MacDailyNews - Where Mac news comes first

@ weeks ago I went to my local AT&T;store in Phillipsburg NJ..THey have two Iphones on display and were more than happy to demonstrate the phone. They were friendly and happy

Al

It's actually quite simple. The customer activates the phone at home and the Commissioned sales rep gets nothing for it. AT$T promised to commission reps that sold the phones, but AT&T;employees are reporting that it's not happening. Now should the employees not show the phone? Certainly not, they are salespeople and should be working to build relationships with customers. Do I understand why they would not want to bother? Yes I can definitely see that point of view.

one AT&T;store at a mall in my area did not have them on display. They had accessories out, but no iPhones. They said they had them in stock, but did not offer to show one to me. At that point I decided to go to an Apple store instead.

I went to AT @ T in portland oregon and they did not have any iphones on display. They also said they didn't have any and that I could not even order the iphone. They were pretty rude about it...

The iphone is going to prove the industry doesn't need nearly as many salepeople and will be able to save a ton in commisions.

Activating the phone at home is going to be like self-serve cashiers at the supermarket.

This is the problem with the Corporate worship we have going on in this country. The corporation (ie, AT&T;) sees a way to screw their employees out of a commission, so they do it, and we're supposed to accept it as a normal part of doing business. Meanwhile, CEOs and their board of directors make hundreds of millions of dollars in a single year. No wonder nobody wants to work for a living.

att store on fifth avenue doesn't even have iphone on display. but when i told an employee that i'm thinkin about getting the iphone, she smiled and said it's a really cool phone and started asking me questions about what my carrier is

You've missed the point entirely. The iPhone will sell well, but there will be a need for sales people as long as products and services are sold to people. All that's happening here is that AT&T;is taking advantage of a hot new product to screw their employees. When it's been out for a while and they want to encourage sales people to push it, the commissions will return. Until then, Apple as well as the salespeople, is being screwed.

Again, another example demonstrating that Apple chose a horrible wireless company. Would anyone expect less from AT&T;. Take AT&T;'s history of bad service and combine the for a commission based sales representative = recipe for disaster. There is a saying in HRD - "If you put a good person in a bad system, the system will win almost every time." To paraphrase, if you put a great product in a bad system, the bad system will win (or do it's best).

these jerkoff salespeople are just that.

Have I been shown an iPhone - - no

have I been into AT$T - - no

Went to the AT&T;store the Monday after launch - 3 functional iPhones on display, and you didn't have to sign in to be "assisted" by pushy salespeople to play with them. But if you pulled them too far on their tethers, an ear-splitting alarm went off (and this happened frequently).

A week later their iPhone display area was empty, no explanation given (maybe the employees got tired of resetting the alarms). Fortunately we have an Apple Store in Jacksonville, and they had about 9 display units, all being heavily used by prospective customers the night I bought mine.

Two problems I encountered with all display units: Safari and Maps crash or lock up frequently, presumable because the phones aren't being turned off and the caches fill up with heavy use. Apple needs to fix this pronto. I've only encountered one other iPhone owner out in the world, and he was ready to return it due to the lockups. I had to show him how to quit the apps and reset the phone if needed. He was so happy I "saved" his iPhone he wants to send me flowers.

Damn, Chris, you ought to be a motivational speaker.....

MW:society

This is absolutely true. I've been into my local AT&T;shop twice since the iPhone came out. On the first occasion I was told I could watch the iPhone video that was showing but I couldn't actually have a look at an iPhone, although I could see two sitting there in their cradles. I stood watching the video, along with another 4 or 5 people who had been told the same thing, After a minute or so I walked out.

On the second occasion, I walked in with a friend from England who hadn't even heard of the iPhone, so I wanted to show one to her before I took her to the airport to fly back home. We went straight over to the display and I picked one of them up. At that point I was shouted at by one of the employees to put the phone down immediately, and at the same time two security guards stepped over to me and took the phone. I was pushed away from the display and told not to pick up the phone again. Needless to say I was both alarmed and horrified at their behaviour, and my friend grabbed my arm and we left the shop. I was hoping I'd have a chance to tell someone about this bizarre experience, so here it is.

Around 4pm launch day,@ the Cingular/ATT store in S. Tampa, I stopped to check my wife's account status, (she had just gone out of contract @ T-Mobile & 'switched', ick, to ATT). The store staff was discussing the new iPhone with a customer. To say the least, they were not impressed with the device or Apple. They also had fun trashing the 'idiots' outside in line for the launch. Apple may as well have teamed w/Redmond for all the support they seem to be getting from ATT... We took our business to the International Mall Apple Store & they seemed happy enough about selling the phone to us.

The evening of the release of the iPhone my wife and I went to the AT&T;store at the Meriden Square Mall and no Kiosk was set up and the only way you could view the phone was to purchase it. Oh by the way we were the only ones in the store with around 6 sales people present. They suggested we go to either another AT&T;location in Meriden or the Westfarms Mall!

AT&T;. = A--holes Through & Through.

I'm glad this was posted...

The week after the launch (Tuesday or Wednesday), I stopped in at my local AT&T;store (Clear Lake Shores, Texas) and asked about the iPhone. I was told by the manager of the store that they had sold out on Friday night (no surprise there).

What was surprising was that he took the time to tell me that I shouldn't get an iPhone even when they are available because:

they have crappy battery life (which I know is wrong)
they won't work with the system at my job (which I couldn't care less about)
they are vulnerable to attack (I'll worry about that when I see it)
they don't have much storage space (I'm familiar with the space, that's why I asked about an 8GB iPhone)
the new version will be out soon and it will be twice as good for half the price (wow, Apple Insider could use this guy)

And most laughably, they aren't as cool as they seem on TV.

I am lucky enough to have an Apple store close by and they have a table full of iPhones to check out. They are way cooler in person than I even imagined.

It might be worth noting that I have had conversations with this guy before (although I doubt he remembers since I'm rarely in the store) and he is 100% an Apple-hating, PC apologist.

Save yourself some time and hassle and just order the iPhone from Apple, or if you're fortunate enough to have a local Apple Store, go pick one up (when they're available).


~M

PS- On a somewhat related note (since I was waiting to get one before I get an iPhone), we finally got an AppleTV last night and it is incredible. Strangely, the picture at home is tons better than the picture on the TV at the Apple Store. If anyone has thought about getting one, but didn't like the quality of picture on the display, you should still try it out. I was shocked at the quality of a SteveNote after watching them for years on my desktop.

I think we are all missing the point.

Remember.. iPhone is only sold at the AT&T;corporate owned stores. There are more AT&T;dealer/Franchise/Authorized reseller stores who do not sell iPhone.
So, remember only AT&T;corporate owned stores sell iPhones.

- M

Last week I was in the Cape Cod Mall in MA and strolled by the ATT store.They had a big iPhone banner in the store front window, but no iPhones on display. We just walked out....

@Chris

Your manifesto is out of date. Corporations aren't evil. Their job is to make money. Someone got it right. As long as the phones are selling AT&T;is doing what they do as are the employees. When it becomes an issue, the commissions will return.

We have choices! As consumers we can choose to not shop there. We can report what we know to be true and put pressure on AT&T;to do what we feel is the right thing.

Just please don't think we need to get the government involved. Those CEOs making the big bucks deserve it. If they can negotiate that kind of money, more power to them. Just like our athletes and pop musicians. It Capitalism baby and while flawed, it is the best system on earth.

Chris, you need to learn to think logically. If this situation is what MDN suspects, it will be worked out do to pressures from the market. Either we'll keep buying and the employees will keep getting screwed (they have choices too) or AT&T;will have to change their tune either to fend off what they perceive as bad press or low sales.

Chill out comrade! MDN is right to report this. It's all part of the process. I for one would rather go to an Apple store or by on-line anyway.

The AT&T;store in syracuse, ny also avoid to show their iphones. you have to ask them and you can only see it in their presence.

About 2 weeks after the iPhone launch I went into an AT&T;/Cingular store in a mall in Baton Rouge, LA, (after calling to make sure they had iPhones in stock). I walked up to a man at the counter, who appeared to be the manager. He asked if he could help me. I handed him my credit card and told him I wanted to buy an 8 gig iPhone. He then told me to "go sign in." He didn't say "please sign in and someone will be right with you." He just abruptly said "go sign in."

I signed in and waited and waited while this guy took his time talking with a couple of customers who had other phone (not iPhone) problems, while 3 or 4 other AT&T;employees milled around the store. All this manager had to do was ask one of these others to get an iPhone and ring up my credit card, and he would have had an $600 sale in the course of a couple of minutes.

While I waited two guys identifying themselves as AT&T;reps hit on me trying to sell me some home phone service I didn't want. I told them all I wanted to do was buy an iPhone, but, they wouldn't or couldn't help me do that!

I finally got tired of waiting and left, vowing never to enter an AT&T;store again for any reason!

I bought my iPhone at AT&T;in the Mall in Morristown, TN, where I didn't see an iPhone on display, but when I asked about it, they said they had some, but weren't allowed to open the boxes, so, if I wanted to see one I had to buy it. I did buy one, and the clerk who waited on me couldn't have been nicer. I don't know who is to blame for folks not being able to even look at or touch the phone before buying it, Apple or AT&T;. Anyway, the iPhone exceeded all my expectations. Just wish it had longer battery power. Can't keep my hands off it.

@rws,

Your argument is childish. You need to grow up and recognize that there is no free market when corporations are allowed to make the rules.

Yes, corporations are in business to make money, but there is still a little thing called ethics, and stealing from your employees is bad business.

Mozfan, I would not take these points (may they be valid or not) in consideration, seeing that the salespersons at AT&T;do not commissions on the sales of iPhones...

I think the guy just wanted you to buy something else, and get the commission on it.

Some of the comments he made are totally immature, if you ask me:

"they have crappy battery life (which I know is wrong)"
How can you be so sure, when the damn iPhone has been out for a month...


"they won't work with the system at my job (which I couldn't care less about)"
My partner made it work at his, and he works for the government... Granted, he is the Senior Programer of his Co.

"they are vulnerable to attack (I'll worry about that when I see it)"
As many phones/cell phones... BUT we don't really hear about that, do we?

"they don't have much storage space (I'm familiar with the space, that's why I asked about an 8GB iPhone)"
Frankly, I moved from a 60GB video iPod to the 8GB iPhone, and it is plenty... Even though I do not have my entire music library and Photo library, this does not bother me at all... And trust me, I am a total space whore when it comes to multi media devices. It actually makes my iPhone change a little when I upload different songs or pictures. Mind you, I almost always have 2 Gb of memory left on my iPhone...

"the new version will be out soon and it will be twice as good for half the price (wow, Apple Insider could use this guy)"
Hum... Yeah, sure... How does he know that? Sorry, but all of these are rumors... Of course, the second generation will be better... Dhu... You don't have to be a grad student from Harvard or Georgetown to figure that out...

Well, I guess this guy was pretty bitter on the fact that he did not get any money for selling this device.

I have been using the iPhone for a little more than a month now (I got it on launch day), and I have to say that it is the most amazing device EVER...
Granted, some stuff bug out sometime, like Safari quitting when the cash mem is a little too full or stuff like that...

But frankly, this is nothing to be annoyed with, for an update will fix this pronto...

A few days after the release, I went into the AT&T;store in the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario, California, and they didn't have any iPhones on diplay, and when I asked if I could look at one, they said they were sold out. Probably true, but shouldn't they still have had a demo model on hand? I mean, if you go to the Apple stores, they have like ten sitting there for you to play with. They weren't exactly rude, but they didn't seem to care about selling the iPhone either.

I simply hope that as many people reporting incidences here to MDN are CCing AT&T;Corporate and Apple.

AT&T;is just using the iPhone to create foot traffic in their corporate owned stores so that their salespeople will have an opportunity to sell people AT&T;'s more PROFITABLE products or services, Is anyone really surprised by this behavior?

My suggestion is go to an Apple Store!

I just sent emails to everyone on the site below, referencing the comments on MDN.

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=5036

Here in Macon, Ga., the two iPhones that were on display are gone. The display is up with the tethers still there, but they only had one phone to show, apparently. The employee that had it brought it over a few minutes after we asked another employee about it, even though he was waiting on another customer. It was a slow Sunday.

The employees were nice. I did on another occassion hear an AT&T;employee tell people that this wasn't for business but strictly consumers, and that a business model was going to be released in a later version, which i think is incorrect.

AT&T;is the weakest link and has a horrible reputation. If Apple comes out with a wi-fi iPod or something that I can use skype or something besides a crappy carrier on, then I'll buy it.

AT&T;is the reason I do not and will not have an iPhone.

I believe the exclusive contract with AT&T;was a terrible mistake on Apple's part. When I can buy one from anybody else I'll have one in a heartbeat.

Our local AT&T;store didn't have any on display because they are too small and remote for a display model. But the salesman told us that he had customers ordering the phones through the in-store fulfillment program who were getting their phones in 4 - 5 days. This was the first week of sales. The next day we ordered a phone for my wife and it was delivered to our door 24 hours later, especially considering that we are about as far west as you can get and still be in the states. Needless to say we were impressed. For those complaining about AT&T;, remember that it wasn't Apple's first choice either, They were just the first one interested in supporting the iPhone.

they are probably just pissed because they didn't get a free iPhone like the employees in the Apple-stores xD

Has it been definitively determined that AT&T;salespeople are paid commission on every phone they sell EXCEPT the iPhone? I see this "assumed" and "speculated" about above, but is it really true? If true, AT&T;management is being extremely shortsighted and stupid. I haven't been into an AT&T;store since I bought my iPhone on at 6:15 pm on intro Friday. I am amazed to hear the stories of the lack of display models for people to pick up and try out. This is a $600 product and potential buyers ought to have a chance to examine it before purchase. This reminds me of Apple's failed Circuit City store-within-a-store initiative; or the first go around with Best Buys. Sales assistance ranging from apathetic to hostile, and display areas with missing, broken, or switched off products. The ghost town feel.

I hope Apple has some clauses within their AT&T;contract that allow them to break the 5 year exclusivity if the sort of partnering being reported hear continues. Why not just let Apple sell the iPhone and let AT&T;provide the network?

Apple has been "Best Buyed" again......

was at my local ATT store in Burlingame, Ca.

They had one on display, connected and ready to go..Simply sitting on the display...no friction whatsoever...as a matter of fact, while there I had many, many conversations by customers there buying a "smartphone"...after a few minutes with a real world user, some I think are considering the iPhone more so than when they walked in.

I visited our local AT&T;store last week here in Palmdale California and was told that they had sold all of their iPhones and didn't know when they would be able to have any to show. When I asked if they could let me know when new ones arrived by phone or email, I was told just check back from time to time.

i've been to the cingular/att store in irvine, ca on Jeffery/Alton a few times since the launch and they say they don't have any iphones and don't know if they will ever get any. they said the best way to get one is by going to an apple store or another att store in irvine. the sales guys said they wish they would get the iphone though since he seemed to want one himself.

Simple solution, find at ATT store with problematic salesstaff and try to play with phone, then when they get stroppy, call up ATT Press office and make it clear that's what you are doing. That will get their attention.

My experience in dealing with my local AT&T;store in Marietta has been such that I cannot rely on their support for anything related to the iPhone. My store refused to assist me in setting up a family plan. The store employee refused to recognize the standard AT&T;discount given to all customers who retain their landline connection, even though their fellow employee attested to the benefit.

My resolution came via a call to the AT&T;customer service center.

My advice to all iPhone users: don't bother going to an AT&T;store, not ever. If you do go to an AT&T;store, it is likely you'll be given disservice. Apparently, there is no incentive for AT&T;store employees to even be nice to iPhone users.

However, all my calls to the AT&T;customer service centers have been handled in a very competent and professional manner. In my last contact, the AT&T;employee suggested I rate him highly in a telephonic survey to be made later in the day. (When that survey call was in fact made later that day, the AT&T;machinery failed to work properly so my "high regards" never had a chance to become recorded).

On Friday 6/30/07, I drove 30 miles to the location reported by the AT&T;website which was claimed to have stock of iPhones for the launch, since the nearest Apple Store is a 5 hour drive. Upon arrival at "AT&T;", I found it to be a portable kiosk in the aisle in the local shopping mall of a college town. They had no stock, and were simply taking orders. Groups of people were being turned away by the sales people who were insisting that they purchase accessories and plans for the phone, but would have to wait an indeterminate amount of time before their iPhone would be shipped TO THE KIOSK, ie another return trip was required.

I returned home immediately and my online Apple Store order was placed at 6:07 pm (but completed at 6:27 due to server load!), and it arrived via FedEx overnight directly from China, 1 week later.

Apple, please do whatever you can to get rid of these AT&T;pricks' contract.

@Chris

Childish? You have a strange sense of what stealing is!

Oh well, I can see you don't have the logic skills to make an argument or understand one. Have some more Kool-aid and go fight global warming. You'll feel so much better.

Do you think the couple were Zune Tang & his wench? I would'nt be surprised if it was!!!:-)

RWS, Quit drinking the Limbaugh Kool Aid. That three hours every day is too much man. You've been brainwashed, and you don't even realize it.

I was looking over my account @ AT&T;'s web site and noticed that nowhere is the iPhone even mentioned anymore. Look under Phones/Devices and Apple is not listed under manufactures. Look under "smart phones" (or any of the other headings) and there is no iPhone listed. The only mention to iPhone was in Support section. If Apple plans on selling 10M iPhones in 2008 (18,000/day) then they NEED AT&T;'s stores/web site to be actively promoting the device. Apple's management better have a long talk with them or sue for breach of contract. I just can't imagine ANY company treating potential paying customers like what I've read above.

It's the latest cult. First we had the Moonies, than the Scientologists, but by far the most dangerous (but shrinking) one today is the Dittoheads. They need professional help to be deprogrammed. Three hours a day, five days a week they are bombarded by an opinionated, uneducated failure of a man, who has issues against almost anyone different from himself. His marriages have ended in failure, he's never served a day in the military, yet is one of the biggest hawks, he has been addicted to painkillers, and obtained them in illegal ways, that surely would have meant jail time for you or me had we done the same, and wouldn't even be on the radio had his mother not owned the station, and given him the job. Why on earth would any thinking person believe a man like this had any ideas of worth?

SBG, you're not paying attention.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/welcome/

I bought my iPhone at a local at&t;store and had an excellent experience. They gave me $100 in rebates for switching 2 lines, and offered to waive the activation fee. I felt like they were extremely motivated to sell me the iPhone, and thus I bought one.

By the way, I love it.

Tommy,
I believe the correct term for Limbaugh is a Chickenhawk. He, along with Five Deferment Cheney and AWOL-never went to Nam Bush are leaders of the Chickenhawk Party.

I have never had a positive experience in an AT&T;(Cingular) store, so why would the iPhone be any different.

Although I bought my iPhone at my local Apple store, I went to AT&T;to look a cases that were different from those Apple was stocking.

As usual, I was ignored; and then, again as usual, somebody who came into the store after me got helped before me. And, also as usual, I dropped the case I was going to buy and stormed out of the store.

The only unfortunate thing here is that there are way more communities that DON'T have Apple stores than those that do, and citizens of those locations have no alternative to dealing with the AT&T;store.

Hopefully Apple's people are reading these comments and will be able to get on AT&T;'s back (breech of contract?) and get this straightened out.

@rws,
Good job! Explaining something logically on an MDN thread may feel like you're speaking German in a Chinese village, but kudos to you for trying!