Dave and my Saturday shopping
Category: Business
Published: 11/15/2008 09:14 p.m.
I am happy to announce that I received my Macbook Air back today. I took it in about a week ago to get the battery fixed. Something about not charging. It charges now. This is how my Apple store experience went today.
I got a call around 2pm saying my Air was ready for me. After a couple hours of video games, I got my bag and walked to the store. I guess I didn't think much about how crowded the 5th avenue store would be a Saturday afternoon, but it was a bit overwhelming. I walked back to the concierge table and told them I wanted to pick up my laptop. The guy in the orange said it would be about 10 minutes and to just hang out. There was a large amount of people waiting there for help with stuff, so 10 minutes seemed very fair. Then I had my first positive experience for the day.
I had been waiting on the coming-soon apple headphones, but mine are quickly falling to pieces, so I thought I would ask for some help. A guy in a blue shirt was able to direct me to the section for iPhone headphones (which are different than regular headphones or earbuds). He showed me the ones that came with the phone at $29, and then showed me the Etymotics pair which are $179. He said they sound the best, but you pay for it. I asked about the new ones that aren't out, and he said they are $80, and would some out before christmas. This is when he kinda broke character and became my friend. He said to wait and not buy anything today. Most salespeople don't do this, but I was glad he did. I didn't want the wrong thing, and he didn't want to sell me. He wanted me to get the right pair of new headphones. I thanked him for his help and continued to wait.
I then found this belkin cable clip thing (in black) and decided I wanted it so I kept it in hand. My name was called and I was brought to the counter. I was very happy to see it. And then I met Dave. He works at Apple and wears a blue shirt. He came over to see how I was doing. Again, not to sell me, not pushy. He asked if I had waited long, and I said not very long. He saw the cable thing and asked if I planned on purchasing it and I said I was. So, he whipped out his handheld checkout machine, swiped my credit card, and that was it. No bag, no receipt (it's emailed to me), no line to wait in. It was like shopping online, but I got to have the item right then. And that was it.
All of this took place in about 1 minute. And this was at the same time as I was signing the paperwork to get my laptop. One stop shopping. But again, I feel like Dave really made my day. He first wanted to see how my experience was going. In such a crowded store, it feels good to get some individual attention. Then he asked if he could help with something else I wanted to do (buy something). Then he took care of everything. 100% helpful while being non-intrusive. I didn't have to wait, and I didn't even have to find a salesperson. It was a good shopping experience.
Contrast that to my other shopping experience of the day, at Best Buy on 86th. No one greeted me at the door. The first an only salesman to approach me was a woman who worked in the phone department helping people get mobile phones. I was looking for batteries, iphone headphones, and Gears of War 2. Here is how it went.
I found a Shure display that had their new iPhone model, the SE102. I grabbed the box to check it out. There were two best buy employees joking around near me. Neither asked me if I had any questions (which I did). Then I went looking for batteries. They have a section for camera batteries, which is different than the one for portable DVD players, which is again different than the one for mp3 players. But, none had AA batteries. Then, for the hat trick, I went to the video games section to find GoW2. It wasn't on the shelf. No display, no sign. Nothing, almost as if it did not exist. I tracked down a salesperson, and he said they have them at the cashiers, in the front. So I went back upstairs to get the game, only to find out it was downstairs at that checkout. So, finally, I make it to the checkout line, and apparently this is also the Best Buy battery department. So, I asked for the game which they were able to find quickly, and I got everything on my list.
Needless to say, one experience was far superior than the other. Additionally, I do not like the Shure headphones, as they are too tight while also being too loose. The pinch my ears, and then fall out. So, I will give them a week, but I may end up making anothe trip out to 86th. Hopefully Apple will have their headphones out by then and I can have another good experience.
Overall, it was a peaceful afternoon. I got everything I wanted, I have my Air back, and I have some new headphones. I also have a good idea why I like Apple.