That is a known procedure when buying something online and picking it up in person. And it is somewhat burdensome for people without credit cards. But then thos

That is a known procedure when buying something online and picking it up in person. And it is somewhat burdensome for people without credit cards. But then those people wouldn't be buying stuff on line anyway. But the Genius Bar is a service that doesn't cost anything and might not even end with you paying anything. And even if you do end up paying/buying... Apple stores still take cash right? Requiring that you give them a credit card just to talk with someone does not sound like the Apple way. EDIT (to answer the above EDIT 2): Both would be effective and easy for Apple to do if they cared. Although, requiring an Apple ID could be problematic for a person who doesn't have one, right? Admittedly, I'm not an Apple consumer myself so I don't really know what is involved in getting an Apple ID or why a non-user would need a Genius Bar appointment.