Not to mention, the stores can't even activate the phone. It has to be done through iTunes, at home. Talk about losing control of your subscriber...
It can also be done in-store at an AT&T store or Apple store.
A buddy of mine works for them and he told me that they can't. He said a customer actually came in with his laptop but the stores do not have access to iTunes (the internet is filtered through Dallas or something)
Not sure how they would be able to activate otherwise...