9to5Mac:
Apple is evolving its in-store shopping experience with signage and display fixtures that remove ambiguity and encourage increased hands-on interaction with products. New designs that have been spotted in multiple locations reflect the changing requirements of busy stores and appear to address common customer needs.
New easels (are) popping up at some stores across the U.S. and Canada clearly denote an Express Checkout zone to pay for accessories like iPhone cases, cables, and headphones. The signage provides an anchor for customers who are unsure of where to checkout or not aware of the scan and buy self-checkout feature of the Apple Store app.
Looks like the new VP is starting to put her stamp on the place.
How many people who wander into an Apple store after all of these years are really unsure of how to buy something (i.e. that almost all of the employees can either check you out or grab someone who can)? Sure, it can be a little confusing for new people but… are there that many new folks?
According to Apple, half of its customers are “new” to the company. Logical, that means many of them may never have needed to step foot in an Apple Store.
From a logistical standpoint making customers have to snatch an employee is not a great system. The checkout zone is something that has been an obvious improvement for a while.
From a logistical standpoint making customers have to snatch an employee is not a great system. The checkout zone is something that has been an obvious improvement for a while.
Shawn – half? OK, that’s way more than I would have thought and explains this a bit more I guess.
David – eh, maybe it’s the stores here but I walk up to someone, they ask if I need help, I tell them “I need to buy this” and boom. I worry about people who can’t seem to do that.
Of course the next complaint will be having to wait in a line… from these same people.
To be fair, Apple has *never* backed that statement up but they use it at *every* major announcement and have for years.
Not new, just infrequent. After not being in an Apple store for five years, I walked in what appeared to be crowded college frat party, full of conversations I had to edge near and eavesdrop upon before getting the attention of someone who would point me in the right direction. ( This is unpleasant, as I was raised not to butt in on other people’s conversations.) I would have been happy with an old K-Mart cart with a flashing blue light one a pole that I could turn on to get someone’s attention. This experience drove me to rely even more upon NOT going to an Apple store. Apple Stores are currently designed for social people who like to schmooze, not those of us who would prefer to simply ask a question and get an answer. I don’t need a sign that says “check out here!”, the haphazard process of awkwardly hanging around, waiting to be noticed once store reps finishes their chat was horrible customer service for anyone who wasn’t already in that chat.
I guess it depends on who you are but I agree. I have no trouble “butting in” if I see some employees “hanging around chatting.” They’re just doing what everyone in retail does – killing time until someone needs them. Walk up, say, “Excuse me…” and I promise they will be happy to see you and assist. If they’re not, my next conversation would be with their manager. 🙂
At my local stores the ratio of customers to staff is generally around 5 to 1. Catching an unengaged employee is generally not a simple task.
OK I get that but… walk up to one of the many Apple Store people and ask? Why do you have to “…awkwardly hanging around, waiting to be noticed…” unless they’re all busy in which case, yes, you have to wait… what else would you have happen in that case?
I wonder if the Seattle stores are different as they all have at least one person near the front whose sole job is to welcome people who walk in and ask how they can help. Again, if they’re busy you’ll need to wait a sec if you don’t know where something is etc.
I guess I just don’t get why it’s hard to walk up to someone and say “hey, I need…” I mean, that’s WHY retailers have people on the floor – to help you. It’s not an imposition on their time, it’s their job.
Because the math has been two Apple people (one talker, one runner) talking to five or more customers, most of whom were waiting like I was. There’s no way to tell who is next until the Apple people actually ask “who is next?”, which doesn’t happen until the issue they’re on is resolved. Half the people there don’t have any way to know who’s next. I’ve also experienced others walking up in the middle of the non-existent queue, butting in with “That guy told me to talk to you” which also screws up an orderly progression. Maybe your store doesn’t have enough traffic for lines, but ours does (did. Lawsuit jurisdiction forced Apple to consolidate two different, very busy stores into one new extremely busy one a few miles further into Dallas.) Apple’s methods work fine until there are too many customers or too few apple guys – extraordinary, since it seems every third person is wearing an Apple shirt, but few are willing to wander from their assigned position to one that is overcrowded.
The Seattle stores are quite busy, but maybe I’m just lucky – I’ve only had to wait a couple of times and then only for one person. But t hat sounds more like a staff level issue than a model issue to me. I mean, guess what’s going to happen when you have checkout lanes in your store… you’ll have lines. Long lines. And you know what? People will complain (not you, perhaps, but they will).
There’s another factor that I often overlook, too. I’m 6’6″ – it’s hard to miss me and I don’t really fade into the crowd so it may well be the staff notices me more easily.
LOL I have the same “advantage.” 🙂