Since when do you have to make an appointment to buy something at an Apple Store?
When you have to bring three phones in and have them shuffle the accounts around so you can "trickle down" the upgrade to your family. Particularly problematic when the sim cards aren't all the same; even when they are, it's a whole lot less hassle to let the AT&T store do it for you when you're buying the phone.
I usually wait a month after the release of a device to upgrade, so long lines aren't an issue, but even if everything could be done at an Apple store, I spend far less time at an AT&T store getting the purchase made (and that doesn't count the extra 30 miles I have to drive plus horrible parking at the Victoria Gardens store). Plus, I don't have to fight through all the people who treat the Apple Store as a "Disneyland experience". I just want to buy the phone, get the accounts rotated around, and get out. AT&T is much better for that.
I've bought three iPads: the first at an Apple Store (in San Diego), the second on-line, and the third at an AT&T store (when I was upgrading an iPhone at the time). AT&T stores are boring, no doubt about it, but all I've ever had to wait on were some customers paying their bills.
I *have* taken a Thunderbolt display to an Apple store and was told I had to make an appt and bring it back three days later for service. I had to make a scene and insist on talking to a manager in order to leave the display there rather than make yet another trip to bring it back. What's with that nonsense? I just drove 30-something miles (one way) and they want me to waste another hour and three gallons of gas just because they don't want to store the display until their techs can get around to fixing it?
I *have* taken a Thunderbolt display to an Apple store and was told I had to make an appt and bring it back three days later for service. I had to make a scene and insist on talking to a manager in order to leave the display there rather than make yet another trip to bring it back. What's with that nonsense? I just drove 30-something miles (one way) and they want me to waste another hour and three gallons of gas just because they don't want to store the display until their techs can get around to fixing it?
I hate Apple stores.
Maybe you should have called first. Lack of planning on your part shouldn't downgrade the experience. In addition, if every one wanted to store their products at the Apple Store to get fixed, there'd be no room. Also liability concerns too.
I *have* taken a Thunderbolt display to an Apple store and was told I had to make an appt and bring it back three days later for service. I had to make a scene and insist on talking to a manager in order to leave the display there rather than make yet another trip to bring it back. What's with that nonsense? I just drove 30-something miles (one way) and they want me to waste another hour and three gallons of gas just because they don't want to store the display until their techs can get around to fixing it?
I hate Apple stores.
indeed. I find service in Apple stores to be horrible experiences. I had a friend go in with a defective cable and he had to take a appointement and return. I got the same experience when I wanted to service a laptop. Once you know how they work you take an appointed the next times.
Even with appointements, I always had to wait 15 to 45 minutes.
Maybe you should have called first. Lack of planning on your part shouldn't downgrade the experience. In addition, if every one wanted to store their products at the Apple Store to get fixed, there'd be no room. Also liability concerns too.
Its still an unusual way to do things, if I want to return something at Best Buy or Costco, I dont need to take an appointement and I will probably be served faster than at the Apple Store even if I had an appointement.
I hope Apple doesn't seriously let the pursuit of specific numerical goals drive their decision-making. I would guess Apple could attribute most of their success to pursuing specific human-benchmarks and the numerical volume follows as a side-effect. Stick to that Mr. Cook.
It's my understanding that carrier stores charge sales tax on the full price of an iPhone, before subsidization, while Apple stores charge tax on just the amount paid in the US. Anyone know if that's still the case?
This seems like faulty reasoning at best and based on very limited information. A lot of those people "jamming" the stores are just there to check out the products.
Including perhaps folks checking out the iPhone and then walking out to go to their carrier store to buy it because they either assume that Apple only sells it full price or that Apple doesn't sell it at all and they have to go to carrier to get it.
From the rumor I heard numbers come out to more like 90% of all iPhone repairs are done at Apple (carriers are only allowed to do insurance swaps for damage etc, not warranty service) but only 30% of sales are at Apple Stores including online. At least in the US. That is whacked and likely what Tim is trying to even out. So wanting to get it more to 50% isn't that insane. Getting folks to understand that Apple can do on contract thus subsidized sales and getting folks to stop spending basically the same money in OOW swaps when they have an upgrade available will be a good start
That will never happen!! The Apple Stores are the worst shopping experience in my life!! I absolutely hate having to go there and will never go to buy anything!! I can't be the only one who feels this way!!
So feather than subject myself to that I can go to AT&T's website push a few buttons nd the phone arrives on my doorstep!! Seems like the way to go to me!
Which just leads to more articles alleging what he said. Not proving it. Proof would be a video or audio of him literally saying it, a press release etc.
Its still an unusual way to do things, if I want to return something at Best Buy or Costco, I dont need to take an appointement and I will probably be served faster than at the Apple Store even if I had an appointement.
Cats and dogs. Apple doesn't require appointments for retail business. But what he was talking about with the display was warranty service. And even at places like Best Buy you aren't likely to be in and out. They will take it, stick a number on it and get around to it later. Could be up to a week. So it's really not that much better.
Which just leads to more articles alleging what he said. Not proving it. Proof would be a video or audio of him literally saying it, a press release etc.
Please read comments in context. That is why I said "partly" true to the other poster. The 50% is an implied statement from Cook, and that was the point of my comment.
Apple needs to throw in something like free Apple Care on the phone if you buy it at an Apple Store. That would have a big impact on where customers choose to buy.
Apple needs to throw in something like free Apple Care on the phone if you buy it at an Apple Store. That would have a big impact on where customers choose to buy.
I don't know what the Apple Store gives away but Dataquest, a local Swiss Apple shop gives away a free 100CHF Gift Card towards apps, accessories and Applecare. They will also undercut other companies prices, even if their on sale, all you have to do is bring in the advertisement.
Apple needs to throw in something like free Apple Care on the phone if you buy it at an Apple Store. That would have a big impact on where customers choose to buy.
If only this data had been around for all the earlier shipped vs sold debates! Apple's direct retail sales are around 15%. I'm not sure if that includes online sales so let's assume another 10% of sales happen direct to consumers from Apple's online store. That means Apple has definite sales information for 25% of all shipped iPhones. Conversely, 75% of reported sales are actually channel shipments. I'm looking forward to the next debate!
Comments
OK.... I googled it but saw no quote of Tim Cook stating a 50% goal. Someone please provide a link with a quote?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pendergast
Since when do you have to make an appointment to buy something at an Apple Store?
When you have to bring three phones in and have them shuffle the accounts around so you can "trickle down" the upgrade to your family. Particularly problematic when the sim cards aren't all the same; even when they are, it's a whole lot less hassle to let the AT&T store do it for you when you're buying the phone.
I usually wait a month after the release of a device to upgrade, so long lines aren't an issue, but even if everything could be done at an Apple store, I spend far less time at an AT&T store getting the purchase made (and that doesn't count the extra 30 miles I have to drive plus horrible parking at the Victoria Gardens store). Plus, I don't have to fight through all the people who treat the Apple Store as a "Disneyland experience". I just want to buy the phone, get the accounts rotated around, and get out. AT&T is much better for that.
I've bought three iPads: the first at an Apple Store (in San Diego), the second on-line, and the third at an AT&T store (when I was upgrading an iPhone at the time). AT&T stores are boring, no doubt about it, but all I've ever had to wait on were some customers paying their bills.
I *have* taken a Thunderbolt display to an Apple store and was told I had to make an appt and bring it back three days later for service. I had to make a scene and insist on talking to a manager in order to leave the display there rather than make yet another trip to bring it back. What's with that nonsense? I just drove 30-something miles (one way) and they want me to waste another hour and three gallons of gas just because they don't want to store the display until their techs can get around to fixing it?
I hate Apple stores.
Maybe you should have called first. Lack of planning on your part shouldn't downgrade the experience. In addition, if every one wanted to store their products at the Apple Store to get fixed, there'd be no room. Also liability concerns too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rhyde
I *have* taken a Thunderbolt display to an Apple store and was told I had to make an appt and bring it back three days later for service. I had to make a scene and insist on talking to a manager in order to leave the display there rather than make yet another trip to bring it back. What's with that nonsense? I just drove 30-something miles (one way) and they want me to waste another hour and three gallons of gas just because they don't want to store the display until their techs can get around to fixing it?
I hate Apple stores.
indeed. I find service in Apple stores to be horrible experiences. I had a friend go in with a defective cable and he had to take a appointement and return. I got the same experience when I wanted to service a laptop. Once you know how they work you take an appointed the next times.
Even with appointements, I always had to wait 15 to 45 minutes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jungmark
Maybe you should have called first. Lack of planning on your part shouldn't downgrade the experience. In addition, if every one wanted to store their products at the Apple Store to get fixed, there'd be no room. Also liability concerns too.
Its still an unusual way to do things, if I want to return something at Best Buy or Costco, I dont need to take an appointement and I will probably be served faster than at the Apple Store even if I had an appointement.
Including perhaps folks checking out the iPhone and then walking out to go to their carrier store to buy it because they either assume that Apple only sells it full price or that Apple doesn't sell it at all and they have to go to carrier to get it.
From the rumor I heard numbers come out to more like 90% of all iPhone repairs are done at Apple (carriers are only allowed to do insurance swaps for damage etc, not warranty service) but only 30% of sales are at Apple Stores including online. At least in the US. That is whacked and likely what Tim is trying to even out. So wanting to get it more to 50% isn't that insane. Getting folks to understand that Apple can do on contract thus subsidized sales and getting folks to stop spending basically the same money in OOW swaps when they have an upgrade available will be a good start
Quote:
Originally Posted by captmark
That will never happen!! The Apple Stores are the worst shopping experience in my life!! I absolutely hate having to go there and will never go to buy anything!! I can't be the only one who feels this way!!
So feather than subject myself to that I can go to AT&T's website push a few buttons nd the phone arrives on my doorstep!! Seems like the way to go to me!
I'm glad you're excited!
!!
Which just leads to more articles alleging what he said. Not proving it. Proof would be a video or audio of him literally saying it, a press release etc.
No we're supposed to use Bing now remember. What is the verb of Bing, Bing'n it, oooh I'm going to be Bing'n your search so hard.
Cats and dogs. Apple doesn't require appointments for retail business. But what he was talking about with the display was warranty service. And even at places like Best Buy you aren't likely to be in and out. They will take it, stick a number on it and get around to it later. Could be up to a week. So it's really not that much better.
Isn't it just Bing as a single word?
"Do you, uh, Yahoo!?"
"Google it."
"Bing."
Hard to keep up. Then there's Dogpile and AltaVista... that's old, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by charlituna
Which just leads to more articles alleging what he said. Not proving it. Proof would be a video or audio of him literally saying it, a press release etc.
Please read comments in context. That is why I said "partly" true to the other poster. The 50% is an implied statement from Cook, and that was the point of my comment.
I don't know what the Apple Store gives away but Dataquest, a local Swiss Apple shop gives away a free 100CHF Gift Card towards apps, accessories and Applecare. They will also undercut other companies prices, even if their on sale, all you have to do is bring in the advertisement.
And, yet, not a single article provides a direct quote from Cook saying that 50% of iPhone sales should come through the Apple Stores.
It's a made up claim that people keep repeating.
Why?
Also, is that legal? The differentiation, I mean.
If only this data had been around for all the earlier shipped vs sold debates! Apple's direct retail sales are around 15%. I'm not sure if that includes online sales so let's assume another 10% of sales happen direct to consumers from Apple's online store. That means Apple has definite sales information for 25% of all shipped iPhones. Conversely, 75% of reported sales are actually channel shipments. I'm looking forward to the next debate!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Hard to keep up. Then there's Dogpile and AltaVista... that's old, though.
I miss those guys. Dogpile was awesome.