Comments on: Stores Part of iPhone Sales Plan http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/ news and information about Apple Inc.'s retail stores Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:42:59 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Brands Create Customers » Blog Archive » Apple’s brand platform challenge for the iPhone http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-1551 Brands Create Customers » Blog Archive » Apple’s brand platform challenge for the iPhone Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:40:33 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-1551 [...] Many potential customers may prefer to buy the iPhone and sign up for Cingular service in an Apple Store, and never have to venture over to the “Cingular side.” Apple has clearly thought about this, because Apple store staff will also be trained to troubleshoot iPhone problems, including Cingular network issues. [...] [...] Many potential customers may prefer to buy the iPhone and sign up for Cingular service in an Apple Store, and never have to venture over to the “Cingular side.” Apple has clearly thought about this, because Apple store staff will also be trained to troubleshoot iPhone problems, including Cingular network issues. [...]

]]> By: BobK http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-1010 BobK Mon, 15 Jan 2007 00:34:27 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-1010 Nunya, Where did I identify myself ... My statement is our public statement. Talk about something you understand ... Nunya, Where did I identify myself … My statement is our public statement. Talk about something you understand …

]]> By: nunya http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-1007 nunya Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:40:18 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-1007 BobK: If you are a manager for apple retail, shouldn't you be most aware of policy and procedure? Apple employees are no to identify themselves when discussing matters of the company. End of story. BobK: If you are a manager for apple retail, shouldn’t you be most aware of policy and procedure? Apple employees are no to identify themselves when discussing matters of the company. End of story.

]]> By: Notes on the  iPhone at Karakui http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-1003 Notes on the  iPhone at Karakui Sun, 14 Jan 2007 05:53:57 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-1003 [...] This is cool. I’ll be able to buy it from my local Apple Store. Anything to add another cool Apple retail shopping bag to my collection. And you thought your LV bag was cool? [...] [...] This is cool. I’ll be able to buy it from my local Apple Store. Anything to add another cool Apple retail shopping bag to my collection. And you thought your LV bag was cool? [...]

]]> By: Joe Weingarten http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-1002 Joe Weingarten Sat, 13 Jan 2007 23:18:38 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-1002 Your report is incorrect when you state 10,000 Cingular Authorized Agents. The Agents like the Apple Resellers will not be able to sell the phones. Only Apple and Cingular company owned stores will be selling the phone. Another case of where Apple is working hard to put resellers out of business.[ifo-Report corrected.] Your report is incorrect when you state 10,000 Cingular Authorized Agents. The Agents like the Apple Resellers will not be able to sell the phones. Only Apple and Cingular company owned stores will be selling the phone. Another case of where Apple is working hard to put resellers out of business.[ifo-Report corrected.]

]]> By: BobK http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-995 BobK Sat, 13 Jan 2007 03:50:30 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-995 I am a manager for Apple Retail. This speculation about how the phone and activation will be handled is shear specualtion and nothing more. There has been absolutely no discussion with the stores on how this will be handled. It's 6 freakin months till we'll even see the phone. Let's all be patient and wait for the facts before we start reacting. I am a manager for Apple Retail. This speculation about how the phone and activation will be handled is shear specualtion and nothing more. There has been absolutely no discussion with the stores on how this will be handled. It’s 6 freakin months till we’ll even see the phone. Let’s all be patient and wait for the facts before we start reacting.

]]> By: LarryH http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-993 LarryH Sat, 13 Jan 2007 01:14:17 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-993 "Apple stores will be equipped with terminals allowing access to Cingular’s customer management software, and employees will be trained to handle the routine customer credit checks, credit card processing and phone activation tasks associated with selling a cellular phone." Its this part that concerns me the most. So basically, Apple expects their employees to bite their tongues & sell Cingular service along with the iPhone in THEIR own retail stores by <b>their</b> (not Cingular's) employees??? Not to mention, do all the garbage associated with setting up someone's cellular account, signing/renewing contracts, etc. And with this being a multi-year deal, where does it end? Are they gonna have to learn all of Cingular's rate/data plans, talk about how "great" Cingular service is, troubleshoot the network problems, etc?? Its a <b>very</b> slippery slope and you can see how it could ruin the whole "Apple retail experience." This is definitely gonna bring bad things to Apple & confuse customers as well. Apple is known for great customer service & Cingular is known for the worst. Bringing them together like this with a Cingular "entity" in the Apple retail stores is a bad idea. I can see some of Apple's retail employees quitting over this. I don't blame them, I honestly would, too. If this is true, I seriously feel bad for them. They didn't come to Apple to be pushing Cingular's god aweful service. “Apple stores will be equipped with terminals allowing access to Cingular’s customer management software, and employees will be trained to handle the routine customer credit checks, credit card processing and phone activation tasks associated with selling a cellular phone.”

Its this part that concerns me the most. So basically, Apple expects their employees to bite their tongues & sell Cingular service along with the iPhone in THEIR own retail stores by their (not Cingular’s) employees??? Not to mention, do all the garbage associated with setting up someone’s cellular account, signing/renewing contracts, etc. And with this being a multi-year deal, where does it end? Are they gonna have to learn all of Cingular’s rate/data plans, talk about how “great” Cingular service is, troubleshoot the network problems, etc?? Its a very slippery slope and you can see how it could ruin the whole “Apple retail experience.”

This is definitely gonna bring bad things to Apple & confuse customers as well. Apple is known for great customer service & Cingular is known for the worst. Bringing them together like this with a Cingular “entity” in the Apple retail stores is a bad idea.

I can see some of Apple’s retail employees quitting over this. I don’t blame them, I honestly would, too. If this is true, I seriously feel bad for them. They didn’t come to Apple to be pushing Cingular’s god aweful service.

]]> By: Dill http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-990 Dill Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:54:53 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-990 Ugh. As a former Apple employee at a retail store, we were asked to put up with hell and high water. I think this might be the straw that breaks the camel's back for a lot of current Apple employees. It's not bad enough trouble shooting some idiots PC to get his shuffle to work, but now they have to deal with cell phone service? Be kind to the folks next time you go to an Apple store... they aren't paid nearly enough to put up with this. Ugh. As a former Apple employee at a retail store, we were asked to put up with hell and high water. I think this might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for a lot of current Apple employees. It’s not bad enough trouble shooting some idiots PC to get his shuffle to work, but now they have to deal with cell phone service?

Be kind to the folks next time you go to an Apple store… they aren’t paid nearly enough to put up with this.

]]> By: Macinjosh http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-986 Macinjosh Fri, 12 Jan 2007 09:42:25 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-986 This is pretty much a slap in the face for Apple customers/employees who don't like Cingular nor want to sell their crappy overpriced service. I mean $50 for a data plan! Are you freakin' kidding me?!? People don't want their Apple stuff mixed with a company like Cingular. Bad move! This is pretty much a slap in the face for Apple customers/employees who don’t like Cingular nor want to sell their crappy overpriced service. I mean $50 for a data plan! Are you freakin’ kidding me?!?

People don’t want their Apple stuff mixed with a company like Cingular. Bad move!

]]> By: David http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-982 David Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:25:47 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-982 I work for Cingular Wireless. Internal memos put out on the company's internal servers suggest that the iPhone will <b>not</b> be carried by the company's 10,000 agent stores and offered only at company owned stores, cingular.com, and Apple stores. I work for Cingular Wireless. Internal memos put out on the company’s internal servers suggest that the iPhone will not be carried by the company’s 10,000 agent stores and offered only at company owned stores, cingular.com, and Apple stores.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-976 Daniel Thu, 11 Jan 2007 13:59:46 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-976 You are now legally able to unlock you phone (for the next three years), so though you might not get full functionality for something like the visual-voicemail, you <b>could</b> use an iPhone at other carriers that use GSM. [ifo-However, some advanced features might not work, including Visual Voice Mail, which Apple and Cingular say they co-developed.] You are now legally able to unlock you phone (for the next three years), so though you might not get full functionality for something like the visual-voicemail, you could use an iPhone at other carriers that use GSM. [ifo-However, some advanced features might not work, including Visual Voice Mail, which Apple and Cingular say they co-developed.]

]]> By: Frank http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-972 Frank Thu, 11 Jan 2007 09:46:17 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-972 I'll be as nice as I can be on this one. Europe ... no one cares. Verizon ... worst customer service of any company on the planet. As a Mac user who switched to T-Mobile -- and therefore am out of luck for now on the iPhone -- I was so disgusted with the way Verizon treated me and supported my platform that I say BOO-YA that it got shut out. You and your entire family, Gkantz, need to switch. Until then, enjoy your ENVY, exclusively from Verizon Wireless. Home of the network, not the iPhone. I’ll be as nice as I can be on this one. Europe … no one cares.

Verizon … worst customer service of any company on the planet. As a Mac user who switched to T-Mobile — and therefore am out of luck for now on the iPhone — I was so disgusted with the way Verizon treated me and supported my platform that I say BOO-YA that it got shut out.

You and your entire family, Gkantz, need to switch. Until then, enjoy your ENVY, exclusively from Verizon Wireless. Home of the network, not the iPhone.

]]> By: gkantz http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-969 gkantz Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:44:47 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-969 What I find offensive is that Apple signed a multi-year exclusivity agreement, leaving those of us on other networks out in the cold. Verizon is much better than Cingular in terms of service, and my entire family is on Verizon. While I was at the show in SF yesterday and was blown away by the iPhone, it isn't enough for me to switch carriers to an inferior service, which would also mean breaking an existing contract with Verizon. Steve, what a major letdown. What I find offensive is that Apple signed a multi-year exclusivity agreement, leaving those of us on other networks out in the cold. Verizon is much better than Cingular in terms of service, and my entire family is on Verizon.

While I was at the show in SF yesterday and was blown away by the iPhone, it isn’t enough for me to switch carriers to an inferior service, which would also mean breaking an existing contract with Verizon.

Steve, what a major letdown.

]]> By: loyal user http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-965 loyal user Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:33:33 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-965 What is true of this deal that with a background of shaking up greedy over priced and restrictive industries (i.e., recording and now movie TV) Steve has chosen to roll over and play their game. Does it make sense to you to sign a 2 year contract for a service that you do not know will function for you and have to pay them to leave their bad service? If so I have some bottom land in FL that I would like to sell you. He could have sold unlocked phones you could have picked and chose the service without a contract could have voted with your feet if it did not work. Paying for minutes before you use them is another scam, regardless of allowing roll over it is just a bad deal. We have been sold out by the State and the Feds setting up a uncompetative system and now by Apple with a nice product with a noose attached to it. Further going back to the morbound AT&T is an oxymoron to begin with. Try their phone system and Ii challenge you to get a human to talk to about your problem. Pay too much for a phone when there is a contract attached (don't see any real rebate or functional discount here) is nuts. Look for some hack to this phone to unlock it before you buy!!! What is true of this deal that with a background of shaking up greedy over priced and restrictive industries (i.e., recording and now movie TV) Steve has chosen to roll over and play their game. Does it make sense to you to sign a 2 year contract for a service that you do not know will function for you and have to pay them to leave their bad service? If so I have some bottom land in FL that I would like to sell you.

He could have sold unlocked phones you could have picked and chose the service without a contract could have voted with your feet if it did not work.

Paying for minutes before you use them is another scam, regardless of allowing roll over it is just a bad deal.

We have been sold out by the State and the Feds setting up a uncompetative system and now by Apple with a nice product with a noose attached to it. Further going back to the morbound AT&T is an oxymoron to begin with. Try their phone system and Ii challenge you to get a human to talk to about your problem.

Pay too much for a phone when there is a contract attached (don’t see any real rebate or functional discount here) is nuts.

Look for some hack to this phone to unlock it before you buy!!!

]]> By: Dimitris Karakatsanis http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-964 Dimitris Karakatsanis Wed, 10 Jan 2007 20:31:22 +0000 http://www.ifoapplestore.com/2007/01/10/stores-part-of-iphone-plan/#comment-964 No mention yet about the Apple’s European partner - cellular carrier; it is complicated indeed and we have no information about the situation here at all. We hope that Apple has started to plan a solution that will works in Europe, too. No mention yet about the Apple’s European partner – cellular carrier; it is complicated indeed and we have no information about the situation here at all. We hope that Apple has started to plan a solution that will works in Europe, too.

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