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| - Although younger kids probably can't remember, there was a time when, if your electronics broke, you were pretty much screwed. Any warranty coverage required you to send the item away by mail, only to receive it back within a matter of weeks - or sometimes even months! Most people, including myself, would rarely even bother.
I give Apple credit for being an innovator of sorts. If you look around, you'll see many stores that have attempted to duplicate Apple's minimalist store layout to the point where it's almost embarrassing. Microsoft being the most guilty of them all.
I do find some of their customer service methods a bit odd, however.
When you walk in, as many reviewers state, you're pretty much on your own. It's up to you to find someone and tell them just precisely why you're there. If you need to make a purchase, it's relatively painless. But sometimes, a return requires that you be queued up and put on a waiting list. You then are instructed to linger around a specific location so the employee can find you.
During a more recent visit, an enthusiastic employee was explaining to me how, if I wanted to purchase a product, I could actually do it on my phone - without ever having to interact with a single soul. I can just pay for it, grab the item, and walk out - as if I'm some kind of reincarnation of Steve Jobs. Although whether or not I'd be immediately tackled and beaten senseless by a mall cop mistaking me for a shoplifter upon exit is a risk I'm not willing to take.
I've dealt with Apple during my days of dropped iPod Classic replacements, recent indecisiveness on various Macbook Pro models, and my unusually complex love/hate relationship with their Magic Mouse. All employees were pleasant and helpful. The one exception being the kid who hadn't a clue where to direct me when I needed advice on how to emulate Windows via Bootcamp. I think he thought I was attempting to recruit him for the military.
If you know the layout of the mall, I've found that one can get in and out of here fairly quickly - especially if you make an appointment.
Recommended!
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