5 ms·
Where was this? I’ve noticed most apple stores are super friendly and fast all over the world. But their San Francisco flagship store is utter shit. Understaf
by Swizec 8y ago
Where was this?
I’ve noticed most apple stores are super friendly and fast all over the world.
But their San Francisco flagship store is utter shit. Understaffed, too small, absolutely mobbed by people. And it makes sense, it’s a single store serving a city of 900,000 people with millions driving in every morning for work. They desperately need more locations.
The Palo Alto store, for example, is pure delight. I’ve had nothing but great experiences the few times I visited their NYC stores as well.
If you know exactly what you want I think they’d prefer you buy it online tho.
- sombremesa 8y agoThis was in Bellevue, WA. I did get the sense I'd have had a much better time just buying online.
- mikestew 8y agoGawd, that store is such a disaster. Imagine you've never stepped foot in an Apple store, and you would like to buy an Apple product. I imagine it is much like the person I directed the last time I was in there, who "just want(ed) to buy this cable". Yeah, good fsckin' luck, buddy, because there's no signage and no one to tell you where to stand. I told him where to stand only because I "know" Apple stores (and even then, I wasn't 100% confident that the random cluster of people was the correct cluster). All the while, it took twenty minutes to get the Space Gray 256GB iPhone XS (no Apple Care, thanks) I originally came in for. Yeah, yeah, buy it online for in-store pickup, use the Apple Store app to self-checkout, yada, yada, tribal knowledge. Including the tribal knowledge that the Apple B&M retail experience doesn't have queues, signs, or anyone to direct you. Not that Bellevue is alone. When I last visited my Mom, I thought we'd swing by the Brandon, FL store, get her an Apple Watch. Man, I've never tried so hard to give someone $600 in my life.
- pvg 8y agoit’s a single store serving a city of 900,000 people There are three Apple stores in SF proper and a couple just across the bay.
- Swizec 8y agoI knew there’s some across the bay, but they sure hide the other two stores in SF. Never seen them even show up on their genius bar search. Are they official Apple stores or are they apple-branded franchise stores? Reason I ask is because that’s the model I’ve seen a lot in Europe. A store that has a license to be an apple store but isn’t actually owned and run by Apple.
- pvg 8y agoThey are real Apple stores. Short of dedicating a downtown city block to an Apple store, there probably isn't any way to fix the capacity problems at the OG SF store so, as you've found out, it's best avoided.