Apple Sales Technique

[lurch]

How times have changed.

In early 1993 I was undecided whether to buy a Mac or a PC. I was then coordinating a Sydney Community Centre and we had computerised using what would now be considered to be very primitive hardware and software. I went to a large Apple store in Sydney and was treated with disdain by the be-suited salesman I was more casually dressed). He was aghast that I would even consider buying a PC and gave the impression that it was not a question I even needed to ask as there was only one answer. I was quickly left to my own devices as he went to attend to another suit. That approach cost Apple a sale and potential long-term customer and other potential customers to whom I might have commended the Mac.

I could not imagine that sort of salesman holding a job in the mega Apple Stores of today. And yet, in a smaller Apple franchise store I visited today the two young sales people (many are compared to me these days), one male and one female, were very disinterested. The female sales person made a half hearted attempt to engage in sales patter but quickly went away when I asked about any special deals on Mac Minis. The answer was: "they start at A$850". This is not the sort of advertising we see by apple online.

I look forward to seeing what I will encounter next week in the big Apple Store in Sydney

http://www.apple.com/au/retail/sydney/

Anyway, I am very appreciative of the information provided in this forum by Daniel, Jeff and others that encourage and not repel a budding interest in Apple computers.

Phillip

[fos]

I purchase my MacBook at BestBuy. The sales people there are clueless. They don't discount the Apple's as they do the other equipment in the store.

I pretty much did my own research. They did have an out of date comparison flyer "Mac vs. PC"on the counter.

I'm still learning the OS. :(

Jeff

[danieldk]

In the local Mac store (just a dealer, not an Apple outlet), they are quite ok. I never asked the technical stuff (a Google search will always provide more information), but for the practical stuff they were really helpful. I can only give anecdotes:

- When I bought my iPhone, they searched their stock of SIM cards to see if any nicer phone numbers were left (easy to memorize), and I could choose between a few candidates.
- When I bought AppleCare for my laptop, they offered me to come back if I could not activate it, and they would guide me through the process. (Of course, the process was easy enough to do it by myself. ;)).
- When I bought extra memory for my Mac Mini, they made an offer for 3GB. The next day I brought my Mini, and they added the memory in ~15-20 minutes. They replaced the 1GB memory by 4GB (to take advantage of dual-channel in contrast to 3GB), but they did not charge me for the extra gigabyte.

So, up to this point I am very happy with their service and attitude.

I think the quality can vary between dealers (non-Apple outlets). And if you feel treated badly (e.g. for repairs), just call Apple and make a complaint. If the dealer is an official Apple service center, they should just provide you with decent service, and if not let Apple reprimand them...

[RedAlpha3]

Like fos, I bought mine at a computer retailer, PC World. Fortunately, I knew what I wanted but to be fair the salespeople tried their best. I have no experience of Apple service first hand. Hope Sydney is an improvement

[Leon]

One thing that keeps me from being a Mac buyer (OK: a buyer of a new Mac. I did buy a well used Powerbook a couple of years ago) is the company's erratic marketing.

When I first got interested in Mac's, there were some licensed clones, e.g. Motorola, Umax, that reportedly were in some cases better performers than the thoroughbreds. Then Macintosh put the kabosh on the clones. Then Mac's were being sold at retail outlets like Best Buy, then Macintosh pulled out of that market and withdrew to selling only from its own outlets.

It takes real dedication and religious zeal to stick with a brand that has so much contempt for its customers and distributors. Or maybe Mac is just a synonym for masochism?

[danieldk]

The clones almost killed the company. Here there are also other retail outlets them sell them.

[lurch]

It takes real dedication and religious zeal to stick with a brand that has so much contempt for its customers and distributors. Or maybe Mac is just a synonym for masochism?

Leon has a point. Also, we must wonder what the future will hold for Apple when Steve Jobs is no longer with it or has such a tight grip on direction. Will Apple then disappear as almost happened in 1996-97 before Jobs rescued the company with some substantial Microsoft money? Perhaps we will see Apple bought out by Google, IBM, Oracle or even ....... Microsoft? MS Mac, now there is a brand name to generate fierce debate!!!

Phillip

[danieldk]

Leon has a point. Also, we must wonder what the future will hold for Apple when Steve Jobs is no longer with it or has such a tight grip on direction. Will Apple then disappear as almost happened in 1996-97 before Jobs rescued the company with some substantial Microsoft money? Perhaps we will see Apple bought out by Google, IBM, Oracle or even ....... Microsoft? MS Mac, now there is a brand name to generate fierce debate!!!

Phillip

Not possible, when I read the previous quarterly report I remember that Apple's net worth is now about the same as Microsoft. Besides that, Phil Schiller has shown to be a worthy follow-up to jobs.

[lurch]

Not possible, when I read the previous quarterly report I remember that Apple's net worth is now about the same as Microsoft. Besides that, Phil Schiller has shown to be a worthy follow-up to jobs.

That is positive news Daniel.

Phillip

[Leon]

That is positive news Daniel.

Phillip

I prefer to build my PC's rather than buy from a big outlet like Best Buy. It costs more, but I have more control over the quality of the components.

If I were in the market for a laptop, it would be a Mac simply because the PC laptop market is a piranha and crocodile infested swamp. So, I too keep an eye out on developments in the Mac cosmos. (Macosmos? A new line of Mac's?)

PS: it's good to see "Lurch" back again.