Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia? - Gizmodo Comments

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

spaceman37 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 14:36:59 EST

I don't live in NYC anymore, but whenever I'm down there I always make sure I go to the fifth ave. store. And now on my next visit I'll have to check out the new one downtown!

B&H is the other store where I always have to go if I'm in town. Have to go there without the wallet though.

spaceman37

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

KRG1114 — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:27:26 EST

Owwww...

Today I got to visit this NYC store for the first time ever...and see those metal things sticking out of the ground around the store? I face-planted into the ground on my way out after tripping over one. LOL - I'm such a geek/dumbass/loser

It was seriously amazing inside though. My only issue was that about 3 of the ipods I went to play with were broken. You'd think they'd be taken down/replaced considering I got to the store an hour after it opened...

KRG1114

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

GumbyJump — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:31:02 EST

You all really need to clear that sand out of your vagina! Get over it already!!

GumbyJump

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Kered — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:03:58 EST

Apple stores are pretty dumb. Apple sells like, what, five computers and five iPods? Do they really need stores at all?

Kered

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

discounteggroll — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:01:02 EST

I used to be a Mac specialist, but due to NDA and the other chapters of paperwork I filled out, I am reluctant to go beyond that. I will say that for a retail job however, it was more fun and relaxing than any other "retail/mall" job

discounteggroll

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Clammy42 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:05:24 EST

It's all shiny and pretty so you don't notice/feel the deep penetration of your ass as they rape you with ridiculous prices and fees of cool (I AM admitting they are cool and nice) products that you pay a premium for and that everyone blindly goes crazy for every time a new color comes out.

Clammy42

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

t3mur — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:00:12 EST

Its all very true, my iphone was sorta acting wierd, They replaced in infront of me in 2 mins.

Then my macbook started up slow, they did the same. And did it with a smile. I don't know if they're getting paid alot or they are jut in love with the co.

Its very true, apple is revolutionary in retail as well. Costumer satisfaction is BACK bitches!

t3mur

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Jeepin — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:21:45 EST

Is a lack of architecture suppose to be interesting? I thought it was just so you couldn't focus on anything but their product. :/
As for attitude of clerks; I had an anti-preppy clothes phase, and every time I went in there I was ignored(not so most other stores, though the Bose people were a little brief) the entire time I was there until I produced my credit card. A few months ago I started wearing Abercrombie all the time cause I got a job there and all the sudden when I come into the Apple store it's like I'm their long lost friend. I understand that you have to cater to people who have money, or at least like to look like they have money.. but you could be less obvious about it, and less dismissive of the folks who don't look like your jackpot for the week.

P.S. I went to the Bose store last week for a new pair of headphones and even with my Abercrombie on they were still brief. :/

P.P.S @LEICAMAN: "Apple Store is a Lie" is a funny reference to a video game called Portal. That you can't play on OS:X.

Jeepin

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Syndication — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:17:56 EST

@j4sk868:

Yes, I can safely say I know more than someone at the genius bar. People who work at the genius bar don't know shit and tend to blame the problem on you when something goes wrong even if you point to a thread on the Apple message board where everyone else is bitching about some specific problem.

Your employability in the real world if you work at a genius bar and only know osx = 10%

It's true too if you've ever browsed the job postings for an IT position, most require

"Active Directory Experience"
"Windows Server 2003"
"Exchange"
"Microsoft SQL"
"Access DB Exp"

No one ever made any money writing applescript folks......, tell the geniuses to get their CCNA and actually provide real implementations to real problems, then we can say the geniuses know more than everyone.

Apple geniuses are no more smarter than the tech's who work for Unisys, but at least the tech's at unisys can take apart dell, gateway, and hp machines. Apple geniuses? (What they take apart 5 machines or tell you the logic board isn't in stock?)

Syndication

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

kaleberg — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:15:03 EST

Our nearest Apple store is about 3.8 parsecs from here, but whenever I am near an Apple store I make a point of dropping in. If nothing else, you can actually touch the product, and that means you can see how it works. You can feel the keyboard, interact with the software and look at the screen. With a little help from one of the sales people, you can even try out doing things like editing a movie or setting up a web page. You can't do this online, and you can't do this at most computer stores. Sure, I can shop for pants online, but most clothing stores have fitting rooms.

If Apple is selling $4,000 per square foot as noted in the NYTimes article, then they can afford to rent anywhere they want. That is an amazing number. A 10,000 sf store would be clearing $40M per year. That can pay for a lot of rent and employees.

Another good reason for stopping by is that Apple stores have clean bathrooms which are a rarity in NYC.

kaleberg

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

dvda — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 13:13:45 EST

@leicaman. "most well-thought-out retail chain in history" What a twisted sense of reality you must have. Wouldn't that be Walmart. Like them or hate them the setup between the stores, corporate, and manufacturers is pretty impressive. When someone says well thought out retailer...apple store doesn't even cross my mind.
Layoff Dave on the Tiffany's. Yes its a ripoff we all know its a ripoff...you are paying for a name. But there are some things you have to do to please your significant other...even if it means getting bent over on price. All brick and mortor jewelers are a rip anyway. Blue nile FTW.

I've been to the apple store in tysons...can't say I was "enchanted"...its a store. Its always crowded though...but not with customers...its generally teenagers and hispanic families coming in to check email and surf the net.

dvda

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

SeraSera — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:38:58 EST

At the Pentagon City mall, there's an Apple Store and a Sony outlet right next to each other. Going in to look at itty-bitty colorful Vaios is a great detox to the white-out high that is my PC user's trip to the Mac store.

That said, I love Mac stores. Whether I'm in CO or DC, the closest one is half an hour away, so going in to the Genius Bar for an iPod is much faster than shipping it in.

SeraSera

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

leicaman — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:03:12 EST

Apple stores are like a rorschach test. It tells more about the customer by their experience than it does about the store.

1: Apple store is a lie? LOL. What a twisted sense of reality you bozos have.

2: You know more than Apple geniuses? In your own mind.

3: They are not the best? They're not AIMED at übergeeks such as many of the readers here. Thus they don't cater to you and your preference for spiderweb covered back corners of basement shops with poor lighting that have 586 versions of the latest graphics card - from different manufacturers who brand their products but offer no added value.

Face it, the Apple store is for those who don't know what they need or want, or as a quick way to get what someone wants who knows what they're doing. And Apple provides those kinds of people with exactly what they need. They can use computers to do things. See how the work. The numbers add up if you care to actually understand and not just throw dirt clods as the passersby.

Oh, and for you, Dave Barns, going to Tiffany to buy anything is a waste of time and money. Tiffany products are the ultimate example of overpriced, inferior goods. Just check the recent review of large jewelry stores in the trade publications. Tiffany has some of the worst customer service, and the prices they charge for equivalent goods (say a 1 carat VVS diamond, g color) is vastly more money for a given level of quality. Talk about marketing inferior goods. You pay more than the difference in price from more honest retail operations to get that stupid little blue box.

The equivalent can not be said about Apple. They actually make quality stuff that costs little or no more for comparable computers from other manufacturers. And the numbers show. Half of all Macs sold at the Apple retail stores is to people who never used or owned a Mac before.

You don't have to be a true believer to see that Apple did their homework and came out with the most well-thought-out retail chain in history. They have grown faster than any other retail store in history, and make more money per square foot than even the price-gouger Tiffany. And their products cost VASTLY more per square inch than Apple's products. Let alone per square foot.

Of course, as Benjamin Disraeli once quoted an unknown source (Mark Twain did not say this): "There are lies, there are damnable lies, and there are statistics."

leicaman

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

j4sk868 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:58:30 EST

I hate the smug people that work there. some are cool but most arnt.

j4sk868

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

beneditor — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:52:37 EST

My 'local' is the Regent's Street London 'flagship' store. As a long time Apple user, and owner of 4 Macs, I HATE the experience. You can't get near any of the computers as the store is constantly full of foreign exchange students and backpackers checking emails and surfing the web. Presumably they allow this so the store looks busy. Unfortunately none of these loafers actually buy anything.

beneditor

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

workingonyourinvoice — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:28:31 EST

@wymea: The last meeting I attended we did 34% over the same quarter, previous year (most retail stores are extremely lucky to hit 5%) in revenue.
I sold $160,000 my first 3 months there. We sold $270,000 worth of iPhones in the first 6 hours.
I was drinking the kool aid and loving it.
A lot of time, though, the employees are underpaid, overworked, and the expectations are generally unrealistic. That's why they're usually just standing around talking. It's retail done right, but it's still retail.

workingonyourinvoice

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

cgiddings — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:22:46 EST

We have three stores in Ohio and only one in Cincinnati (the others being in Columbus and Cleveland. It's a good spread.

While none of our stores are "flagship" per se' they are yet in high traffic high profile malls, as would be typical of all AppleStore locations.

I agree that the stores are a bit of a utopia. Apple has developed one of the few stores that are uncluttered and don't seem to pressure you with the very existence of so much product crammed into one space.

Having worked at the Cincinnati location nearly five years (since it opened in Nov 01 until Jun 05), I can attest it's largely the way it has been described.

Enjoy it! :-)

cgiddings

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

wymea — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:01:16 EST

I've never seen actual profitability numbers for Apple stores. Apple is very selective about breaking out numbers like this, and it makes me suspicious. This article has some statistics and apparently sales are growing nicely, but one assumes the capital cost and rents for these stores are pretty high, not to mention the cost of staffing it with just the right kind of semi-cool kids.

Has anyone seen profit/loss numbers for Apple stores? Of course their marketing value pays back in other ways than sales through the stores, but if they aren't turning a profit it'd be interesting to know how high this marketing expense is.

wymea

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Fuzi Lojak — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:19:14 EST

I've been to the stores in Miami and Jacksonville and both feel like pretentious internet bars full of over priced products. I bought an iPod Touch a few months ago and the customer service was on the level of a convenience store. I think it was the final straw on sticking with Apple products. I'll be building my first PC next week and I don't see me going back to Apple for anything once my iPod Touch's battery dies in a year or so.

My name is Fuzi Lojak, and I'm a switcher...to the darkside!

Fuzi Lojak

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Cleverboy — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:34:27 EST

@DRVec
That's a very true experience... but I also still do it. It's a very very nice store. It DOES make you automatically feel like there is more to it. It's *extremely* great when there is a product you want to get but haven't yet OR if Apple just released something and you want to try it out. Otherwise, every visit is an anti-climax as you realize you don't need to be there. The presentation is impeccable though.

Cleverboy

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

vladicabg — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:11:05 EST

I totally agree with ENDLESS. I see a whole mac fan thing as a cult and apple store as their shrine/temple call it whatever.
I made a mistake and got an apple that I returned after 3 days because it turned to be a lemon. It just kept on crashing. In that 3 days I bought a dvi-s-video adapter in the apple store that I went to return.
The guy at the register was some overweight geeky dude, with a radical islam type of beard with no mustache (I see that look often, what's up with that?). You could see on his face he was full of himself because he works in apple store and wears a red apple t-shirt. I told him I am returning the adapter and the guy was shocked, that I am returning something. I started laughing, what people do not return things in this store. He than tried to bullshit me how that is not returnable but I saw on the receipt the return date so I pointed him to that and he gave me the money back.

vladicabg

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

novacthall — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:54:18 EST

I dislike Apple Stores. They're generally crowded, filled to the brim with either teenagers or people who want to be teenagers. The "Genius Bar" is typical of what I've come to expect of Apple celebrity mentality over the years: smug, closed-minded, and cluelessly chic. On the plus side, they're infinitely more useful than the "Gateway Country" stores of the past. Good God those things sucked.

It's worth pointing out that I'm largely anti-consumerist, though, so that that for what it's worth. It's also worth pointing out that while I have owned my share of electronics with partially eaten fruit on them, my world is entirely Apple-free today. For that I am thankful.

novacthall

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

strider_mt2k — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:27:10 EST

More of a fruitopia, to quote Stephen Hawking.

strider_mt2k

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

rukasu — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:00:28 EST

The design of the NoVA stores (particularly Clarendona and Pentagon City) are nothing special, and in fact are showing a lot of wear and tear. But I've never had a problem, and the Genius Bar really helped me with a in factory coding error that made my MBP shit the bed when I installed Leopard, so no complaints here.

rukasu

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

enine — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 07:25:14 EST

We have an Apple store here. I took my MIL's iPod there (first mistake was buying her an iPod instead of something decent but she's into fads)early one sat morning to beat the lines then found out you have to make an appointment so we made an appointment for later in the day and now the store was very crowded so they were 30 minutes late with our appointment then some guy sat his laptop bag on the stool that I was about to sit on. We tried to let my 18 month olf play some of the games they had running and three of the systems crashed. Then the "Genius" at the service counter told us there was nothing wrong with the iPod and my MIL needed to call tech support so I had to keep explaining that tech support old her to take it to an Apple store and he finally replaced it.
Apple has the "our products are perfect therefore the problem must be with the user" attitude and it shows.

enine

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Joseph — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 06:19:57 EST

@FThorn: So what you're saying is you want a Dell Kiosk?

Joseph

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

FThorn — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:24:37 EST

I want an Apple Store in a middle-class, normal area. I walk in and they are staffed by liberal arts students, and shopped by teens of rich parents who just want to substitute toys for parenting.

FThorn

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Ion_Predator — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:05:45 EST

Relentlessly smiling employees?

Do people really see that? All I ever see are people who will lose their jobs if they refuse to acquiesce to the demands of some manipulative, yet shrewd businessman.

It's more of a negative utopia than a positive one.

Ion_Predator

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

radikaled — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:29:55 EST

@sumocat: One nice thing if it's a little hairy in the store and your paying for your purchase by credit card; Apple store employees with WINDOWS CE PDAs are more than happy to take payment for you!

radikaled

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

devperson — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:29:29 EST

"Pleasantville"? I was thinking more along the lines of "Pretentiousville" ...

devperson

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Jitty — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:14:45 EST

WTF, I recently went to that store (recently went to Manhattan). It was far from a utopia, a better description would be a crowded mess. Yes the products were nicely arranged and people eventually got a turn to try them. But it was very crowed and loud. Maybe Times likes that sort of environment.. Maybe it was just that day but I asked my friend if it was always like this and he said yes...

Jitty

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Cohort — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:57:49 EST

always seemed like it had no backing to me.
cash gets pumped in and even more dollars are handed over while johnny, steve and becky are having a good dream.

..

that said, .. most apple employees i've had interaction with have been diligent, intelligent, kind, and .. 'Professional' ..
so the stores at least stand for something.

Cohort

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

JonnyO — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:27:01 EST

Apple is like a luxury car- you don't need it, you want it. And it does it's thing better than its plebeian competition. And just like a luxury car, part of the allure is the presentation. It's also nice to know that I can pick up anything they sell without having to wonder if there's a Mac version out there.

Like it or hate it, you can't deny that the approach is working wonders for Steve & Co.

JonnyO

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

diamondk21 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:25:51 EST

Is it just me, or are the Sony Style Stores one million times cooler than an apple store?

diamondk21

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Darkest Daze — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:20:40 EST

Just looking at the Apple store makes me uneasy. They always have this sterile, white glow about them that makes me feel like they will be giving me a frontal lobotomy to "fit in".

Darkest Daze

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

hnayl66 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:04:58 EST

To quote the Simpsons"This place has a creepy Manson family vibe to it."

hnayl66

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

MrBlahBlah — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:01:38 EST

@barrygeorge001:

this issue plagues gadget fans and IT savvy individuals regardless of venue

MrBlahBlah

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

dna — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:00:28 EST

Nothing special in an APPLE store, just APPLE products and friendly people to sell them to you. What's the big deal?

dna

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

CGrant — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:50:15 EST

Well I wouldn't go so far as to say that Apple stores have amazing architecture. However the interior design is appealing even though its minimalist. The atmosphere isn't bad, its somewhat calming. Oddly even when the store is crowded and busy, the sale people are calm and nice. The only thing lame is the whole no cash payment on iPhones.

CGrant

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

KAb00m — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:45:27 EST

A microsoft store would have xbox360s ,zunes , Tvs showing media center extenders. A and about 30 differnt desktops and every version of vista. While an apple has only about 8 differnt computters (really 5).

KAb00m

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

tardislad — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:43:36 EST

If you must call it that, sure I'll be the fist "Cultist" to step up. I love Apple Stores. The Design, much like their Computers, are crafted to please certain sensibilities. I am sorry that I am a man-child and I can't understand how a "Real" computer works. I am however not sorry that I have very rarely had a less than fabulous experience. So YES, I think the figures are realistic. Nothing is perfect. I think peoples perception of what any store should be is tainted by thing like megamarts and fastfood. People seem to want clerks and sales people to kiss their asses and process their outrageous demands for pennies on the dollars. Whats up with that?

tardislad

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

NeoPoliticus — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:30:35 EST

What other store is there where there are lots of employees (you can't ever have enough, of course), who are both knowledgeable and enjoy what they do?

If you don't think they are good enough, why don't you think for a minute what a Microsoft store would be like?

NeoPoliticus

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

barrygeorge001 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:24:14 EST

im a mac fan and have had nothing but trouble with the "genius" bar. i know more than any of them and they just get more snotty when they realize that you know more than them. By the way, although Im a fan, I use a PC as my daily workhorse.

barrygeorge001

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

merlin.the — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:21:42 EST

I once went into an iStore and there was some cool music playing. I approached the Mac that had the music in it... and sent the mp3 to my phone.

Yeah, I robbed Apple store of one mp3. THAT is stealing music :D

(BTW. In Poland Apple Stores look quite similar, but there is a counter and a checkout line though)

merlin.the

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

lasertronic — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:20:33 EST

i went to the big flagship store in manhattan in midtown last week. it can only be described as my own personal concept of hell. there were lines to get in lines, though most of the employees were nice, the manager who had to fix something on my receipts was a psycho bitch. also every stereo or sample speaker was blaring a different song. most unpleasant retail experience ever.

lasertronic

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Mandatory_Field — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:10:54 EST

@image18301: :-)

Mandatory_Field

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

the_english_speaking_monkey — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 00:02:57 EST

@AznSmith: which is why it will ALWAYS be funny.

You want to be a smug asshole and tell me "OSX doesn't have problems like Windows does" (yes, a salestwit actually said that to me) while my XP system has been on for over two months without a reboot and I had to reboot my Mac Pro at least once a week... well, guess what, you're working late... besides they're paying you to do it so stop being pissed and enjoy your pay-and-a-half.

Personally I don't find the Apple stores to be much different than other stores. The stores themselves are nicer than most and the salespeople generally know macs... unfortunately the salespeople also live within the RDF and do kegstands on the koolaide. It's also been my experience that they become rather condescending if you tell them that you not only use PCs but that you build your own.

So if you're an Apple fanboy then I could see how you could consider an Apple store "retail utopia" for the rest of us it's slightly nicer than most other stores but nowhere near utopia.

the_english_speaking_monkey

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

jamesuschrist — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:52:21 EST

I've always wondered what would happen if I took my generic PC running OS X in and started asking questions about why the sound wasn't working properly.

I find myself going into the Apple Store at Jordan Creek in West Des Moines just to play with whatever is new, cool and Apple, but I never buy anything. Shows how much I go there if there's always something new... I think 95% of the traffic to those stores must be tire-kickers.

jamesuschrist

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

AqueousBeef — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:49:18 EST

@Super_Moose: lol

AqueousBeef

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

wheresmypaycheck — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:48:47 EST

i actully went in to the exact store today and i got to say, the nytimes article is kind of true. it was a line just waiting to get into a big basement ... all these tourists..

wheresmypaycheck

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Super_Moose — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:40:12 EST

I had a bunch of friends take me to a Apple store, so I brought along my Ubuntu laptop with an OS-X theme and messed with the MacExperts.

It took them awhile to notice the difference, in the meantime they were really upset at me.

Super_Moose

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

EnderVR46 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:36:50 EST

to, too, two. I wish I could edit.

EnderVR46

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

EnderVR46 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:35:40 EST

They remind me of being in a hospital. Lots of people aimlessly wandering about in a far to white, far to brightly lit fluorescent hell. Five minutes in and my eyes need a break.

The three or so that I've been to around Dallas are all the same. No interesting architecture, no event, just another store among many others.

If I need something from Apple, I use their website.

EnderVR46

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

endless — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:17:21 EST

Its more like a cult.

endless

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

AqueousBeef — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:16:41 EST

@Roflcopter_Down: asshole, its not funny anymore, just gives them more work to do

AqueousBeef

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Mr.Purple — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:15:55 EST

@Drvec:
YES!!!!

Mr.Purple

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

AqueousBeef — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:14:46 EST

Step 1: Stupid, rich, yuppie middle schoolers go to the store to take Photobooth pictures of themselves. Convinced that this is the best application ever, they decide it must be theirs.

Step 2: Middle schoolers beg their parents for a Mac for months

Step 3: Parents cave in to their children's demands and go to the store

Step 4: Parents go into the store to find that it is full of shiny objects and smiling people. They are floored by the welcoming atmosphere and amazed by all the futuristic gizmos and whatnot.

Step 5: The parents locate and begin to talk to a sales rep about buying the cheapest Macbook they have in stock. Sales rep convinces them to go one level higher and to buy a AppleCare plan along with a new iPod nano; but it doesn't stop there... How about one for each person in the family!

Step 6: Parents pay for everything and walk out of store, not knowing what just happened.

Step 7: Child loses interest in Photobooth now that he/she can have it whenever they want it.

AqueousBeef

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Paint Swatch — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:07:26 EST

The stores are cool, except I think they're a bit crowded and I have to drive about an hour and a half to get to one where I am in Southern California. "Relentlessly smiling employees," sounds scary! "Excuse me, but my MacBook fell off a balcony. Five stories up." The Apple employee stares vacantly at me.

Paint Swatch

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy! — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:05:06 EST

It's actually a very good place to shop if you intend to buy something instead of loiter and surf the web the entire visit, which is something people do very often in the Fifth Avenue store. I love that they have checkout people floating about with handheld gizmos to speed up your purchase.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

howdytex — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:56:15 EST

@Drvec: Yeah, very similar experience! Spot on! Except I don't check email.

howdytex

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

image18301 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:46:43 EST

@Mandatory_Field: just an observation guys, no need to get your backs up! or your feather ruffled! or.. well you get the idea

image18301

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

kaneshadow — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:43:55 EST

The stores are always one single open space, and all of the display areas are flat featureless tables or counters. After looking closely at the spread of products you realize they have 6 of the same thing lined up next to each other. Do they really anticipate that much browsing volume? That, plus calling their tech support the "Genius bar" is so condecending I want to drop a deuce on the rug.

Sorry for the flamey post but the cloud of Mac smugness is getting on my nerves lately

kaneshadow

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

guesty — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:31:21 EST

apple stores pull in almost half a million a day when they are running nicely (ie christmas) it's insane.

guesty

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

slingblade — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:29:55 EST

@Drvec: And I continue to do it.

I actually mosey on over to the Apple store whenever I'm bored. Play with the iPods that I already know inside out. Surf the web until one of the "Geniuses" comes and kicks me off to register some poor sucker into ponying up more money for unneeded junk.

Ahh. It's truly a life-changing store.

slingblade

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Mandatory_Field — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:28:27 EST

@vicsells: Me either. I keep wanting to buy _anything_ from Apple, just so I can be cool enough to ask Ellen Feist out on a date. Oops, I guess that just showed I'm not cool or stoned enough....

Mandatory_Field

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM! — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:26:23 EST

@image18301: rofl, so it seems

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM!

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Mandatory_Field — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:26:02 EST

@image18301: Yes, it's a dealbreaker. And you can also forget about getting a job as a barista _anywhere_, Mr. Bourgeois.

Mandatory_Field

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Monty — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:20:43 EST

I think the bright Zen look they use is excellent and fit perfectly with their products. I stop in an Apple store a couple times a year, and they are nice places. My only experience getting assistance there was a pleasure (they helped send my iPod away to be replaced because the hard drive died, and I was not charged anything but shipping).

Utopia? No, but it is still a nice store to visit occasionally and check out Steve's new toys.

Monty

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

image18301 — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:20:05 EST

The only thing I gotta ssk is: if you don't have piercings, can you still get a job at the Apple store or is that a deal-breaker?

image18301

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

aR-Tard — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:10:14 EST

Haven't been in an Apple store since the 1st Gen iPod came out (or was that Sharper Image?)

Don't miss it

aR-Tard

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

vicsells — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:03:09 EST

This may surprise some, but I have actually never been in an Apple Store before.

So tell me..what did I miss

vicsells

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

drewheyman — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:57:11 EST

i would say neimanns or saks have better service, lighting, and more to look at, but less to play with. best buy has more to play with, but worse service.

so i'd put apple stores in the middle somewhere.

drewheyman

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

lladnar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:56:53 EST

I kind of hate the apple store. Whenever I want to buy something help is nowhere to be found. Whenever I just want to check something out I'm constantly followed. Its also weird buying something for the first time since theres no checkout lines.

lladnar

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

CultofMac — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:55:43 EST

I actually like shopping for a computer because they help you find exactly what you need. And you can reserve someone for an hour to help you out...free. Usually when I walk into a store there are hardly any employees, and if there are all they want to do is sell me as much as possible. a Mac Specialist at the Apple Store told me I didn't need a MacBook Pro and it would be twice the price for something that's much more powerful than what I needed.
Apple's Retail is something fresh and new, and it's unstoppable.

CultofMac

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Drvec — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:55:32 EST

Has anyone else had this experience?

Step 1: Enter Apple store exitedly

Step 2: Glance around room at the only 10 or so products they sell, that you have drooled over many times before

Step 3: Try to find something else to justify your visit

Step 4: Check email

Step 5: Leave retail-utopia feeling slightly underwhelmed

Drvec

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

DJJS — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:51:35 EST

Meeh.. another Boring Apple Storie On Gizmodo.... ugh..

DJJS

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

dappaute — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:47:00 EST

the store is a lie!

dappaute

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM! — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:46:47 EST

Ah... nothing like jailbreaking the iPhones and iPod Touches in an apple store.

Roflcopter_Down: Wants you to follow HIM!

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

davebarnes — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:45:23 EST

"Is going into an Apple Store like entering some sort of Plesantville where everyone is happy and things are always perfect?"
NO!
I live 1.3 miles from the Apple Store in the Cherry Creek Mall.
I despise malls.
I won't enter a mall unless I have to buy a gift for my wife at Tiffany.
The Apple Store will not be pleasant for me until it departs the mall for Cherry Creek North.

davebarnes

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

sumocat — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:45:12 EST

No interesting architecture at the Apple Store in Tyson's Corner, VA (in the mall), but the layout and reps are great. Heck of a lot easier to get hands-on with the gear than at, well, anywhere else.

sumocat

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

Josh Lanphear — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:41:49 EST

I live in Michigan so no MAJOR Apple Stores here, although there is one about 45 minutes from me in the Briarwood Mall. It truly is an awesome place too. The service is decent, the lighting is perfect, and the vibe it gives off is truly enthralling. You can't help but walk in.

Josh Lanphear

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

metrosucks — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:40:40 EST

yeah, right.

They only smile when you over pay for accessories and other crap and they get to rape you for. The minute your macbook takes a crap and you take it to their "genius" bar, apple store staff are off like a prom dress and hide for cover. Or they just ignore you and say there are no appointments left to talk to a metro-fag genius.

Pass the cool-aid and apple sauce, I think another comet is coming. If anyone thinks an apple store is utopia they better go join heaven's gate.

It just like anything else, you make it nice and shiny and hoards of lemmings and impressionable, weak minded emo-idiots eat that shit up.

metrosucks

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

SnowLeopard — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:37:29 EST

I live in a remote city, so no Apple store for me, but I have always thought they looked really nice places, and I could easily see why their popularity is so high. If there was one where I lived, I would buy there as apposed to anywhere else.

SnowLeopard

Are Apple Stores a Retail Utopia?

bobide — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:35:40 EST

I hate it. All I see is a lie.

bobide