[Dr.G.]

I guess that this does not qualify as a real "Apple Store". C'est la vie. Today TO, tommorrow St.John's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/futureshop.html

 

[RicktheChemist]

But, man, Futureshop has been an Apple Reseller for ages, but never saw one in there, I wonder if this is going to change something..

Cheers,

RtC

 

[(( p g ))]

Hmm...I'm nonplused by the apparent excitement in the post at thinksecret. Here in Ottawa, they've been selling Macs at the local FutileShop for some time. Can't say that they do a very good job of it. For your reading pleasure, here's a snippet from my recent visit to the local FS seller when I was shopping for my new iMac.

Salesguy (chewing gum): "Hey can I help?'
Me: "Hi. I'm looking for a new Mac G4"
Salesguy: "A G4? Don't think we have that. We got flat panel, you want flat panel?"
Me: "Uh yeah. Okay (looks around) ...so where is it?"
Salesguy: "Over there" (points a dusty corner of the store right next to a pile of clearance stock).
Me: "Hmmm this an older model (it was a first-edition release 15 inch model running 10.1). Is it sold with OS 10.2?"
Salesguy: "Hunh? This is brand new my friend."
Me: (Shows salesguy the "About this Mac" menu item) "The specs on this are about a year old. Maybe this is just your demo..."
Salesguy: (Looks at online inventory) "Yeah. Maybe. Hey why you wanna buy Mac?"
Me: "Why?"
Salesguy: "Yeah, why. We have good sales on PCs...and they are faster and better. No one uses Mac anymore...that's why they are over here. I never sell any."
Me: "I see. So they don't sell."
Salesguy: "No."
Me: "What about all those people on the TV commercial who say they've switched to Macs?"
Salesguy: "Yeah I've seen that. I don't think what they say about PCs is true. They are actors, no?"
Me: "No. I don't think they're actors. Well it was nice talking to you..."

Maybe Torontonians will have better luck than I did...or maybe they'll luck in and covet an Apple Store, long to rumoured for the area.

 

[minnes]

Patrick if it wasnt true aout many shops, I would laugh.
They have Macs at about 3 or 4 places here in hamilton.
I seem to remember places like Compusmart and Sears sold macs at one point
Im sure our friend Daycus Maximus is doing a fine job at Future shop here, but I dont see much more than an iMac there, maybe sometimes an iBook.
I would like to see Future Shop jump onto Mac stuff in a bigger way , it just makes for more Mac users, and more demand for Mac stuff which is a good thing.
Mark

 

[Fox]

Hmmm; I'd have to say that either Patrick hit a real dog, or that the Future Shop that recently opened in Peterborough just has better salesfolk. I've purchased several items for my Macs there, and in the process, looked at the Mac units for sale. The iMac G4 and eMac were displayed prominantly with the PC's. The salesperson helping me was enthusiastic about them, although he didn't know as much about them as typical Mac resellers do. He was very helpful, however, at making sure that the memory I purchased and the wireless router I didn't were Mac-compatible. None of the three salespeople I dealt with there were in any way negative about the Mac. I've also been at two Future Shops in Edmonton looking for Mac stuff, and I didn't have a bad experience at either of these. Bottom line seems to be that your mileage varies with the store and the salesperson. I would encourage Patrick to report his bad experience to a manager the next time he's in that Ottawa store.

 

[Kosh]

I have to agree with Patrick. I don't know if it's just the Ottawa stores, but there seems to be alot of sales staff there doing very little work. I think I spent over an hour looking at nice wide-screen HDTV TV's before any of them gave me the time of day. Yet, I saw 4-5 salespeople always bunched around talking to each other. As for Mac stuff, I've seen a few Macs (like eMacs) come out of the stores, but I've never seen one on display. I tend to stay away from Futureshop for Mac stuff.

 

[robert]

In the FS at the top end of Waterloo, they had a 17" imac and an emac on display. They were both just ploped on a shelf and left to collect dust. Shame really, I'm sure with the right display, they would sell fine.
Robert

 

[PosterBoy]

My issue is that I don't like shopping at FS for anything. Occasionally I go in and ask a obscure question about an obscure or new product just to see how many sales people it takes to come up with the right answer.

Last time I was actually in a FS to buy something was right after I heard that the lower mainland ones were blowing out their Mac stuff because they weren't ging to carry it anymore. I walked in and asked about what Mac stuff they still had because I heard it was being blown out. The sales guy said "oh, we dont carry Macs anymore, and besides we can get you a better PC for cheaper". I told him that was fine and that I'd look around for a few minutes. It took me 30 seconds to find the stack of blow out Macs.

So long as they are hiring people who actually know about the Mac Product I guess it is ok, but if they just carry them like they were carrying them before then I am not for it.

--PB

 

[robert]

Posterboy, I think that its the people who do the store/chain discredit. Back in the mid 90's, I bought an LC630 at a FS near metrotown. At that time there were a lot of different models out and Apple had lost a bit of focus. London Drugs downtown Vancouver didn't even stock Apple stuff, so FS and one dedicated Apple retailer were all I had to deal with. I think todays line up helps make it easier to sell Apple gear. All they need are people with knowledge. Thus the hiring of dedicated salespeople for the stores. A great job if you can get it. No PC crap to sell and hear about when it acts up.
Robert

 

[Ohenri]

Will the FS rep not be an Apple trained rep anyhow?? I think that there was a link to the job postings here a while back - and someone here went for it. The interviews were @ the Apple HO. So I really would be surprised that the actual Apple Rep would go about such poor display of Prod.Knowledge.

Will this pilot make me buy an Apple @ FS? Likely not. May go in to chit chat with him - but unless FS were to display a colossal leap in CustServ - and not chase the $$, I could not see myself buying anything less than accessories. I know they need to make some $$ but there's a fine line. I'm in sales as well...

Who went for that job here? can't recall off the top of my head - though I found the link that was posted a while back.

I'll be looking for this when it kicks off. Does that mean that Best Buy will be doing the same as FS is the property of the other??

 

[mycatsnameis]

Well what's new of course is the promise of Apple trained staff and the full product line. FS has only carried the low end up to now.

I must say, though that I have my doubts that there will be enough Apple trained staff to be there during full business hours. That's where the trouble will start, FS staff half-trained on site by the Apple trained staff.

 

[Britnell]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dr.G.:
I guess that this does not qualify as a real "Apple Store". C'est la vie. Today TO, tommorrow St.John's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/futureshop.html<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

This is NOT a new programme. I worked for Apple doing exactly this a number of years ago. The success of the programme depended upon each store, and the willingness of the store/computer manager to assist.

The staff flat out refuse to sell Apple goodies, unless a customer specifically askes for one because they are on commission. The Apple products cost more than the e-machines, but the commission to the sales weasle is much higher on the e-machine. Sure Apple's margin per machine is over 25%, but for the reseller's it is closer to 5%.

Also, have you noticed a lack of Apple software and compatable hardware in FS? If the sales weasle sells a Mac, the customer is NOT coming back to the store to buy new stuff. No return traffic means no commission. And Macs are better behaved. It is much harder to sell an extended warranty on a Mac product.

Apple has done this programme in the past, and I'm sure will do it again. But don't look to it to drive Mac sales up.

 

[sputnik]

They are dumb.Thats all.I went in with a friend in a hurry looking for CDR's one day.Asked the sales rep where they were and he said they didnt carry that.As he walked away,right behind him we found our CDR's.NEVER even bother asking a salesman in FS or RS anything.Clueless.

 

[used to be jwoodget]

Oh Patrick, what an opportunity to have shown him your ad!!! Personally, I find CompuSmart to be much more Mac friendly that FutureShop (at least in TO).

 

[Dr.G.]

Interestingly enough, when I was in Montreal at a conference, I stopped by BMac, on the suggestions of Ms.C. When I asked to see one of the new 17" iMacs, they sent me across the street to see it at FS, but hoped that if I were to buy one, I would come back to them for this purchase. I thanked them, told them that I was from St.John's, but wished them well and was pleased by their "customer first" attitude. The FS had one, but I could not get anyone to plug it in so that I might see the screen size and the various resolutions. The local FS has at least 5 people who know me by name, and I go to them whenever I want to buy something.

 

[sputnik]

I actually worked at that FS in Montreal for a bit and as fun as it was to see the PC salesmen get in to arguments over the customers,I had to leave.
We actually have a huge BMAC warehouse here but it is totally out of the way and not at all easy to get to.Location people please.We'll never sell them if people cant find them.Interesting as well....heh...I was in that BMAC once and asked for a voltage regulator for my old Beige.I got nothing but a puzzled look and a summoned tech from the back.Communication seems to be missing from their sales angle as well.

 

[hayesk]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Patrick Gant:

Me: "What about all those people on the TV commercial who say they've switched to Macs?"
Salesguy: "Yeah I've seen that. I don't think what they say about PCs is true. They are actors, no?"
Me: "No. I don't think they're actors. Well it was nice talking to you..."
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ROFL! Patrick, you should have brought the sales guy over to a PC, and bring your ad up on the apple site, and then say, "Actors, huh? See ya, I'm goin' to B.Mac."

 

[hayesk]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by sputnik:
Interesting as well....heh...I was in that BMAC once and asked for a voltage regulator for my old Beige<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Voltage regular? I can guarantee you'd get a puzzled look pretty much anywhere. That was a pretty obscure problem and was a few years ago.

 

[PosterBoy]

Britnell said:
The Apple products cost more than the e-machines, but the commission to the sales weasle is much higher on the e-machine. Sure Apple's margin per machine is over 25%, but for the reseller's it is closer to 5%.

Maybe then, but currently the reseller margins are in line with other PC manufacturers. About 9% on low end (iMacs/eMacs/iBooks) and about 12% on Power stuff (PowerMacs/PowerBooks).

--PB

 

[däycüs mäximüs]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by minnes:

Im sure our friend Daycus Maximus is doing a fine job at Future shop here, but I dont see much more than an iMac there, maybe sometimes an iBook.
I would like to see Future Shop jump onto Mac stuff in a bigger way , it just makes for more Mac users, and more demand for Mac stuff which is a good thing.
Mark<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

at my future shop (just got off work, actually) we do an awesome job than the other stores in the region selling apple stuff.

our department sales manager is an apple product professional (as am i), and a friend in the home theatre department was an apple technician.

i know that future shop isn't the best place right now for apple stuff, but we're changing all that... and by the way, ohenri, it was me who was at apple for the job interview.. and it's still all hush-hush.

man, i hate it when people generalize. patrick gant, i can't speak for your experience, but here at the hamilton store, we've got a good crew that's razor-sharp on mac stuff.

i'd call light computer centre (the only mac-only store here in hamilton) and they're astounded on how much mac stuff we know here... the only computer on the sales floor that's actually connected to the internet is our GHz iMac.

the apple jobs website states that the apple solutions consultants will be there on peak times to assist with the sales of it all. that means the ASCs will be there for any kind of help needed.

since i'm not top-level management, i don't know what's going on.. but i can bet that apple's going to make a big splash in future shop in the coming months.

if they hire good people on, they're going to make a huge difference with market share. there are a lot of future shops. once the program rolls in, you'll see a tremendous change.

i for one am excited about this. i can't wait to see more apple products in the store, and buy my ipod on staff purchase!