More than one MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews reader has complained about how some corporate-owned AT&T stores are handling Apple’s iPhone in recent days.
These reader accounts, from scattered locations around the U.S., share the same common thread: AT&T store staff making it difficult or impossible for customers to even see Apple’s iPhone.
Some AT&T stores are giving customers of widely-ranging age groups trouble when the employees are asked to show an Apple iPhone. From what we can tell, these aren’t packs of teenagers storming AT&T stores demanding to see iPhones, but adults, alone or in pairs, asking politely to see the iPhone.
Some AT&T stores reportedly have no iPhone displays on the floor, but still claim to stock the iPhone. Other accounts tell of AT&T stores with iPhone displays, but employees who refuse to bring out the iPhones “on Sundays” or for “fear of theft” due to small staff on-hand, or even claiming that “Apple won’t allow” them to bring out the iPhone to show to customers.
One pair of customers, “business-owning adults in our mid-30s,” on two separate occasions in two different AT&T stores, asked AT&T employees point-blank, “If we have $600 in cash and want to walk out with an iPhone, will you bring one out for us to see?” Both times, the customers said the AT&T employees refused to do so.
Readers report that, at best, some staff in some AT&T stores do not seem motivated to make iPhone sales and, at worst, seem downright antagonistic.
We’re wondering: Are these just isolated instances or signs of a widespread issue or an indication of some AT&T policy we do not understand or simply misunderstandings? Have you experienced any “iPhone friction” at AT&T stores? Please let us know in reader feedback below.
I seem to remember that Apple Inc., a few years ago, changed their Apple Store Sales Staff from a ‘commission’ base to a ‘straight salary’ base.
The theory being that they would then be more likely to focus only on what the customer wanted and not on the price.
That has been by experience whenever I purchase things at my local Apple Store – no sales pitches, just sales.
The litany of contrary experiences at AT&T iPhone stores seems to clearly demonstrate which policy is better.
It most definitely is NOT a free market for labor. Employers routinely collude to keep wages down by not listing pay on ads for jobs, and asking for the most experience and/or the best educated while offering the “industry average” wages.
If you think AT&T isn’t an exception, take a look at Occidental Petroleum’s CEO, who made $400 Million last year alone. Meanwhile, what percentage of that pay do you think the well educated experts that do the real work for the company made? 1%? 2%? Try 0.02% or less.
I got the iphone from a corporate AT&T store last friday. No problems. They asked if they could help me when I walked in the store-they had an iPhone on display in the kiosk. I asked I would like to purchase an eight gig iPhone. He went back into the store room and put the phone on the counter and I paid for it. He was polite and I was out in less than five minutes.
Keith (oops) I believe minimum wage is a good thing and should be $10 an hour.
The unions must love people like you. You do know that when the minimum wages is raised, just about every union member gets a raise because their pay is determined by the minimum wage. Soooo, the people at the bottom of the ladder have to pay more for everything they purchase, because wages paid by the companies selling are determined by their profits. Unions abound in Washington DC. Have you ever looked at the losers in government employ? I use AT&T because they have the best rates for the service I need.
The AT&T store near my house sed that they still hadn’t received the demo units, but had received the white display case. The “sales associate” gave us a returned iPhone to try.
RWS,
You are one of the minions who have bought the lies of the religion of the right-wing anti-justice, pro-business, anarchistic capitalism where the only ones who count are the ones with the power to consolidate power into a few elite and turn the rest of the world into vassels to serve your needs.
You, my friend, are going to be one of the first lined up and shot when the poor figure out they outnumber the rich and the revolution begins. If you and your ilk had treated them better, and allowed a bit of economic justice in the world, nobody would suffer. But no, greed and selfishness is going to lead this world to an economic armageddon.
I know you identified yourself as Steve Jobs but I’m pretty sure you meant to type Ward Churchill.
The policies of AT&T is an example of capitalism, in the sense that this is how companies fail in a competitive market. They have the perfect right to screw their employees, destroy their morale and reap the profits that would have been commissions. Having said that, they may well find out that there will be little profit, because they will generate few sales.
If AT&T does not move rapidly to correct this situation, they will have a financial disaster on their hands.
If you want an iPhone, buy one from Apple, either from an Apple Store or online.
Didn’t buy an iPhone (still debating), but I stopped at an AT&T to check out EDGE. They had two on display (this was probably early July) and they worked fine. I didn’t talk to anybody, just walked in, up to the display, used the phone, and left.
I bought my iPhone from the Apple store. It was funny though, even the sales guy at the Apple store made a comment about the poor AT&T network and how it’s too bad that the iPhone didn’t work on Verizon.
My experience has been that the iPhone is amazing, but the voice quality is terrible compared to my Verizon phone and the coverage doesn’t come close.. and don’t get me started on how bad EDGE sucks! Does anyone know why the iPhone interferes if you get it too close to a landline or cordless phone? My Verizon phone never did this, but when I’m in my office, I have to make sure I keep the iPhone on the other side of my desk from my speakerphone.
I am in the most heavily populated area on the eastern seaboard – There’s no excuses for a crappy network when Verizon’s is so good…
I stood in line for a while at the ATT store in Fort Wayne, IN, because our nearest Apple store is 2 hours away. The line had about 40 people in it, and those I talked to had mostly driven from smaller towns in the area. The line was moving gradually, but I couldn’t hang around, so I came back the next day. The store had 2 iPhones on display right inside the front door. I could play with them as long as I wanted (they were connected by cable to the display), and the sales people were eager to have me place an order. My own cell had just died, and I thought I might hit an Apple store in Seattle on a trip the following Monday.
I had to be in Indy for a swim meet on Saturday, so I checked availability for Saturday at the Apple store there. The were out with no scheduled delivery Saturday. Still, I stopped by after the meet, and a shipment had just come in. The sales guy used a walkie-talkie to tell the register staff to have on ready for me, and I was able to walk out with a big smile.
I was an old ATT customer (had never switched to a Cingular phone), and so my activation couldn’t be completed online. I got on the phone with ATT, and it was clear (even at 11:00 PM on Saturday) that they were giving the highest priority to getting these phone activated. I was handed off between American and (likely) Indian staff, all knowledgable. My phone was sucking microwaves before I got off the help line. My experience with ATT and has been just fine.
Just remember everyone, this is not your parent’s AT&T. Remember, AT&T was split up. The AT&T that was left was a minor player. After several mergers, SBC bought out what was left of AT&T. But then they decided to capitalize on the AT&T name and renamed their company to AT&T.
See this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT&T
AT&T is the spawn of Satan!
AT&T is the reason I do not and will not have an iPhone.
I believe the exclusive contract with AT&T was a terrible mistake on Apple’s part. When I can buy one from anybody else I’ll have one in a heartbeat.
Andre-
Don’t know which SYR store you went to, the one in DeWitt had about 20 iphones. Very courteous, full display out.
im 16 years old and i have one and they won’t even let me in the STORE itself
went to AT&T to buy iPhone because I need to port the numbers over. They didn’t have iPhone on display because they said they get stolen. The Staff were friendly. We bought 2 iPhones and were activated in minutes (we didn’t port the numbers because sounds too complicated and we didn’t want to wait.) We love the phones and so happy with the purchase. My wife didn’t care about it before but now she kept thanking me for getting her the iPhone!
Most of these bad experiences sound like the typical retail process: underpaid, under-trained employees with no reason to try or care. For the most part salespeople are there, not to help you but to steer you to the more profitable items or to add profitable extras and accessories that most likely don’t want.
As far as Apple’s choice of AT&T. It’s all about one thing, GSM. Verizon, probably the best provider in America, uses CDMA as it’s protocol standard. GSM is what most of the rest of the world uses and in the rest of the world, provides great flexibility and openness for users. Hopefully a situation that will start to creep into the free market capitol of the world. The only other GSM based provider here is T-Mobile, probably the worst mobile provider in America.
So, AT&T has has the exclusive possision of being the only one outside of Apple able to sell the iPhone and this is how they act?
Want to know the heart and sole of a company and how they will treat you when you need them? Here’s your window.
I bought an iPhone and I don’t understand why I had to extend another 2 years with AT&T. That extension didn’t come with a discount. WTF??
I bought an iPhone and I don’t understand why I had to extend another 2 years with AT&T. That extension didn’t come with a discount. WTF??
I bought an iPhone and I don’t understand why I had to extend another 2 years with AT&T. That extension didn’t come with a discount. WTF??
I bought an iPhone and I don’t understand why I had to extend another 2 years with AT&T. That extension didn’t come with a discount. WTF??
To all those who had problems with ATT, I strongly suggest that you make a complaint with your local BBB (Better Business Bureau). It may not seem that your individual complaint does any good. But with hundreds of complaints it will make a big difference.
it makes perfect sense to me……i wouldn’t bring a phone out for someone to ‘look at’ unless they said they wanted to buy it. way too easy to just run out of the store with it…
Doesn’t matter if you’re a “30 something business guy with $600”. if you don’t say you want to buy it, then why should they waste their time letting you look at it? there are plenty of videos online etc of the darn thing…..yeah not the same as actually holding it, but cmon…if you’re in the store interested in an iphone, chances are you already know what you’re getting into (“hmmm should I drop $600? let me see how sensittive the touch screen is first….” i mean…cmon…)
I had very good treatment from the AT&T people in Spokane, Washington. I was one of several dozen folks who lined up a few hours in advance. The AT&T staffers came out and chatted with us while we were waiting, brought out coolers of free soda, and were efficient and friendly when we entered the store. So the situation must vary from store to store. Same is (or was) true in Apple Stores. The staffers in Seattle are great, but a couple of years back my brother received quite insulting treatment at the King of Prussia mall outside of Philadelphia at their Apple Store. I like the idea of a feedback channel (like this comments page) where the news can get out about the good and bad retailing experiences.