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.
This is certainly troublesome news as it challenges the law of demand and supply (you demand what we supply) with the archaic, out of date supply and demand (corporations supply goods and services that the consumer demands).
Will probably shake up the ecology, uh economy.
This is an easy one. ATT is trying to slow down the class action lawsuits of bad batteries and and massive problems with power adapters. For those kool-aid drinkers that think this isn’t true look at:
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/breaking/first-iphone-class+action-suit-against-apple-and-att-283280.php
So to anyone with one of these $2000 phones that have too many power problem to count:
1) Join the class action lawsuits. Who knows you might win and can use that money to bring down the iphone price to what it should have been to begin with.
2) Sell your phone before everyone finds out all the security and hardware problems. Once the world finds out how crappy Apple hardware and software is your iphone won’t be worth the box it comes in.
Good thing for Steve Jobs there are so many suckers with money stupid enough to give it to him!
It’s only a matter of time before Apple steps in an insists that AT&T clean up their act. As a sales marketing professional this company typifies a poor, at best, retail management business plan and personnel.
Apple will make them a better retailer or they will have grounds to cancel their contract due to non performance issues. AT&T is bound to specific peerformance clauses in that contract.
Not Isolated: Right upfront-I have a prejudice against AT&T. I was willing to think there was a “New AT&T until I walked into our into local corporate storefront.
I had saved my pennies since January and visited AT&T with a mind to buy despite my prejudice. The phone had 7 of my 12 must have features (more than any other to-date). I asked a friendly temp hire if they had a handset to try and they directed me to the back of the store where it was being view by one customer. I waited my turn and was given the handset to try.
I had tried 3 widgets when a AT&T “White Shirt” literally snatched it from my hand and, as he walked away, asked if I was done. I walked out of the store, bought a new bike for my wife with my money, and still use my 7 year old T39 with T-Mobile.
Over the ensuing weeks I figured it was just am overbearing rep and was thinking of the purchase again…until David Pogue’s comments on his first AT&T bill reminded me why I dropped this carrier years ago (1996). AT&T is a waste; a pox on the entire industry.
I’d love to tithe to Apple but not if AT&T is in the picture.
Well that explains why AT&T has such low sales compared to Apple. There employees don’t get it or want to get it. They obviously have no experience selling anything. I think anyone caught with some of the behavior talked about here should be fired on the spot. Do yourself a favor if you have access to an Apple store, go there. You will not be harassed by security guards or yelled at by employees. There will be plenty of iPhones physically on the floor ready for you to check out and play with. If you have questions Apple staff will be more than happy to help you out. This is appalling to hear of such terrible sales people from AT&T. Apple will not be happy and anyone here who has a horror story from AT&T should write Apple and let them know so Apple can straighten them out quickly!
Here’s the thing – Phone companies are on the way out, and even the dimwitted sales jerks at the bottom of AT&T’s corporate structure sense that their days are numbered. Steve Jobs had to make a deal with the devil (AT&T) to get this revolution launched, but the iPhone is the thin edge of the wedge that will drive these bozos out of existence: universal wireless internet. What do you think Google is all about? The days of paying a lot just to get online are nearing their end. The network is just a dumb pipe, not a precious commodity you can make artificially scarce & charge admission to. Wake up & smell the Network Neutrality!
NO WONDER …AT&T only activated 149,000 phones the first day and half! THIS is MATERIAL BREACH OF CONTRACT by AT&T and should be reported.
All of these comments should be forwarded (from your iPhone) Directly to APPLE and to AT&T as follows:
investor_relations@apple.com
and to
drucilla.cessac@att.com (investor relations)
Tommy Sauter,
More typical compassionate open-minded liberalism, eh? Always considering all sides….. always weighing all points of view…. you confirm my view of the typical Lib/Democrat (aka “wacko”) (sad).
Just went to an at&t store and while they had it on display the guy who seemed eager to come around the counter to show a 219-200 net 19 nokia returned to behind the counter as the wife and I examined the iPhone. He said he’d be getting one once the gave a discount to employees and the minute we touched a blackberry he spoke up to say how disappointed we’ed be in the keyboard and should really go for the iPhone. He was clear about the why but seemed to care less about the how and I thought it was his job to deal with the how. I think Apple set the no commission rule and while I appreciate why and admire how it works in the Apple Store, being the most expensive item in someone elses store and saying sorry guys you don’t get a cut for helping us get this out is a bad call.
I hope that as Apple sees that their 180 odd stores is out selling the 1800 odd AT&T stores the’ll take a second look at their policies and not just assign all the blame on AT&T. Not praising AT&T mind you, just being honest that Apple plays a role in what is going on as well.
My local AT&T store had them on display at first, then took them out. The display is still there, but no iPhones are attached. I didn’t have any trouble purchasing the iPhone, but they would not even bring it out of the back room until I had paid for it. If I hadn’t been set on buying the iPhone when I walked in or had not already looked at and held one, I would’ve gone to another AT&T store to see if I was treated any better. We do live and shop in an area that has a high theft rate and I just kind of wrote it off to that, but now that I read these other comments from all over, I probably would purchase direct from Apple next time.
Not having to deal with a wireless carrier’s store to buy and activate your phone is a significant (and very attractive) feature of the deal with AT&T. I can’t imagine giving that up just for convenience of location, and the reports in this thread suggest the wisdom of that stance.
I have gone to the at&t mobility store in Downtown Miami in Miami FLorida, I have seen a police offer next to where the big Iphone display case is but NO I PHONE I gone in many times to that store to see the device and all you see is the 2 ipod dock station with the metalic lock around it. but no i phone display. when walkin the rep. say you sign before coming. im fuck this shit… I scream out this is bullshit thank god im with T-Mobile.
I didn’t feel like standing in a long line on day one, so I ordered my iPhone online later that night. I got it a bit less than two weeks later. I activated it, and was able to call out from the iPhone immediately, but incoming calls kept going to my T-mobile phone for about three days (they weren’t too snappy about releasing my number to AT&T.)
-jcr
Some of these AT&T people remind me of the “I hate Apple and you should buy a Windows PC” people.
I got the exact same feeling when I went to a AT&T store in my area. They practically sneered when I asked about the iPhone and then, saying they were sold out, proceeded to bash it without hesitation.
I think these are a lot of ex Comp USA types now working at AT&T stores.
I think this article it a common nerve. Got my Iphone the day after launch night. Went to my local ATT store they were out but willing to take orders for delivery. I then high-tailed it to my local Apple store… was on line for less than 2 minutes and walked home with a 8 gig phone. It took me 3 tries to to get the phone up and running and I’m a Cingular customer. I ported my number from my RAZR. The following weekend I decided to save myself $800 plus in future cost by terminating my Motorola Q contract with Verizon 1 year early. Well worth it the Iphone has been a Swiss army knife of travel . I love it.
Myself and two other co-workers had been calling the local AT&T store here in Ft. Collins, CO inquiring about the iPhone (they had been sold out and told us to keep checking on availability each day after noon). After a few days we called and they informed us that they did, in fact, have three iPhones in stock. So we told them we would be right in to pick them up.
It took us all of 10 minutes to get to the store. When we arrived we inquired about the phones and were told by a sales person that they didn’t have any iPhones and hadn’t had any for days (when, in fact, we were told when we called the day before that they received a few but had immediately sold them).
So, we informed the sales guy that we had just called and spoken with someone who told us that they had just received three iPhones. He didn’t even bother to ask anyone if that was the case, just tried to act like he was right. We began to question the sales guy about why we were told they had the iPhones when they didn’t have them in stock, when the general manager overheard and told the sales guy that they did, in fact, have the iPhones. It turned out that they only had two, not three. So I just decided to travel the extra hour to get one from the Apple Store in Boulder.
Definitely worth the drive to deal with the Apple employees.
I have no regrets over getting the iPhone. I love it and think it is a totally revolutionary device. I do, however, question my decision to ditch T-Mobile for AT&T. I hope T-Mobile offers iPhones once AT&T’s exclusivity expires.
… but to answer the original question. They did have two on display and didn’t seem to make a big fuss when I saw someone touching and trying them out.
I waited about 10 days before i got one. transferred from vzn wireless because of the abysmal Treo 700p that i had (yes, even w/ the latest 1.10 MR — still paused while simply changing pages w/ ereader.com, even the 600 was better than it) and the high cost of verizon’s data plan. I figure i’ll recoup the iphone’s cost over the life of the 2 years easily especially w/ selling my 700p for $100. Anyway, I don’t think i even walked 10 feet into the NYC Soho Apple Store, when i asked a salesperson if they have any 8GB iPhones left, she said yes and asked if i was paying my credit card, I said yes, and she says hold on… she came back 4 minutes later w/ an iPhone in a bag, whips out a Symbol PalmPilot (of all things!) swipes my card, asks me to sign, print or email receipt (email), watch her type the correct email, have a nice day… 10 feet, not even 10 minutes, iPhone in hand. A few hours later, sit in local Starbux plug in MBP, plug in iPhone, fill in info (including porting of number from Vzn) 1/2 hour later all done, number transferred and everything. I didn’t even realized it ported that quickly until i got an SMS from a friend… thank you apple, thank you apple, i really didn’t want to have to talk to AT&T about this phone at all… and you have made that possible. Now give us software version 1.1 will ya!! Happy in NY
Two things.
1) My experiences with AT&T stores have all been great (starting with the 29th) to four other visits since then dealing with questions on my bill to getting peripherals.
2) If you’re going to print crap like this make them give you the names of the cities and the store locations so if it’s true AT&T can choose to deal with it and not have to hammer every store due to a rumor. As an AAPL stockholder this type of reporting pisses me off when articles with nothing but he said / she said remarks. If you’re going to use “News” in your name then be responsible about it. Look at what happened to Apple stock when the BS report on a delay with the iPhone to October and Leopard to January 2008 was released. Now your article is quoted in iTWire so the FUD is spreading. Please vet your story before printing it. Hell call the supposed stores to see how they handle you on the phone. If they won’t show phones on Sunday and you call they should say that on the phone. By vetting your sources you add credence to your story.
If the stories are true then I want them out there so the problems can be dealt with by AT&T and Apple.
I went into the ATT store in Toledo, OH, and they had a display for the iPhone as well as a working sample. The sales staff came over and showed us all the in’s and out’s of the phone and were, in general, quite nice. They were out of 8gb phones, but had 2 4gb in stock (I wanted the 8). The sales guy said they expected more to arrive in the next couple days and we should call back to see if the phones had arrived before driving back down to the store.
The one thing I thought was strange was that he said that the employees were not able to buy the phones yet, from the store, as the demand was too high- he was looking forward to buying one before Christmas.
So, ATT did well for us in Toledo, OH
I went to an AT&T store in Long Beach, CA to see the iPhone, and there were two iPhone docks on display but no iPhones. I asked where the display models were, and the guy said “in the back, locked up”. There were about 5 people in the store asking the same question… Pretty sad Apple had to partner up with retards to make something work, but I love my iPhone (which I bought at the Apple store).
I haven’t had “friction” because I never asked to see the phone. But, there are two ATT stores in my neighborhood.
On the Friday night they went on sale, a friend and I happened to walk by one of them about 7:00 pm. There was a large mob of people outside waiting to get in.
When we walked by later, about 10:00 pm, the mob had thinned out, but were still there.
I walked into the other store the other day, with my daughter. There was no display, and no iPhones anywhere.
I was surprised, but asked nothing, and we walked out.
There is an AT&T store at the Galleria mall in White Plains, NY that has an iPhone display, but doesn’t have any iPhones out. (They did have iPhones out on the launch date.)
When I made inquired about the iPhone, well, you couldn’t have asked for more rude and fowl-mouth salespeople. It’s amazing how different the cultures between Apple and AT&T are.
Yes, I wrote to Apple’s Investor Relations.
Ifi it was not for the Apple branding, the sales would be much fewer. When I went to my local corporate ATT store in Northern NJ, they did not have any Iphones in stock (probably true). But what a little disconcerting is that they were trashing the Iphone and Apple as putting out a bad product and suggested that I buy the new Blackberry Curve. I just smiled, walked out and across the mall and bought one at the apple store. They were friendly as always and certainly did not trash ATT (even though they have every right to do so)
Apple needs to recruit several hundred secret shoppers to visit AT&T corporate stores to make their own assessment. My hunch is that they would be horrified by the results. Like many companies with “corporate stores”, AT&T has low hiring standards.