Apple → Re: Zero for Two today at Apple Store

I read your story twice and still don't have a clue as to what you're talking about. I'll take a guess and think you were giving these as christmas gifts, and didn't want to activate them until then. If that was the case then that's what you should have told them at the Apple store. They then would've stuck them in a bag and you would have left with your treasure. The Apple Store employees are just used to people wanting to use their new toy asap and are willing to help set up the phone before you leave.

Neither do I. less rant more english OP

I did make it clear to them that they were Christmas purchases and still received the same response as noted. Since the supervisor that the lady went to correctly identified the reason why I had been able to leave with an iPhone unactivated during a previous Christmas season (paid full retail to remain MTM since wife and myself were not ready to upgrade at that time), as well as being quick and confident in his response, I chose to believe the representative of the company that actual retails the product versus the cellular provider.

Sorry to those that weren't able to understand the overall frustration with Apple: 1) poor retail model, in my opinion (at least on a weekend day), since you make a customer wait almost an hour to pick up a purchase with other Apple staff giving the appearance of having nothing to do; 2) the staff wasn't familiar with the policy to allow for a customer to leave with their product without it being activated on site, especially considering it is your top retail product at this time; and 3) for the time being locks me out of an upgrade option on my cell plan as we near the holidays.

In a nutshell, it was a waste of time (translation: this is a gripe session). Yes Darci, I could have ordered from ATT but I received an additional cashback incentive to order from Apple, and at these prices, five percent is five percent. It's a shame that it couldn't go as smoothly as it did when I ordered my MBPr online and attempted the same process that I did yesterday which went more smoothly. To Apple's credit, I do like the email process of receipt receival and being able to buy onsite without having to go to a register to be checked out.

To all, disregard the thread and I'll crawl back under my rock. I had also hoped that what I was told and experienced might be helpful to others that might desire to attempt the same gift purchase in the same manner which I did and could provide them some insight.

Get a gift card and let them buy their own phone, or make it a VISA gift card and they can get whatever phone (or whatever else) they want. If these phones are to stay on your account, then you use them to buy when there won't be any hassle about it.

I understood him perfectly.

ok your awesome.