staples, they're pretty good here.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
And I witnessed a Best Buy sales person talk a customer OUT OF BUYING an Apple product (Macbook Air)!

With friends like Best Buy, who needs enemies...

I was shocked. I was amazed... I guess I wasn't surprised. Should Apple staff these kiosk type stores with their own people? Make them work on commission? If this is being repeated in their other mini stores I see them as a major waste of money and likely to backfire...

Anyone else seen this? Are these mini stores a good idea?
Click to expand...

Most of these "Kiosks" ... ahem Shop in a Shops are managed by Apple and are run by (very well trained) Apple Corporate Reps. However, like most people who have a job, we only work 40 hours a week. SO we train the employees here the best we can (which is part of our job) to also sell the product. Just ike in any retail not every employee will be perfect. Some will not care, some will sell by their own taste but for the most part the employees will help a customer and make sure they qualify them for the product they are looking at. Perhaps the MacBook Air was not the right computer for them. Hell I had two people who wanted them over the weekend and it was deffinitely not the right computer for them. HELL 2 years ago I had a customer who a PC was really the right computer for them. It sucked but hey thats what they needed. No one should be selling any one specific product. They should be helping the customer get what fits their needs even if it means selling them something else. I occasionaly go into Apple Stores and I see people being sold the wrong product all the time. I have watched sales happen that I would put my life savings on that they would be returned in 24 hours. No store is immune to this. It is a part of retail... it will happen. Whether it be Best Buy, Circuit City, Walmart, Shop Rite and yes the Apple Stores. Now I am not saying it isnt possible that the guy that was "un-seling" a MBA was deffinitely doing what he should of been doing but none of us will. He could have been doing exactly what he was paid to do or he could have been WIndoze FanBoi.... :D

BTW - If the store just went up there then there should be a rep there soon. My store was setup for 2 weeks before I got moved in here.

Kevin :apple:
 
I've worked retail before...

I've worked retail before in stores selling computers. I even sold Apple II's in the day and a store that sold the first Lisa's and 128 Mac.

There are definite brands or models for people. There are others that just want a tool to do certain things and any system could work.

The person asking about the mac was impressed with the size and was asking about features when the salesgirl said that 'well, macs are very different than other computers'. the rest of the conversation went as you could imagine: 'How different?' 'Really very different. So different that many people don't like them over other systems that we carry.' 'Well didn't you just get Apples?' 'Well we just carried them online for those that wanted them...'

To not look at the MacBook right next door or even take the time to mention that Macs now can run Windows with the standard Mac software too was just ignorant. Not taking the time to demo the computer or show the customer the interface could have been just an act of cowardice.

I remember when Apple would send 'secret shoppers' around to the stores that carried their products and the shopper would list a bunch of requirements that they were looking in a computer. If the salesman took them to an Apple product, they would win the prize. At the particular Circuit City that I worked at, the salesman took them to an NEC system. He obviously lost...

I guess part of what was behind my posting was thinking of a new batch of potential customers of Apple being confronted by a whole range of Windows ignorant bigots and being turned off the brand. Likely in these environments unless Apple does have more control and takes the time to verify that these store-within-a-store areas aren't being used as brand whipping posts to move peecee products that the salespersons are more familiar with and probably have a higher margin... Running into a salesperson that feels that nothing is better than a Windows system in an Apple 'store' area is counter productive to increasing sales and brand recognition...
 
Best Buy employees get commission or perks if they sell setup, extra software, and a service contract.

That stuff isn't available for Apple products at Best Buy.

They would rather sell you a PC and all that extra stuff...
 
gkarris said:
Best Buy employees get commission or perks if they sell setup, extra software, and a service contract.

That stuff isn't available for Apple products at Best Buy.

They would rather sell you a PC and all that extra stuff...
Click to expand...

Not to mention that the salesperson may have been unprepared to speak about the macbook/OS X.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
And I witnessed a Best Buy sales person talk a customer OUT OF BUYING an Apple product (Macbook Air)!

With friends like Best Buy, who needs enemies...

I was shocked. I was amazed... I guess I wasn't surprised. Should Apple staff these kiosk type stores with their own people? Make them work on commission? If this is being repeated in their other mini stores I see them as a major waste of money and likely to backfire...

Anyone else seen this? Are these mini stores a good idea?
Click to expand...
Saw the EXACT same thing when I was at Best Buy the other day. A father (I assume) came in with his daughter. She was raving about the Macbook Air, as it was her first time seeing it in person, and she wanted a new computer to take back to school. I was playing on the Macbook Pro directly across from the Air, so while I wasn't being nosy lol; I got to hear the exchanges up close.

The BB associate gave her a litany of responses as to why the Air wasn't worthy of a purchase i.e., "it has no optical", "the drive is slow", "look at the Macbook right next to you for $700 less!". The girl kept repeating how she didn't care, and she loved the simplicity of the machine, and how the weight was a major pull. She also expressed how in her trials it seemed damn speedy to her. She was viewing websites, and opening photos, while saying "I don't see your point"?

The BB associate seemed to have almost a personal vendetta against the Air, as he then told her father what a horrible "value" it was. It was ridiculous, and suffice to say the father told her let's go home and think about it. She was apparently assisting in the purchase of the machine, but the BB associate did such a "great" job, he didn't care.
 
There was one time at Best Buy, shortly after the new aluminum iMacs were released, I was scrutinizing the demo unit in preparation for purchasing one myself, and another customer said, "Hmm, you seem to know your way around these things." We chatted for a few minutes and I shared my experience and feedback with Apple stuff. He had considered a Mac but wasn't quite sure yet. At one point the salesman came over and asked if we needed any help. I had already given the guy a tour of iLife, and talked about productivity and ease of use, no viruses or spyware, and stuff like that, but I didn't want to be rude and tell the salesman "nah, I've got you covered". So I left them to talk. As I was leaving I could hear them chatting, and about the best the salesman was able to do was stuff like "... and it even comes with a webcam!" I hope the guy made the right purchasing decision.
 
When the local FutureShop started carrying Macs, one of the gals I work with who had fallen in love with my Macbook, went over, with the definate plan of getting an iMac. The sales associate completely refused to talk to her about iMacs, but rather was pushing a PC on her.

This gal turned and walked out and got her iMac elsewhere. FutureShop lost a guaranteed sale.

When I'm in there, I head for the Mac section, just to play on the 24"-ers. Usually an associate comes over, starts talking PC, when I'm obviously playing on the Macs! I've even had them ask me why I would prefer a Mac to a Windows PC. That's when the convo gets really interesting ;)
 
If anyone sales associates tries to make me purchase a pc im just gonna go crazy on him and talk very loudly and bang my fists! But I would do this somewhere else and not in a local store because I don't want to be "banished" from the store forever.

ChrisN
 
I have a very different experience

Our local Best Buy just this weekend got a new Apple mini store setup. I didn't realize it until I walked in with my son to look at some games. When I saw the new Apple stuff on display I went over to start playing and looking around. I hung around there for about 30 minutes playing with the Macs they had setup. The Best Buy guys where there playing and talking up the iMac like it was the best thing ever invented. There was a pretty big crowd looking at stuff and the only things I over heard was the sales people talking about Apple and how great the machines are. So I guess it just depends on the day of week.

Jason
 
Keep in mind the majority of people are not Mac fans or care for the computers. Regardless of where they work, unless it's in an Apple store, most people will lean towards PCs over Macs. It's just the way it is at the moment.
 
gkarris said:
Best Buy employees get commission or perks if they sell setup, extra software, and a service contract.

That stuff isn't available for Apple products at Best Buy.

They would rather sell you a PC and all that extra stuff...
Click to expand...

There is 100% no truth to that whatsoever! I can tell you they do not make any commission or perks. It is one of Best Buys big things. They dont even let Vendors, like myself, reward the guys with anything for selling their brand. All we can give them is swag. Sure of course they are salesmen and are suppose to make sure they offer their services and software and such as well ... it is a business. They are there to make money. Again I will re-iterate that they do not make commission or perks from the job. It is a solid hourly wage. This has been like this for atleast 10 years. I have been a working for Apple for a few years now and before that I had another job for a year and before that I was management at a Best Buy for 6 years and they didnt do it anytime while I was there.

Its funny you mention that Vendetta that seems to be out there for the MBA. I was picking up my MBP from the local Apple shop tonight and heard a kid at the shop just trashing the MBA to a customer. I then heard from the other side of me one of the other Apple Store employees say to his friend "Hes just doing that because we don't have any in stock" . I just shook my head... Then again this is also the Apple Store where I heard an employee tell a customer that he can just put a DVD in his computer and go into iTunes and press import movie (store bought he was reffering to) and in the same sentance he said the iPod Video would last for 24 hours even with watching video. ... I guess you get them every where.

Kevin :apple:
 
My local bestbuy wodn't do that because before they had the apple store inside they I went in and asked them to see what they would recomend and I asked what to get a mac or a pc and they said mac and the bouth of them there had just ordered macs.It seems at my bestbuy they don't devate their coustomers to pc's but then every bestbuy is different.
 
gothamm said:
i wouldn't recommend a macbook air either.
Click to expand...

Seriously, i would never recommend a macbook air and i love apple. Its just so overpriced for the power you get. A regular macbook while not as thin has alot more power and features and costs less i just cant bring myself to recommend someone wasting their money on the MBA. The only niche audience the MBA has is buisness people who travel constantly and need less weight to carry around.
 
At our bestbuy, my friends (who are employees) always recommend a mac book to each and every customer, but a lot of the customers are turned off by the price. There are people who just do care about how great OS X is because they do think its enough justification for the price. My friends know all about how bad vista is and always push macs.

-JoE
 
I work for Best Buy and my Particular store has an Apple Shop in it. With that said there are only three situations where I would not recommend a Mac.

1. If the User were looking for a "cheap computer"
2. If the User were planning on doing a lot of gaming.
3. If the User has invest a lot of money on incompatible software.

The second and third one can be remedied by installing windows on the mac but I have found that people would rather not shell out the extra cash for a copy of windows and depending if they know what they are doing the money for someone to install it for them.

Best Buy employees get commission or perks if they sell setup, extra software, and a service contract.

That stuff isn't available for Apple products at Best Buy.

They would rather sell you a PC and all that extra stuff...
Click to expand...

This is completely incorrect. I get no commission for any sales and I am still able to "sell" "all that extra stuff" (IE: offer things that people may need based on what they are using it for). As for selling Service plans we do offer them on macs and they are no different than applecare other than the fact that on notebooks we cover accidents which is not covered by apple. ;)
 
At least for the situation with the girl and her father, I don't think that the macbook air is a good choice for school either. I'm really not a huge fan of it myself; the size and weight is the only thing that it really has going for itself. Then again, I do have to haul it across the Atlantic every week where losing those pounds really does matter, but I think that this system is very limited as to the type of person that it was designed for. For the money, it really does lack power. But my company bought it for me, so I can't really complain. But I use my macbook a lot more than the Air.
 
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