The industrial design of the Apple Stores—and, for that matter, retail chains in general—has led to a certain degree of expected homogeneity, both in available products and in service. But that’s not always the case, as Consumerist reader Adam points out. He took his MacBook Pro in to the Orlando, Florida store in the Millenia shopping center (they couldn’t apparently afford that second “n”, huh?) to have the Bluetooth module fixed—a problem that the Genius told him was Apple’s fault, since they had messed up when fixing his top case earlier in the year.
But like many of us, Adam depends on his machine for work, so he arranged to have it dropped off when he was going in for a week long vacation, expecting it to be done when he got back. I trust you can see where this is going: one week later, he returns to find that not only is his machine not fixed, it hasn’t even been looked at. After a discussion with the store manager, who refused to budge, Adam left with his still broken computer.
Then, for kicks, he took it to the other Orlando store in the Florida Mall, where his tale of woe was greeted with effusive apologies and a promise to have the computer fixed in an hour, which it was.
We all expect Apple Stores to be Apple Stores to be Apple Stores, but in my experience, that differs greatly depending on the staff at any given store. If I can spare the time, I often take my problems to the Chestnut Hill store in the suburbs instead of the closer Cambridgeside store—just because I’ve had better experiences there (for one thing, the wait is usually shorter). How about you guys? Which stores would you single out for praise? Which ones would you avoid?
I don't know why people have put Apple retail on such a high pedestal. They're just another retail outlet mostly filled with high school kids making a few bucks over minimum wage, doing the bare minimum until they next best thing comes along.
Sure there's always exceptions to the rule, and some employees really do bust their ass, but that happens everywhere. Apple is not special and by no means an anomaly.
In my experience, I have found Apple employees to be just as clueless about the products and services they sell as the clowns in Radio Shack or Best Buy.
I've had the exact same experience a couple of years ago. Went to the Milenia store to buy a MacBook and a mini and the sales person was really rude. After complaining to the manager and getting no help at all I decided to head to the Florida Mall store, where I was able to find a very helpful sales person and do my shopping.
I live in the Orlando area and have been to both Apple Stores mentioned. I found much more willingness of employees to help and ask if I needed help at the Florida Mall than at the Millenia Mall. What's even more interesting is that Millenia is loaded with posh stores and is aimed at the higher income clientele, so one would generally assume that Millenia Apple-goers would be catered to even more.
I won't go there unless I know exactly what I want. It's the Florida Mall or online for me.
Praise for new San Luis Obispo Apple Store - Made on-line appt. for "Genius" and took GF's MacBook with dead keyboard/touchpad (have applecare). They replaced keyboard and touchpad that day.
Two weeks later, made online appt. for my 24" Imac kernel-panic and brick. Great "Genius" went through checks and got system running. Genius also recommended local Mac dealer (non-Apple Co. store) on component question.
Exc. service and people.
I work at a university selling computers. I've heard some crazy stuff from people who visit the Apple store in NYC. A parent called and said that her daughter wants a MacBook. A sales person told her that the MacBook Pro is exactly the same except for a bigger display and hard drive and tried to sell her that one. She was frantic because it was out of her price range. The quality of employees at the Apple stores has dropped dramatically since the introduction of the personal shopper program.
I Really love the Memorial City Mall in Houston TX, Kudos to the guys and girls there.I had a dodgy MacBook you name it it had something wrong with it and they gave me a Brand new out of the box MacBook free as a replacement, they even said i could have gotten a black one free but i would have had to have waited a few weeks. The genius bar guys are really efficient, they told me that my Hard Drive had to be replaced and it would be 3 days until it was done, i got a call the very same day at store closing telling me it was done!
But it is a real different story at the Houston Galleria, my iPod Touch 1st Gen needed replacing after the 1.1.3 upgrade Caused some battery issues so the store gives me a iPod replacement with a dodgy case and overheating issues! i tell the genius about the case and says "design feature" how is a curved case with a crack in it a "design feature" so i take it back after Apple Care Phone support and Apple Engineers tell me to, and the same genius said that the iPod touch was never replaced, how come the box i brought the original ipod in said 1.1.1 on it and had a diffrent serial? Memorial city fixed the problem no replacement needed!
Thanks Memorial city, and if you live in Houston TX and have an issue even if it is out of the way and takes a while to get there take it to Memorial you wont have a issue!
In Portland, Oregon, I LOVE the Bridgeport Village store. I've been to one of the two other stores, but I have been so satisfied with Bridgeport, that's where I always go, even though I have to drive quite a ways farther.
The geniuses have a lot of lattitude on what to replace "for free". If they know you and like you, it can't hurt. When I go into that store, most of the old-timers know me by name. So I point all my friends and acquaintances to that store, and tell them say that I referred them. That store has probably sold 10-15 Macs via me.
The Apple Store on Michigan Avenue: AVOID
The staff do not know a damn thing and are often rude. In fact, if you ask a staff member a question, the other one will give you a completely different answer. I went in looking for iPhone headphones, One staffer told me they were completely out and didn't have any in stock. Didn't make sense to me.
So I asked another employee who found them in a second.
Same with questions about my MBP in March.
Love Apple, but not the store on the Mag Mile.
Living in Southern New Jersey, I live between so close to any Apple Stores.
One I used to go to was the Christiana Mall in Delaware. It's relatively close to me after I cross the river.
I stopped going there for being treated poorly by the staff over a simple attempt at purchasing stuff.
I was the 3rd person in their only cash line and waited a little over one hour to make a purchase and would've left if I had better things to do, but was in a bind for needing the product I had in my hand.
When I complained, they said the other lines were for credit card purchases, etc. only. NOBODY was consistently tending the cash line as the employee running the register was always going out on the floor for other sales
Each time I complained to any employee that walked by, I was brushed off and told that I had to wait in line!
I'll NEVER EVER EVER EVER go to the Christiana Mall store ever again. Apparently, real money isn't welcome there?
Over the years, I've purchased thousands of dollars of Apple products and related from Apple.
I hope someone from Apple is reading this as it almost soured me from altogether from patronizing their stores, but have since reluctantly checked out the Marlton, NJ store a little further away with no issues at all.
I had a mixture of the above at Southpoint Store in Durham, NC. where friendliness and service often deteriorate when numbers of customers rises. Especially true for the so-called service area. One employee went thru his smooth routine with the hot lady immediately before me and then reverted to a surly 'what the hell do you want' attitude when I stepped up.
When I called for a manager along with me the little weasel lied about the incident!!
And, you guessed it, he still works there 6 months later.
It's hard to say which stores I have been to have been good and which are bad because I've never had a real issue for them to deal with. However, I will say that the Sheffield Meadow Hall store was great, because the staff there always seemed very interested in what I wanted to do and looked for solutions to issues encountered. My experience with the London Regent Street store was not so good due to no attention, but I think that was probably because, as a flagship store, it was rammed with customers for the staff to deal with.
Back in the early 90s, I used to work for a 3rd party company that was contracted by Apple Computer to provide over-the-phone product info. Crammed inside rows cubicles, we used PC terminals to answer calls and pretended that we use Macs when asked by callers. To answer Mac questions we had to use spec sheets provided by Apple Computer. We didn't even have enough of those so we had to make photo copies. When confronted with real difficult Mac questions we had to seek out coworkers who actually owned Mac at home to get more detailed info. And yet Apple Nazis who were listening in punished employees when incorrect info was given and paid us crappy wage.
Christiana Mall in Delaware ROCKS! I love love love them. I am a new Mac user and they are always helpful, they go out of their way to explain things and even when they are super busy they never make me feel rushed.