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How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

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Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#51

Post by burtonator »

One main reason the stores anger me is that they're actively disincentivezed to develop PWAs (progress web apps) or cross-platform technologies.

The App Store makes Apple billions.

By locking you down they get the ability to get a cut of your app.

If you could install a mobile app directly from the web, they're cut out of the loop.

They also can't use it as a system of control to block apps they dislike.

I agree that there are times where this might be valuable and that there are APIs that you might want to restrict but then have a fair policy about which apps you block and also have a way to get PWAs approved easily.

Also, it's VERY expensive to get your app there due to their use of Dunn and Bradstreet.

You either have to pay $1000 or you have to wait 1-3 months until your company is approved.

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#53

Post by dangwu »

sombremesa wrote: post #46

I went to buy a brand new laptop at the Apple Store, and despite knowing exactly what I wanted I had to wait for at least 20 minutes - when I walked in, I was told to wait until an associate was free (whereas in most stores I could just grab a product off the shelf and go check out), then I was ping-ponged around at least 2 other people (both of whom I had to wait for - 'just hang around this area and we'll send some…

What B&M store lets you freely grab a $2000+ laptop and bring it to checkout on your own?

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#54

Post by madeofpalk »

atonse wrote: post #4

My biggest complaint about the Apple Store is the long wait times when your computer breaks. You often have to wait for a few days to even get an appointment. But the award for the most asinine thing about the Apple Store is their insistence on not having a proper area to pay for things. So people just wander around wanting to buy something and not knowing where to pay for it. And they end up wasting a lot more time…

> You often have to wait for a few days to even get an appointment.

Here's the thing that got me - last year the laptop broke on my MacBook Pro. Very common and typical problem.

Whenever I tried to book an appointment there was literally no appointments in the entirety of London. It was actually impossible to book an appointment. I ended up just walking into a store on my Tuesday lunch break and they told me all their walk ins for the day have been taken up, and I should line up in the morning and wait for the store to open.

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#55

Post by phlyingpenguin »

davidy123 wrote: post #13
chadash wrote: post #8

I live near an Apple store and frequent it every few months when I need to fix a phone or laptop, or buy a dongle, etc. The store near me gets lots of foot traffic, but the experience is just fine. There are usually at least 2-3 employees who will come up and ask me how I'm doing and what they can help with. Given the size of the store, the number of employees is surprising actually. And it's as easy as ever to book…

Lenovo's onsite service is inexpensive and, in my experience, excellent. I've used it a few times over the years and it's involved minimal interaction with helpful, focused staff and techs.

I spent four weeks trying to order a genuine replacement keyboard for for my X1 after Lenovo Service tried to charge me $400 for a user-replaceable part. The parts order line was only open a few hours a day and hold times tended to go past their closing time. I'll never Lenovo again.

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#57

Post by bjelkeman-again »

avelis wrote: post #22

The in store experience has changed with the staff. Two examples that come to mind. I remember going in to buy an iPhone 8 after new prices announced. I spoke to a rep for 2 minutes for him to then to say: “let me get someone for you.” Then the actual transaction of buying occurred. Are there so many window shoppers that they have staff just to talk to non-buyers? The second was the genius bar. A speaker blew-out on…

The issue with the person with a full disk I recognise. A lot of people are so untechnical/uninterested that they have no idea how to maintain their computers/phones.

I have a friend who is an electrical engineer(!) no less, who bought a new Windows machine when the old one was so infected by malware (kids used it) that it became unusable. Most of my relatives have dedicated siblings or kids providing tech support. Some people don’t have this support and end up at the Genious bar.

The number of people I come across who admit to having no backup systems is mind boggling. People who depend on their computers for work.

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#59

Post by [deleted] »

burtonator wrote: post #51

One main reason the stores anger me is that they're actively disincentivezed to develop PWAs (progress web apps) or cross-platform technologies. The App Store makes Apple billions. By locking you down they get the ability to get a cut of your app. If you could install a mobile app directly from the web, they're cut out of the loop. They also can't use it as a system of control to block apps they dislike. I agree that…

[deleted]

Re: How the Apple Store Lost Its Luster

#60

Post by _the_inflator »

At my local Apple Store there is now a flipchart at the shop front which features the new Apple products: iPhone, MacBook, iPad.

This is so sad, and reminds me of cheap and greasy sales people but not of Apple.

It looks more like a shop that went bankrupt and needs to sell its inventory ASAP. This impression is really sad.

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