OK, since you've visited stores some days and never seen it, clearly it doesn't happen. I have never visited an Apple store that is closed, so they must be open 24/7/365. Since I've never seen one closed, they must never close.
I visited an Apple store with a beyond-warranty issue and full expectation of having to pay a LOT to deal with it. It was 100% clear to me that Apple did not have to do ANYTHING about my problem. However, the manager learned about the situation and chose to address it anyway. I was so impressed- shocked actually- with the service that I felt compulsion to pay something. I actually pulled the wallet out wanting to pay, fully expecting to pay. Nope. No charge. It impressed me to no end. If I could have tipped for service beyond expectations that day, I would have tipped and still felt just as good about the whole situation.
I 100% do not believe this is about tipping on simple purchase transactions. I doubt any shopper EVER feels any compulsion to PAY MORE than ask for anything Apple sells. Well, there's 5 or 10 guys around here that probably would LOVE that.
I suspect this is about
SERVICE, which is a whole other thing that happens at Apple stores, delivered by
Apple employees. Sometimes, that service is above and beyond. Sometimes it is data saving. Sometimes it can seem towards "miracle worker." And I have ZERO doubt that sometimes
SOME people getting such "did I lose everything?" worry relief and/or service that seems beyond expectations are motivated to want to tip the person who helped them.
When I was in college I worked for an electronics retailer. I was new and did not know that a certain printer could not work with a Mac (no drivers for Mac) and I sold both to a customer. Customer had to find out that there was no way to make that printer work with that Mac after they got home. When I learned that I had made that mistake in pushing them together, I proactively "fixed" the problem with a phone call-refund & replacement sale and then I did an unusual thing: delivered the printer to their home and hooked it up for the customer. There was NO obligation to do that. It was before retail delivery is as common as it is now.
That customer was massively impressed with the "house call"/"tech support"/"total solution" and wanted to give me cash for going above and beyond. I couldn't accept (company policy) but there was also no policy to go above and beyond, deliver, setup and confirm that it was all working together. I was not paid extra for the time spent there getting that setup either. It was simply me trying to make up for my own mistake on my own time, on my own dime, etc.
I didn't demand a tip, expect one, hint for one, etc. but that customer was so impressed they simply wanted to tip... as I do myself when someone goes out of their way in service to me.
I have a relative who works in a hospital and medical staff there are often offered tips for excellent patient care, family accommodations, etc. Ever think of medial people in the tipping business? Neither had I. But there it was,
regularly, also revolving around potential tippers wanting to reward those offering service above and beyond.
People go a little out of their way for me, come to my aid on their own, chip in some help when needed, etc, I generally wish to reward their good deed. I don't feel that is wrong or that they aren't deserving for helping me out. Again, my pizza delivery guy tonight is paid a salary by the big, national brand for which he works. I tipped him for timely delivery of hot pizza. Battery died in the car and some stranger offered to give me a jump so I could get it going. I wanted to tip them too. I can appreciate service and sometimes it is so good I want to pay them something more than whatever their employer pays them.