Comments on: They Murdered the Experience: iPhone purchase and activation http://dalelarson.com/2008/07/they-murdered-the-experience-iphone-purchase-and-activation.html Adventures in Startups: Business, Leadership, Technology and Marketing Sat, 07 May 2011 18:50:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dale L. Larson http://dalelarson.com/2008/07/they-murdered-the-experience-iphone-purchase-and-activation.html/comment-page-1#comment-8 Dale L. Larson Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:09:00 +0000 http://dailylarson.com/?p=37#comment-8 Thanks for your comment.<br/><br/>It's entirely possible that I missed something that you caught while we were in line, but I honestly had no idea that this was going to be an issue or that it applied to me.<br/><br/>Apple handed out a card that said we'd need our SSN, ID and a credit card, to buy a phone. Apparently, I failed to read and fully understand some of the small print.<br/><br/>Only after having been in the store for quite some time did I learn that, in addition to the problems with servers being down on the sales side and iTunes being overwhelmed on the activation side, there was an issue for me because my personal account once had a corporate discount attached to it (it's not a "corporate account" and I'm not a "corporate customer").<br/><br/>That discount had been unused since I bought the original iPhone (which originally didn't allow discounts). It didn't enter my mind and I had no idea it might cause a problem.<br/><br/>Apple found they couldn't remove the discount (without a 72 hour delay), couldn't sell me a phone without removing the discount, and couldn't find an AT&T store that still had stock available to sell me (since they had limited allocation for Friday). They literally couldn't help me except by giving me a phone or turning me away empty handed.<br/><br/>I think the folks at the Apple Store did a great job with a miserable situation that corporate never should have put them in.<br/><br/>I stand by my statement that this kind of complication is exactly the thing that makes buying cell service and handsets a nightmare for the consumer. Even someone who cares a lot about the details misses some when confronted with too many. <br/><br/>It's a shame that the last iPhone was so simple to buy and this one is so difficult.<br/><br/>After all the hoopla that Apple is now supporting corporate customers with the new iPhone, isn't it ironic that someone in line at an Apple Store can't be served because of a corporate discount that once applied to their account? Thanks for your comment.

It’s entirely possible that I missed something that you caught while we were in line, but I honestly had no idea that this was going to be an issue or that it applied to me.

Apple handed out a card that said we’d need our SSN, ID and a credit card, to buy a phone. Apparently, I failed to read and fully understand some of the small print.

Only after having been in the store for quite some time did I learn that, in addition to the problems with servers being down on the sales side and iTunes being overwhelmed on the activation side, there was an issue for me because my personal account once had a corporate discount attached to it (it’s not a “corporate account” and I’m not a “corporate customer”).

That discount had been unused since I bought the original iPhone (which originally didn’t allow discounts). It didn’t enter my mind and I had no idea it might cause a problem.

Apple found they couldn’t remove the discount (without a 72 hour delay), couldn’t sell me a phone without removing the discount, and couldn’t find an AT&T store that still had stock available to sell me (since they had limited allocation for Friday). They literally couldn’t help me except by giving me a phone or turning me away empty handed.

I think the folks at the Apple Store did a great job with a miserable situation that corporate never should have put them in.

I stand by my statement that this kind of complication is exactly the thing that makes buying cell service and handsets a nightmare for the consumer. Even someone who cares a lot about the details misses some when confronted with too many.

It’s a shame that the last iPhone was so simple to buy and this one is so difficult.

After all the hoopla that Apple is now supporting corporate customers with the new iPhone, isn’t it ironic that someone in line at an Apple Store can’t be served because of a corporate discount that once applied to their account?

]]> By: Dale L. Larson http://dalelarson.com/2008/07/they-murdered-the-experience-iphone-purchase-and-activation.html/comment-page-1#comment-23323 Dale L. Larson Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:09:00 +0000 http://dailylarson.com/?p=37#comment-23323 Thanks for your comment.It's entirely possible that I missed something that you caught while we were in line, but I honestly had no idea that this was going to be an issue or that it applied to me.Apple handed out a card that said we'd need our SSN, ID and a credit card, to buy a phone. Apparently, I failed to read and fully understand some of the small print.Only after having been in the store for quite some time did I learn that, in addition to the problems with servers being down on the sales side and iTunes being overwhelmed on the activation side, there was an issue for me because my personal account once had a corporate discount attached to it (it's not a "corporate account" and I'm not a "corporate customer").That discount had been unused since I bought the original iPhone (which originally didn't allow discounts). It didn't enter my mind and I had no idea it might cause a problem.Apple found they couldn't remove the discount (without a 72 hour delay), couldn't sell me a phone without removing the discount, and couldn't find an AT&T; store that still had stock available to sell me (since they had limited allocation for Friday). They literally couldn't help me except by giving me a phone or turning me away empty handed.I think the folks at the Apple Store did a great job with a miserable situation that corporate never should have put them in.I stand by my statement that this kind of complication is exactly the thing that makes buying cell service and handsets a nightmare for the consumer. Even someone who cares a lot about the details misses some when confronted with too many. It's a shame that the last iPhone was so simple to buy and this one is so difficult.After all the hoopla that Apple is now supporting corporate customers with the new iPhone, isn't it ironic that someone in line at an Apple Store can't be served because of a corporate discount that once applied to their account? Thanks for your comment.It’s entirely possible that I missed something that you caught while we were in line, but I honestly had no idea that this was going to be an issue or that it applied to me.Apple handed out a card that said we’d need our SSN, ID and a credit card, to buy a phone. Apparently, I failed to read and fully understand some of the small print.Only after having been in the store for quite some time did I learn that, in addition to the problems with servers being down on the sales side and iTunes being overwhelmed on the activation side, there was an issue for me because my personal account once had a corporate discount attached to it (it’s not a “corporate account” and I’m not a “corporate customer”).That discount had been unused since I bought the original iPhone (which originally didn’t allow discounts). It didn’t enter my mind and I had no idea it might cause a problem.Apple found they couldn’t remove the discount (without a 72 hour delay), couldn’t sell me a phone without removing the discount, and couldn’t find an AT&T; store that still had stock available to sell me (since they had limited allocation for Friday). They literally couldn’t help me except by giving me a phone or turning me away empty handed.I think the folks at the Apple Store did a great job with a miserable situation that corporate never should have put them in.I stand by my statement that this kind of complication is exactly the thing that makes buying cell service and handsets a nightmare for the consumer. Even someone who cares a lot about the details misses some when confronted with too many. It’s a shame that the last iPhone was so simple to buy and this one is so difficult.After all the hoopla that Apple is now supporting corporate customers with the new iPhone, isn’t it ironic that someone in line at an Apple Store can’t be served because of a corporate discount that once applied to their account?

]]> By: Anonymous http://dalelarson.com/2008/07/they-murdered-the-experience-iphone-purchase-and-activation.html/comment-page-1#comment-7 Anonymous Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:10:00 +0000 http://dailylarson.com/?p=37#comment-7 I was there and listened in to your experience (I was several people behind you in line). With all due respect, they had warned you beforehand that you were a corporate customer and had to buy from an ATT store, but you insisted they help you anyway which they went out of their way to do. I think you need to take a little responsibility for your experience. I was there and listened in to your experience (I was several people behind you in line). With all due respect, they had warned you beforehand that you were a corporate customer and had to buy from an ATT store, but you insisted they help you anyway which they went out of their way to do. I think you need to take a little responsibility for your experience.

]]> By: Anonymous http://dalelarson.com/2008/07/they-murdered-the-experience-iphone-purchase-and-activation.html/comment-page-1#comment-23322 Anonymous Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:10:00 +0000 http://dailylarson.com/?p=37#comment-23322 I was there and listened in to your experience (I was several people behind you in line). With all due respect, they had warned you beforehand that you were a corporate customer and had to buy from an ATT store, but you insisted they help you anyway which they went out of their way to do. I think you need to take a little responsibility for your experience. I was there and listened in to your experience (I was several people behind you in line). With all due respect, they had warned you beforehand that you were a corporate customer and had to buy from an ATT store, but you insisted they help you anyway which they went out of their way to do. I think you need to take a little responsibility for your experience.

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