First, you have to check in with the front desk. This puts you in a queue. Just like the DMV.


Then, you wait. And wait. And wait. Just like the DMV.


Then the person who greets you, and begins to help you, leaves to do something else. Just like the DMV.


Then, when the person returns, the information is terribly confusing. Fees, surcharges, taxes... Just like the DMV.


When you press for clarification, when you take charge, when you stand up for yourself...many of the charges go away.

And, then, more waiting. What goes on behind the door to the back room, no one knows. But, in time, your new iPhone arrives, brought by the person behind the counter. Just like the DMV brings you a new license plate.


And, then, more waiting. The supervisor gets involved. Your old iPhone has to transfer info. Your new iPhone has to update. Lots of waiting.


In about two hours, though, you walk out with a new iPhone 15 Pro Max. In Blue Titanium. For no additional cost per month. And, a new super secret additional line. Which is the secret way to get $1000 trade in for your old iPhone. I didn't pay $1000 for that 11 Pro Max years ago.

I wanted to jump for joy, but I was too tired from standing and waiting for two hours. Just like the DMV.

Sincerely,

4MUL8R

The DMV is staffed with the rudest most incompetent people ever. When I visited the DMV in Chicago it was in the worst part of town. You know where the staff has armed security. You prayed your car would be there when you left two hours later. This was several decades ago and I am sure it is worse.

Do yourself the favor of getting comfortable with handling things online. It'll remove a number of these old school in-person hassles.

I haven't been to a cell phone store in at least a decade... I do it all online at home, from changing carriers, to adding/removing lines, to changing plans, to upgrading phones, etc. No making appointments and standing around for hours. Little to no hassle. The new phone is shipped to your door, data transfer is easily accomplished in a few minutes (through Near Field Communication or by simply logging into your account, with step-by-step guides to help you), and then the trade-in is shipped back in a prepaid box that also arrived at your door.

Similarly, I do everything I can with the DMV online. Which most years is all of it. I only go in person to the DMV every 5-6ish years or so, when a new photo is required or when registering a different car.

What RogueJSK said, about doing it online. Matter of fact, that's the only way to get Apple's discounts for re-furbished stuff and for military veterans (you can stack both discounts).

Order online, will be delivered to you with no delivery charge in two days.

As far as all y'all who are bad-mouthing the DMV, I have had great treatment from the local offices. In Florida, the DMV functions are handled by the local county tax collector's office. Tax Collector is an elected position, and the Seminole County dude evidently realizes that the way to keep his job, is to treat his customers with respect. It's easy to use their website to make an appointment at the location of your choice. Appointments are kept on time (walk-ins without appointments might have to wait). Clerks seem to go out of their way to be helpful, and volunteer information -- I was wearing a Navy veteran cap, the clerk handed me a pamphlet outlining county and state veteran services. Email questions to the Tax Collector office are answered promptly, courteously, and accurately. I would be delighted if all government services were run this well.

Went to the DMV twice recently, updated my medical card for CDL,
in and out less than 5 min. Couple months ago renewed my CDL,5 min.
I was shocked! I expected to wait hours. I suppose all the people
doing it online frees up the in person.
I'll do the new IPhone online.

My last 3 iPhones have shipped right to me and I do all the setup and transfer myself, it’s not that hard.

The iPhone transfer process is stupid simple now, you just sit the old phone next to the new one and it transfers over automatically.

Just ordered a new iPhone 15 Pro Max yesterday, and as always will set it up myself when it arrives. Not a big deal now.

I don’t spend 2 hours financing a car.

Phones are not a high priority for me. Never have been. But I do get a new one every few years and let the carrier handle it all. So much easier. Ships to the house, no waiting, and no cost.

Last time I went to an Apple store, I had to bring my camera bag with me because that shit's too expensive to leave in the car.

My camera bag is a Pelican 1730 hard case with rolling wheels and a retractable handle. It's great for when you need to cop a squat but don't have anywhere to sit. Fuck standing in line, I'm sitting in line.

I went to the Apple Store at the Mall of Georgia and walked out with a new iPhone in approximately 30 minutes. And that included looking at the display models deciding which color I wanted. I transferred data, etc at home by myself.

Like others stated, you might want to go the online route next time.

The benefits of wasting all my time was a free 15 Pro Max. Our account has a few complexities and working online was a risk I didn’t want to take.

Mrs Sigmund and I had a great experience at the Apple store in Leawood KS last week, walked out with two new iPhone 14s. We brought our daughter along for tech support, the Apple guy (almost our age) was very helpful, patient, and friendly. We did not have an appointment, just walked on a weekday afternoon.

We DID have appointments at the DMV a week later to renew our DLs, in both cases we were in and out quickly.

Buying the newest iPhone at the Apple Store is like the DMV because apparently people will put up with that shit!

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
The benefits of wasting all my time was a free 15 Pro Max. Our account has a few complexities and working online was a risk I didn’t want to take.

Perhaps "Buying a new iPhone" is not strictly accurate? Sounds like you were acquiring a new phone from your carrier? In which case one suspects iPhone or Android, the hassle would've been the same?

I acquired my wife's and my current iPhones, her current iPad, and my current Apple Watch via the Apple on-line store. Everything, incl. the trade-in process for our old devices, was easy peasy. My current iPad I bought from Costco because it was actually a bit cheaper than the on-line Apple store with my Veteran's discount.

We buy all our own devices and BYOD with our carrier and have for over ten years.

Only time I ever visited an Apple Store was to get the battery replaced in my iPhone 6S a couple or three years back. Walked in, somebody took care of me nearly right away, left my phone, browsed the mall for an hour or so, came back and picked up my phone, done.

The only time I ever go into one of my carrier's stores anymore is when I need a new SIM, which is very infrequently.

The DMV in Vegas has a food court. There's a reason for that.
I'm originally from Illinois. Those DMV's are by far the worst I've experienced in AZ, PA, IA, IN, NV or FL.

I have two and possibly three Apple stores each within thirty miles. The one to the east, well my one experience with them was enough. Dishonest prick, at least the one I dealt with. Too long to go into with all facets of my interaction with them but between photos “just taken in the back” showing the purported damage inside due to liquid intrusion two hours (no exaggeration BTW) and trying to get me to scrap it at the store (three month old item) right then and there.

It didn’t feel “right” so I took it, it was my daughter’s. I ordered her another one from Amazon and took the damaged one to a non authorized Apple shop. He disassembled it in front of me, the only damage was to the charging port while the photos of mine looked like the insides of Carlsbad Caverns, guess it “healed” itself overnight.

Three hundred dollars to disassemble and clean, this was in March 2019. I’m still using it today.

My written complaint to corporate didn’t even rate a acknowledgement to me that they received it.

My last iPhone was when the 11 came out. I went to the apple store and got ignored for an hour. I left and went to Walmart. 15 minutes later I was walking out with my new iPhone 11. I'm seriously considering going back to Android for my next phone. I even bought an older Google Pixel to try it out. Android is much better now than when I abandoned it for being quirky.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:

My last iPhone was when the 11 came out. I went to the apple store and got ignored for an hour. I left and went to Walmart. 15 minutes later I was walking out with my new iPhone 11.

Best way to buy an iPhone, or most anything Apple: On the Apple website, scroll down to the bottom of any page. You will find a link to Apple re-furbished stuff. As good as new retail, same Apple warranty as new retail, discount around 15%, free delivery to you in a day or two. No waiting on line, just takes a few minutes to do this from the comfort of your own home.

If you are active military, retired, or honorably discharged, there is a Veteran discount available, another 10% or so, that can be stacked with the re-furb, for a total discount around 25%.

It's 2023. Who goes to a store to buy a smartphone?

You know it is interesting, this thread. What was intended to be a mild criticism of mobile phone retail has become a series of critiques of the OP.

Maybe he doesn't know how to do online?

Maybe he doesn't know how to choose the phone?

Maybe he doesn't know that you can set up a phone by yourself?

Maybe he needs veiled criticism that he is a Luddite?

Maybe he is too old to understand today's world?

Let's make sure we tell the OP, just in case.