“If they are 6 or 7 years old”. Am l the only one to be shocked by this comment? Are there really that many adults buying the latest iPhone for a 6 year old? Do any kids of that age need a phone, let alone a smart phone?
There are some circumstances. When our kids were about 9 I think, they started going to a German language school on Saturdays. They would be taken by a bus from a mall parking lot and taken to the school (boring story) and then left again in that mall parking lot. We needed a way to contact them and for them to contact us in case anything went wrong or changed (traffic, whatever). They had the crappiest sort of Motorola phones but they met the need. They were not 6 or 7, but I could imagine some similar circumstance.
Why would Apple try to up-sell to a product relatively few people will be able to obtain due to production constraints, when an overabundance of the 8/Plus is available?
Cali is right, and the "upsell" was literally the conspiracy that forum members were pushing after the announcement when the iPhone X price started at $999 and the iPhone 8 series looked like the iPhone 7, despite the iPhone 8 series being an fantastic YoY update.
Had Ahrendts said to upsell iPhone X the reply would have been:
“Oh, how thoughtful. /s Apple let us buy what we want! The only reason you made the 8 was to upsell the X and trick us! Apple is creating a false supply constraint to make us buy more!”
Why would Apple try to up-sell to a product relatively few people will be able to obtain due to production constraints, when an overabundance of the 8/Plus is available?
Cali is right, and the "upsell" was literally the conspiracy that forum members were pushing after the announcement when the iPhone X price started at $999 and the iPhone 8 series looked like the iPhone 7, despite the iPhone 8 series being an fantastic YoY update.
Had Ahrendts said to upsell iPhone X the reply would have been:
“Oh, how thoughtful. /s Apple let us buy what we want! The only reason you made the 8 was to upsell the X and trick us! Apple is creating a false supply constraint to make us buy more!”
Last year with the iPhone 7 series release Apple's entry level capacity was 32GB, followed by 128GB, and 256GB with $100 jump, but instead of saying great, I get 96GB more for $100 instead of only 32GB more, people complained that 32GB wasn't enough and 128GB was too much . This year, because of NAND availability we have 64GB as the entry level, but I'm seeing people say that 64GB is too low as even an entry-level capacity.
It was only 2016 that the iPhone 6s series' was still selling with a starting capacity was 16GB, which hadn't moved since 2012, and the highest-tier capacity was 64GB up until the end of the iPhone 5s' cycle in Sept 2014. Yet, Apple can't seem to win with forum commenters, at least the one that tend to say things like "Apple is making me buy yada yada."
I have never been upsold anything in an Apple Store. I know what I want, I go in, they get it for me. End of story. When I worked there years ago I was trained only to assist people getting what they need or want, and to answer all questions. Was never told to suggest a higher priced option for its own sake, only to fulfill a stated need of requirement. Apple Store shopping is the antithesis of High pressure sales.
Neither have I, but I also walk in knowing exactly what I want. Your inside knowledge as a store rep is more telling, but I wonder if that was before Ahrendts started or if things have changed. Her saying anything makes me wonder if supplies are so constrained (and/or profit per unit and/or profit margins) that they won't even be advertising it demo models this calendar year.
I can tell you things haven’t changed under Ahrendts and in many ways, the shopping experience has improved under her leadership.
I think this this interview is just mean to reassure people that it will be business as usual during this uncharacteristic iPhone cycle.
Apple Store employees will have a new augmented reality app. They hold it up and the screen will display the customer 's income and credit score over customers' heads. No need to waste time on the poor.
"If it's someone who's leaning into something else, what do they need?"
Can someone translate this into normal English?
Customer: I'm interested in buying an iPhone. Apple salesperson: Who are you buying the iPhone for? Customer: I'm buying it for someone who's leaning into something else. Apple salesperson: [slight pause as they remember AA's guidance] What do they need?
I think it’s a covert way of saying android with our saying android...
What does Ahrendts statement even mean? When I worked in retail music sales (in the 1970s) we always had a cheap piano or organ on sale to get people in the store. We would always try to up sell to a better model by pointing out the differences in features and quality. And if the customer stuck with the sale model ,well then, we sold it to them, no problem. I don’t see where asking the customer to at least take a look at the iPhone X is out of line or evil in some way.
Come on. Apple can’t say. “We want each and everyone of you to mortgage your house and buy iPhone X” but they can say. “We won’t upsell you on the amazing and beautiful iPhone X, how about this iPhone 8 (right next to the iPhone X)
So far I've never experienced any pressure sell or an up-sell in an Apple Store and I don't expect to. With Apple's high prices I expect honest help from staff. The fact that she has to say this worries me a little but probably needs to be said.
You have never experienced upsell at an Apple Store.
The head of Apple Retail says, “We won’t upsell you at an Apple Store”.
And you think the time time to start worrying about up selling is … now?
They still need places for the kids to charge their phones, instead of using the chargers on the display desks.
"If it's someone who's leaning into something else, what do they need?"
Can someone translate this into normal English?
It’s OK she has form:
“In the wholesale channel, Burberry exited doors not aligned with brand status and invested in presentation through both enhanced assortments and dedicated, customised real estate in key doors.”
I have never been upsold anything in an Apple Store. I know what I want, I go in, they get it for me. End of story. When I worked there years ago I was trained only to assist people getting what they need or want, and to answer all questions. Was never told to suggest a higher priced option for its own sake, only to fulfill a stated need of requirement. Apple Store shopping is the antithesis of High pressure sales.
Neither have I, but I also walk in knowing exactly what I want. Your inside knowledge as a store rep is more telling, but I wonder if that was before Ahrendts started or if things have changed. Her saying anything makes me wonder if supplies are so constrained (and/or profit per unit and/or profit margins) that they won't even be advertising it demo models this calendar year.
It has never changed. Retail policy and training remains exactly the same now.
"If it's someone who's leaning into something else, what do they need?"
Can someone translate this into normal English?
Customer: I'm interested in buying an iPhone. Apple salesperson: Who are you buying the iPhone for? Customer: I'm buying it for someone who's leaning into something else. Apple salesperson: [slight pause as they remember AA's guidance] What do they need?
Funny how distortion and spin can make a simple comment mean something else!
As a long time systems analyst and software designer, "What do you need/want?" was always the primary question. Otherwise, the client could end up spending money on, what was to them, a worthless product. I wouldn't do that because ultimately it left a customer who was dissatisfied with their product.
A big part of an analysts job (and that includes an Apple sales rep), is figuring out what the customer needs and wants -- and even sometimes helping the customer figure out what they need and want. Other, lesser companies are only interested in selling a product. Selling products that make people's lives better is what sets Apple apart from the mediocre.
What does Ahrendts statement even mean? When I worked in retail music sales (in the 1970s) we always had a cheap piano or organ on sale to get people in the store. We would always try to up sell to a better model by pointing out the differences in features and quality. And if the customer stuck with the sale model ,well then, we sold it to them, no problem. I don’t see where asking the customer to at least take a look at the iPhone X is out of line or evil in some way.
Appealing to emotion and impulse is a main tool of salespeople only interested in making a sale -- especially those who don't have to worry about repeat business. It's not illegal, but that doesn't make it ethical.
Apple has always focused on selling products that make people's lives better rather than just selling product.
“If they are 6 or 7 years old”. Am l the only one to be shocked by this comment? Are there really that many adults buying the latest iPhone for a 6 year old? Do any kids of that age need a phone, let alone a smart phone?
It was odd to me, too. Odd enough that I re-read to see if she meant that they're replacing an iPhone that's 6 or 7 years old, but that also sounds odd, and seems less likely.
Not odd at all: Kids always want the best -- they don't understand value like adults who had to work for the money. Some parents also "just want the best" for their kid. Pride and vanity too often rule...
I have never been upsold anything in an Apple Store. I know what I want, I go in, they get it for me. End of story. When I worked there years ago I was trained only to assist people getting what they need or want, and to answer all questions. Was never told to suggest a higher priced option for its own sake, only to fulfill a stated need or requirement. Apple Store shopping is the antithesis of High pressure sales.
It is part of the reason for their on going success.
Comments
“Oh, how thoughtful.
/s
Apple let us buy what we want! The only reason you made the 8 was to upsell the X and trick us! Apple is creating a false supply constraint to make us buy more!”
It was only 2016 that the iPhone 6s series' was still selling with a starting capacity was 16GB, which hadn't moved since 2012, and the highest-tier capacity was 64GB up until the end of the iPhone 5s' cycle in Sept 2014. Yet, Apple can't seem to win with forum commenters, at least the one that tend to say things like "Apple is making me buy yada yada."
I think this this interview is just mean to reassure people that it will be business as usual during this uncharacteristic iPhone cycle.
What happened to 128gb?
My current phone is maxed out at 64gb, I need 128gb.
Nice try on the upsell, but sorry,? That price is
just to rich for me now. I’m tapping the mat.
Damn you Apple, I’ll just delete more stuff, make do and skip all your new phones.
The head of Apple Retail says, “We won’t upsell you at an Apple Store”.
And you think the time time to start worrying about up selling is … now?
They still need places for the kids to charge their phones, instead of using the chargers on the display desks.
“In the wholesale channel, Burberry exited doors not aligned with brand status and invested in presentation through both enhanced assortments and dedicated, customised real estate in key doors.”
As a long time systems analyst and software designer, "What do you need/want?" was always the primary question. Otherwise, the client could end up spending money on, what was to them, a worthless product. I wouldn't do that because ultimately it left a customer who was dissatisfied with their product.
A big part of an analysts job (and that includes an Apple sales rep), is figuring out what the customer needs and wants -- and even sometimes helping the customer figure out what they need and want. Other, lesser companies are only interested in selling a product. Selling products that make people's lives better is what sets Apple apart from the mediocre.
Apple has always focused on selling products that make people's lives better rather than just selling product.