I don’t know if this answers your question, but I recently had to make an appointment at our local Apple store for a problem with a software update. While I was there, several people were in and out dropping off/picking up their phones they had left for battery replacements. All had a 2 hour wait for the replacement. So I suppose they had a ‘reservation’, which meant they reserved a spot for their replacement to take place by a technician. I had an appointment at the Genius Bar where I actually interfaced with someone. Make sense? This is my take on the difference.

By the way, I have also had very good luck, albeit a lengthy process, using their online support. Of course this won’t work if you need a battery replaced.

And no, it isn’t just you. I can’t follow half of what they say sometimes, which is why I like the online chats. I can request a transcript of the chat at the end. Have to say though, this last time the guy was excellent and I understood every word. I just got lucky.

Make a reservation. They have to open the phone so don't try it yourself.

I think that the young people that man these stores sometimes forget that not everyone is fluent in techno-speak :-) It is the same way with gardeners that toss out a lot of horticultural terms and botanical names that to the uninitiated sound like they are speaking another language. Which in a way they are :-) I always ask them to talk to me like I was an idiot, which in their world I am!

Can't you take it to Sprint or whoever provides your phone service?

I think that the young people that man these stores sometimes forget that not everyone is fluent in techno-speak

Huh. I've never, ever found that in the apple store. It infuriates me for quite the opposite reason--I know way more about macs than most of the folks working there but they always talk to me like I'm some ancient granny who never saw a computer before.

I very clearly stated "not everyone" :-) Some people will be just as, if not more, knowledgeable than the staff. But that is likely the exception rather than the rule and being that familiar or experienced in that field, it is very easy to slip into terminology or product lingo that is NOT as familiar to the general public.

I don't mind the techno speak, it just seems like there are all these unnecessary layers that I have to wade through to get anything done. Why can't it be like a hair appt? Go to a website or call, find a mutually agreeable time and then go in.

I've had to contact applecare and go through everything (name, serial #, ID, blah, blah), wait for them to contact me back (go through everything again), wait until I got a notification about an available battery. Then leave a message at the store directly to make an appointment and go through everything again. And the appt really isn't an appt but a drop off time. And I am sure I will have to give all my info again when I go in ...

But that's what I'm saying, gardengal. My own experience, whether on my own or when I go with friends who are made nervous by tech, is that the employees hardly even use two-syllable words. Places like Best Buy, yeah. They want to confuse you into buying more than you need.

Now I am waiting in a long line to drop off my phone and they just told someone in front of me that it will take 6 hours to replace the battery...

Probably there is a lot of demand for batteries right now since Apple dropped the price of a new battery from $79 to $29 if it is out of warranty. That's because Apple slowed the processors on them in order to keep the batteries from degrading, which was unfair. So that's how they are making up to us and may be why it takes six hours to replace it. Ugh. I am intimidated by the Apple store, to, largely because everyone in there is 40 years younger than me and knows what they are doing. I don't.

I've had mine for over 2 years (and another for several years before that) and have never had an issue with either. Except for once when it went through a software update and needed to be reactivated afterwards........but my local Verizon store handled that in about 3 minutes!!

I've decided that it's a techno cult. There's something about the layout, the sterile arrangement of accessories, the matching t-shirts, the enthusiasm and of course they all seem to be half my age that throws me off the moment I walk in.

However my DD recently told me that she used to feel that way about libraries!

I like their products but I think their approach to customer service can be arrogant. At least I think they finally got rid of their "genius bar". Yeah, my son the genius, workin' at the mall.

Your local store may or may not have the battery in stock. In any case, you have to make an appointment with what they used to call the "Genius Bar" to get a technician to look at the phone. If battery is in stock, they will replace it. If not in stock, they will order it and you'll have to make a new appointment for the install. Even the "appointments" are chaotic, and you have to make sure to make your presence known and keep track of where you are in "line".

a little humor for everyone who's suffered in a tech store:

I haven't read all the replies. But I went through the battery replacement thing:

I made an appointment online for the Apple store in my town. I'd thought it was to get my battery replaced for $29. When I showed up, on a Sunday afternoon, the store was a veritable zoo. Upon checking in, they said, oh, this isn't an appointment to replace your battery...it's to determine if you need a new battery. I was not happy about this. First of all, I wanted a new battery and I was prepared to pay for it.

I was plopped at a table with some other semi-disgruntled people. Let me say right now that I'm a Mac/Apple person for all my devices, so I don't have a bad opinion of Apple. But I was annoyed about the attitude I thought I was getting from some of the employees. They must have picked up on that, because a very nice fellow with a good bedside manner eventually came over to where I was sitting (high table, bar stool) and ran some diagnostics and said, yeah, if I wanted I should get a new battery.

They were out of batteries and had to order one for me.

A week or so later, they emailed or called (I forget) to say my battery was in. All I had to do was drop off my phone and in about an hour it would be ready. I picked a weekday when the store opened, and it was all done painlessly.

I think the problems were 1) end-user (me) not understanding that there wasn't necessarily a battery waiting for me at my first appointment; 2) cranky employees, possibly due to 3) late Sunday afternoon chaos in the store.

I boycott all Apple products because they are so proprietary with everything. I am also probably in the wrong generation. I would find it very annoying to have to go to one of THEIR stores to get a battery changed. There should be multiple choices for that.

When I saw the title of this post, I thought for sure someone was going to say that they don't have any public restrooms in the stores, hahaha.

Our local Apple store, which is huge, doesn't have bathrooms (or at least they don't let customers use them. So what are you supposed to do?

My local Apple store is in a mall. You use the mall’s restrooms.

i love Apple products.

In my experience, service at the Apple Store is hit and miss. However, their phone customer service has been stellar and ensures that I remain a loyal consumer of their products.

I love Apple products, too. I had the phone battery changed at a Best Buy store with a next day appt; my local Apple store was sold out for appts for two weeks. Although the battery "reading" for my phone read 91% according to some meter or whatever, my phone with the "new and improved" battery lasts forever!

Edit to add: I was told at Best Buy: if they didn't have the battery for my phone, they would have to order and they would call when in stock.

I have had good experiences at the Apple store.

I've had a mac.com (me.com) email for a long time and Apple has had issues when they have migrated to different systems (now icloud.com).

During one of those transitions something wasn't working so I went into the store and the "genius" at the bar proceeded to delete all my emails. Poof, completely gone. I wasn't 100% sold on the company and that incident didn't help them. I only have an iPad for traveling, but use a windows PC and Android phone for everything else.

Many other places you can get a new iphone battery. I got one for about $60 - took about an hour - no muss no fuss.

I've had to go to the Apple store 2 times. Made appt's for what we needed. The process was fine, got what we needed done but walking into that place is anxiety inducing!! There is always a lot of people and it is SO busy...too much for me.

Oh yeah, the local Apple store is the most busy store in the whole mall I swear. I did have good luck at the time I needed a new battery a couple of years ago in my iPhone 5 and they were able to do it right then and there I think with about a 2 hour wait. However, that was before the battery issue this year. As a PP said, you can have the battery replaced other retailers.

My iPhone 5 finally died and I elected not to repair it and just got an iPhone 8. I wanted a pretty current phone since I don't replace them often. But I just ordered it through Verizon. Only thing was they told me it would be in the store the next day for me to pick up and it was one more day. So, I had no phone for two days, but it wasn't the end of the world. I did have a conference coming up with travel so I needed to have a working phone by the time I left. Loving the 8 vs my old 5. I also wanted a slightly bigger screen than my 5.

So, if you want a new Apple product or service, you do not necessarily have to go to the Apple Store.

If you can arrange it, a weekday when the store opens (10am) is the best time to go to the Apple store.

I took my (used) iPhone to my AT&T store to have it set up. If I ever need anything done to it I hope I can go to my store. I'm due for a new phone (still rocking 4s). I'm not sure what I'll do when I need a new computer. The closest Apple store is about 50 miles away. Not impossible but not really enjoyable. Tech issues really frustrate me. As in makes me want to cry or punch something frustrates me. It's one thing I cannot stand to be bothered with.

I still say Windows is way more user friendly. My biggest complaint with my Mac is their folder system. I have a very organized way of how I keep my pictures in folders and I it seems more complicated the way I have to click and open, etc. on the MAC. I'm used to it but don't like it. I don't care for their Photos app. The only truly appealing thing to me is the smooth operation. If Microsoft were that way I'd switch back in a heartbeat. Maybe I just need a higher quality computer of theirs? I remember reading how things have gone downhill in recent years with Apple quality. Not sure what I'll do when it comes time for something new.

See nini804's recent post.

Apple-licious

Well, I must say that at least they don't tell lies that big at the apple store, for all that it's a very annoying place.