Apple Store shopping experience in 2023

[grammatica]

The Apple Store shopping experience needs to be significantly improved.

I waited 40 minutes to trade in my old device. It also seems to be impossible to find an employee to help you complete a transaction. I also wanted to purchase a screen protector and couldn't get a Specialist to help. Additionally, even in-store pickup (those without appointment windows, at least) takes long. I have two Apple Store locations with five miles of each other, so I doubt it has something to do with accessibility.

What's going on here? From now on, I will most likely only shop online for delivery or in-store pickup. Self-checkout is nice, but still feels a little awkward when walking out LOL.

Also, could we get a thread specifically for Apple Store? (You know, Apple's "largest product.")

 

[Cotypubby]

I didn’t wait at all when I traded in my phone at my local Apple Store. Walked right up to the employee at the front and told him what I wanted and was immediately sent to someone who helped me. Was very quick.

🤷‍♂️

 

[thecautioners]

I’ve only had good experiences. On the 15 release day I had to go pick up my replacement wallet. There were 2 huge lines outside. The employee who was outside ushered me in right away and sent me to the back of the store where I took a seat and planned to wait a considerable amount of time. Within 2 minutes someone had the new wallet out for me, I was shocked because they were absolutely packed and I fully expected to be waiting a hot minute.

I did order pickup for my ipad earlier this year and it was a fast in and out also. Maybe I’m just lucky.

 

[dmccombs]

The Apple Store shopping experience needs to be significantly improved.

I waited 40 minutes to trade in my old device. It also seems to be impossible to find an employee to help you complete a transaction. I also wanted to purchase a screen protector and couldn't get a Specialist to help. Additionally, even in-store pickup (those without appointment windows, at least) takes long. I have two Apple Store locations with five miles of each other, so I doubt it has something to do with accessibility.

What's going on here? From now on, I will most likely only shop online for delivery or in-store pickup. Self-checkout is nice, but still feels a little awkward when walking out LOL.

Also, could we get a thread specifically for Apple Store? (You know, Apple's "largest product.")

I agree. I swear Apple, in some other language, must mean "Stand In Line - Long Time..."

A while back I had a Macbook Pro with a hardware issue. It took me 2 weeks of going online, everyday, just to book a Genius appt to drop off the Macbook. The appt was for a week after I booked it, so it took 3 weeks just to drop off the Macbook for repair. They didn't actually fix the Macbook then. I had to leave it for a week.

In all it took 3 weeks just to get the Macbook into Apple's hands, then another week to get the repair done.

More recently, a month before this year's launch, I went into the store just to look at the Apple Watch Metal link bands. They keep these in a case, and are not sitting out where you can check them out. It took 20 minutes, just to have an employee come over to the watch table and pull the 2 bands out of the drawer.

I agree with the OP, that they need to revise many parts of their in store experience. Apple shouldn't mean WAIT IN LINE- LONG TIME... I actually go to Best Buy for Apple products, when they have what I need in stock. You just go in, see what you want, pick it up and walk to the register. You don't need to stand in line just to get in the door and then be directed to another employee, to buy something.

 

[JoeG4]

Yea, my experience has been similar with apple stores and picking up online orders. Takes a good 10-20 minutes.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Walked in the day after launch with no appointment and walked out with a Blue Ti 15PM in around 30min. Came back in a week to trade-in my iPhone X towards the purchase of the 15PM again without an appointment, was immediately helped when I walked through the door and had the trade-in completely in about 20min. Guess it all depends on the particular store you're dealing with..

 

[Zensō]

It’s hit or miss at my local Apple Store, similar to the good and bad experiences described above. I don’t know if it’s time of day, day of week, staffing, or something else that causes this inconsistency. After one too many long waits, for the most part, now I just have any item over $100 delivered to my house same day.

 

[Synomenon]

Different experience here, but I guess when you have four Apple Stores in your city the experience would be different.

 

[JonMPLS]

It takes a while for launch excitement to die down. Typically I can get quick service.

 

[hr10]

Similar experience at my local Apple Store, picking up something and they can only assign that one person to help me and that only person is helping 2-3 customers at the same time. At the same time I always see some staff standing around and chatting