I can’t help but feel sorry for any Macintosh computer being sold at my local Best Buy.
Usually, they sit in the back of the computer aisle, alone and untrusted, with no intelligent human being around to give it the love and customer assistance it needs.
Take the above Macbook Air. I found it harnessed against an aisle wall, together with a Sony Vaio, looking very unattractive. For starters, it was off (the Vaio was turned on). Second, that damned harness took away every bit of aesthetic beauty the Air possessed.
I lingered for a minute, picking it up, acting like I was interested in purchasing for, I don’t know, a relative for Christmas. Yet no Best Buy associate came by to help me out. Were they scared? Did they not trust the machine? Was that why it was turned off?
So, for free, I decided to help Apple out with their Macbook Air marketing. I turned the laptop on, got it logged on to that store’s wireless connection, and shrank the OS X 10.5 Leopard dock down to a mortal size. Then, I launched Photo Booth. What better marketing tool than a laptop that will take your picture?
It was a real attention-grabber. Customers would walk by, catch their own image on the screen, and stop to play around with the Mac.
Since Best Buy started selling Macs, I often wonder if they’re getting the attention they so rightfully deserve. The first Mac I ever saw in a Best Buy – a Mac mini, back when it was first released in 2005 – was at least turned on and ready for me to poke around the desktop. This Air, an even lovelier computer, was abandoned like a Packard Bell in some dusty, remote corner of the store. Shame on you, Best Buy.
No need to send a check, Apple. This is the kind of thing your fans will do for you, if only you treat us well once in a while (see: iPhone). Hopefully that Macbook Air finds a good home – before it’s too late.
So from a Marketing point of view, and keeping in mind the brand and what it stands for, who is to blame? Shame on Best Buy, or Shame on Apple?
Good Hunting.
Posted by Tim Rueb on December 16th, 2008.
They are really bad with setting up their computers at the jackson store… BB is on twitter @BBYJackson476, you should direct message them and tell jim @jimyafai (one of the managers) to get his store together.
Posted by dave on December 17th, 2008.
@Tim – that’s what I thought when Apple announced they were selling Macs at Best Buys. Now, that’s not always true. At a Best Buy store in Lansing, they had a nice set up with Apple geeks there to help out and a nice display and tons of software. Here in Jackson? Not so much. So maybe it depends on the store.
@dave – I wouldn’t tell anyone how to run a store, but maybe I’ll suggest that, if they’re going to have a Mac out on the show floor, they need to give it due attention and service. Thanks for the tip!
Posted by davelawrence8 on December 17th, 2008.