Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, Apple, Stocking Stuffers
Express Shopping at the Apple Store
The Apple Store gets it right again! I just happened to be in my local branch last evening picking up a Wireless Mighty Mouse (contrary to what my loved ones might tell you, I do not live in an Apple Store), and I saw something pretty neat. They have a ton of Apple goodies stocked up for quick sale. There are two stations in the middle of the store with friendly Apple Store employees ready to check you out (credit card only) with hand-held card readers. They swipe your card, give you your box, and email you the receipt--Cool!
I've continually been impressed by the Apple Store experience. For instance, tonight when I was getting the Mighty Mouse the chipper cashier inquired as to what Mac I had. I figured she was just doing the corporate "smile at the customer" thing. Later, however, I realized what she was really doing was making sure I was not buying the Wireless Mighty Mouse to work with a Mac without Bluetooth. In other words, she didn't patronize the customer ("let me make sure you know what you're doing in buying that"), rather she just seemed friendly and yet was also making sure I wasn't going to be unhappy when I got home. As I said, Apple is really doing this retail thing right. So if you're in need of a last minute Apple gift (hi mom!) and you need to get out fast, the Apple Store has got you covered. (Sorry for the crummy camera phone shot, this is the guy at the opposite station from the one that checked me out).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
A Loved One said 2:16AM on 12-19-2006
He really does live in the Apple store.
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Heiko said 8:23AM on 12-19-2006
I was at Apple's Regent Street store in London yesterday and my initial thought about the two Express Shopping tables (1 for iPods, 1 for computers) was 'cool' - until I wanted to pay for the Shuffle - because they didn't take ordinary credit cards (Visa). You have to have a certain (british) bank card with a chip inside ... or you can go right to the long queue. A good idea ruined by bad execution. Instead of waiting in one line I had to wait in two. (Don't think Express Shopping in London is ever going to be 'express')
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Alex said 8:17AM on 12-19-2006
I was in the apple store Southlake, TX last night. Great store.
Every single employee on the floor (not the one's already at the register station or behind the bars) had one of the quick swiper checkout things. Best retail experience I can remember. I went in, played with some things, used the on screen "ask for assistance," button and within 10 minutes left the store with my new macbook, applecare, and a free printer.
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leonard Nimrod said 8:22AM on 12-19-2006
They are giving away free printers? That is so Dell!
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Neil Christie said 8:22AM on 12-19-2006
Congratulations - you just bought yourself one of the most overpriced and worst mice on the market.
You must feel so proud.
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jar240 said 9:04AM on 12-19-2006
90% of the reason you had a good experience is because you were expecting to.
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Frankie said 9:27AM on 12-19-2006
Heiko: The special card which you talk about is mandatory in the UK and uses Chip and PIN: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_and_pin so all UK residents can use the express queues in Regent St. This will probably be standard accross most of the world instead of magnetic strips in 10 years so get used to it.
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kerry said 9:39AM on 12-19-2006
I went to my local Apple store a few months back to get a AppleCare for my iPod. I walked in the store, a small mall-based one that's always been really friendly and really helpful, and a sales associate greeted me, asked me what I want, went and got it and rang me up right there in the middle of the floor. I was in and out in under 5 minutes and sort of baffled by the experience. It's surprising that a store, even an Apple store, would give customers the ability to go in and purchase exactly what they need without any real temptation to browse.
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Jay said 9:43AM on 12-19-2006
I experienced this last night as well. It's funny to see the sales clerk hide the fact that the hand-held device is running Windows. I was going to mention something but it was too hectic in the SOHO store. The line was up the stairs.
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nate said 9:44AM on 12-19-2006
i had a similar experience last week. i was just picking up a mini-DVI to DVI adapter and the lady on the side was like are you done? yes'm. let me check you out right here. man, it was awesome.
this got me thinking...wireless checkout boxes...could they check me out anywhere in the store that i wanted? like if i wanted to get checked out in the fetal position in the corner, could they do that? not that i would do that...but, there is a Dell station outside of the Apple store which i would be inclined to check out right beside. ah the wonders of modern technology.
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Dave said 9:46AM on 12-19-2006
I want a job at an apple store very bad. I will probably have to work my way up starting as a lowly cashier but thats alright. I have too many bills to start just yet. I'm getting paid pretty good at my current job.
Its kinda of ironic...Apple is keeping me from working at Apple!!! One of my larger bills is all Apple stuff!! hahahaha!! oh lord.
BTW I have a Mighty mouse and I love it. I agree it is pricey. But it works like a charm!
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E.T.Cook said 10:07AM on 12-19-2006
Yes, I love the Apple store. Whenever I bring my MBP in to the store to get fixed (quite often), I have to wade through the bullshit and indoctrination from the Apple apologists. Yes, a fantastic experience indeed.
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emor8t said 11:04AM on 12-19-2006
Are you serious? EVERY other retail outlet has been doing this for YEARS!
Apple isn't THAT innovative, get over it.
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Stiv said 11:16AM on 12-19-2006
Feh! I've had nothing but consistently poor customer service at the Apple Store Barton Creek in Austin, such as the cashier leaving the register during checkout just so he could change a song playing on one of the iMacs (he'd heard it too many times already, he said). The staff members stand around chatting with each other and act put out if you ask for help. I've never once left there feeling appreciated as a customer.
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Ed said 1:49PM on 12-19-2006
emor8t: If every other retail outlet has been doing this for years - how come nobody else has noticed it? I've never seen it done anywhere.
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Mark D. said 2:07PM on 12-19-2006
I was just at the Legacy Village Apple store in Ohio twice recently. The most recent time was with my brother to buy a MBP; I was surprised to see them doing this type of center floor sales for their actual computers, until now I'd only seen this setup for the iPods and other small items. It made for a quick trip, and when I bought some software as a gift the actual check-out lines were near empty thanks to the holiday sales setup.
E.T.Cook:
Must be your local store then, since I've gone to two different stores for repairs and spent no more than 15 minutes tops and had friendly service (heck, one of the genius bar guys even discussed the good ol' cpu whine with me when he was prepping it for a repair visit.)
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kerry said 2:27PM on 12-19-2006
emor8t -
What stores have you been shopping at that have handheld checkout systems? I've never been to one, and I shop *a lot*. Sure would be nice if other stores had them, but I actually have a hard time thinking of which stores this system would work in. Where are you shopping that has the remote checkout, so that I may go there, too?
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Paul said 2:57PM on 12-19-2006
For those of you that have issues with Apple stores (i.e. bad service, etc...) that doesn't mean that ALL of their stores are bad.
Just like fast food. Some locations are better than others.
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E.T.Cook said 4:24PM on 12-19-2006
Mark D.
I have felt that way regarding the Apple community at large, and every Apple store I have ventured into thus far. There is a level of pretense and arrogance rarely matched in other environments.
I have used this example prior, but when I inquired if there was anything I could do to mitigate some of the heat issues with my MBP, the genius scoffed at me, told me I was ridiculous for wanting to use it anywhere except on a desk as a desktop replacement, and that the reason it was so hot was because there was "so much power" running through the system, much more then PCs supposedly.
It is this kind of disingenuous asininity that induces vomiting every time I step into an Apple store. The support infrastructure that Apple has is terrible, all across the board. I cringe every time I have to interact with Apple or their staff.
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gozer said 3:52PM on 12-05-2007
why mr.cook, i find that hard to fathom as you seem such a pleasant and calm individual.
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